That's the first thing you need to understand before purchasing this, or any, animal. You buy a leo, it lives with you for 5 years, and dies. "Oh, well, it was old, it died", is not an excuse. A leopard gecko needs good care to flourish and live a long and happy life. So this is important to know before even thinking about getting one.

Fortunately, as you'll find out, leopard geckos are a lot easier to care for than most, so if this is your first reptile, and you've got the dedication, then you've made a good choice.

Whilst, generally, pet stores are a bad place to buy any reptiles, Leopard Geckos are so easy to care for, it's hard for even a pet store to mess it up in the short time they remain under their "care" - although I have seen a few that do. The best place to go for if you can is a reputable breeder, or somebody else you know who has leopard geckos and has successfully bred them. If you have to go to a pet store, then try for one of the smaller independent stores rather than a large chain.

When getting your first leo, the main thing to watch for is the tail. First, the fact that it should have one, and second that it should be nice n' fat in comparison to the size and age. Bear in mind that a hatchling's tail won't be anywhere as fat compared to the rest of the body as an adult's should be. Try not to get one too small if you can help it. Hatchlings should not be bought and sold too young, as they still haven't fully gotten their strength yet, and lots of moving them around can cause them to stress out really bad, possibly even leading to death. Stress, on any reptile, can cause loss of appetite, and the animals can starve themselves.

Although, whenever you buy any new reptile, it probably won't eat for a few days. First it just wants to settle in and get used to its new home. If it goes for more than 3 or 4 days or so without eating anything at all and not pooping, contact the pet store, or possibly even a vet.

Given that leopard geckos are nocturnal animals, and primarily active at night, it can be hard to judge the hardiness of the animal by how active it is, although some leos can be quite happy being out in the day. So, if you see one up and wandering around, keep an eye on it, that could be the one to go for. Watch all of them carefully, and see how they react with their surroundings and their tank-mates. Watch for what other reptiles are in the tank. If it's just leos in the tank, then have a good look around at them. If you see other species in the tank, such as african fat-tailed geckos, turn around, walk out the door, and find another pet store.

• Leopard Geckos and African Fat-tailed Geckos are from two completely different continents, and two completely different environments. They should not be housed together under ANY circumstances - even temporarily.
• AFT Geckos can reach a lot larger size than leopard geckos, and this can cause severe stress to your leo. If the two are housed together, the leos in the tank could all be so stressed they've not eaten anything for a week - and may never eat again even after going to a new home on their own. Purchasing a stressed out leo now can cause bad problems in the future, and could end up costing a fortune in vets bills if your new little friend doesn't eat, and you could still end up losing the gecko at the end of a long hard battle.

So, that's the first thing. Make sure the only species of reptile in a leopard gecko's enclosure is other leopard geckos, and other leopard geckos of a similar size! Putting young leopard geckos in with adult leopard geckos will probably have the same effect. The larger leos will eat all the food, regardless of whether the smaller one WANTS to eat or not, and will severely stress out the lil guys. Lack of food, and therefore calcium, can lead to the same MBD (metabolic bone disease) and other malnourishment problems you see in other reptiles.

Now you know the first things to look for. Providing you've found a pet store, or preferably a breeder, who knows how to house their leos correctly, you can start to be a little more assured that you're going to get a nice healthy leo. As mentioned earlier, the tail is one of the key points to watch for. The tail is the fat and water storage, like a camel's hump, and they do have the ability to drop their tails if threatened, or to distract predators. A dropped tail in a pet store could be an attack by a tank mate, or incorrect handling by a store employee. Either way, this is the leo you don't want! Although the tail will grow back, it will never be as big and beautiful as the original tail.

It will be easy to spot a leo with an original tail or a regrown one. The original tail will go to a nice sharp point at the end, and taper off gradually. A regrown tail will be dull at the end, and not taper off as uniformly as the original. A leo with no tail, and presumably bullied, or stressed due to mishandling, may have a problem eating, as mentioned above, and is not the leo you want. A leo with a fully regrown tail should be as healthy as a leo with an original tail, however the decision on which to get in this case is entirely up to which you like the look of. Whether a leo has an original or fully regrown tail, it needs to be nice and plump. Comparing to the other leos in the enclosure, and photographs you've seen on the web, you'll get a good idea of how fat is fat. The widest part of the tail should be at least as wide as the leo's neck.

Once you've picked out a nice fat healthy looking leo, ask the assistant in the store if you can hold the leo. If they don't let you, assume there's a problem. A store that doesn't let potential owners handle the animals is probably hiding something. Whether it simply be coccidia (a parasite, which can often be cleaned up fairly simply), or something more sinister. Given that leos in pet stores are rarely handled, it should be an active gecko and avoid being picked up at first. Upon feeling the warmth of the hand that's holding it, it should start to calm down (Yes, make sure to get your hands warm before handling any reptile). Also, ask to see the leos eat. See which one goes for the most crickets and is most active when food is placed in the enclosure. Even a sleeping leo will wake upon hearing the sound of crickets scurrying in the enclosure.

Make sure there's been water available, and that the tank is clean in the leo enclosure at the store. Even though leos are desert animals, they do require water. Make sure there's a nice dark hide, and (preferably) a moist hide. A moist hide and water will help leos when shedding. Bad sheds can cause leos to lose the tips of their tails or even digits (fingers and toes). So, make sure all 20 little digits are accounted for! Most pet stores don't provide a moist hide, so this is something you will have to check. If you happen upon a pet store that has no water in the leos' enclosure, again turn around, walk out the door and move on to the next store. Dehydration is the number one killer, in my humble opinion, of reptiles; Especially hatchlings and other youngsters. And also make sure there's enough heat in the enclosure (and on the flip side of that coin, make sure there's not too much heat, and that they have somewhere cooler to escape to).

That's about it really. Pick a leo that's nice n' fat n' healthy, and that you have seen eat in your presence. Never buy a leo you haven't seen eat (if, as most pet stores are, the leo's enclosure has a sand substrate, there's a possibility of impaction. If a leo becomes impacted, it will not eat. So, if you see your potential new friend eat, you can pretty much guarantee he's not impacted). Make sure there's water available in the enclosure, and make sure all fingers and toes are where they should be (on the ends of hands and feet!). Make sure there's no shed skin around any toes, as this can lead to lost digits after you've brought him home.

A couple of final points. Before you even think about going around the pet stores looking for a leo, make sure you've already got his new home already setup. Make sure all temperatures are correct, the enclosure is correctly decorated - for example, you wouldn't put down a sand substrate for a hatchling leo. Also think about what age of leo you would like to get. A hatchling or juvenile will require a lot more care than an already fully grown adult. Hatchlings are more vulnerable to dehydration, and parasites than adults. Whilst the chances of catching a parasite are probably the same for a hatchling as they are for an adult, an adult's immune system is a lot more developed and a lot more capable of fighting back. So, if you're unsure of your abilities, or don't know if you'll have the time and dedication a baby leo would require, go for an adult. You'll still get plenty of years of friendship.