So, you are considering getting a classroom pet, but there are so many choices to choose from. Well, how about a leopard gecko?

Leopard geckos are excellent classroom pets, they’re cute, gentle, clean, easy to maintain, and quiet. They are also a great way to teach STEM while teaching students about responsibility and animal care. It has been shown that the having an animal in the classroom affects teaching and learning STEM to a significant extent. Direct contact with a classroom pet not only improves children’s social abilities and mental well-being but also increases critical and innovative thinking, manual skills and problem-solving abilities.

So, here are some cool facts about leopard geckos.

1. Their tails can regrow. One awesome feature is that leopard geckos’ tails can regrow if broken off. This is a defense mechanism known as autotomy. Many lizards and some snakes have the ability to voluntarily break off the tail in an effort to escape from a predator. Why can animals regrow their tails? Scientists have identified the gene-activating stretches of DNA that help them regenerate their tails. One thing to note though, the regenerated tail won’t look as nice as the original tail, a bit stubbier.
2. They can scream and chirp. The shriek/scream usually lasts a few seconds and is high pitched, whereas the chirping actually sounds like a very fast squeak, similar to the sound of a mouse. Shrieking often means they are feeling threatened or frightened, but the chirping sound can demonstrate happiness and they often do it at feeding times.
3. Their teeth regrow. Leopard geckos have 100 teeth that fall out and are replaced every 3 to 4 months. A smaller replacement tooth grows right next to the current full-grown tooth so that a new tooth is there when the old tooth falls out. But don’t worry if if your leopard gecko misses the tooth fairy, he’ll be happy if you give him a cricket instead.

In summary, leopard geckos are ideal for teachers who want an easy to care for pet. They don’t require a large cage (a 20-gallon tank that has a secure lid is perfect), they live a long time in captivity, and they come in a wide variety of colors and patterns. Leopard geckos are typically docile well-tempered pets, quiet and undemanding, easy to maintain (they usually choose one spot in the tank to use as a bathroom) and make great starter pets, a child friendly choice for sure.