When Mohd Ludwig decided he wanted a pet, he went looking for one that wasn’t ordinary. In fact, he was interested in getting a lizard.
With that, he began searching for breeders and finally found his reptile bestie. He decided to name his new friend Newt, although he sometimes calls him Luwi Jr.
Newt is an albino bell leopard gecko, one of three strains of the species, with light pink eyes and brown spots all over his body.
When Ludwig first got Newt, the lizard was extremely scared and used to hide from people. However, over time, Newt has come out of his shell – so to speak – and is very friendly now. The eight-month-old gecko enjoys the company of people, especially his human best friend.
Although lizards do not show affection, unlike many other pets, Newt doesn’t mind being scooped up by his human and sitting in his hand.
Most days, Newt spends his time sleeping through the day, and is always looking for new spots to bury himself in and enjoy a good snooze.
“His favourite place to sleep is under tissue bedding,” Ludwig told FMT. Newt crawls his way into a tissue box and finds a nice, cozy spot under the tissues.
When he is awake, Newt enjoys going on adventures and exploring new places. He has his own home that Ludwig set up, which he enjoys exploring. It contains a terrarium, which is like his own little jungle.
Newt also “lives to poop”, as Ludwig puts it, as he is always doing his business. Or, perhaps, the sneaky lizard simply enjoys watching his human clean up after him!
Although he tries to be feisty and tough, Newt does have his fears. The little lizard is especially afraid of people trying to pick him up. This sends him scurrying for safety, especially if someone tries to grab him from above.
Ludwig notes that while Newt does not know any tricks yet, the handsome reptile does know how to swallow his food whole. “It’s not really a trick, but I always find it fascinating whenever he does it,” Ludwig laughed.
No insect is safe from Newt – the second he spots a moving bug, he is on the prowl and, with just one flick of his tongue, gobbles the critter whole.
When he is not busy clearing his human’s home of insects, he enjoys eating meals Ludwig prepares for him. Albino bell leopard geckos are insectivores, so a homemade delicacy includes a mix of mealworms and Dubia roaches. Yummy!
After a long day of taking naps and exploring, Newt usually settles into a hollow rock in his home, where he hides away for the night – no doubt planning new ways to keep Ludwig entertained.
While clearly an unconventional pet, Ludwig loves Newt very much and enjoys spending time with his scaly four-legged friend.
TELL US ABOUT YOUR PET: FMT Lifestyle readers are invited to send in pictures (landscape format) and a short video (if any) of their furry, scaly or feathery friends to [email protected]. Don’t forget to include details like your pet’s name, age, breed and a short story about them.