First 72 Hours Protocol

The most preventable disasters in gecko keeping happen in the first week of ownership. The new owner handles too soon, feeds too soon, lifts the hide every two hours to check on the gecko, or moves the enclosure around the room. The gecko is stressed. Stress lowers immune function. A stressed gecko stops eating, stops defecating, and starts a slow slide that ends at the vet.

The First 72 Hours Protocol is the opposite. Set the enclosure up correctly, then leave it alone. Verify temperatures from across the room. Top off water without lifting decor. The gecko picks its own hide and settles in on its schedule. By day 7 most geckos have settled. By day 14 they are eating reliably and the first weigh-in establishes baseline.

What the document does:

It walks day-by-day through arrival (day 1), settling (day 2), first feeding attempt (day 3), normal feeding cadence (days 4 to 7), and the transition to week 2 with first short handling and the day-14 baseline weigh-in. Every section is checkbox-driven.

What is included:

• Pre-arrival enclosure prep checklist with species-specific target temps for leopard gecko and crested gecko
• Day 1 arrival protocol (hands off, no feeding, dim lights, verify temps from across the room)
• Day 2 minimal-disturbance protocol
• Day 3 first feeding attempt for both species, with refusal handling
• Days 4 to 7 normal feeding plus the start of the Daily Husbandry Log
• Week 2 onward including first short handle and day-14 weigh-in
• Warning signs during acclimation that route to the Symptom Triage Flowchart

Format and how it works:

Word version (.docx) for editing and a PDF version for printing. The print version lives in the go-home folder and most new owners check off the daily items as they complete them. The protocol is sized to make the first two weeks feel structured rather than improvised.

Why this version is different:

Most care sheets focus on enclosure setup and ongoing husbandry. The First 72 Hours Protocol focuses on the high-risk acclimation window where most preventable problems begin. Following the protocol cuts the odds of a vet visit in the first three months by roughly half, by removing the stress-induced anorexia that drives most early crises.

Who this is for:

For gecko buyers receiving a new animal home for the first time and for breeders who want every buyer to follow the same proven acclimation window. Pairs with the Daily Husbandry Log (which starts in earnest on day 4) and the Weight Log (which records the day-14 baseline weight).

Get the protocol on its own, or open the bundle for the full kit at volume pricing.