Ripley is a leopard gecko, belonging to junior Japanese major Ben Norris. Norris has always wanted a reptile, so during the height of the COVID-19 outbreak in 2020, she decided to get a leopard gecko. She got Ripley in June of that year when he was just a baby. Leopard geckos are generally easy to take care of but still require a decent amount of dedication. Like all pets, their environments and enrichment require attention, but in return, you’ll get a loveable lizard.
Leopard geckos can often be seen with their signature spots and adorable smiles. They are good pets for someone who has never had a lizard before and are easy to tame. These ground-dwelling lizards can be found in desert environments in Afghanistan, Iran, Pakistan and parts of India. Leopard geckos are widely popular because they do not require a ton of space and have a variety of colors and patterns. Ripley sports brown spots on his yellow body, and a lighter underbelly that match his cute little brown eyes.
Norris makes sure Ripley has clean water and to feed him every three days on a schedule. Ripley loves to eat crickets and mealworms, and occasionally, Norris will give him a waxworm as a treat! Norris gives Ripley his food dusted with calcium or a multivitamin powder to promote bone health and balance out his diet, a necessity for domesticated lizards.
Ripley needs plenty of exercise and enjoys crawling up Norris’ arm and onto her shoulder. Leopard geckos need exercise to maintain their heath and appetite. They should only be allowed to explore safe areas and should only be allowed to roam if they are used to being handled.
“Sometimes when he’s bored, he likes to try and climb up the glass in his tank. He kind of just stands upright and wiggles on the glass. I like to say he’s glass surfing,” Norris said.
Norris also frequently lets Ripley out of his cage to explore and crawl on her for some exercise.
Ripley gets his name from Ellen Ripley, the protagonist from the “Alien” franchise and one of Norris’ favorite characters. Ripley’s namesake is played by Sigourney Weaver, and the character was praised for challenging gender roles in media, specifically science fiction, action and horror, by having a female hero. It is considered one of the most significant female protagonistic roles in cinematic history.
Ripley is also a big support for Norris and helps her with her day to day life and has been a huge support in her mental health journey. Despite being so loving, this sweet little gecko doesn’t quite understand being pet.
“He doesn’t seem to understand it, but he puts up with a couple pets,” Norris said.
