October 17, 2025 – In 2022, Kat Lee and her roommate at Tulane University thought the geckos sharing an enclosure in their dorm room were both females. They didn’t learn otherwise until they discovered a happy family — mom, dad and two babies — living in the habitat a few weeks later.
After the initial shock, Lee, who grew up around all sorts of exotic pets, came up with a solution with an upside: she would offer to sell the two new lizards to other students looking for low-maintenance companions. By the end of the school year, she had bred and sold 10 baby geckos for $400 each, including a complete “starter kit” that included an enclosure and supplies. Each transaction earned her a tidy profit.