Care Sheet
Leopard Geckos are the perfect reptile pet! They are easy to care for, have delightful personalities and are wonderfully attractive looking creatures! Once you own one of these reptiles, you’ll soon find yourself becoming deeply attached to it! Your Gecko will become a special member of the family!
Found in the rocky terrain of Pakistan, India and Afghanistan, Leopard geckos are lizards which live primarily in the dry dessert lands with temperatures that fluctuate from 80F-90F during the day and as low as 65F-75F at night. They primarily hide during the day when the temperatures are at their peak and come out at night to feed when the temperature is more suitable. Because of this habit, they are also termed as ‘nocturnal’ creatures. Leopard geckos are long-lived compared to some reptiles. On average you can expect your gecko to live six to 10 years, but many males live 10 to 20 years. Most geckos are between 7 and 10 inches long when they reach adulthood depending upon genetics of the gecko.
Glass or acrylic aquariums with screen tops are best suited for Leopard Geckos. The size of the encloser depends upon the size of the Gecko and if you plan on housing more than one at a time. If you are keeping only one gecko, a 10 gallon set up is just fine. However, a 20L tank is ideal. This will give plenty of room to roam around and in the event you catch the Leopard Gecko fever, there will be room for more! Leopard Geckos are terrestrial and do not climb therefore they need a longer rather than higher enclosure. I do not recommend keeping more than 3 leos in a 20L tank. Also, only house 1 male per enclosure. Males are very territorial and will fight to the death! That being said 3 females can be housed together or 1 male with 2 females will also be fine. The male will breed with the females so keep in mind, unless you plan on breeding,caring for the gravid females and rearing the hatchlings, keep them apart!
The best way to heat your leopard gecko is by using an undertank heating pad. These are available at any pet store or online. The pad should be placed all the way to one side of the cage. Heating one end of the cage is best since they are cold blooded and need to thermoregulate. I also keep a low watt bulb over the warm end of the tank. Although they are nocturnal and do not need special lighting, I use one anyway to simulate their natural warm sunny environment. I also use a blue night bulb to simulate the night and for viewing them when they are most active. I keep the lights on a round the clock 12 hour interval timer and it works great! The temperature at the warm end of the tank should range between 82F-88F and the cool side aound 70F-75F. Do not ever use heat rocks in the enclosure! There are many reports of shorting which causes them to overheat and can potentially burn your gecko!
The subject of what to line the enclosure with has long been questionable. There are many products available on the market that are suitable for Leopard geckos. I keep all my adults on calci-sand and have never had any problems with it ever. It simulates the natural environment and is very easy for spot cleaning. Do not ever keep young or debilitated geckos on sand. A young or debilitated leopard gecko might consume sand or fine-particle products on the cage floor, and this could lead to intestinal impaction. I keep all my hatchlings on paper towels. Since I keep a few babies together and they eat daily which means they poop daily, paper towels are practical,economical and safe!
Decorating can be as simple or elaborate as you like. They key elements needed are places to hide including a humid hide. A hide box filled with moist moss, vermiculite or a damp paper towel is needed, so your leopard gecko can shed its skin properly. This secure setting also is needed for egg laying if you plan on breeding geckos. It can be as simple as a margarine container with a hole cut in it or you can splurge and get the repti shelter cave. I have used both methods and either one works well. Once you have the hiding spots in place do not move them around. Change can stress your gecko out. However, they do like some variety and new things to explore. From time to time add in a pile of small rocks or a branch or something fun for them to climb around on.
Leopard Geckos are strictly insectivores. A good staple diet is crickets. Offer food to your adult gecko at least every other day and baby geckos every day. Feed as many as they can consume in a few minutes. All crickets offered to your leo should be gut loaded to ensure the most nutritional value for your pet. There are many commercial varieties on the market that work well. Also provide a water source for the crickets as well. The special gels made for crickets work very well and minimize drowning of the crickets. Crickets should be dusted with a calcium supplement before being offered to the gecko. You may also keep a shallow dish of calcium powder in the cage. The gecko will know how much it's body needs and will lick it up accordingly. Leopard Geckos will also readily eat mealworms,superworms and waxworms. A few of mine also enjoy silkworms and butterworms which are also great supplement feeders due to the nutritional content and the softer body is easier to digest. A shallow water dish with fresh water must be available at all times. It should also be stable, so it cannot be spilled. Water should be changed every day to avoid becoming stagnant and unhealthy for the gecko.