Leopard geckos (Eublepharis macularius) are undoubtedly one of the best reptile pets available. They are easy to care for, extremely docile, do not require a large cage, easy to breed, and come in a staggering 100+ color variations, commonly called morphs. If you are looking for a small, low-maintenance pet that doesn't mind handling, the leopard gecko is an excellent choice.
Quick Word of Warning: If you are planning on buying one of the "kits" from PetCo or PetSmart, don't waste your money. They charge you way more than you need to spend on way less than you need to get. Trust me, I know plenty of people who made that mistake. Definitely NOT worth it. Physical description: leopard geckos are usually a relatively small 8-10 inches long, with certain individuals of the giant and super giant bloodlines reaching a foot or more. They are generally a yellow lizard with black spots (hence the name), but that is just the color they have in the wild. In captivity they have been bred selectively for certain traits, such as albinism. There are over 100 different morphs, each amazing and unique in it's own way.
Housing: Leopard geckos do not require a large space to be happy. A standard ten-gallon tank with a screen lid will house a single leopard gecko from hatchling to adult, however a larger tank (15- or 20-gallon) is recommended to allow the gecko more space to move around. Here are a few options:
Substrate: There is a lot of debate over substrate in the reptile world. Some people say sand is fine, others would never use it and are appalled when others use it. I myself don't use it with my leopard geckos, but even if you decide to use sand, you should not put leopard geckos on it until they're 5-6 inches long. Otherwise there is a good chance that your gecko will become impacted. You also should not use straight sand, since it is unnatural and will often cause impaction. If you use sand, use a mixture of sand and topsoil. This is a much more natural blend, and decreases the risk of impaction dramatically. An impaction is when a reptile swallows it's substrate, and is unable to pass it through their system. It blocks food from digesting, and in bad cases kills the reptile. I would recommend that you keep your gecko on cage carpet or paper towels such as the ones below throughout it's life (I've listed three options for cage carpet. They are all different sizes, so you'll have the one that fits your tank best):
Whatever substrate you use, be sure to do thorough research on it to be sure that it's safe. Here are a few substrates that have been proven to be unsafe for reptiles, either because they are prone to causing impaction or because it can be toxic for reptiles: Calcium sand (impaction) Ground corncob (impaction) Crushed walnut shells (impaction) Pine shavings (toxic)
Heating: A UTH (under tank heater) on a thermostat (such as the ones below) is the best way to heat a geckos tank (be sure to get the correct size. For more info on that, see the UTH and thermostat below):
The heater should cover no more than half of the bottom of the tank. This is to allow your lizard to thermoregulate properly. The temperature on the warm end of the tank during the day should be about 87-92 degrees, shooting for around 90, and the temperature on the cool end can fall to room temperature. Please note that since the temperature probe for the thermostat will be underneath the substrate, you will need to set the temperature on the thermostat for higher than you need above the substrate. With both of my leopard geckos' enclosures I have needed to set the thermostat for anywhere between 93 and 105 degrees underneath the carpet to get the correct temp on top of the carpet. Check the temp with a digital thermometer or an infrared temp gun such as these (I would recommend the temp gun):
Do not get temperature strips or analog thermometers; both are inaccurate. Put the thermostat on a timer such as the one below that will keep it on for 14 hours a day during the summer, and 12 hours a day for 4 months in the winter:
When you make the change, do it gradually, changing it 15-30 minutes every week until you get to the correct time. At night, it is fine if your gecko's tank falls to room temperature, but it is better to purchase a CHE (ceramic heat emitter), or a nighttime bulb, such as an Exo-Terra Moonlight Glo bulb, and put it in a fixture with a dimmer. Here are a few good examples:
The dimmer will help control light and heat, so that your gecko doesn't get too hot or have it's photoperiod messed up. Please note that the infra-red or blue bulbs that you see in pet stores are not invisible to reptiles. They are simply designed to be dim enough for reptiles, although most get much too bright to be used without a dimmer. I have used both, and I prefer CHEs over nighttime bulbs. Nighttime bulbs have a good heat level, but are too bright for the gecko. Even when they are used with a dimmer, you kind of have to choose between enough heat and too bright, or not enough heat and dim enough. With an CHE, you can simply use a dimmer to get it to the correct heat level, and since they don't give off any light, you won't need to worry about too much. You should keep the CHE on whenever your daytime heat and lights are off.
Lighting: Leopard geckos need a proper photoperiod, which is best accomplished using a timer. The lights need to be on at the same time as the heat, so you can plug the lights into the same timer as the heat. At night, lights should be kept to a minimum to allow the gecko a proper photoperiod. You can use plain ol' LED light bulbs from around the house. You can use the fixture below, and get a regular LED light bulb for it.
Hideouts: Leopard geckos need a minimum of three hideouts. One on the warm side, one on the cool side, and one in between with moist sphagnum moss or paper towels inside to aid with shedding. This many hides will reduce stress, and not force the gecko to choose between comfort and security. There are many hides to choose from, from the elaborate rock hides to the plain ol' coconut shell hides. Geckos don’t have preferences (as long as they’re safe!), so it's largely up to you to decide what hides would look best. Here are a few good choices (you must make sure that you have the correct size! For most hides, medium-large will work):
Food and nutrition:
Baby/juvenile leopard geckos should be fed every other day, while adults should be fed twice or three times a week. They are insectivores, and although most prefer their bugs live, some will eat freeze-dried or canned. Either way, live insects have much better nutrition than dead ones, and so they are preferred. You should feed your gecko variety so your pets' life is enriched. Here are some good choices for main food for leopard geckos:
Black Soldier Fly Larvae (very good, they are quite expensive and small, so it takes quite a few to make a meal for an adult leopard gecko, but they are so high in calcium that you don’t need to dust them in any powdered calcium supplements)
Dubia roaches (a very good choice, although they can be expensive and some people, including myself, develop an allergic reaction to them)
Crickets (also good, they are less expensive than dubia roaches, but aren't as nutritious. I use crickets as the staple food for all of my geckos).
Mealworms (They work, they are quite inexpensive, but they don't have very much nutrition. Not really recommended).
Whatever food you decide to use, be sure to buy a few to begin with to make sure your gecko will eat your specific feeder insect. You don't want to have 500 crickets and a picky gecko who won't eat them! You have to dust all food (except black soldier fly larvae) with calcium and multivitamin powder. Mix 2 parts powdered calcium supplement with 1 part multivitamin supplement such as the ones below in a bag or small container. At feeding time, dust feeders with the mixture and feed them to the gecko. This is the calcium and multivitamins I use:
Handling and temperament: Leopard geckos, like all reptiles, are skittish at first. Unlike some reptiles, however, with frequent handling they can become quite tame, with many frequently eating out of their owners' hands.
Herp Husbandry isa participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com.