Care Sheet for Geckos: LeopardAverage Rating Given To This Care Sheet Is 4.00 (1=lowest, 5=highest) Last Updated: 07/20/2004 |
Main Category: | Lizards |
Sub Category: | Geckos: Leopard |
Care Sheet Submitted By: | Mariel-713 |
Years Experience: | Under 1 Year |
Species: | Leopard Gecko |
Other Species or Phases this Care Sheet May Cover: | None |
Sexing and Characteristics: | In my opinion it is fairly easy to determine the sex of a gecko. The male gecko has "V" shaped pores on its belly right before the beginning of the tail on its underside that are darker than the rest of its skin. When they are older there will also be 2 bulges above the tail, (also on the underside). Leopard geckos are the easiest reptile to breed. I wont go into how you breed them but there are many wonderful sites all about it. Just remember, NEVER put more than one male in an enclosure, they will fight. There are several different color arrangements in the leopard gecko family, for example there are high yellows, or albino’s...and many many more. |
Mostly Active During: | Night |
Substrate and Water Needs: | I am fully aware of the problems substrate such as sand can cause, however I know of plenty of people who have used it with no problems. I use repti-sand by zoomed it is extra fine. If you do choose to use sand wait until your gecko is at least 5" long and make sure it isn’t silica sand. If you notice your gecko eating too much sand dont worry there are plenty of alternatives, for babies I use paper toweling, you can also use newspaper (the kind you buy at an art store with no ink on it), i have hear of people using orchid bark too. Some bad substrates are...crushed walnut, newspaper with ink on it, sand (for babys), and also potting soil.
As far as water goes, a dish of water big enough for the gecko to soak in is needed, if you are worried about the gecko drowning put a rock in it. This water should be pure, not tap water and should be refilled with fresh water daily. Some juveniles won’t drink from this dish, therefore a spray bottle is needed to mist the inside of your humid hide-box. They will lick the moisture off of the walls.
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Lighting and UVB: | UVB and UVA are not necessary considering these are nocturnal animals and in nature arent out in the sun anyway. I have heard several different opinions about this though, some say its not needed, but wouldn’t hurt, others say you defiantly need it and others say do not use it because it may give the gecko eye problems. If you do choose to use UVB there is a bulb by ESU called the "Super UV coil lamp", I had a tortoise and purchased one of these at Petsmart for around $20. In my aquarium I use a red heat bulb by ESU at night and ESU daytime light in the day. Be sure to use a higher wattage bulb during the day because it should be warmer in the daytime. |
Temperatures and Humidity: | Leopard geckos don’t need as high of heat as some other reptiles. On the cool side it should be between 70 and 80 degrees and on the warm side it should be between 85 and 90 degrees (Fahrenheit). Humidity doesn’t need to be high in that these are desert animals. There should be a hide box on the warm side with moist peat moss in it to aid shedding. |
Heating and Equipment: | In my 50 gallon aquarium I have an exo-terra under tank substrate heater and 2 lamps one for daytime and one for night, repti-sand, smoothed rocks from the beach(make sure you wash them), 2 hide-a-ways, water dish with rocks, deep dish to keep mealworms in (if they get out they will burrow in the sand and turn into beetles) |
Caging Provided: | A 10 gallon tank is the minimum size for 1. You need a lid only to keep out other animals and small children. Also if you use large crickets they may jump out. |
Diet: | Carnivorous |
Description of Diet: | Crickets should be the main thing fed to your gecko, most geckos will only eat live food, but you can try something like can-o-crickets. Mealworms are also good. Wax worms can be fed to the gecko, but not regularly because they are very fattening. Also, adults may eat the occasional pinkie (day old mouse). |
Supplements, Nutrition and Usage: | All crickets and mealworms should be dusted with calcium. I do it every day, they can’t really get too much calcium. They should also be given vitamins such as D3. |
Maintenance: | Remove feces daily and replace the substrate as needed. Clean water should be provided daily, do not use tap water. Filtered or bottled water is fine. Take out all uneaten food (dead or alive) after 24 hours. Crickets are carnivorous and will feed on your gecko while its sleeping if you aren’t careful. When your gecko is shedding spray it with water at room temperature. There should be a hide box on the warm side with moist peat moss in it to also aid shedding. If there is dead skin still around your geckos toes put a few paper towels in a box and get them wet, put your gecko in there for a while. Skin still around the toes is bad because it can cut off circulation and the toes will fall off. |
Some Words on this Species: | *Rather than purchasing from a pet store, try to find a breeder, this will ensure that your pet is healthy.
*Before purchasing ask yourself...can I feed my animal live food? Can I commit to cleaning and handling my animal? and... Can I provide it with the proper housing requirements?
*When purchasing look to see that the skin, nose, mouth, vent and eyes are all clear. Watch it eat, if it is energetic and quick and has a good appetite it is a good gecko.
*Babies tend to be jumpier so don’t handle them a lot until they are about 6 months of age.
**Leopard Geckos are wonderful animals and I highly recomend them! |
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