Care Sheet for Geckos: LeopardAverage Rating Given To This Care Sheet Is 3.25 (1=lowest, 5=highest) Last Updated: 03/18/2005 |
Main Category: | Lizards |
Sub Category: | Geckos: Leopard |
Care Sheet Submitted By: | Go Speedracers |
Years Experience: | 3 to 5 Years |
Species: | Leopard Gecko (Eublepharis macularius) |
Other Species or Phases this Care Sheet May Cover: | Just Leopard Geckos |
Sexing and Characteristics: | Males are somewhat more heavy-bodied than females and have a broader, thicker neck. Males also have a V shaped row of preanal pores in front of the vent and swellings at the base of the tail. But with the exception of having to use a 10x magnifying glass to see it. |
Mostly Active During: | Night |
Substrate and Water Needs: | For baby Leopard Geckos, use newspapers or paper towels. This substrate is inexpensive and easy to clean, and eliminates the risk of impaction. Once the gecko has reached a length of 6 inches, you could switch over to sand. Be sure to feed them enough calcium, this might be the problem of impaction, as the geckos will eat the sand as a source of calcium. If you are growing plants, use a mix of sand and soil.
1 inch soil, 1 inch sand. (soil on bottom.)
Offer clean water to your geckos two to three times a week using a shallow container, like some of the commercially made reptile dishes. At least once a week, or whenever the water is dirty, wash it with an antibacterial dish detergent, then rinse thoroughly. |
Lighting and UVB: | Use two full spectrum fluorescent bulbs running the length of the tank for growing plants and good light quality. For most enclosures, a 40 or 60 watt bulb provides the desired heat. Red bulbs can bee used day and night. Incandescent lights work well with aquariums that are at least 24 inches long with fully ventilated tops. Keep your lights on for fourteen hours a day, except at wintertime where the hours should be reduced to ten to simulate a photo-period reduction. At night, use one or two 25 watt red bulbs to see your geckos and to provide mild heat.
There is a debate about Leopard Geckos needing UVB lighting. I personally think if your geckos are active during the day, get them some sort of UVB lighting. |
Temperatures and Humidity: | UTH’s (under-tank heaters) are an effective heating source if used properly. Select a heating unit that only covers 25 to 35 percent of the floor area of your tank, so your gecko can thermoregulate. Leopard Geckos need a warm spot and a cold spot. If using UTH’s, make sure your tank is elevated at the bottom (you can do this by sticking some cardboard along opposite sides.) If Leopard Geckos are kept alone, the basking area should be around 85-90 degrees F. If kept with different geckos that are active at daytime, the basking area should be 90-95 degrees F. Make sure you connect your heating devices to a thermostat to regulate these temperatures. Also buy a thermometer to maintain the temperature.
You should mist your tank once or twice a week if you are using sand. Most Leopard Geckos will fare well without a humidified shelter. The humidity should be at about 40%, preferably less. A good way to provide humidity is to use a humid hide. Keep moist peat moss, sphagnum moss, vermiculite (put in a bag so the geckos don’t eat the vermiculite), and sheet moss. Replace it regularly to prevent bacterial build-up. Make sure to microwave and wash your substrate that you are using in the humid hide to remove any parasites, bacteria, molds, etc... |
Heating and Equipment: | UVB’s are a good way to go, just make sure your tank has been raised, and it is very effective if you are using a thin substrate (one inch or less). Incandescent bulbs also work, 40 or 60 watt bulbs do well, in most enclosures. |
Caging Provided: | A 10 gallon tank is good for a single gecko, 20 gallons for a male and a female, and above that is good enough for a trio. Make sure it has good ventilation, and a cover so insect prey and your geckos cant escape. A long tank is better than a tall tank, as the geckos don’t climb very often. |
Diet: | Carnivorous |
Description of Diet: | The best diet for Leopard Geckos are commercially raised crickets and/or mealworms. Gut-load your insects first, by feeding them sliced oranges for a source of water or carrots, or any type of high quality insect diet. Dust your crickets with a calcium/vitamin D3 supplements, and multivitamins, and pure calcium carbonate. Do this by putting a small amount of calcium powder in a plastic bag with crickets and shaking. For juveniles, feed crickets daily. Feed as much as they can eat between a 10- 15 minute period. For adults, feed two, three, or four times a week. For babies and juveniles, 2 times a week you should use pure calcium on the crickets or mealworms, calcium with vitamin D3 twice a week, and multivitamin once a week. For adults, pure calcium offered twice a week, calcium with D3 once a week, and multivitamin offered once a week. Baby pink mice, or "pinkie mice" are good for fattening a skinny Leopard gecko, but only for that reason. Same thing with waxworms. |
Supplements, Nutrition and Usage: | Calcium carbonate, calcium/vitamin D3. You can also provide straight calcium carbonate in the tank at all times, in a small bowl. |
Maintenance: | Leopard Geckos are very easy to clean because they defecate in a single corner of the tank. Make sure there is good ventilation, and make sure the tank doesn’t get wet. Excess moisture can infect Leopard Geckos skin and digits. |
Some Words on this Species: | Leopard Geckos are great lizards to keep. They are very clean and require little maintenance. They can be handled, but they only tolerate occasional handling. They can live for up to 20 or 30 years. |
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