Care Sheet for Geckos: LeopardAverage Rating Given To This Care Sheet Is 3.00 (1=lowest, 5=highest) Last Updated: 09/15/2005 |
Main Category: | Lizards |
Sub Category: | Geckos: Leopard |
Care Sheet Submitted By: | NinjaTurtle |
Years Experience: | 1 to 2 Years |
Species: | Leopard Gecko |
Other Species or Phases this Care Sheet May Cover: | None |
Sexing and Characteristics: | To sex a leo, turn it over on its back gently or use a clear tupperware and hold it up. A male will have two bulges right below the vent, and above the vent will be a ’V’ of dark pores. A female will not have the bulges but will still have the pores; the pores will just not be dark and will blend in with the skin, so you have to try hard to see them. |
Mostly Active During: | Night |
Substrate and Water Needs: | For substrates, I have used paper towels, bark, and crushed almond shells. DO NOT USE CRUSHED ALMOND SHELLS, BARK, AND ESPECIALLY NOT SAND. I, along with hundreds of other people, can not stress the dangers of lose particle-based substrates. I used bark and almond shells because I was told that they were the best, and come to find out they are very, very harmful and can, and often do, cause impaction. DO NOT use these substrates. Paper towel is probably the best substrate for leos because it’s cheap, easy to clean, and doesn’t look too tacky. It’s also good for the geckos to grip onto without having to worry about catching teeth or toes, like with repti-carpet.
For water, put a small dish of water in with your leo. Clean it every other day (every day if possible) and replace with fresh water. |
Lighting and UVB: | No UVB is necessary- leo’s are nocturnal and won’t be exposed to the light anyways. That’s not to say UVB will harm them, because it won’t. It’s just not necessary at all. You can use a normal lightbulb or a black/infared/blue bulb as a heat source, just make sure temperatures stay in the 90’s on the hot side and 80’s on the cool side. |
Temperatures and Humidity: | 90-95 degrees on the hot side, 80-85 degrees on the cool side. Always have a humid hide availiable for shedding. |
Heating and Equipment: | Heat mats are also very common ways of heating a cage, but the problem with a heat pad is that it doesn’t warm the air, it just warms the substrate. That’s not a bad thing, because geckos do need the underbelly heat to regulate their digestion, but overhead light will do just fine. Try to avoid heat rocks, but if you must use on, monitor it’s temperature very carefully and never let your leo sit on top of it- it will get plenty of warmth sitting next to or above it. |
Caging Provided: | I use a 10 gallon tank for my male, which has a heat mat on the bottom and three hides in his tank. For my females, I use a 22 gallong tank with five seperate hides. NEVER HOUSE TWO MALES TOGETHER, NEVER NEVER NEVER. |
Diet: | Carnivorous |
Description of Diet: | Crickets are the most common staple food for a leopard gecko, but most people will also feed mealworms and silkworms. Waxworms are ok as an occasional treat. I mean occasional- a leopard gecko can get hooked on waxworms, which have no nutrition and are all fat, and will end up eating only waxworms. Be very careful with waxworms, and never feed pinkie mice, due to risk of parasites and impaction. Feed once every other day for adults, as much as they will eat in 15 minutes, and every day for growing juveniles, all the will eat in fifteen minutes. |
Supplements, Nutrition and Usage: | Dust the feeders insects every week for adults (you can also do twice every week if you wish) and every feeding for juveniles. Vitamin supplements are recommended once a week, for both adults and juvies. |
Maintenance: | Be sure to clean out feces regularly- prolonged exposure to their feces may give your gecko parasites. Clean the cage at least once every two weeks completely, replacing the substrates or cleaning the repti-carpet. Try to maintain a 12/12 hour cycle for lighting, if you use lights, and always check water. These animals are rather low maintenance, so this shouldn’t be a problem. |
Some Words on this Species: | This is a fascinating animal, and they come in many different colors and morphs. They are amazing creatures, and they are the best reptile you could own.
-Luke |
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