The Leopard Gecko is one of the most popular of all the Geckos species to keep as a pet. The Leopard Gecko is considered a good 'starter' reptile for those new to reptile keeping, but is still a firm favourite for experience reptile owners. They are very popular as they are a relatively easy breed to look after and accommodate. The Leopard Gecko is generally cream/yellow coloured with black spots/stripes, there are several colour and pattern variations.

Scientific Name: Eublepharis macularius

Average Life Span: Leopard geckos can live 20 or more years.

Size: Leopard geckos reach approximately 6-10 inches in length.

Basic care needs

A single leopard gecko can be housed in a 2-foot wide vivarium. It should ideally be 2x1.5x1.5 foot. Leopard geckos are terrestrial so require more floor space than height.

If you plan on housing more than 1 leopard gecko you should go for bigger vivarium size – many people keep groups of 1 male and 3 females happily in a 3-foot vivarium. Males should NOT be housed together as they will fight.

Substrate for leopard geckos has raised some topical debates in recent years. The general consensus amongst most keepers is that paper towel, newspaper or repti-carpet are the most effective. They carry no risk of impaction and are simple to clean and replace.

Heating, lighting and humidity

The easiest form of heating for a leopard gecko is a heat mat controlled by a mat stat.

Temperatures should be during the daytime between 85-95 degrees in the warmest area of the tank (basking spot). The cooler end of the tank should be between 72-77 degrees.

Temperatures like this allow the gecko to control its body temperature by moving form one end of the tank to the other.

Night time temperatures should be 68-74 degrees.

To monitor your temperatures, you should use a good thermometer – digital if possible to get the most accurate temperatures and any heating devices should be connected to an appropriate thermostat.

As leopard geckos are form dry regions of the world, they should have no more than 10% humidity in their enclosure. Anything higher than this can lead to health and behavioural problems.

Within your tank, you should provide plenty of hiding spaces for your gecko. One of these should be a “moist” hide. This is achieved by placing damp kitchen paper or sphagnum moss in the hide. This helps your gecko to shed its skin and also doubles as a laying site for gravid females.

A gecko in shed will be plainly obvious. Their colours dull dramatically and they become almost white. Your gecko will also eat its shed skin, as it is a good source of nutrients for it.

You can use a simple household light bulb to provide a photoperiod for your gecko – again this should be fixed to a dimming thermostat. They require 12 hours of daylight and 12 hours of darkness.

Water should be left in a shallow dish and changed daily to prevent bacteria build up.

Diet

Leopard geckos will at a variety of live foods – crickets, locusts, roaches, mealworms and waxworms are all favourites.

Feeding should take place in the evening and all foods should be dusted using an appropriate supplement with calcium and multivitamins in.

Also, a small dish of pure calcium should be present in the enclosure at all times and will be used by your gecko as needed.

This is a very basic guide to caring for your reptile, this information is not exhaustive. Please find out as much information as you can regarding Leopard Gecko care to ensure that your pet gets the most out of you and you out of your pet.

Care Guide information supplied by Emma Britton and Edited by A.Farley. All rights reserved.