General Information

Scientific Name: Eublepharis Macularius
Length: 6-8 inches on average
Lifespan: 15+ years

Housing

The general rule of thumb is to allow a minimum of 12 square inches per adult gecko. Glass aquariums, plastic tubs or custom wooden/plastic caging of appropriate size work well for single or colonies of geckos. Males are extremely territorial and aggressive with the same sex and thus must never be housed together. Some dominant geckos have been known to be aggressive to smaller or weaker cage mates. If bullying occurs, immediately separate the geckos to prevent stress and injury.

Leopard Geckos should have at least two hides. One dry hide and another “humid hide” to assist in shedding and, if breeding, egg-laying. A “humid hide” can contain moist paper towels, moss or cypress mulch.

Recommended substrates include Astroturf, Butcher Paper, Newspaper, Paper Towels, Washed/Screened Play Sand and Tile. Avoid calcium based sands as they are known to encourage ingestion and ultimately impaction.

Temperature

Leopard Geckos rely on thermoregulation to control their body temperature. Since they cannot produce their own body heat, you must supply them with an environment for them to regulate their own body temperatures. Access to warms areas or a basking spot is very important to your gecko’s health. To maintain health, geckos must be kept at 90-92 F, using the higher temperatures to digest their food. A commonly used method is using a under tank heater on one side of the tank. UTH’s usually have an adhesive so that they may be attached directly to the tank. Flexwatt heat tape is another option to provide belly heat. Always use a good thermostat to control the heating device to avoid fires and overheating.

Feeding

Leopard Geckos eat a diet of live crickets, mealworms, silkworms, roaches and wax worms. Occasionally breeders will feed there egg-laying females pinky mice (hairless, newborn mice) to give them a boost. Food items should be no large then ¾ the size of the geckos head to prevent choking. Geckos under 5″ should be fed everyday while adults can be fed 2 or 3 times a week.

Prey items need to be dusted with a calcium powder every other feeding and a multi vitamin powder weekly. A dish of calcium can also be placed inside your geckos enclosure for them to lick up when they feel the need. It is also recommended to gut-load prey items with fresh, highly nutritious foods prior to feeding.