Please note: This care sheet is just one of many sources - it is up to you as an individual to research properly and to look at multiple sources before taking on the responsibility of an animal.
Life Span: 15 - 40 years
Social: Strictly solitary
Size: Female 7- 8 inches, males 8 -10 inches. Weight can vary from 35 grams to over 100 grams.
Originating from the rocky grasslands of Afghanistan, Pakistan, Iran and North-West India, Eublepharis Macularius, more commonly known as the Leopard Gecko, is a small ground-dwelling gecko known for its distinctive fat tail and movable eyelids.
ENCLOSURE
Leopard geckos thrive in a large tank. I recommend giving a leopard gecko a 90x45x45cm tank.
Glass tanks available at around £400, wooden vivariums available from ProVivs for £100 and Amazon for £80 are all appropriate. Despite the large price difference, there is no difference other than aesthetic between the tank styles recommended above.
You can also use tubs, as long as they are of an appropriate size.
I would recommend having a tank fully set up and running at least 7 days before taking an animal home, to make sure everything is working and ready for the new inhabitant.
Credit: Jessica Tresek / @federalbureauofcats
Credit: Alina E. / @fourlittlegecks
Credit: Jessica Tresek / @federalbureauofcats
Credit: Jessica Tresek / @federalbureauofcats
SUBSTRATE
Substrate is the bedding on the bottom of an animals enclosure. Choose a substrate can be a difficult task as there are a lot of different opinions on which is best.
For the first 6 weeks of owning a leopard gecko (or any reptile), its necessary to quarantine them on paper towels. After quarantine, provided the gecko is over 6 months old, I would recommend any of the following options.
Homemade Mix
This is a mix of 60 - 70% organic topping soil, and 20 - 30% play sand. You can also add in small amounts of Sphagnum moss, excavator clay, and charcoal. I would also recommend having a few large pieces of bark (larger than the geckos head at least) so if you choose to make the tank bioactive, the clean up crew can hide somewhere!
Find the Organic Topping Soil, Playsand, and moss we use in the links here!
Paper Towels
This is the ideal substrate for young or sick geckos, or geckos going through their quarantine period.
Although paper towels are very safe, they do not offer a natural environment for Leopard Geckos and I always recommend using a safe loose substrate where possible.
Unsafe Substrates
Crushed Walnut Shells, Seeds - Unnatural, bad for joints, can cause impaction
Calcium Sand - Minerals in the sand encourage ingestion which then leads to impaction. Very dusty which can cause respiratory issues.
Shelf Liner / Any Plastic Based Substrates - Plastic degrades with long term exposure to UVB and high temperatures which causes it to give off toxic gases over time. Long term health implications.
Reptile Carpet - As above with added risk of toes and claws being injured by loose fibers.
HEATING
Hotspot: 36°C
Ambient: 25°C
UVI: 0.5 - 1.5
Leopard geckos need a humidity of 35%-55%, ambient temperatures of 23 - 26C, and a hot spot temperature of 34 - 36C.
These should all be measured by a digital thermometer and hydrometer (Amazon / Internet Reptile).
To heat the tank, you will need an incandescent basking bulb (Amazon / Internet Reptile). Alternatively, a Deep Heat Projector can work, although they are better for supplemental heat (Amazon / Internet Reptile).
To control the temperatures of your heat sources, you will need a dimming thermostat.
This thermostat has a built-in timer (Amazon / Internet Reptile).
This thermostat does not, so will either have to be manually switched on and off, or attached to a timer. (Amazon / Internet Reptile).
We use this timer, which works with an app on your phone.
Make sure you have slate, underneath your heat bulb which will act as a basking platform for your gecko.
A lot of customers have bought slate from CustomCavesUK on Etsy which geckos love!*
I would highly recommend avoiding red bulbs, heat mats and heat rocks. These are either inappropriate or dangerous for Leopard Geckos.
*Not a sponsored link
LIGHTING / UVB
Leopard Geckos thrive with UVB and require a UVI of 0.5 - 1.5. I recommend using the Arcadia Shadedweller kit (Amazon / Internet Reptile).
If you use UVB, you will need to use supplements that do not contain Vitamin D3, such as the Arcadia EarthPro-A calcium (Amazon / Internet Reptile) in combination with Calcium Pro Mg (Amazon / Internet Reptile).
Ensure you are changing your Shadedweller bulb once per year, and are following Arcadia's guidelines on setting up which can be found here.
Please find our recommended supplement schedules here
Ensure your leopard gecko has no lighting elements on overnight, as this will interfere with its circadian rhythm. We follow Reptfiles guidelines and leave lights on for 14 hours in summer, and 12 hours in winter.
After much deliberation, we now recommend using the same lighting setups for Albino and Non-Albino Leopard Geckos.
Your lighting schedule should vary by season, with UVB being on for 14 hours in summer and 12 in winter.
DIET
I feed my adults 2 or 3 medium Dubia Cockroaches every 2 - 4 days.
Healthy staples include:
- Crickets (Internet Reptile)
- Dubia Cockroaches (Internet Reptile)
- Mealworms (Internet Reptile)
- Locusts (Internet Reptile)
- Calci Worms (Internet Reptile)
For a full list of what food Leopard Geckos can and cannot eat, see here.
Adult Leopard Gecko's tails should be the same width as their necks, and they should have visible muscle in their arms and legs.
Please find our recommended supplement schedules here*
As a treat, leopard geckos can be fed wax worms, mealworms, hornworms (illegal in the UK) or super worms. Don't overfeed these insects or your leopard gecko will quickly become overweight.
Once a year you have the option of feeding your gecko a frozen-thawed newborn mouse (pinky mouse). This is entirely optional, but many of mine, especially girls who lose weight during the breeding season, love this yearly treat. After feeding a pinky, don’t feed again for 5 or 6 days, and don’t handle for about 3. These are very fatty and a bit harder to digest than insects, but make a good treat.
Leo's choose one corner of their Vivarium to defecate and only go there so cleaning up is very easy. Like birds, their urine is solid and white, and it's all together.
You should make sure the insects you’re feeding your gecko have been fed themselves. You can use carrot, sweet potato, courgette, broccoli or cucumber (raw).
*Credit: Leopard Gecko Discord
MISC
All links are affiliate links, so we make a small amount of money if you purchase off of them. Be assured that the products linked are all either ones we have used for years, or ones highly recommended by science-based husbandry groups.
FURTHER READING
It's important to research from more than one source, here are some to get you started
Other Caresheets
UVB & Heating Guides
Bioactive Guides
Groups & Forums
Additional Resources
Leopard Geckos London Ltd is not affiliated with any of the above links, nor does it earn money when you click on them.