Leopard Gecko Care Guide

Colorful spotted gecko posing on a checkered board — Photo by Renee Grayson

Leopard geckos are a hugely popular pet lizard known for their docile nature, ease of care, and simply adorable looks. “Leos” make a suitable first reptile for keepers of all ages, and are widely available in the pet shops around the world. They do have a few specific requirements that must be met for good health, which are detailed here in this care guide to leopard geckos.

Fast Facts

Scientific name: Eublepharis macularius
Native range: Afghanistan, Iraq, Iran, Northwest India (Henkel 1995) and Pakistan
Natural habitat: Desert; arid hilly regions and grasslands
Adult size: 6-10 inches (15-25 cm)
Tank size: 10 gallons or larger
Lifespan: 10-20 years
Difficulty: Easy

Fun Facts

Regrow tails… source

Leopard geckos in the Wild

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Leopard Gecko Captive Care

Leopard geckos are one of the world’s most popular pet lizards, and they are in fact a great choice for beginner keepers. Large for geckos but small compared to a lot of other lizards, they grow to about 8 inches long and can live in a simple 10-gallon tank. Easy to feed with crickets and other insects, tolerant of handling, and fun to watch as they explore their environment, “leos” are understandably one of the most beloved species in the hobby.

Housing

Leopard geckos should be kept in a tank that is at least 10 gallons, but a 20-gallon long is much better, and a healthy gecko will utilize every inch of the space. Unlike some geckos, they can’t climb on glass but a secure lid is still very much recommended.

Recommended leopard gecko enclosures:

10-gallon
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Cage Furniture and Decor

Leopard geckos are primarily ground dwelling but will enjoy climbing on any cage furniture that you provide. They need a basking area on the warm side of the enclosure and secure hiding space on the cool side. Provide a dark cave or box that your gecko can retreat into and snooze peacefully. You could also put a hiding place on the warm side to give even better options for thermoregulation. Here are some ideas for features to add into the tank.

Cork logs
Stable rocks or branches that cannot collapse
Artificial or live plants
Repti hide?

Substrate

The most popular substrates for leopard geckos are plain sand or ReptiSand, which adequately mimic the desert soils of their natural habitat. Other suitable substrates include gravel, stone tiles, arid terrarium soil, sand mats, or paper towels.

Want some more ideas for setting up the ultimate leopard gecko home? Check out this video for some pro-level terrarium inspiration, or keep reading to learn additional leopard gecko care requirements.

Can you keep more than one leopard gecko together?

Keeping more than one leopard gecko together is not generally recommended, especially for those who are new to caring for them. Experienced keepers may choose to house more than one female together. They might fight if their needs are not adequately met, however. Males are almost certain to battle for territory if kept with other males.

Temperature

Leopard geckos are from a dry desert environment where temperatures can fluctuate widely between daytime and nighttime. This makes it even more important that you provide a temperature range in their enclosure, but that range can be quite broad.

Basking spot temperature: 90-97°F (32-36°C)
Warm zone temperature: 85-90°F (29-32°C)
Cool zone temperature: 70-75°F (21-24°C)

Leopard geckos will be fine if temperatures dip below 70°F (21°C) at night, but if your house gets much colder than this you may want to provide supplemental heat with a pad or a nocturnal bulb.

Humidity

Leopard geckos require a generally low humidity level around 40-50%, which is ambient for most people’s homes. You can help maintain this level by misting the enclosure once a day. Experienced keepers also recommend also providing a moist hide box, or a hide in which the humidity stays higher. This will help your leopard gecko when it’s time to shed its skin, and can be accomplished with moistened substrate or paper towels that are periodically changed out.

Leopard geckos should also have a shallow water dish that is easy to access and cannot be overturned.

Recommended equipment:

Lighting

You may hear it said that leopard geckos are nocturnal, but this is not entirely true. They are more accurately described as crepuscular, which means they’re most active at dawn and dusk. They need a day/night cycle for proper health, and they will benefit from UVB lighting just like most other reptiles. You can use one of these bulbs to provide the necessary temperature and light spectrum for your gecko:

UVB bulb (cooler, use for smaller enclosures)
UVB bulb (warmer, use for larger enclosures)

Feeding

Leopard geckos eat only insects, which makes them easy to feed with crickets or mealworms you buy from the pet store. For best health, you should also dust the feeder insects with a calcium and vitamin supplement at least once per week. The frequency of feeding depends on your gecko’s age.

Growing juveniles (0-12 months old) should be fed every day, or nearly so.
Young adults (12-24) months can eat every other day or every three days.
Fully grown adults (2+ years) can eat approximately every five days.

Always feed no more insects than your gecko will eat in about 15 minutes. Uneaten crickets can actually injure leopard geckos by nibbling on their toes and other body parts while they sleep. Occasionally a leopard gecko may stop eating for a few days or even weeks. If this happens, remove uneaten bugs from the tank and simply try again later with the normal feeding frequency. Also double check all the care conditions to make sure needs are properly met, and chances are your gecko will resume eating with time.

Supplements

To ensure that your bearded dragon is getting all of the vitamins and minerals that they need, you should use both a calcium supplement and a multivitamin supplement. This is because store-bought feeder insects are often poorly fed and not fully sufficient in nutrients.

To boost your bearded’s diet, sprinkle or dust prey with calcium powder just before feeding them to your lizard 2-3 times a week (more for babies), and use a multivitamin powder nearly as often. Here are some recommendations for supplements, which are affordable and easy to use:

How To Hold Your Leopard Gecko

When you first bring your new gecko home, resist the urge to handle him or her right away. Give them a week or two to settle into their new enclosure. This is important for reducing stress, which can cause health problems. They may also become stressed with too much interaction during the day, which is their natural resting time. Try to handle them in the mornings or evenings instead.

You should then get your gecko gradually accustomed to handling. Begin by simply reaching in your hand and perhaps lightly touching your gecko each day. After a few days, you can try holding them inside the enclosure. When the gecko becomes comfortable resting in your hand, you can remove them and handle them outside the cage, but keep them very close to the ground at first in case they try to jump.

Always handle your leopard gecko gently and avoid grasping the tail. Like some other lizards, leopard gecko tails can break off easily as a defense mechanism. Although leopard geckos are well known for their ability to regrow a broken tail, losing any body part is stressful and unhealthy for the animal so should be avoided at all costs.

As an additional note, remember that leopard geckos are crepuscular, so their natural resting time is during the day. They may become stressed with too much daytime interaction, so try to feed and handle them in the morning or evening instead. This is especially important during the first few months when they are still settling in and becoming used to you.

With a gradual adjustment period and proper care in the long term, a leopard gecko can make a cute and lovable companion for many years.

Bonus: Leopard Gecko Body Language

Learn all about leopard gecko body language and more about their unique behaviors with this video from Elle’s Reptiles: