Petlife logo

Leopard Gecko Care

How I Care for My Leopard Gecko

By Taylor-Rae BoudreauPublished 6 years ago 3 min read
Like
Kevin

Tank Temperature

The tank heating should be roughly 90 degrees Fahrenheit and the cool side should be around 73 to 78 degrees Fahrenheit. It is important to keep a watch on the temperature to make sure it is not too cold, nor too warm for the gecko.

Substrate

There are pros and cons to everything, and that means substrate too. Sand is one of the more natural substrates for a gecko, and can be used for burrowing as well as creating tunnels to make it really feel like home to them. However, with the natural feel, you also run the risk of the gecko ingesting the sand, which in a worst case scenario could cause impaction (the digestive track becoming blocked) and become fatal. I personally house my leopard gecko on a reptile carpet, which is easily washable and swappable. Some owners also choose to use paper towels, tiles, and hardening products.

Feeding and Water

Leopard geckos are typically easy to feed, as they mainly eat crickets and mealworms without any issue. If you want to treat your gecko, you may also feed them super worms or wax worms once a week. My gecko, Kevin, eats five to seven crickets every morning. Calcium is very important for a gecko, as well to prevent medical issues, you can dust their food with repti calcium, or put a small dish of it in their tank. For water, you will need to provide a shallow dish with water aided with repti safe water conditioner.

Decor

A moist hide will be the most important piece in your tank, as it will aid in the gecko's shedding process and give them a moist and cool environment. You will also need a warm hide on the hotter side of your tank to help them digest and warm up. Climbing decoration and rocks are also a good choice to use in the tank. For decor, my tank has a palm sized rock and a pet store bought log, where he can either climb inside or outside it.

Sexing

Most geckos won't be very clear for the sex until they have reached six to 12 months old. Male geckos are identified by having a 'v' shaped row of pores above their vent and two distinct bulges behind the vent (their reproductive organs). Males are also noticed to be generally larger.

Cohabitation

Baby leopard geckos can be housed together without causing any issues, cohabitation is most common and very negative outcome in the gecko's adult stages. When they reach two to four months of age, you should limit them to three per ten gallons of tank space, five to ten months should be limited to two per ten gallons of tank space, this is also when you should start looking out for males. As adults, there should be no more than one male per tank, and up to two females per tank. Two males in the same tank will cause them to become territorial and aggressive, breaking out in fights. A male and a female should not be housed together until they have reached adult size, because if not the male will steal the females food—stunting her growth and unwanted breeding may also take place. Two females of the same size housed together is typically fine, unless you notice one growing faster then the other—at which point you should separate to prevent food stealing.

Males and Females

Male leopard geckos will average in length in their adult stage about eight to 11 inches long and 60-80 grams in weight. The first time they hit sexual maturity is six to eight months old. Males often live over 15 years. Between the sexes, males stay more consistent and usually will not shy away from being held, but are also more aggressive.

Female leopard geckos will average in length in their adult stage about seven to eight inches long and 50 to 70 grams in weight. They will hit sexual maturity at eight to 12 months. They will start to ovulate in January and continue though June/July. Females average live 10 to 15 years. Often, females will not enjoy being held at all and become skittish, but are less aggressive than males.

lizard
Like

About the Creator

Reader insights

Be the first to share your insights about this piece.

How does it work?

Add your insights

Comments

There are no comments for this story

Be the first to respond and start the conversation.

Sign in to comment

    Find us on social media

    Miscellaneous links

    • Explore
    • Contact
    • Privacy Policy
    • Terms of Use
    • Support

    © 2024 Creatd, Inc. All Rights Reserved.