Leopard Gecko
- Thread starter Coutl
- Start date
Keeping Leopard Gecko is really easy, there are a lot of good care sheets out there for them. You want the hot end to be 88 or 90 F, some people will drop the temperature down to about 65 F at night.
They can be in a 20 Gallon Long aquarium for life or a similar-size sweater box. You can easily get a human heating pad for about $15 to $20, which are a lot more reliable than the reptile heating pads and last a lot longer. Usually putting it on "Low" is enough to bring it up to about 89 F or 90 F, however I still recommend you put a dimmer on it or a thermostat. You can get a lamp dimmer for about $10-$15. Always measure your hot end with a thermometer, which you can get a reliable digital for about $15 to $25. If the temperature is too high, just dim it down, and if it is too low -- just set the heat pad to medium and then dim accordingly. Usually checking once a day is sufficient enough. Whatever you do though... don't put weight on the heating pad, have the enclosure elevated by about 1/4" off the ground.
You can made hides out of everyday items like toilet paper rolls, saucers, cracked flower pots or a food container that had been cut out or drilled. Use unprinted newspaper or paper towel for easy cleaning and to provide substrate between them and the floor of the enclosure for them.
Feeding... any insects that can fit into their mouth. Don't use the ones you caught outside, most of them have pesticides and some such as fireflies are known to carry toxins that can affect your lizard. Silkworms, mealworms, crickets, and cockroaches are okay to use. Some breeders have Leopard Geckos on mealworms all their lives, other people prefer to give them variety.
Temperament is dependent on the gecko itself. Most of them are nice and docile enough to handle, and even recognize you as the "bringer of food."
They can be in a 20 Gallon Long aquarium for life or a similar-size sweater box. You can easily get a human heating pad for about $15 to $20, which are a lot more reliable than the reptile heating pads and last a lot longer. Usually putting it on "Low" is enough to bring it up to about 89 F or 90 F, however I still recommend you put a dimmer on it or a thermostat. You can get a lamp dimmer for about $10-$15. Always measure your hot end with a thermometer, which you can get a reliable digital for about $15 to $25. If the temperature is too high, just dim it down, and if it is too low -- just set the heat pad to medium and then dim accordingly. Usually checking once a day is sufficient enough. Whatever you do though... don't put weight on the heating pad, have the enclosure elevated by about 1/4" off the ground.
You can made hides out of everyday items like toilet paper rolls, saucers, cracked flower pots or a food container that had been cut out or drilled. Use unprinted newspaper or paper towel for easy cleaning and to provide substrate between them and the floor of the enclosure for them.
Feeding... any insects that can fit into their mouth. Don't use the ones you caught outside, most of them have pesticides and some such as fireflies are known to carry toxins that can affect your lizard. Silkworms, mealworms, crickets, and cockroaches are okay to use. Some breeders have Leopard Geckos on mealworms all their lives, other people prefer to give them variety.
Temperament is dependent on the gecko itself. Most of them are nice and docile enough to handle, and even recognize you as the "bringer of food."
Coutl;1021589; said:
Leopard geckos are insectivores and feed on live insect prey. While places like petsmart do sell freeze-dried dead insects to feed leos, these are very poor nutritionally and often times leos won't even recognize them as food. Stick with live insects (crickets, mealworms, etc), and your leo will thank you.
Their bite is not bad. The inside of their mouth feels more like sandpaper, lots of small flat teeth made for grabbing the exoskeletons of insects and then swallowing them whole.
Leopard geckos respond to movement so live prey is a must! They will starve to death if given freeze dried food.
When it comes to The Leopard Gecko hunting behaviour, it is all about...,"do not move a muscle."
20gal may hold them for life but will not allow them to roam and have fun. You will have to handle and let it walk outside the vivarium also which I know you would do. I am keeping mine in 50gal. Good luck!
20gal may hold them for life but will not allow them to roam and have fun. You will have to handle and let it walk outside the vivarium also which I know you would do. I am keeping mine in 50gal. Good luck!