How to Set Up a Leopard Gecko Tank
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Leopard Geckos make great pets for both the experienced and the inexperienced herp pet owners. If you're reading this you are probably about to purchase a leopard gecko or have already purchased one. You may even be an experienced reptile owner just looking through to gain more knowledge. The best way to learn is to be a pet owner, but this guide will hopefully be a helpful way for you to get started in your pet owning adventure.
Getting a new pet can be an exciting event but please make sure you are ready for the commitment. Although Leopard geckos are very good beginner pets they still need a lot of care, maintenance, and love. Here are some things you need to think about before purchasing a gecko:
- In good care leopard geckos can live up to 20 years, are you able to provide the good care the gecko needs and are you ready to take on the commitment of having a pet for 20 years?
- If you are buying this for your children are they old enough to provide daily maintenance for the gecko and handle it in a manner that is safe for both your child and the gecko?
- Are you ready for the economic responsibilities that come with keeping a leopard gecko, this includes the initial setup and the cost of maintenance and feedings?
- Hopefully you keep your gecko in good health but if your pet does get sick, are you prepared to get it veterinary help?
So you passed the test and you know you're definitely ready for a brand new pet. Now we can discuss tank setup. Here is a minimal list of things you need for your gecko:
- Tank
- Screen top
- Three hides
- Substrate
- Food, water, and calcium bowls
- Thermometer
- Under tank heater
- Black or red light
Now we can go through the items listed above.
Of course, as with any animal (or human) the bigger the better, but a 10 gallon tank can be sufficient, although it should be the bear minimum! 10 gallon tanks are usually between $10-$15. You can check for used ones on craigslist, yard sales, or flea markets. Also, if you have a fish tank with a crack in it (one that your animal cant cut itself on) you can use that.
Although leopard geckos do not have the pads on their legs that enable them to climb on glass , they do need a screen. The screens are meant to keep bugs out, rather than keep anything in. Spiders can be lethal to a leopard gecko, so make sure you have a screen. They are generally between $9-$20 depending on the size and store. If you cannot afford to buy one you can easily make one. I bought netting at a hardware store. It was enough to make more than 10 screens and it was only $2. A lot of people use wood to make the corners but I used duct tape and it worked just fine! Make sure you add enough to make it sturdy though.
Two hides should be the minimal amount of hides yet I prefer to have three. One hide should be a on the cool side of the tank while the other should be on the warm side. (I'll talk about cool and warm sides in a little bit.) The third hide should be on the warm side as well, and should have something moist in it. This can be a damp paper towel or moss that is wet. This hide is to provide moisture for your gecko when they are shedding. It is important that they have a moist hide, and that it stays moist or else their shedding process will be more difficult. As far as your hides go, it can really be anything you want. You can buy hides at the store or make your own. If you like eating coconuts you can cut an entrance way for your gecko, and that can be a hide. I often use plastic cups that are dark in color. A towel paper tube is also a good one. For a moist hide make sure you use something other than paper or cardboard so it doesn’t soak through. A lot of people use a Tupperware container with a hole at the top. If you have more than one gecko in the tank, they each need their separate hides, so they do not get territorial.
Substrate, or material used to line your tank, is VERY important in the care of your gecko. I say this because it is often a very controversial topic and if you don't have proper knowledge many pet store salespeople may mislead you. Many people say that the best substrates are either paper towel, newspaper, or pet carpeting. The reason for this is, that these substrates cannot be swallowed by your pet. Many stores try to sell you on the idea that sand, calci-sand, wood chips, or any other type of loose substrate is a good idea. These substrates are bad ideas because your leopard gecko can swallow these while trying to hunt for crickets, and it can cause impaction. Impaction is when the digestive tract has solid masses blocking it. This condition can be fatal for your pet. Many people argue that it is rare for leopard geckos to get impaction from these substrates, especially if they are adults. Here is how I look at it, your pets health is more important then the appearance of your tank, so take the safe route!
You need three bowls for your gecko. A food bowl, a calcium bowl, and a water dish. The food bowl can contain mealworms and other foods that you plan on feeding your gecko. Crickets should be kept running around the tank so your gecko can get exercise. The calcium bowl should just have a little bit of calcium powder that your gecko can lick whenever they want. I use a lid from a water bottle for this. The water dish should be washed daily and filled with water at all times. Make sure all dishes are shallow enough for your gecko to be able to reach them. Some good ideas to make inexpensive bowls would be lids of jars, terracotta pots (75 cents at Wal-Mart), or plastic condiment dishes.
The thermometer is
best if it is electronic. This is the most accurate way to measure the
temperature in the tank. If you buy a stick on, (it is a lot less accurate) do
not stick it on the tank. This will prevent you from checking temperatures on
both sides of the tank. You can also add a humidty gauge, but it is not mandatory for a leopard gecko.
An under tank heater is very important. This will make the warm side of your tank. Make sure if you are using paper towels you add an additional layer (or two) of paper towels on that side so you do not burn your gecko. Place the appropriate sized under tank heater on half the tank. The other half of the tank will be the cool size and it will allow your gecko to choose what temperature it wants to hang out in.
Because Leopard Geckos are nocturnal, they do not require special UV lighting. What I have for my leopard gecko is a black light. You can get these lights with either a blue or red light bulb. This provides additional heat for your gecko.
This is the general setup for the tank. You can add different things to the tank.
If you plan on using rocks or twigs you found around your yard you will want to sterilize them. The best way I find to do this is to bake them. A rock can be baked for 15-30 minutes at 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Twigs can also be fired, but they need to be soaked in water so that they don’t catch fire.
Here are examples of proper setup from photos I have found online.
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I have an african fat tail gecko and she is awesome!!!
She is just over one year old!! But for any gecko be careful about loosing there tail!!
I just bought a bearded dragon but I think leopard geckos are cool. I like how they live up to 20 years and I may decide one day to get one.
do you have to dust the insects if you have a calcium bowl? i would rather put calcium in the mealworm bowl because it loves them, and not dust the crickets, its too time consuming.
i actually don't feed my leopard gecko crickets because i live in a dorm, so i put calcium in the meal worm bowl.it works just fine, and lucille (my gecko) is so spoiled that i have to hand feed her the mealworms so i always coat them with enough calcium for her.
I am planiing on getting a Leopard Gecko but i was wondering if i should feed him crickets or mealworms?? Also, should i dust them with calcium first?
whether you feed him crickets of meal worms is really up to you. I feed my leopard gecko meal worms because i'm in a college dorm, so its just too little space for crickets (they smell!)
there have been those who say that feeding meal worms isnt good because the mealworms can eat the inside of a gecko if not properly chewed up...ive never had a problem with it, and neither has my boyfriend and we've never met anyone who has, so i don't really consider that a problem.
definitely dust them with calcium. lack of calcium can cause a lot of problems--some fatal. i keep my mealworms in a dish, and the calcium is already in there, so theyre always in calcium.
hope this helps! good luck pet owner!
thanks for reply back so quickly! Thanks for telling me i surely and feeding him mealworms{even though they are creepy} because crickets stink!! YUCK!!
I have a boy and a girl leapord that are brother and sister they shouldnt mate should they
I would say consult a breeder, but from what i understand, it is not a good idea to breed leopard geckos. I can't give you the biological reasons behind it, but it would be unhealthy for the offspring and they probably wouldn't hatch in the first place.
Thanks i have another question to feed them dead crickets do i have to get a vibrating bowl Thanks for your time
I have a very important question on getting a leopard gecko! Do they\leopard gecko stink?
Arron-- Whether they eat dead crickets really depends on the leopard gecko. they are attracted to either smells or moving objects. My gecko won't eat dead crickets no matter what i try, some geckos eat them without vibrating bowls. It really depends on the gecko. Vibrating bowls are fairly expensive though, so make sure the store has a good return policy so if it doesnt work, you can return it!
Sydney: No, leopard geckos do not smell at all! What does smell is poop and crickets...SO, if you are worried about smells make sure to clean the poop up as soon as you can, and probably feed it mealworms. (there's not really a way of going around the cricket smell without eliminating crickets all together.)
I have a leapard gecko, right now she is a baby, if you live in a house, what you can do for crickets is get a cricket keeper.Put it in the basement with some calcium supported food and a straw full of water. (assuming your basement does not get too cold [Lower than 66*]) This eliminates the smell, and alows you to bag, and dust and then bring to the room were the gecko is... this has worked so far, i use a repti carpet as i dont want to use sand (impaction) or paper towels (Ugly), repti carpet is easy to clean
what are some diffrent ways to make a moist hide
i will be getting a leopard gecko in 2 weeks, and was wondering if i should buy it as a baby or an adult.€??
also in my tank,, i have one really large hide, 1 food dish that has to places to put water and food, a decoration rock thing that it will be able to hide under. to me its like another hide. and i am using reptile carpet... i also have a screen top, and uvb lights, i dont have a under heater heard you dont need one, my friends leopard gecko doesnt have one and he is in great shape. i was wondering if my setup is ok,..]
and , i was wondering what morph is best , i like raptor alot and sunglow.
THANX
arron- there are many different ways to make a moist hide. If youre looking to buy something look into peat moss, vermiculite, or Bed-A-Beast. its often good to put it in a plastic container with a hole because you will have to wet it less often. I use papertowel for my moist hide. it works just as fine, and its cheap.
jojo- as far as which is better to buy, it really depends. both have benefits and drawbacks. the benefit of getting a baby is that you watch them grow. leopard geckos look a lot different when they are babies then when they are adults and the change is very fun to watch. the drawback is that when you are getting a baby its hard to know if it will survive. Some breeders guarantee health, but i've seen even guarantees fail.
the pros and cons of getting an adult are reverse. You don't get to watch them grow up but you get some stability in your gecko being healthier. if youre buying them as an adult you can make sure they have a fat tail, no diseases, and no problems.
your tank setup sounds fine. make sure that your gecko has hiding spots on both the cool side and the hot side. As far as the lighting, leopard geckos need to be warm, or at least have the ability to get warm when necessary, thus the cool and warm side. I would say that the under tank heater is necessary and the lamp isn't. my room gets very cold in the winter so i put on both but in the summer i only have my under tank heater. If you do use a light make sure the light is a "black light" typed bulb. its probably better to be safe than sorry and get the UTH. (look on craigslist, they often have a lot of reptile supplies in the pets section)
as for your last question. I don't think there is a "best" morph so it really depends on your preference. morphs exist to give people a range of an animal so its all about preference. some are more expensive then others because it was more difficult to create that morph but it doesnt necessarily mean they are better. on a side note, my favorite morphs are blizzard and stripe!
The subject of substrate is a controversial one indeed. Paper towels seem best for avoiding gut damage. But the thing is, I can't exactly picture anyone following wild leopard geckos around Pakistan with paper towels, just making sure they don't ingest some desert terrain.
Sure, wild geckos may die from wild problems...but most do live right? And I have always had problems with insects sliding underneath the paper, never to be eaten.
To me, these geckos seem just as likely to die from sand build-up as they are to have a huge mealworm chew thou their stomachs.
Let me know something, anything gecko related is welcome. Thank ye.
I was saying I have a leopard gecko and i just love the darn thing he is cool but I feed Tic-Tac[my leopard gecko] crickets and mealworms and sometimes wax worms for a treat.
I am going to be purchasing a leopard gecko and am a bit confused on two items. Pet stores are telling me that i need two lights and a undertank heater? Which one is it? Also do I need to get a heat pad? As far as substrate what is best to use?
Robin, you only need one lamp at most, and an undertank heater is the same ( i'm assuming) as a heat pad.
doing your research before going to the store is important because the sales people tell you a lot of fictitious stuff.
as far as substrate, I say paper towels or one of the cloth mats they sell. (nothing your leopard gecko can swallow.
heyy im getting a leopard gecko next week and ive happend to wonder can you get really cheap vivariums on ebay ?? and if u can are anyof them decent as im just about to look ill find out :D and do you no peat moss can you use it as a substrate for them or will this cause impaction but surly this is indegestable ?
Geckos are common on the island I live on but not Leopard ones. I think this is an excellent hub pointing out all the important things people need to know!
Gecko_boy- although they have vitamins on ebay, many of them will end up being more expensive because of the shipping costs. you can get a bottle for 7 bucks at petco that'll last you more than a year. Ive been using the same half bottle for a year now, and i still have at least a year more left.
also, as far as the peat moss, although you can use it, i wouldnt recommend it. I wouldn't want your gecko to ingest too much of it. better safe than sorry.
tenerife Islander- thanks so much! I appreciate it!
My son just got a leopard gecko for his birthday and I'm so confused about the heating of the tank. I have a black moon glow light and found out I was using too high of watts had a 75 watt went down to a 50 watt and someone said I should only use a 25 watt. We have a under the tank heater but I'm unsure if I should use both the black and the under the tank heater all day and night or just in the day. I get conflicting info from everything I read. Someone even said use a regular house lightbulb with the under the tank heater. Is the under the tank heater enough alone? HELP!!! I'm so confused!
Hi Tina,
the good news is, that leopard geckos are very hardy so you have a variety of options when it comes to heating.
the best option would be an under tank heater, and a 50 watt incandescent light bulb.(which i think is your moon glow bulb).
Although lightbulbs are not necessary, and your leopard gecko can survive without them, i recommend using a bulb for 12 hours a day, for your gecko to strive.
I keep mine on at all times bc my gecko loves basking in the light.
the hot side should be around 85-90 degrees but it can go down at night.
hope this helped! feel free to ask anymore questions you have!
hi ive been reading your comments and you really know what your going on about im 17 with a steady income and a constantly warm house im getting a leo next friday and i have my viv set up like this there is newspaper on the floor with a heated mat covering half of the bottom i have more paper on the heated side so i dont burn him/her i have my moist hide on the hot side and the normal hide on the cool side iv got a water bowl a calcium lil bowl and a food bowl iv also got a few sterilised stick for the gecko to climb on nd stuff i want to know if this is right or if theres any improvements i can make please wb when you can thanks.
you're doing a great job! its great to see responsible pet owners who do their research before purchasing a pet!
hi i have just brought a spotted gecko first tank set up and i am trying to get it to reach 28c to 32c so i can go back for my gecko, but i cant get the heat mat to heat up any hotter than 25c it has been set up for 24 hours should it have reached temperature by now?
you need a florescent lamp too. that will provide a lot of heat.
i bought a leopard gecko today and i am wondering if i should powder my crickets or have a seperate calcium bowl.
either is fine. If you want a calcium bowl to be on the safe side, you can make one out of the vitamin water top. That way if your gecko didnt get enough crickets from the dusting, he can get some himself.
i was wondering if i can put a heat mat on the side of the tank because my old one broke.
No Randy, you need to pull off the old broken one, and put a new one in its place. Heat mats are suppose to provide heat where the gecko walks--they don't provide heat to the air, so a heat mat on the side wouldn't do much, except keep the glass on the side warm.
I got a leopard gecko yesterday and I am wondering how long I should let it settle in before picking it up and how.
most people say a week.
What I would do is put your hand in the tank, near your gecko, and wait 5 minutes. This way, it gets time to adjust to your hand being there. do this for three or so days. If your gecko doesn't come to you on its own, you can scoop him up from the bottom, and make sure when you hold him you don't squeeze him or his tail. you'll be able to see if your gecko gets stressed from this initial handle. If it does, then you shouldn't handle it for the next few days, and just keep putting your hand in the tank. The more you handle it, the friendlier it will be, but you don't want to stress it out too much in the beginning.
I got a leopard gecko three days ago and whenever I check on it, it is asleep (but its not dead) is this normal?
I need to know more information Phil.
Leopard geckos are nocturnal, has it been moving at all during the night?
where did you get him from?
do you have an undertank heater AND a heat lamp?
is he a juvenile or an adult?
and has he eaten in the last three days?
She is a juvenile, I only have an undertank heater, I don't know if she has been moving around in the night and she has eaten but only one or two crickets a day.
She could just be stressed, but it is definitely a good sign that she is eating.
If you got her at a store like Petco, Petsmart, or another larger store, she may have metabolic bone disorder. This is when they do not get enough vitamins and calcium. Have you been dusting her crickets with vitamins?
make sure she is not on sand, but a reptile carpet or paper towel for substrate.
also, keep a close watch on her. Look out for twitching, very thin bones and any other unusual behavior.
put in a small separate bowl filled with calcium so she can eat more if necessary.
Try not to add any additional stress on her.
i'm writing a paper, so i'll be online all day, so keep me in the loop!
i'm getting a gecko soon and i was wondering how many thermometer's you need and where you need to put them? :)
hi im thinking of getting a leopard gecko but i dont know what to put in the tank(10 gallon) also is the 10 gallon tank good for 1 baby gecko? thx and email me at potosmejakob@gmail.com
hi im thinking of getting a leopard gecko but i dont know what to put in the tank(10 gallon) also is the 10 gallon tank good for 1 baby gecko? thx and email me at potosmejakob@gmail.com
Bails- you only need one thermometer, but get the kind that you can move around the tank. that way you save money, and can check the temperatures in all parts of the tank.
Jakob- I'll email you but this is what my whole hub is about, so just read it and you'll find out.
k thx
ok thanks
are u going to send the email soon?
Hi, I am thinking of getting a leopard gecko-or any kind of gecko- and I am doing all of my research before going to the store. I was wondering if you think there is any kind of gecko that is best for my situation. I was leaning towards a leopard gecko. I want 1 that is friendly and I can enjoy without having to do to much work. I know I have to keep maintenance and stuff like that but I dont want to have to much stress. Also, what size tank do you reccomend? And my final question is, is there any way to tell if the gecko is healthy before I buy it in the store? Oh, and before I forget, 1 more question: Where do you reccomend buying a gecko?
ive done some research and people say to get a 15 or 20 gallon take because if u get a small tank then when the leopard gecko gets older its going to need more space.and for all your other questions i have no answers srry
Thank you Jakob...that was really my main question the others are less important...though I am worried about going to the right place to get a healthy 1. My friend got one from a franchise pet company(i forget the name) and it ended up having bone defects and its fingers fell off. Now she said she didnt take much care of it also(I am definitely going to take great care of mine), but I am still worried. I've been talking to some other people I know that have had the same gecko for about 8 years and is still very healthy, and where they got it and considering places to get them. I AM SOOOOOO EXCITED TO GET MINE IM GETTING IT THIS SATURDAY! Thanks!
yea im glad i could help, but what u say i agree that i also want to know the best place to find strong healthy geckos.yea i got a 20 gallon with all the stuff i need it took about $150 but that's because i tried to make it look cool(which it does XD)so yea im glad i can help u josh:-)
I got a leopard gecko 3days ago from a close friend, she had been feeding her locust and mealworms. On the night of first having her she ate just 1 locust.. but since then she hasnt eaten anything else. I read somewhere lack of appetite can be related to stress, is this true and if so what can I do to get her to eat..?
Josh, a ten gallon will actually be fine for the leopard gecko, which is one of the more inexpensive and low maintenance lizards. Even as adults, ten gallons is fine for a leopard gecko. Leopard geckos aren't very "active" and so they don't need a huge amount of space to walk around. that being said, 15 gallons would be fine too.
Now as far as where to get one it really depends on how much money you're willing to spend. four types of places are : Chain pet stores (petco/petsmart), Local petstores, and reptile expos, and online.
the cheapest are chain stores and reptile expos. the problem with that is that chain stores may have unhealthy geckos, and reptile expos don't happened that often. local petstores will generally sell healthy geckos but are very expensive and online they guarantee health but you cant pick out your gecko and have to pay lie 30 dollars JUST for shipping. I bought my first gecko at the Petco and it died from metabolic bone disease because they don't give them calcium. I got my next one there too and shes doing great and very healthy. when you are there pick one with a thicker tail, and one that is active. if you can see it eating that is a plus. make sure that its eyes are clear and that it doesnt have any mucus in the nose. Also, look at its stomach to make sure there are no very black marks (impaction).
good luck!
Ca80 I wouldn't worry too much about this. leopard geckos store fat in their tails. when they are stressed they eat less. moving to a new owner in a new location generally can cause this stress. give her some time to adjust to her new location. in a few days try again. let me know how it goes!
omg. i need info fast. my leo has a skinny tail. its about the size of his legs. how can i make the tail bigger.
randy you have to give more information.
what is the tank setup, how old is he, is he alone in the tank or with other geckos? what is the substrate and temperature. is he eating and what do you feed him..does he use the bathroom regularly?
if he is completely healthy but just has a small tail you can feed him foods that are a bit fattier like a few wax worm twice a week.
its temp:87 degrees
age:4 months
he is alone in the tank and he is on paper towels
hey i am planning on getting an albino leapard gecko very soon! :) i was just wondering if u guys could give me a few tips about wat to put in the tank and wat u rather feed them and just little stuff like that u can email me at beccam1221@gmail.com pls thanks os much for the help
Randy- you can motivate him to eat by giving him a variety of insects to chose from. If he doesnt eat you should see a vet.
Becca-- please read this hub to see what to put in the tank.
Leopard geckos can eat crickets or mealworms and occasionally waxworms.
Hi im about to get a leopard gecko. im wondering if they best live alone or with another gecko? im debating either getting one or two. What do you think?
Hi Dave, Leopard Geckos are solitary creatures and prefer to live alone. Getting two might cause the larger one to bully the smaller one out of food and cause stress on both geckos. As tempting as it is to have two, one would be the safest option.
Thanks!! i bought one gecko today, and its thriving! first night it comes out several times to see his new home. he/she is 2 weeks old and already ate 7 crickets. How many times should i feed 2-week old leopard gecko daily? 15? 20 crickets? Thanks for the help!
the baby leopard gecko can eat 8 or so crickets 4-5 times a week. make sure you use calcium too! Enjoy your new pet!
Thanks!! one last question sorry :(. My room is normally very hot around 80-85 for the gecko. Do i need a heating pad? everyone recommends it. I already have a heating lamp at 75 watts.
do i need a light if i have a heating pad? if so what wattage would u recomend?
Dave- most would say you need a heating pad, but I think your gecko will be just fine without one. Especially since you have a heat lamp. as long as theres a cool side and a hot side it should be good!
KC- the light is optional. Some lizards love to bask on a low voltage bulb (maybe 50watts or so)
HI! I just got my Leopard Gecko yesterday. He seems to be doing OK, but I am getting a little worried. I have a white heat lamp for day and a red one for night time. I did not get an under tank heater b/c the pet store employee said it wasnt needed (Which I knew was a lie, but it was getting a little pricey when I was buying all my stuff). My worry is that, my house is terribly hot at the moment (high 80's during the day atleast) but what happens is, I cant seem to get a temperature differential. Earlier today, I got about 3 degrees difference. Hot side was 91 cold side was 88. But at night, his cage its still pretty hot (87) because my house is still hot. I put him outside on the porch so it would cool a little. He was laying in his hide on the warmer side, but he looked completely collapsed. I will not leave him on the porch for long, but he seems like he is too hot, and he isnt moving much for being nocturnal. Although, he did eat 4 crickets today and he moved around a little, but it wasnt exactly a long time. Any advice is greatly appreciated. I also ordered a book which may help too. Thank you.
First off, you don't need the white lamp for day. so you can return that. use the lamp you use for the night time, during the day, and you don't need to use anything during the night since its cold. its a good sign that hes eating, and as far as movement goes, leopard geckos aren't exactly very active animals--so don't expect too much out of him!
Also, many leopard geckos get somewhat stressed after they get to their new homes so he may need a few days to adjust.
Ok, thanks a lot for clearing that up. There are so many conflicting views around, i dont know who to believe. Will the red one make it easier to have a temperature difference? or is there no real difference? I am doing a little better today with a differential and using the white bulb. The hot side is 94 and the cold side is 88-90 (cant tell). I'm still a little confused though, if I dont need a light on him at night, does that mean the differential doesnt matter at night? sorry for all the questions, but I have wanted a reptile for so long and I dont want to mess anything up.
im thinking about getting a leopard gecko, and here is how i'd like to set up the tank. i was wondering if it was okay.
im not sure what size tank im going to get yet, but for substrate i was going to use reptile carpet. i'll have a under tank heater, a couple logs and things for him to hide under, a thermometer (and should i get a humidity gauge?), a blue heat lamp for day and a red heat lamp for night, bowls with the water, calcium, etc. i was also wondering if i should get a fluorescent light for lighting, some people say i need it and some don't, so i'd like to get your opinion. am i missing anything? should i use sand or anything instead of reptile carpet? thank you! :)
Hi Max,
So use a red or blue lightbulb during the day. the reason its better than a white bulb is because leopard geckos are nocturnal and don't like bright lights! in their native land it cools down during the night, so its ok if it gets down to as low as 60 in the tank at night.
Jada- congrats on deciding to get a leo! Your tank setup sounds great. here are some tips just from personal advice. Although reptile carpet is safe from what ive noticed, its really difficult to clean, therefore can cause an odor. fecal matter, calcium and any other debris gets stuck and becomes difficult to clean. I just use regular paper towel. definitely DON'T use sand. there is a lot of debate, but i think that when it comes to your pets safety, you shouldn't take any risks for aesthetics.
hope this helped you guys! if you have any other questions feel free to ask and enjoy your pets!
Every website recommends a humidity gauge (including my list) but to be honest with you, i haven't really used it. keep the leo out of a humid room. when its about to shed put in a moist paper towel to raise the humidity.
you only need one lamp, and you don't need to turn it on at night. you definitely don't need a fluorescent light bulb since leopard geckos are nocturnal.
thank you! you've helped a lot! :)
Hi there, im about to buy the setup for my first ever leo. Im going to get a 30x30x30(cm) glass vivarium for him/her. Water bowl, 2 Eating bowls, 2 hides, heat mat and a few decorations. What i would like to know is what light do i need to get? or do i really need one? And also should the water & calcium be on the hot or cold side?
Thank You.
Hi there, im about to buy the setup for my first ever leo. Im going to get a 30x30x30(cm) glass vivarium for him/her. Water bowl, 2 Eating bowls, 2 hides, heat mat and a few decorations. What i would like to know is what light do i need to get? or do i really need one? And also should the water & calcium be on the hot or cold side?
Thank You.
Leos enjoy the blue or red lightbulbs because it provides additional heat for them to bask in. On that note, they don't necessarily need it. In the summers I don't turn the lamp on for my gecko, but in the fall and winter I use it and my gecko likes to bask under it.
the calcium and food doesnt matter if its on the hot or cold side, but you should put the food on the cool side because when its on the hot side it evaporates VERY quickly, so its a pain constantly replacing it. Enjoy your new pet! :)
Thanks, thats helpful.
I cant wait to get him, already thought of a name "winston"
im considering getting a leo. and i have a 30 gallon fish tank. would that work? also if i was to get a second one (both female probly) could any issues come up if ones smaller and younger, and the other ones bigger and older?
oh and any tips how convince rents to say yea?
although leos are solitary pets I think that two will be fine in a thirty gallon tank. try to get two that have been together since birth, which would decrease your chances of them getting too aggressive.
When two leos are in a tank, one will be always be the alpha gecko, which can lead to bullying and the weaker gecko not eating and getting sick, so that is always a chance you take when you buy two geckos.
My parents don't like pets either, so i just got one, and came home with it. at that point they kinda didnt have a choice...Although i'm not recommending you do that :)
But some good points are that they are very clean, odorless, quite, require little room or maintenance. Fairly inexpensive. Also, if you're breeding your own mealworms they become free to feed (which is what I'm doing)
ok thanks,
but if i get one now, and get another one in the future. could that be ok?
This will increase your chances of the first one bullying the second, especially if you get the second one as a baby.
What you can do though, is section of your tank, into two sections. you can do this with plexi glass, or even cardboard (get creative). This way they geckos won't stress each other out and they'll have plenty of room for themselves. Since theyre solitary creatures you don't need to feel bad that they are by themselves--they like it better that way.
Also, since your tank is a fish tank, it is high up, rather than long, like a reptile breeder tank. to increase the room for your gecko you should consider getting one of those reptile hammocks http://www.baumanns.ie/images/Reptile-Hammock.jpg
my gecko loves hers and it gives them additional room to explore.
ok ill look into those.
thanks
but cant leopard geckos not climb?
so how would the hammock work?
leopard geckos cannot climb on glass because they are missing the special padding on their feet. they can on the other hand climb on branches, rocks, and if hung low enough, hammocks. :)
hi there,
i have a leo in a 29 gallon
i just read that if the tank is too big it can get stressed and not find its water?
is this true?
From what I understand, geckos do not like a lot of room. what you can do to avoid any stress is provide 6 or more hides to avoid stress, and provide two or three bowls of water.
Or you can always section the tank off with a piece of cardboard.
ok thanks
sry 1 more question
if i split it in half
how would i do the heat pad and lamp?
because it would only be 15x12 inches wen split
you can put it in the middle, where the separation is. that way, both sides get heat.
where do you suggest i buy a leopard gecko?
i heard petsmart and stuff arnt good?
the big pet store chains are generally cheaper but sometimes they don't have the proper conditions for the lizards.
you can check that they are on carpet (not sand), get calcium, are eating, aren't overcrowded. etc, etc.
smaller pet stores generally have healthier animals and better conditions but are a lot more expensive.
I think reptile expos are the best place to get a reptile. you can buy them from professional breeders who guarantee you get a healthy gecko. theyre generally sold for a relatively low price.
can i use a fish tank and do i have to use a black light
where do you recremmend i get a gecko
bob- you can definitely use a fish tank, although it depends on the size.
the blacklight is used for basking and an increase in temperature. I don't use mine during the summer.
Josh- read my previous post. it has my recommendation.
Hey, i am getting a leopard gecko very soon and i am confused with the lights and heatpad i have a red heat lamp the bulb is 75watt, is the 75watt bulb too hot? and if i find the bulb makes it look nicer, so do i really need the heatpad? Also im worried that if at night when i turn the heat lamp off, it will get too cold for my gecko without the heat pad. I just want to get everything right before i consider buying a gecko.
Louise, I'm very glad you're being responsible.
I recommend the getting the heatpad. It is more important than the lightbulb even.
This is because the temperature is not high enough just from the lightbulb. During the night you shouldnt worry about the temperature getting to low. As long as its above 60-65 it'll be fine.
Wow, long running comments board on this. Alright, so I have a Leopard Gecko, fully grown, and had a question concerning the tank environment. Right now I have it set up as a typical desert; rocks, sand(although after reading this, I may switch to a different substrate), couple of drought-tolerant plants, etc, since I know this is close to the natural environment. But honestly, I prefer a bit more green. If I were thinking of making a more tropical style tank (wood, leafier/more plants), would this have a negative impact on the gecko, or any at all, since it's not a natural environment?
Secondly, I know Geckos need at least one humid spot to help shed. But there's a chance that the above change I described will increase the humidity to the whole tank. Is there a threshold for general tank humidity I should watch out for?
thanks alot, you're so helpful. But my vivarium is made of wood and by having the heatpad under it I was a bit worried that the heat wouldn't get through, last night I turned the heatlamp off and left the heatpad on and the temperature was 27 is this okay for a day temperature? And if I do just have the heatpad do I turn it off at night ?
TBP- I would say definitely change the sand substrate. (better safe than sorry). If you go for a full tropical setup with live plants, the humidity will be WAY too high and your pet will not thrive. What you can do is use reptile carpet on the floor and use fake plants for decorations. This way, it will look cool, but you will not be hurting your pet. And you can get inexpensive fake plants at walmart or a craft store. Hope this helped! The humidity shouln't go much above 45%.if you have any other questions, let me know.
Louise- 27 (centigrade right?) is just fine for the heatpad. During the day when you have the heatlamp on, it will be much hotter. check what the temp. is with the heat pad and lamp together. Also, watch the pattern of your gecko. For example, its very hot in my house, and my gecko would never stay on the hot side of her tank, which is her favorite. as soon as i turned everything off, and it cooled off, she went on that side. So now, I don't keep anything on, because its hot enough already. So keep track of what your gecko seems to want and you won't go wrong!
Okay, thanks so much for the advice i really appreceiate it, I got my leopard gecko today and she is in her vivarium just now, she seemed very lively when the guy in the pet store was taking her out, so that's good. all I need now is a name for her!
Helped a ton, thanks very much.
do i need a heat pad and lamp?
if so what wattage?
where i live its pretty cool
so the house gets cold
also, im getting a gecko at the upcomin expo
wat should i get/do befor?
hi, just wondering bout vivariums wat can you use instead cus they area bit pricy .. people have sed fishtanks .. is that glass and plastic or just glass thx
sorry forgot to mention .. im thinking of getting a baby leopard gecko
NC- please read the hub, and it will answer all of your questions. you can get a 50watt lightbulb.
Lestat- get a ten gallon fish tank at Petco or Walmart. its 10-12 dollars.
i mean do i need both ?
yea you can get both if its cold.
I'm watching my daughters Gecko while she's overseas in Afganistan (she is a cook). And I'm learnig more each day. I remember how she & I built a cage for it & it was so much bigger & cheaper. It took a couple of mistakes but we got it. I just want you to know your suggestions comming in so handy for me. I'm just looking forward to her coming back and him being there, Cause he gives me that hope for her.
I saw leopard geckos at petsmart. The tag said they were juvenile leopard geckos. How young is a juvenile?
Hi i am going to buy a lepard gecko but i have a few questions first. I want to get those nice looking slate tiles for the floor material but im not sure how to clean it. Should i wait to see were the gecko uses the restroom and put paper towels there or what. also how much more agrressive is a male then a female? thanks
Sharon- Your story is so touching! Thank you for sharing it! I'm glad I had some useful suggestions too! Hope your daughter comes home soon!
Arkham- the juvenile leo's at the stores are generally just a few weeks old. I'm not sure when they stop being a juvenile but it is very easy to see because of the pattern change.
Jay- leo poop is very easy to clean because it dries very quickly. so you can just pick it up with a paper towel. but the leos do use the bathroom in one area so you can just put some paper towel in that area and change it every time. Just make sure that the tank can properly heat with the slate tiles and that the slate tiles don't get over heated either and burn your leo.
I've never dealt with slate for leos so make sure you experiment with that before using.
I think the aggression comes from the personality of the gecko more than from the gender. Males will be aggressive towards other males and often times when mating with females, yet when housed alone, they can be very calm.
Hope it helps! thanks for all your comments !
Thanks for the fast reply! I have another question. I've heard that buying a baby leopard gecko isn't the best because sometimes they can die. If you make sure they are healthy, could they still die?
I saw juveniles too and I'm wondering if it's a good idea to buy them from petsmart.
I was wondering if it is safe to use coconut substrate, I think it's shredded coconut. And can you use combinations of two different substrates, like repti carpet and sand? (not that I want to use sand)
Hi guys,
this question is really relevant for me because when i bought my first leopard gecko, I bought it from Petco and it died a horrible death from Metabolic Bone Disease. I hadn't noticed the symptoms at first, because I thought that she was just stressed from the move, but she ended up having seizers and not being able to open her eyes.she ended up dying. I was able to return her and get a new gecko from petco, and this is my current gecko and its been doing great! I think its very risky to get juvenile leos from large chain stores, but at the same time, its fairly risky to buy them from reptile expos. The younger the gecko the more the risk.
I know its easier to rule out getting a juvenile leo but there are a few signs you should look out for. It doesn't guarantee a healthy gecko but it def. gets you as close to one as you can get. make sure you see your gecko eat while observing them in their tank. Check the tank for calcium, food, if theyre on sand. etc. make sure that they have the proper setup. check their stomach for really dark black spots. some of the lighter ones can be food digesting, while darker ones can be impaction. they should have clear eyes and nose and mouth. eyes cant be misty and there should be no mucus in their mouths and nose. DO NOT pick the smallest one. make sure your gecko looks like it has a fat tail (for a juvenile) and that its limbs don't look bony.
Also, make sure you read all the papers that are given by the store because some stores will pay for a vet visit up to a certain amount of time if something does occur.
as for the coconut husks, it is safe but it does keep moisture in and increases humidity which may not be very desirable with a leo. You can definitely use two different substrates, maybe use the coconut husk inside the moist hide.
hi my names maria! i remember you saying that you should have a basking lamp but leos don't get their heat from the air...they get it from their bellies. And they are nocturnal, so really, it just stresses them out! Lots have been known to die, but if yours are healthy, i guess it might be okay for yours but i'm not going to take any chances. I've done plenty of research, and Im very excited to get my leo! do you recomend moss or cocunut shavings for the humidity hide
Hey Maria Kim.
basking lights don't stress leos because they have to be the ultra violet bulbs (blue or red), not the regular white bulbs, and you should only keep them on during the day. The basking lights provide additional heat that cannot be achieved in most cases with just a heat mat. Also, this is why you have to cool and warm side, if your pet doesnt like the heat they'll stay on the cool side. most of them like it though.
I'd like to know where you heard that leos die from heat lamps. if anything, they'll be more likely of dying from burning their bellies on unprotected heatmats and heat rocks and things.
as for recommendation of moss and coconut shavings; they are both good for holding in moisture, soo then its just preference because they're both safe.
hello ive had my leopard geckos for a while, iwould like to purchase a baby one at an expo on sep. 12th i have a uth, uv light, a hollowed out coconut hide a plastic container hide, a moist tup a ware hide, a basking ladder from my turtles, and a water bowl. i was wondering if i dont need any of the items also i have a bic plastic bin i am thinking to house the baby in that
I've never owned a reptile before, and I thought about getting a leopard gecko. I've been doing some research on the ways you can set up a terrarium for the gecko, and almost every website says something a little different. You probably answered this question before, but I'll ask to make sure. When setting up the lighting in the tank, should I have 2 different bulbs for night and day? Would having a day light and a heating pad make it too hot in the tank? And would having a light during the night be too hot? It kind of confuses me, so I just wanted to make sure...
Also, I've decided to get the pet carpet for the substrate, but I read that if I get a baby gecko I should have paper towels instead. It never said why, so I'm curious. Why wouldn't the carpet work for a baby gecko?
charlie- I think the plastic bin will be fine, but just make sure its big enough and test to make sure it will not melt under the heat.
The light needs to be incandescent. and make sure that the lizard can reach the basking ladder. and you need a food bowl. Hope this helped. Good luck with your new pet!
Doodpeal- I'm glad you want to be a responsible pet owner and are doing your research ahead of time.
You need an under tank heater and an incandescent lightbulb. The lightbulb should be on during the day.
At night the temperature can go down, so it does not require lighting.
also, I have never heard that reptile carpet as being bad for baby geckos. (sand is bad)
On the other hand, paper towels are easier to clean than reptile carpet since you can just replace them, so they don't trap odors.
Good luck with your new pet!
What is the best place to get a leopard gecko? Do you know any breeders?
Where to get a leopard gecko really depends on how much money you're willing to spend. four types of places are : Chain pet stores (petco/petsmart), Local petstores, reptile expos, and online.
the cheapest are chain stores and reptile expos. the problem with that is that chain stores may have unhealthy geckos, and reptile expos don't happened that often. local petstores will generally sell healthy geckos but are very expensive and online they guarantee health but you cant pick out your gecko and have to pay about 30 dollars JUST for shipping. I bought my first gecko at the Petco and it died from metabolic bone disease because they don't give them calcium. I got my next one there too and shes doing great and very healthy.
so each one has a pro and a con. and I can give you some breeder names but they are in the new england area, so it may not be helpful to you.
i just bought lepoard geckos and the pet store gave me 2 foods live circkets and live meal worms the meal worms keep crawling out of the bowl and my geckos wont touch them only the crickets
iv had my gecko for a cople weeks it the first week but now it wont eat at all what should i do
Alyssa- some geckos have preferences of what to eat. What you can try to do is drop the mealworm right in front of your gecko and see if he seems interested. maybe he doesn't know what exactly they are.
Bob- theres a lot of factors that can be effecting your gecko from not eating. This is why you should answer as many of my questions and give me as much info so we can figure this out.
how old (approximately) is your gecko and does it have a fat tail?
how long has it not eaten for?
What is the temperature, lighting, substrate, and tank setup?
what do you usually feed it?
It can be something dangerous or stress related BUT it can also be that your gecko is about to shed (which it does fairly often, and loses its appetite when this is happening). So don't worry yet. i'm sure we'll be able to solve this issue.
dont know how old it is its tail is realy thin it hasnt eaten bout a week i feed it crikets temp is 95 and on cool side it is aboud 85 i hasnt shed yet
Would it be worth it to pay extra for shipping or go to a local pet store? (not a chain store)
my baby geckos are doing good ty! but i have a hard time keeping the tank temp above 72 degrees any trick or tip that i can do to keep it up? i have 2 heat lamps one for day and one for night but i still have a hard time :(
bob- you really gotta give me the information i asked for before I can make any sort of educated guess on what is wrong with the gecko.
arkham- it really depends. to be honest with you, i wouldn't recommend buying online through shipping because the shipping can stress out your gecko and you don't get to choose one. it might be worth it to buy one at a local pet store but i think it depends on what your economic situation is.
Alyssa- you need an under tank heater. lamps don't do much unless you have one.
I have 2 baby geckos and they hiss at me if i try to pick them up or touch them one even nipped at me.Is there anyway to get them used to me and have the be ok with being handled or will they just not like people and try to run out of my hands when i try to pick them up
We just got a leopard gecko and it is in my son's room. It is dark almost all of the time in his room. Is this a problem? Should I be opening the shades during the day? I only have a heating pad and no light for the tank?
lisa- you cannot predict whether your geckos are going to end up being aggressive or not, but what you can do is your best to ensure that you tried everything to tame them. For taming, make sure you never grab them to pick them up. putting your hand over them is a threat to them (like a predator bird overhead). you should start with just putting your hand in the tank. keep it there for 5-10 minutes and do this for a week. The geckos will start to feel more comfortable with your hand. it will hopefully get to the point of them climbing onto your hand on their own. Don't get discouraged if it doesnt happened right away and remember to never force them because it will stress them out. If they do climb onto your hand, your can take them out of the tank and let them walk around, but only for 5-10 minutes at first. hopefully you will make enough progress everyday where your leo's will become tame. Look on youtube too for videos on taming.
Meredith- Leos are nocturnal so you shouldn't have any problems with keeping them in a dark room. you might consider getting them a light though just for extra heat and so you'd be able to see them.
How fast can leopard geckos run? Are they fast enough to create a problem
they can run pretty fast, so don't leave them unattended because that will cause a problem. As long as you're keeping an eye out and making sure they don't get into any crevices its not a problem. Remember, leo's are nocturnal so they love dark places, so they are going to want to go for all the dark spots which can sometimes lead to a problem.
Do you know about geckos etc.?
I heard about them, and was wondering if they are a good breeder.
I've actually referred to that site quite a bit for morph information. they have some NICE geckos!
they're expensive though, so be warned. just shipping will be the cost of two regular geckos at a chain store. I've never talked to anyone who has purchased geckos from them, but they seem very credible since they have such a good selection of geckos.
They do have nice geckos. But I'm not really going for specific morphs. They sell normal geckos (the plain yellow with black spots) for $25. Shipping is $50. $75 would be good for me because I live in a small town that has no chain pet stores. There is a family owned one, but one gecko costs $90!
In that case go for it! I just read the guarantees on the site. they seem pretty good. I'm pasting it below.
"We guarantee live delivery as long as someone is home to sign for the package as arranged. We cannot guarantee live delivery of a shipment that has sat on your hot or cold porch for hours, or spent the day traveling around town in the back of a truck. In the unlikely event an animal does arrive dead, please contact us immediately and save the body and box to be shipped back to us. We will attempt to replace the animal, or will refund your money if a replacement is not available.
We guarantee animals are healthy, eating, and sexed properly (unless sold as unsexed). We also guarantee that all 100% hets are indeed heterozygous for the trait indicated.
We guarantee your complete satisfaction. If for any reason you are unsatisfied with your purchase please contact us within 24 hours of receiving your shipment. If you elect to return your shipment you will be responsible for all expenses required to properly and safely return the animals. We will gladly attempt to replace the animal, or refund your money if a replacement is not available.
We provide a 30-day health guarantee on all animals we sell. Please contact us immediately if you notice any health issues. We stand behind our animals and will be there to provide husbandry or other information you may need after the sale. Feel free to contact us anytime by phone (10 AM - 10 PM Pacific Time) or by email if you need advice regarding the care or health of your animals (beyond the information provided on our care pages).
We reserve the right to refuse a guarantee due to improper care or husbandry."
i have 2 little geckos i got for my birthday and 1 is much smaller than the other ive have them for a little over a week now ive been cleaing dropings and scooping and stuff but i dont see the smaller one eating at all not when i put meal worms or crickets in but the bigger one eats so im not sure if its the bigger ones droppings or hers. i mean she must be eating right? ive had her for that amount of time and she hasnt died or anything im just not sure if she younger so smaller or just not eating much
We have had our gecko for almost 2 weeks. I believe he shed a couple of days ago. His body is yellow, but half of his tail is still grayish. He also has not been eating and I think his tail has gotten thinner. It is still a good size (the thickness of the rest of his body). Do I need to be concerned or doing anything else? I do have him in the tub on a towel with some water to see if that will help. Also, he is not active in his tank, but when we take him out he is. Thanks!
sally- Leos are solitary creatures so you need to separate them, especially if they are different genders or both males. When geckos are put together, regardless of gender, the larger ones tend to bully the smaller ones. (they are very territorial!) A sign of bullying can be simply the larger gecko putting its head over the smaller gecko. Anyways, this bullying will lead to the smaller gecko being to stressed to eat (yes they can go weeks and even monthes without eating) and can even get stressed enough that its natural parasites thrive and it causes a problem (one of my geckos had that problem when it had to share a room for less than a week and it cost over 300 in vet bills) What size tank do you have? you can reduce these issues with a large tank and plenty of hides. a ten gallon is just not suitable for two.
Meredith: leos eat a lot less, if anything, when they are shedding so don't worry about it too much unless the tail really starts noticeably getting smaller. continue doing the little water baths. although they hate it, it'll be helpful. also, it is probably an indication of a bigger problem, which is not enough humidity in the tank. so maybe around shedding time just mist the tank.
leopard geckos are nocturnal so they really aren't very active. sometimes mine doesnt come out of her favorite hide for a day or two straight. thats why its always fun to play with them out of the tank! you might see them more active in their tank during the night though.
hope it helped!
ok i have one question i am about to buy a leo and i was wondering would a 5 gallon tank be big enough?
Frasier- A 5 gallon tank is definitely not enough space. the lack of space can cause them a lot of stress. ten gallon tanks are about 10 bucks at a Petco or Walmart.
ok cause i wasnt sure thank you very much mayyam.....how do u know so much about leos? haha
no problem! glad I could help. I have two leopard geckos and do A LOT of research! :)
My baby gecko trys to jump out of my hands why dose she do that
aly- it could be because she is a bit stressed out. just think about it--shes very small, and humans are very big! babies are especially jumpy since they haven't built that trust with you. to build that trust you can't force her. just give her time and don't hold her for more than five minutes each time. your end result should be her climbing onto your hand out of her own free will. hope this helped!
i have a couple more questions starting with my room is in a basement and doesnt get much sunlight would it be best to keep the leo in a habitat with more sunlight or does that not matter?on to my next question again i am in the basement and over the winter it does get very cold down there do i have to do anything special for its safty? like it could get too cold? but idk?
And one more thing... you said that one side shud be warmer than the otherside ... how much warmer and how warm shud both sides be?
Frasier- leos are nocturnal creatures so they do not need sunlight. you're right that it should have a warm side and a cool side. The warm side should be made with an under tank heater and a red or blue bulb. the temperature on the warm side should be about 85-95 and the cool side can be between 75-85. at night it can be cooler, as you can turn off the lamp. :)
okay thank you i think i am about ready to get one and start !
I have more questions. I did lots of research and finally ordered the correct supplies for a juvenile leopard gecko. I just don't get how to use certain items! How are you supposed to properly use a uth? I heard you are supposed to stick it on or put it under, but I also heard it will cause stress cracks. How do you prevent this? Another thing is the thermometer. I got a stick on one with a probe, are you supposed to leave the probe in there all the time?
Arkham- I haven't had any problems with stress cracks, so i didn't really worry about it. the UTH comes with a special adhesive to stick it onto the tank. I have four tanks with UTHs and have never had a crack problem.
I hardly use the thermometer. If the temperature in the room stays stable you can check the temperature of the tank once a week or so. the only reason you should keep the thermometer in the tank is if the temperature of the room is very inconsistent during the day, in which case you should check the temperature, and then make adjustments if needed.
since you meantioned it i have bough a new take but i still see my little leo not eating shes kinda sluggish and sleeps alot
Sally- do you see her active at night?
if you want you can email me a picture of her. I can look to see if she looks sick.
is the tank warm enough? and do you know what store she was bought from?
she might need some time to adjust or its very possible that she is sick.
you can email me a picture at mayamedved@gmail.com
the more information you can give me the more we can figure out what is wrong with your little girl.
Hi i was wondering what kind of calcium to use. I orddered this kind:
http://www.petco.com/product/5023/Zoo-Med-Reptivit
I also ordered a non D3 kind that has a picture of a leopard gecko on the front.
The first kind isn't good. Leopard Geckos can't D3 because they are nocturnal and do not need the vitamin. The second kind is good though.
what website can i look at so i can buy diffrent types of leopard geckos
I just bought a leopard gecko I was wondering if I should get another one so it won't be lonely .... Are they better by themselves or should I get another one so it won't be lonely?
boy- just google "buy leopard gecko" and there will be a ton of different websites with a ton of different leos
rachel- don't buy another one unless you plan on getting a separate tank for it. Leopard geckos are solitary creatures and can get stressed out from other geckos.
Thanks appreciate it
So I recently bought a juvenile leopard gecko from
petsmart, and he seems to be doing great and eats about 6 crickets a day. I was just wondering why he stays in this one hide all the time, it's on the hot side which is about 92F, just wanted to know why he never chooses any other hide. And I to will be going to college next year, will they allow geckos in the dorm? If not it's no prob cause
my brother can care for it
hey Caleb,
leopard geckos are nocturnal so they will generally be more active at night and stay within their hide during the day. when it gets more comfortable it may rest outside the hide.
Im pretty sure every college is different, but mine does not allow pets. I still have 4 in my room. So there are always ways of getting around the rules.
Hey, I'm planning on getting a leapord gecko in the near future. I have been doing a good amount of research and then I found this site and I learned a bunch more! I was just wondering if you could give a list of what I should get when I go to get the stuff. Thanks a bunch!
Aidan
Thanks!
Well, like it says in the hub you need a minimal of
* Tank
* Screen top
* Three hides
* Substrate
* Food, water, and calcium bowls
* Thermometer
* Under tank heater
* Black or red light
Ive had my gecko for two years and just this week ive noticed she has defecation stuck on her body and her tail is shrinking and I really dont know what to do and cant find any information to help me. Im going to try to find a reptile vet today but didnt know if you had any ideas?
Hi Kate,
it can really be a number of things and I would need more details to determine what the cause can be.
What is your tank setup?
You said her tail was shrinking. Has she stopped eating?
make sure she stays hydrated. The vet will probably be able to help you determine the cause.
Thank you just the addvice i need i just inharated 2 from a friend and have never had one before, =) i did just what you said, =)
glad I can help Sky!
thanks for the kind words!
Hello I just bought a juvenile leopard gecko from petsmart thusday, after I brought it home and in the tank I waited a few hours and put in dusted crickets about 12 of them he ate like he hasn't eaten like he hasn't ate in a few days.
My question is I feed him last night he only ate about 7; later that night I got outta bed about 2am and he was sprawled out on the side of the tank with the undertank heater, looked as if he was sleeping is this normal?
Also as I was taking the crickets he didn't eat out I had one in my hand and Envy (leopard gecko) ran out of his moist hide and snached it out of my fingers, I was wondering if it is to early to try and get him used to my hands, and what is the best way?
the decrease in appetite could be just him still being pretty full from previous feedings. so as of right now thats not a problem
They need heat to aid in digestion so thats why he would stay on the undertank heater.
Is envy a different leopard gecko? if so, do they have separate tanks? if not then they need to be. You cannot keep an adult and juvenile gecko together because the adult will bully the juvenile out of food.
leopard geckos need to trust you before they can eat out of your hand so it will definitely take some time.
No Envy is my first and only leopard gecko
Thanks everything I now know about Leopard Geckos are from this web page once again Thanks
I was wondering if LLLReptile is a good place to get reptiles? I heard it was a chain store and was wondering if it would be a better place to go than Petco or Petsmart.
I've never heard of them but you can google them and read reviews. and ofcourse check the conditions the reptiles are in and how they are being kept. that would be a good indicator of whether the animals are likely to be healthy.
Would it be better to get a baby leopard gecko or a juvenile? I'm against getting an adult right now because they cost much more and I like to see them grow.
One other thing- if the night temperature drops low, will the gecko move to the warm side?
I'm getting a baby leopard gecko soon. I am planning to get a 20 gallon tank. Is it possible that the tank would be to big? PLEASE respond soon!
arkham- juvenile would be the best. they are old enough to be easy to raise, and fairly healthy and still young enough to watch them grow up. The gecko will always move to the warm side if it gets cooler, which includes night time.
Josephine-20 gallon would be too large and would stress it out.
Would stress be put on my gecko if I try to feed him? He is very healthy, and very active. I caught him while he was exploring, and dropped a cricket in, but he ignored it and went back to his cave. I have had him for a day.
congrats Arkham on getting your little guy!
Geckos need time to get adjusted to you and their environment when you first get them. don't worry too much if its not eating right away. also, don't touch him before you're about to feed him, because it will stress him out more. Once he starts eating you can put your hand in the tank, just to get him used to you, but don't touch him just yet!
Good luck!
I haven't touched him yet, at all. However, he ate 6 crickets last night! I'm just wondering if he will still be as stressed now that he has eaten. How long should it take for him to have a bowel movement?
its normal for the bowel movements to be every other day.
Congrats on him eating.
Don't worry too much about how oftens. Right now is an adjustment period so if he misses a day of pooping or eating, its not a big deal.
You only have to worry if he goes a week or more without food or bowel moments, or is lethargic, etc.
I don't think it's rare at all for an adult to get impacted. All it takes is one missed attack on a cricket or mealworm, or a little bit of sand to get stuck on the skin when they shed.
I agree completely Bryan. I don't think anyone should ever risk their gecko's life for a tank that looks good.
I've been taking care of an impacted gecko recently who i got from its careless owner. After you see the effects of impaction its hard to imagine why anyone would ever take the risk.
Do phoenix worms have the same hard shell as mealworms? I just recently found that my local pet store sells phoenix worms and a variety of other types of worms. Would it hurt the leopard gecko in any way if feeders were changed? Thanks!
Hi! I got my leopard gecko nov 27th, and he only ate one cricket the second day he was here... today is one week that he hasn't eaten and i'm worried.. also i haven't seen him drink water at all! wat should i do?
Would superworms be a good staple? I have been feeding crickets lately, and would gladly change to worms! I'm just not sure if small superworms are a good idea. Another question, Im not sure how often I should feed my gecko. He will take food every day happily, so should I feed him every day? He is about 5-6 inches.
Thats also another qustion i had... Can i feed him mealworms as his main diet? i've heard you can't because their more of a treat, but then i've heard that you can? and i would much rather swith to those than crickets! if they will be just as healthy for my him?
Arkham- Pheonix worms are a great staple for leops--if you can afford them. They have a TON of calcium which helps prevent MBD(Metabolic Bone Disease) and are very easy to digest.
Superworms are ok as a staple BUT only for adult leopard geckos, who are ready to eat such big insects! You can feed him every day if he is willing to eat. Young geckos eat a lot more than adults because they are growing!
Elisa--Maybe you can try offering him different foods(maybe a few waxworms as a treat). Make sure it is the proper conditions of substrate and temperatures in the tank. I feed all my (four) geckos mealworms and they eat them just fine. Some won't even bother chasing after crickets. Geckos also need an adjustment period when they move into a new home because they get stressed out which can cause them not to eat. As long as it looks like its got a healthy tail, it should be fine.
My gecko always stays under his cave on the warm side at night. Is this normal? He still seems healthy, nothing wrong. He will walk around though when the cool side is a little warmer though. Would anything happen to him if he always stays on the warm side?
its perfectly fine. he just likes to stay warm! thats why tanks have two sides, to give him the option to adjust the temperature to his desires.
Another question: My leopard gecko hadn't pooped in about 2-3 days, but just now had a big bowel movement! Way bigger than any other that he had done! But it had a lot of water in it, which soaked into the substrate(newspaper). It was still solid, it wasn't like liquidy or anything, I was just wondering if they are supposed to have water in their poop.
when it comes out its solid with a clear "wetness" over it. so its totally fine.
I keep posting so many questions! Anyway, when and how should I start getting my gecko used to me? He is still so scared of me.
My gecko is about 5 inches long, head to tail. Would 7 small crickets a day be enough? The crickets are about 1/2 in. long. His tail isn't very thick, but he is still very young.
the rule of thumb to feedings is feed them food no longer/fatter than the space between their eyes.
Put a bunch of crickets into the geckos tank. Let him eat for 15-30 minutes. after he stops and decides he is full you can take the rest of the food out. that way you don't have to wonder if you are feeding to much or too little--leopard geckos won't over eat
mayyam thank you i asked you a few questions 13 months ago and my geckos are doing great. but i have noticed instead of a moist hide i have a big water dish that the entire gecko can fit in it seems to help alot thanks
arron--great to hear that your geckos are doing well! some geckos love to use the water dish. I have 4 geckos now and only one of them does that, the other three prefer moist hides. You've probably noticed already that your geckos have different personalities, so it always depends on the gecko!
yah ones small and likes to jump off things and the other will let you walk around with it on your shoulder
i was also wondering what substrate you use
I use paper towels. its the cheapest and safest. :)
k thanks
when are geckos fully grown
Thank you very much!.. and he has eaten a few so i'm happy.. i think i am going to switch to mealworms n see how he likes them. thanks again! :)
HI! This is such a great hub! I am getting my son a gecko from "Santa". I have read all of the postings and have one question. The local pet store has a sub adult lavendar gecko. What is a sub adult? Would it be safe to buy as far as the chance of it being healthy. The pet store is a good one and specializes in reptiles. Thanks!
My Leo is doing well! He let me hold him twice, just by putting my hand in the cage. Should I do this every day? He doesn't seem bothered by it.
"...."-- they are fully grown in about a year.
Elise: Glad to hear he's eating!
Leah: thank you very much! I would imagine that a sub adult would be a gecko thats several months old. (under a year). It would be definitely be safer to buy than a juvenile, and probably easier to handle for your son since juveniles can be very jumpy. Check for health (clear/not foggy eyes, no mucus from the mouth or nostrils, somewhat thick tail, and no large black dots on tummy as a sign of impaction). Happy Purchasing!
Arkham: You can try to hold him daily but try not to do it for more than 10 minutes so you don't stress him out too much initially. You'll learn to know when you should put your gecko back and the amount of time will increase the more he learns to trust you. You've been making great progress though! great job!
i wanted to know if you knew anything about breeding geckos
Thanks so much for ur help b4.. i switched to mealworms a few days ago, n i was just wondering is it normal that he is having dirreah with the mealworms, does he just have to get used to them? He uses it a lot that night after eating & also it smells a lot..
My son just got a leopard gecko from Santa and is loving it. We just have a red light for heating at this point. We are leaving town tomorrow for 4 days for the holidays and now the red light bulb is not working- uggh!! It's Christmas day so nothing is open to replace it today and we are leaving at 7 a.m. tomorrow. Any suggestions to keep the 10 gallon tank warm while we are gone????
Hi. me and my sister got 2 juvenile leopard geckos about a week ago. We had a little trouble feeding them for the first few days but we know that its normal for them not to eat because of the moving process. However its been about 7 days now and we are still having trouble. The pet store gave us dead crickets and mealworms. They never eat the dead insects. About 3 days ago we decided to buy live crickets and as soon as we put one in there they ate them immediatly but a few hours later one of them throws it up. Im a little worried and not sure what to do. Do you have any suggestions?
ok so ive been researching and i have officially decided to buy a leopard gecko! =) HOWEVER the lighting and heating pad was a little confusing so I am going to run my idea and ANY suggestions or changes would help.
What is the difference between a blue and red bulb?? does one get hotter then the other?
When i get the heating pad my plan was to keep it on ALL DAY. Then, I would have my lamp (either blue or red) on while it is awake, and i will shut if off at night (too cool down). Is this all a good idea??? I wasnt sure about keeping the heating pad on all the time.
I'm planning in getting a Leopard Gecko. Anyhow, I have a few questions..
You see, my parents are divorced so I wonder if it is okay to have a leopard gecko and move it from my mom's to my dad's and the other way around?
It is once a week so it is a lot of moving. But can they take it? Or do they get too stressed?
I will have pretty alike cages for them though.
Really happy for answers.
my gecko is a tangerine leopard gecko and its tail is getting really skinny and its not eating and i have everything you metions any answers?
i need to know how to keep my tank up to a higher temp. we have a cool house and the temp is at 73 degrees in the tank all the time. and i have two LG and they are really slow when moving and it kind of concerns me. but i have both a heating pad and a blue heat lamp. is there anything else i can do?
My son got a Leopard Gecko for Christmas and it died a few days ago. We took it back (to Petco) and got a different one (he picked the biggest one this time instead of one of the smallest). Now, I am just paranoid that we are going to do something wrong with how we take care of this one! My son got a basic desert terrarium kit and we have it set up according to the directions, which is like this:
-reptile carpet
-thermometer
-food and water dishes (food is in the middle and water is on the cool side)
-tiered rock hide (we bought it at the pet store and it is on the warm side)
-humid hide (we made it from a plastic container adn it is on the warm side)
-lamps -this is the confusing part for me... the directions said to put the 50wt incandescent white light on the hot side and turn that light on during the day and put the 50wt black light on the cool side and turn it on at night (with the white light off). It seems like this would just create confusion about which side is warm and which side is cool. Should we just be using the lights on the warm side, alternating between the white one during the day and the black one at night? We also don't think the gecko is eating, which I know is normal when it is adjusting to a new home, but when should we worry? The other problem is that the mealworms crawl out of the bowl and we will think they have been eaten, but they just reappear from under the reptile carpet (we put a few crickets in the tank with the first gecko and thought they got eaten, but I saw both of them hopping around today). How many mealworms should we be putting in and how often? Is it true that, because they are nocturnal, the geckos usually eat at night? We have never actually seen either the old gecko or the new one eat. One more thing... the humidity level in the tank is usually very low (5-10%)... it this ok? We do have the humid hide which has paper towel in it and I try to keep it moist. Oh, and how do you know when it is about to shed? Thanks for any help!
elisa- does he still have diarrhea? it can sometimes happen when there is a change in diet.
Heather- sorry for such a late response. heat pads or putting it by a radiator/or heat source.
Lauren- generally they throw up because they ate it too fast. they were probably hungry from several days of not eating so that could be the reason.
Chelsea-There is not difference between the blue and red bulb. (just preference). your day and night idea is good. I keep my heating pads on all the time.
Jonatan- Don't move them around too much when they're babies but most leos are hardy enough to handle it. put them in a dark container when moving them to decrease stress.
Morgan- there are a lot of reasons a gecko is not eating and is losing weight. You need to go to a vet to find out the reason and for treatment.
Ashley-theres some tricks you can do including putting Styrofoam sheets around the outside of the tank. but really the best option is increasing the temperature in the house.
Emma- You can rest assured that it was nothing you did wrong with the first gecko. Petco really does not keep their animals in good conditions. The first gecko I ever got was from Petco and it died from metabolic bone disease a couple of days after i bought it. This is because they didn't give them calcium in the tank. Anyways, you're doing everything right.You need a heat pad though. and for lighting all you need is a blue or red bulb. Since leos are nocturnal they don't need incandescent bulbs or the benefits that come with them (vitamin d). leos do like to eat at night. You might wanna try putting the mealworm right in front of the gecko, that might spark its interest.
as far as the humidity, What i usually do is when I see that my gecko is turning white, I put in a wet paper towel. All geckos are different and some just naturally have difficult sheds. three of mine are easy shedders, so i add humidity at the last minute, and the fourth gecko has problems even when there is humidity so i do special things for her. The more you'll get to know your gecko the easier it will be for you to decide what to do.
thank you.. but one last question. my geckos are doing great. but they are still slow.. i see them eat both crickets and mealworms.. but should i still try and increase the temp or do you think they will be alright at around 73 degrees..
thank you.. but one last question. my geckos are doing great. but they are still slow.. i see them eat both crickets and mealworms.. but should i still try and increase the temp or do you think they will be alright at around 73 degrees..
Thank you for the answer, really appreciate it! I will transport it in a dark container. That will be no problem. And if I have to move it when it is small I will be very careful.
i think it was just the change in diet... thanks so much
I see that they have crickets at Petco and Leopard Gecko food at Petco - are these foods good for my Gecko? Or do I have to feed him live crickets? Planning on buying one next week! been doing lots of research!
Please let me know!!!
Hello nice people!
I've had my baby Leo for a week nearly now so far hes eating like a champion! and handles even better...
so for am confused about heating/lighting
in the day the warm side is 88-91 and the cool side is 70-82 and thats using a heat pad and a red bulb
i leave the lamp on for 12 hours a day so durring the night the temp drops to aprox 70-75 on the warm side and 70-72 on the cool side...
i know this temp is roughly right but am concerned that that inside the warm hide is just to dam hot... i got my self a digital thermometer and it reads 115 in the day and 95 in the night :S
is that the right temp for inside the warm hide?? or should the warm hide 88-91?
i know am probably worrying over nothing but hey, little Yoshi is awesome!
hey i have the red light and do i need the heat pad and this might be normal but my baby gecko is not eating at all just want the best helth for my awesome rex leopeard gecko
I just got my boys Leopard Gecko today and he or she is just a baby and I bought the warms for food and I was wondering how many of those should I feed him or her because this is our first reptile and the lady at petsmart said like 5 a day i think it was but i just wanted to make sure and how offten should he or she be fed.
How expensive would this all be?
many people say that you need both a heating pad on the warm side of the tank, plus a black or red light on the warm side. wouldnt the light heat the whole tank because it is so bright?
this may be a dumb question but i wanted to know, because im interested in gettting a leo in the next week or sooner.
I just recently took in my brothers leopard gecko. She hasnt been eatting much maybe 3 crickets in the t2 weeks that i have had her and ive notice that her skin is starting to look kind of grayish. I wasnt sure if that was something i should be worried about. After talking to my brother he said this has happened before. I have the blue light that i keep on durnig the day. Her take is normaly at 87 degrees durning the day and in the high 70s at night and has the three hids which i keep on moist. I have sand on the bottom... if anyone would know why she would be turning grayish i would love to know or if you think maybe i should bring her to a vet. Thank you!
hi i have a fifty gallon tank and plan on getting one or two geckos prefferrably 2 that are use to each other ive read juss bout every post here and was wondering if my 50 gollon tank is too much or if i can juss get a third at a latter date and seperate the 2 from the newer with a plexi glass so they can sll get use to it im trying to learn as much as possible before i get them your hub has been so much help i think i may try the tile idea that way there is nothing there to cause impaction is there ne thing i will need for breeding meal worms ty kindly....
Hi guys. this friday i am going to get a snow leoppard gecko. my last one died after 3 years out of nowhere. I was feeding him about 5-7 mealworms a day and calcium dusted crickets every other week. he had plenty of water and heat. he had a electric rock and a heat lamp. he also had a moist hide under a log and his substrate was a zoomed cage carpet. Can anyone help me and tell me if i am doing okay? i will take any suggestions thanks
it could be from a belly burn i hear many ppl say not to use one
I read prickly plants are bad, why is there a catus thingy?
Hi recently got a gecko and she is 3 yrs old and skinnny she runs away from worms and crickets she does not eat frequently i got a uth bbut i put on side she has a cave and never gets out of it the first night i had the uth she was literally stuck to the glass so she can get warm so should i also purchase a heat emitter or a bulb? email at tgalyan98@yahoo.com thx
Hi What is the best watts for a 10 gal tank and can you make your own hides for leopard geckos
hi i really want a leopard gecko and my mom says it's possible were just worried because all the sites I've been on mentions "gutloading" and i was wondering if that's just when you put the insects in the calcium or is it legit food you give them?? pleaz help!
Hi. i'm going to be getting a leopard gecko soon and I don't know where to get it from! There is a Pets Smart and a Pet Value and another exotic pet store (Iforget the name)near by but I don't know what place us best to get the healthiest gecko. I'm leaning towards the exotic pet store because that is what they specialize in. Another querstion I have is about the tank, Should I get a 10 15 or 20 gallon tank? Do you need to dust the mealworms and crickets always before you feed the gecko or can you just put in a calcium bowl? Do leopard geckos like being handeled? How long do you think I should wait before tring to pick him/her up? should I get a femal or male? I think i might get a male so there is not a very good chance of breedig it with my friends but I don't wan to breed them so that would be ok. do you think a gecko would responed to its name if you called it? what flooring should i use for its tank? would a repti carpet be best ( I will NOT use sand). do you only need the heated floor on half the tank and should i have lamps on all the timefor all parts of the tank. what i have in mind now for the tank is two hut( one on the right and one on the left), a small branch so it could climb on, food water and calcium bowls,and a small plant. would this be ok anything i need to improve or change? oh and one more thing what thermomiter should i use?
thanks so much pls give me answers thanks!!!!
Hey we just got our daughter a Leo Gecko a few weeks ago and bought everything new from the store for "Twitchy" what she named her Gecko. The bedding that came with the cage is coconut husk and has to be misted daily ... now my question when we feed Twitchy the crickets he usually gets a mouth full of cricket and coconut husk, can that hurt him or is it ok? The lady at the pet store said everything we needed for him was in the box but there is nothing for him to hide in only open terrain and hanging plants on the side where he spends alot of time. Should i go get a hiding rock for him?
Hello my name is Karli and i have been doing resurch on Leopard Geckos for like 2 weeks striaght because i am hopefully going out to get a Leo from Petsmart some time this week and this hub page is very very very helpful. I live in a college apartment and am not allowed to have anything but fish...ehehe ;) not that they will know i have a gecko. So, i have a huge list of what to buy for the lil guy and how much itl all cost. So, because i live in a dorm i will have to feed him/her worms because crickets are messy and make noise. Also lol here is my question, i am going home for christmas break on the 16th and i really dont want the 4 hour ride to kill the baby Leo!!! i read that putting her/him in a dark contaner will help relive stress but the travel wont kill the leo right?! i am sooooo worried about that, my dorm neighbor is a leo expert as well so will and can help me while im at college but not home. Also, ill be takin the leo home with me Dec 16th then bringing her back with me Jan 14th...she should be ok right if i get a healthy one and make sure i do everything correct? :} sorry for the rambeling and worrying, thanks
im thinking of buying a blizzared leapord gecko does that need a heating light and could i use my lamp wich as a red bulb please reply need to no thanks guys !
ibby
Leopard geckos would do better with an under then tank heating pad, they get their heat from the ground so a light would not be as good. If you got a red light it would be more or less for you to see him at night and he wouldnt be able to see the light .When you get him don't put him on sand or any other loose subsrate.
I just got a gecko and would like to know if a normal house hold light buld would work in my lamp
Also i have a heating pad should i have both on in the day or just the light in the day and heating pad at night
My gecko is only a couple of weeks old and eats lots of crickets... How much should i feed him/her a day or week
For some reason my light burnt out the first day that is why i am asking the first question and the last one about its feeding i ask because i just got it and it eats like it hasnt in a long time it has already eaten almost 20 crickets in 2 days is this normal?
hey i just got 2 baby leapord geckos there in a 10 gallon they have a good hide to hide in but they never come out
Hi i'm thinking about getting a leopard gecko and i was wondering if just feeding it mealworms is a good idea. I've been reading and it says that you should alternate between crickets and mealworms or else your gecko could get fat. If i could just feed it worms that would be great.
ethan 2 years ago
i am getting a leo soon and i wanted to know if maybe dusting mealworms in calcium like crickets would make it so i didnt have to have a calcium bowl, because i have a small tank and i want to still have open space so i can fit three hides in the tank. i was just asking so email me back at haddacrappa64@gmail.com
thank you!!!