Leopard gecko care guide

Leopard Gecko Overview

Scientific Name: Eublepharis macularius

Leopard geckos are small, terrestrial lizards native to the dry and semi-arid regions of Afghanistan, Pakistan, India, and surrounding areas. They are primarily ground-dwelling and are most active during the evening and nighttime hours.

A properly maintained enclosure should provide appropriate heating, UVB lighting, a temperature gradient, a humid hide, secure hiding places, enrichment, and a suitable diet of live insects.

With proper husbandry, nutrition, and regular monitoring, leopard geckos can thrive in captivity and become long-term companion animals.

Leopard geckos are known for their calm personalities, distinctive spotted patterns, and ability to store fat in their tails. They are generally hardy when provided with proper care, making them a popular species for both beginner and experienced reptile keepers. However, please note, all animals have different personalities.

Health & Wellness

Keeping a close eye on your leopard gecko is one of the best ways to catch potential health concerns early. Regularly monitor their weight, appetite, activity level, appearance, shedding, and droppings.

Signs of a Healthy Leopard Gecko

A healthy leopard gecko should generally have:

• Clear, bright eyes

• A full, healthy-looking tail

• Good muscle tone and body condition

• Normal movement and activity

• A healthy appetite

• Regular, normal droppings

• Clean skin with complete sheds

• Strong grip and the ability to move normally

Signs to Watch For

Keep an eye out for changes such as:

• Sudden or continued weight loss

• Significant loss of appetite

• Unusual lethargy or weakness

• Difficulty walking or climbing

• Tremors or abnormal movements

• Swelling or unusual lumps

• Discharge from the eyes, nose, or mouth

• Difficulty shedding or retained shed around the toes, eyes, or other areas

• Abnormal or prolonged changes in droppings

• Changes in behavior that are unusual for your individual gecko

If you notice persistent or concerning symptoms, consult a qualified reptile veterinarian. Early evaluation can help identify and address health problems before they become more serious.

Regular weight checks are also a great way to monitor your gecko's overall health and identify changes that may not be immediately visible.

Lighting & Temperature

Lighting can get difficult, so bear with me. Most reptiles are on a 12/12 schedule, which means 12 hours of daylight and 12 hours of nighttime.

For leopard gecko species, through mesh, a T5 10.5 ReptiSun UVB is the best.

UVB

UVB IS needed for them. Without it, they don't get the vitamins needed for digestion.

Basking & Heating

Basking bulbs are great for providing IR-A to lizards, helping mimic the sun and providing great vitamins. Hooking a basking bulb to a thermostat is a great idea, but you don't want it constantly dim.

Anywhere from a 75–100 watt HALOGEN bulb is sufficient for providing a basking spot and ambient temperature.

Leopard geckos are belly lizards, which means they take heat through the stomach. Hanging a bulb from the top to heat a rock is great.

Temperature

Temperatures should stay approximately:

• Cool side: 75–80°F

• Hot side: 85–90°F

• Basking spot: 90–100°F

WHAT TO AVOID

Avoid:

• Any bulb that states it has added UVB or other unnecessary features

• Red light — red light is incredibly harmful to reptiles

• Reptile heat mats without a thermostat

• Heat rocks (electrical rocks from Petco)

These heating elements can burn your gecko, and these burns are extremely painful.

Bioactive Enclosures

If you are attempting a bioactive enclosure, you will also need UVB grow lights. You can find inexpensive options online, including on Amazon.

Temperature guages

please avoid using dial temperature guages as they are unreliable, instead stick to using digital thermometers/hdryometers.

Humidity

Humidity is needed for leopard geckos, but only in small amounts. Providing a humid hide in the enclosure is necessary, as it gives them a humid area to use when needed and helps with shedding.

I place mine in the center of the enclosure, which creates a humid section within the enclosure. I lightly mist the enclosure every morning and saturate the humid hide a little more.

A leopard gecko’s ambient enclosure humidity should be approximately 25–35%, with the humid hide maintaining a higher humidity of around 60% as an available choice for the gecko.

Feeding

A water bowl is nice but not required, as leopard geckos will often drink droplets from surfaces after misting, similar to morning dew. I provide mine with a water bowl as an additional option, as it is a great idea.

BUGS

Leopard geckos need bugs every day. During a 15-minute feeding period, get them to eat as many as possible, or approximately 7–10 insects.

Bugs should be no larger than the space between the gecko's eyes.

Good staple feeder insects include:

• Crickets

• Dubia roaches

CALCIUM

All bugs should be coated with a calcium supplement WITHOUT D3 before being offered.

Every couple of days, add vitamin powder to their supplementation routine.

Provide your gecko with a calcium dish. This should be a small, shallow dish containing calcium that your gecko can choose to eat when needed.

What is a hunger strike?

Hunger strikes are when a reptile chooses to not eat, this could be due to stress, a new environment, dislike of food, etc. Do not panic if this is you, give your reptile time to acclimate to its enclosure if it is a new habitat or new pet, if this is a new behavior consider changing to a new feeder!

Growth Chart

Every gecko is different

Hatchlings (0–2 months):
Measure approximately 1.5–2 inches and weigh 2–5 grams. They start with a high-protein daily diet consisting of tiny insects.

Babies & Juveniles (3–6 months):
Reach approximately 3–7 inches and 15–25 grams. Growth is extremely fast, with a heavy daily appetite.

Sub-Adults (7–12 months):
Grow to approximately 6–9 inches and 30–40 grams. Length gains begin to slow down as they fill out in mass. Provide feedings every other day.

Adults (12–18+ months):
Attain their full length and weight, approximately 7–10 inches and 50–70+ grams. Feeding is 2–3 times per week.

Building Trust

When bringing your new gecko home, give it time to become comfortable with its new surroundings. Do not immediately try to grab or handle it. Start by simply placing your hand inside the enclosure for a few minutes at a time. 

Continue this process consistently over the course of 1–2 weeks, allowing your gecko to gradually become familiar with your presence and scent. Some geckos may become comfortable sooner, while others may need more time.

Beginning Handling

Once your gecko seems comfortable with your hand being in the enclosure, you can begin gently attempting to pick it up OR for choice based handling let it choose to climb onto your hand

•  Move slowly and calmly.

•  Approach from the side or underneath rather than reaching quickly from above.

•  If your gecko runs away, do not chase it or attempt to grab it. Let it move away and try again another time.

•  Never pull or grab a gecko by its tail.

• Allow the gecko to walk onto your hand whenever possible.

• Keep initial handling sessions short and gradually increase the time as your gecko becomes more comfortable.

It is completely normal for a new leo to be nervous, jumpy, or avoid your hand at first. The goal is to build trust rather than force interaction. 

During Handling

If your gecko becomes extremely stressed, repeatedly tries to flee, or shows signs that it wants to be left alone, return it to its enclosure and try again later.

Every gecko has its own personality. Some will become very comfortable with handling, while others may prefer shorter and less frequent interactions. Respecting their comfort level is an important part of responsible care. Some may never want to be held and you should prepare yourself for that.