Species Name: Eublepharis macularius
Diet: Insectivore
Adult Size: 10 inches snout to tail tip except for super giants that can reach about 11.5 inches
Minimum Recommended Enclosure Size: 20 Gallon long aquarium
Recommend Heat Source: Under tank heater on a thermostat
Leopard geckos are a great reptile for a new or experienced keeper alike. Their ease of care, easy-going temperament, and variety of morphs make them incredibly appealing. Leopard geckos are native to the Middle East and live in an arid climate.
Leopard geckos can have incredibly simplistic enclosures. A 20 gallon long aquarium with an under tank heater, paper towels for a substrate, a couple of hides, a food dish, and a water bowl are all you need to get started.
The surface temperature of the warm side should be 90 degrees Fahrenheit. This can be accomplished by placing the under tank heater(on a thermostat) on the right or left side of the enclosure. This will allow your leopard gecko to thermoregulate. I highly recommend purchasing an infrared thermometer to monitor the surface temperature. The cool side of the enclosure can be around 72-75 degrees Fahrenheit.
For a substrate, I recommend keeping it simple and just using paper towels. Some people prefer “repti carpet” or a similar product. However, these can be very difficult to clean and will harbor a literal petri dish of bacteria. Sand substrates pose a high risk of impaction and have no benefit to your gecko so I recommend avoiding them.
Be sure to place a hide for your gecko on the hot and cool side of the enclosure so your gecko can thermoregulate and still feel secure. When your gecko is about to shed placing a damp paper towel in the warm hide will help your gecko shed easily.
Since leopard geckos are crepuscular they do not require and special lighting such as UVB bulbs. If you wish to have a light on your gecko’s enclosure I recommend using a very dim bulb to avoid stressing your animal. Also, if you choose to place a light over you leopard gecko’s enclosure I recommend putting that light on a timer to maintain a regular day-night cycle. Keep in mind that albino leopard gecko’s eyes are typically very sensitive to light.
Your gecko purchased from Firehouse Geckos was raised on a diet of mealworms, dubias, and black soldier fly larvae. Leopard geckos also require calcium with vitamin D3. Many people just dust the insects with the powder but having a small dish with calcium and D3 powder in the enclosure works well too. I also recommend having a small dish of freshwater in with your gecko.
Leopard geckos are solitary creatures by nature and only associate with other leopard geckos during mating season. Many people report having success keeping multiple geckos together however the benefits do not outweigh the risks. Keeping multiple leopard geckos together always goes well until it doesn’t.