Meet the Leopard Gecko. Eublepharis macularius is one of the most common exotic geckos seen in pet stores and sold by breeders. This is due to a variety of factors: it is a hardy animal and simple to care for, has an amiable temperament, and breeds readily. All this makes the leopard gecko a favorite among breeders and enthusiasts. The variety of colors these geckos can come in gives it that much more appeal.
Basic Leopard Gecko Care
Leopard Geckos can be kept in a standard ten gallon terrarium (or aquarium if a terrarium isn’t handy), although a bigger terrarium won’t hurt. As long as the gecko has a place to bask, a place to hide, and food and water readily available, an extra large space is unimportant.
Like all reptiles, leopard geckos need heat to warm their body and function. Placing a heat rock in the terrarium, or a heating pad under the terrarium, are easy ways to provide this necessity. It’s important to make sure neither get too hot, as the gecko could be burned. If going for a more “natural” habitat, UV day lights made especially for reptile terrariums can be used. There are also night lights that simulate the moon’s light, for nighttime viewing.
When choosing substrate for the leopard gecko terrarium, keep in mind that younger geckos sometimes ingest smaller particles and this can lead to a blockage of the animal’s intestines. Leopard geckos don’t need a substrate, although if using a heat pad it’s probably best to use something to prevent burns. Newspaper, artificial turf or cedar chips all work well. Make sure to keep any type of substrate dry.
Leopard Geckos are insectivores; they don’t eat plants of any kind. Live crickets and mealworms are both good meal choices. Each gecko will eat somewhere between two and three crickets a day, and five or six mealworms. Dusting the food with Reptivite will ensure the geckos are getting enough calcium. Local hardware stores usually carry crickets (for fish bait) at a cheaper rate than a pet store will.
Wait until the gecko adjusts to its new surroundings (or reaches about six inches if it’s a hatchling) before handling it. Letting the gecko crawl through fingers for ten minutes a day is enough for it to get used to being held. Handling any gecko for too long a time though will stress the animal. Never pick a leopard gecko up by its tail! This just serves to stress the gecko out even though its tail will grow back if it falls off.
Leopard Gecko Morphs
For the more aesthetically inclined consumer, there is a wide range of colors Leopard Geckos can come in. These colorations are known as phases. Leopard gecko prices range from $20 for your standard yellow-and-black phases, to a few thousand of dollars for a “red stripe” morph, a gecko with a yellow background and orange to red colored stripes running down its back.
Just follow this Leopard Gecko check list below to keep happy, healthy Leopard Gecko.
- Dry substrate
- Shallow water dish
- Rock, reptile light or terrarium pad for heat
- A hide box
- Supply of crickets or mealworms
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