Caring for Leopard Geckos

Ciara Fredericks, CVT and Stephanie Goldstein, DVM

Background

Brodheadsville Veterinary Clinic (570) 992 - 6900

The leopard gecko is one of the most popular lizards kept as a pet, and have been captive bred in the Unites States for roughly 30 years. Males are generally larger than females, measuring 8-10 inches in length (some can grow closer to 12 inches), whereas female are range from 7-8 inches long. When purchasing any pet, you should be mindful of their lifespan and make sure you are ready for the commitment. Leopard geckos tend to live longer than most geckos, and you can expect yours to live anywhere from 6-10 years. However, some male leopard geckos can live to be 10-20 years old.

Diet A leopard gecko’s diet should consist primarily of insects. Mealworms and “gut-

loaded” crickets are essential to their diet. A “gut-loaded” cricket is one that has been well fed approximately 12 hours prior to being fed to your gecko. This ensures that the maximum amount of nutrients can be passed on to your gecko. You can always ask the pet store you are purchasing from whether the crickets have already eaten, this way you know you can feed them to your gecko that same day. Waxworms and superworms are other

types of worms that can be given to your gecko, but these should only be given as a special treat. The fat content they deliver to geckos is much higher than what should be given daily. Leopard geckos do not need to eat fruits and vegetables.

Supplements:

Vitamin and mineral supplements are a very important part of any leopard gecko’s diet, particularly calcium. A deficiency in calcium can lead to metabolic bone disease, or MBD. When leopard geckos develop MBD, their bones become soft and rubbery. To ensure that your leopard gecko is receiving an adequate amount of calcium, crickets and mealworms can be dusted in a calcium powder. Calcium can also be made available to them by placing a small amount of the powder in a dish inside their tank. Many pet stores have vitamin supplements available for reptiles; make sure you are choosing one that is suitable for your leopard gecko.

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Brodheadsville Veterinary Clinic (570) 992 - 6900

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Diet Continued…

Environment

Water:

Leopard geckos need daily access to fresh water. A shallow dish is the best option, as crickets tend to get caught in the water. If unable to escape, the crickets may die both soiling the water and wasting them as a meal. Their dish should be cleaned regularly to remove and bacteria or fungus that may be growing.

Tank: A 10-20 gallon tank is appropriate for housing 1-2 adult sized leopard geckos. A

tank that is too large can cause them to stray from their heat sources. Any tank that you choose should be at least 12 inches tall and should have a metal screen on top. The screen will provide ventilation, while also allowing heat lamps to be placed on them and help keep away other household pets.

Bedding:

The best bedding for a leopard gecko is newspaper, reptile carpet or no flooring at all. Leopard geckos should never be housed with sand flooring. The fine sand can easily be eaten by young or debilitated geckos, which may lead to a sand impaction.

Temperature:

Leopard geckos do best in warm environments. The ideal temperature should range from the 85 to 90 degrees Fahrenheit on the warm side and 78-80 degrees Fahrenheit on the cool side. Ambient air should always be warmer than 73 Fahrenheit, and hide boxes should be 88-90 degrees Fahrenheit at all times. To keep their environment warm, a heating pad that is specific for terrariums should be purchased and placed at one end of the cage to allow for temperature variations that leopard geckos need. Heating lamps or ceramic heaters can also be used. Heating rocks are not recommended, as they can become too hot and may cause burns. For viewing, low-wattage light can be placed on the screen cage-top.

Lighting:

UVB lighting is recommended for leopard geckos. The lighting should be 5% UVB or more for 12 hours per day. The tank should be dark in the evening, and although leopard geckos are nocturnal, they still benefit from indirect or direct exposure to UVB

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Handling New geckos should be given time to settle into their new environment and should

be at least 6 inches long before beginning handling training. Once your gecko is ready, start on the floor. Allow your gecko to crawl around and move through lose fingers. This should be done for 10-15 minutes per day. It will only take about a week for your gecko to become familiar with handling. Make sure to never grab your gecko by the tail – it can fall off. New tails often regenerate in less than 40 days.

Veterinary Care At minimum, geckos should be seen every 6-12 months for annual exams.

Stool samples should be sent out annually to check for parasites. Just like all animals, leopard geckos can have illness and emergencies (like MBD). Your veterinarian should see your gecko if you notice anything out of the ordinary in between their routine exams.

Tail that has fallen off and regrowth

Leopard gecko with MBD

Healthy leopard gecko