| Leopard Gecko |
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| Introdution Leopard geckos do not get to large (8-12 inches), they are very docile even though they are nocturnal they tolerate handling as long as they have time for sleep. They are relatively inexpensive (25-100 dollars average) making them a very good pet for children and beginers. Housing A pair of adult leopard geckos can be comfortably housed in a 20 aquarium ( never house two males together). Leopard geckos require a humidity spot in the enclosure so that they may properly shed their skin. To make a humidity spot, obtain an enclosed Tupperware container that will comfortable house all of the geckos in the enclosure at once (the shoebox size works well for up to four adult geckos)or you can buy a cave type house from most pet stores. Cut an access hole in the side of the container, and fill the container half way with moist peat, sphagnum moss, or even paper towels. This area must always be kept moist. Bedding There are several different types of material that can be used as bedding. I use Carpet, it is easy to clean, harmless to the lizard and it looks good, all you need to do is get two pieces of carpet the size of the bottom of the cage and switch one while you clean it. Newspaper is and easy way to clean things, but it is not the best looking thing to use. Wood Chips are not recommended because the gecko could try to eat it and it may get caught in its digestive system and become deadly. Sand is also another good idea because it is easy to clean and is not big enough to get caught in their digestive tracks. Baby geckos should have paper towels for bedding because it is still yound and needs a coushony surface. Setup Other then a hide box there is not much else that is needed. THey do not need any branches to climb on, because they are one of the few geckos that can not climb. To many things in the tank can make it harder for your gecko to catch its food. Heating Leopard geckos require some type of supplemental heating, because they lack the ability to produce their own heat. The warm end of the enclosure should be heated to 86-88°F, the other end should range from 70-80 degrees. In aquariums, the best ways to provide heat is to use an under tank heating pad, this will help with the digestion of food. Another heating options include a heat light, which is a good source of heat during the day. Providing correct temperatures is essential when keeping leopard geckos, without it, they have problems digesting food and regulating their immune systems. No specail UV lights are needed. Feeding Baby leopard geckos should be feed small crickets which should be slightly smaller then their heads, and small mealworms. The adults will eat large crickets, large mealworms, king mealworms, and occasional pinky mice. I feed the adults 4-6 large crickets a day. It is important to provide calcium supplementation to prevent nutritional disorders. One method is the "shake and bake", the prey items and put into a plastic bag, some calcium powder is dumped in, and the insects are coated until covered. Back |