Ghoulish Geckos

Care Sheet

Leopard Gecko Care

by Kristi Housman
www.ghoulishgeckos.com

Description

Leopard Geckos, Eublepharis Macularius, are medium sized geckos that reach 7-9 inches when full-grown. They come in a variety or colors and patterns. Leos have large tails that store fat and water.

Housing

A single leopard gecko will do fine in a 10 gallon tank with screen lid, but a 20 long is even better. Floor space is more important than height. Females of the same size may be housed together, but watch for fighting or weight loss of one gecko. If this occurs, they will need to be separated. Males cannot be housed together or they will fight until one dies. Make sure there are plenty of hides for each gecko. There should be a moist hide and at least one dry hide per gecko.

Use an under tank heater (uth) on one side of the tank. Temps on the warm side should be 90-94 and the cool side should be room temp. Measure the temps on the floor, not air temp. Leopard geckos use belly heat to digest their food. They are nocturnal, so no lighting is needed other than normal daylight through the windows. Do not place the tank directly in sunlight.

Do not use loose substrates in the tanks. Leopard geckos will eat some and can become impacted. Recommended substrates are reptile carpet, tile, newspaper, or paper towels. We use paper towels because they are inexpensive and easy to change

Shedding

Leopard geckos will shed all of their skin often. Keeping a hide with moist moss or paper towels will aide them. They will usually eat all of their shed skin. Make sure you check your leo for any stuck shed, especially the eyes and feet. If stuck shed is not removed, it can lead to infection and lost toes. If stuck shed is often a problem, increase the humidity of the tank. To loosen stuck shed, fill a container with 1-2 inches of warm water and soak the geckos feet. Use a cotton swab to gently loosen the skin.

Feeding and Supplementing

Leopard geckos are insectivores. They mainly eat a staple diet of mealworms, crickets, roaches, superworms, and silkworms. Wax worms are high in fat and should only be fed as a treat. Do not feed anything larger than 3/4 the size of the geckos head. Insects should be fed 24 hours before they are given to the geckos. This is called gutloading. Our mealworms are kept in a gutload from Cody at Pro Geckos and are given carrots for moisture. Our roaches are fed carrots and greens. You can also use oatmeal, apples, and potatoes. Feeder insects should be dusted with calcium powder without D3 everyday and a multi-vitamin once a week. We add extra calcium to the mealworm bowl for the geckos to lick. Fresh water should be given in a bowl everyday.

Quarantine

When you get a new reptile, it is important to keep it separated from other pets for at least 30 days. This allows you to make sure it is going to the bathroom and gaining weight. It the stool is runny and the gecko is not gaining weight, a fecal exam is needed to rule out parasites.

Handling

Your new gecko will be stressed out when you receive him. Please give him a few days to a week to settle before you handle him much. Leos may not eat for the first week or so. When you do start handling, put your hand low in the tank, palm side up. Let the leo come to you. It will probably lick your hand. Over time, he will start to climb on your hand. Never grad a leopard gecko by the tail or it will most likely drop it. Their tails do grow back, but they do not look the same.

A healthy, well cared for leopard gecko can live 20 years or more