Scientific Name:

Eublepharis macularius

          Leos make great pets.  They are small in size, gentle, and well dispositioned lizards.  Unlike the gecko most people think of, Leopard Geckos do not have suction cup feet.  They cannot climb walls or glass like their cousins, but they do like to climb and explore things on rocks or logs.   Leopard Geckos are fairly easy to keep as pets and are very resilient.  A healthy Leopard Gecko requires little more than heat, a house, food, water, and a clean tank.  Remember when choosing a Leopard Gecko as a pet that it could live anywhere from 10 to 20 years.  The animal will be with you for a long time and you are responsible for its care. 

          Leopard Geckos inhabit parts of Iraq, Iran, Afghanistan, Pakistan, and India.  They are terrestrial, which means they live on land, preferring rocky desert areas or grasslands rather than open desert areas.  Leos are nocturnal, (night time) lizards, meaning they hunt and are active during the night hours.  During the day, they hide in cooler burrows or rock crevices. 

HOUSING:

          Housing should be taken care of before you purchase your new pet.  A ten-gallon tank is sufficient for housing 1 or 2 adult Geckos.  A group of three adult Leopard Geckos would be comfortable living in a 20 gallon tank.  The tank should have a hide box or shelter for each Gecko to sleep in.  Plastic hide boxes are available at most pet stores, however, many types of enclosures could be homemade.  A metal screen on top of the cage is necessary, even though the Leopard cannot scale walls, since they can climb the branches and hide boxes inside the tank.  The screen is also necessary to keep the crickets, major feeding source, from escaping and causing havoc in your home.  Metal screens are key as well so that the light source can sit atop the screen without fear or melting or burning. 

TEMPERATURE AND LIGHTING:

          The tank will also need heat and a light source.  Light is needed as a body regulator, and to mimic the normal light cycle.  Since Leos are nocturnal and hide in shelters during the day, they require UV light.  A regular incandescent aquarium light will be sufficient for daylight.  For heating of the tank, an under tank heating pad is best.  This allows a temperature gradient for the Gecko to choose its own comfort level.  Avoid heat rocks as they provide heat to only a small area.  Place the heat source at one end of the tank to assist with the temperature gradient.  There should be one heating source to keep the tank temperature around 88 to 90 degrees F.  Leave the heating source on 24 hours a day.  Heat lamps are an effective supplementary source since they help keep the heat level high and provide the moonlight effect at night.  You may also want to put the light on a timer depending on the season: 10 hours for winter, 12 hours for fall, 14 hours for spring and summer.  The temperature will drop during the night without the light source, but this is typical and mimics the normal habitat.  One last note about temperature:  Do not place the tank in an area of extreme temperature fluctuation.  This includes windows with direct sunlight that might overheat the tank and drafty areas that could chill the geckos. 

SUBSTRATE:  tank bottom covering

          The final piece of the tank is the covering you put on the bottom for the gecko to walk on.  This can be orchard bark, newspaper or calcium sand.  The last one being the best by far.  Baby geckos should have newspaper or preferably sand. Babies eat things they shouldnt and it has to be safe for them to ensure they dont become impacted.  The best product to put as substrate is some sort of sand with calcium.  There are many types on the market specifically for reptiles.  This sand product is enriched with calcium so that as the geckos eat the sand, with their meal, or for fun, they consume various minerals and vitamins important to their diet. 

DAILY CARE:

          Leopard Geckos will strive on a diet of mainly crickets, but it doesnt hurt to add various foods occasionally.  Mealworms, and superworms are becoming a popular food source.  Hatchlings to four months old are fed every day, (4 to 5 crickets), and juveniles to a year are fed every other day, (5 to 6 crickets).  The crickets should be no larger than the geckos head.  This transfers to about ¼ inch long for hatchlings, ½ to ¾ inch for young adolescents, and adult size crickets for adult geckos. 

          Put crickets in cage for about ten minutes.  If there are any uneaten crickets, remove them or be sure to have something for the crickets to nibble on.  Otherwise, they may nibble on the gecko!  Oatmeal or a piece of potato will do the trick. 

          Mealworms or Superworms are also a good choice to supplement the gecko.  They can be bought at most pet stores.  To hold the worms and keep them from digging into the sand or hiding under the water bowl, put them in a small ceramic dish.  This dish should be just high enough to keep the worms from climbing out but low enough for the gecko to get to them. 

          Supplementation and gut loading is very important!  Leopard geckos have a great need for supplemental calcium.  It is used to build strong bones and produce eggshells.  Young geckos and egg laying females should be supplemented every feeding and adults should be supplemented every other day.  Calcium powder with added vitamin D3 and no phosphorous is best to supplement.  There are many brands on the market.  The crickets could also be fed cereals, oatmeal, fruit (oranges), and vegetables (carrots, potatoes, lettuce, etc.)  The easiest way to give the supplement is to put the food source in a plastic bag with the powder supplement.  Then simply shake up the bag to coat the food source.

          Keep the water bowl filled and clean.   Leos need to stay humid to assist with their shedding.  Misting under the hide box could help since most of the shedding will occur under the box.  You may never see the shedding of the geckos skin since Leos eat their skin, but you may see that they become almost white in color due to the skin loosening.  Shedding problems and calcium deficiency are major factors in the deaths of Leopard Geckos.  Both can be avoided with proper care. 

          Keep the tank clean as well.  It is good for the geckos health.  One very convenient behavior of Leopard Geckos is that they use the same place in the tank for the bathroom all the time.  It becomes habitual.  This makes for easy cleanup.  Be sure to keep the sand or substrate clean of feces daily.  A thorough cleaning of the entire tank is necessary every few weeks for good health of the animal. 

HANDLING:

          When handling your gecko, try to heard it into your hand rather than grab at it.  Pick them up by their body and cradle the body.  Do not squeeze too hard.  While the Leopard Gecko is very hardy and can take abuse, excessive pressure can damage a small animal.  A hatchling or young gecko can be very skittish at first, but will become accustomed and grow relaxed with its handler.  Leopard Geckos can drop their tail if they feel threatened.  This means that their tail will fall off.  This is a defense mechanism used in the wild to distract a predator.  The predator will attack the fallen and moving tail while the gecko makes his escape.  If this would happen, do not be too alarmed.  Simply be sure to supplement the gecko in his food source, keep it warm, and the tank clean to avoid infection, and the tail will regenerate.  It will, however, grow in a deformed fashion.  It will never look as good as the original, but it will work just as well for the storage of fat. 

BE CARING AND TREAT THE ANIMAL WITH RESPECT!

                               Our Best to You,  Chris