Care Sheet

By Michael Johnson

So you're interested in Leopard Geckos?  Rest easy, Leopard Geckos are by far one of easiest reptiles to care for.

That said; they do require the love and attention that any animal under your care would both need and deserve. Leopard geckos are one of the few reptiles that are good for people of all ages.

In general they are a rather docile species. Although there are some very spicy ones out there, they are generally good for teaching children the values of life, responsibility, and even money.  With the leopard gecko's basic and minimalist requirements in regard to care and housing, they are a fine choice for the novice, as well as the experienced reptile enthusiasts.

They are fascinating to view and study, considering they come in an ever-growing color variety known as, “Morphs” or “Phases”. Compared to the majority of reptiles they are actually a very loving reptile, especially when love is shown to them. Our celebrities will often come out of their hides to get our attention.   However, their trust in their owner needs to be built up over time, as they are generally stressed when you bring them home for the first time.  They may need a few days (or even weeks) to adjust to their new environment.

A change in surroundings, environment, shipping, and even smells all compile to their adverse emotions. Over the course of the first few days or week, they will slowly become accustomed to their new habitat, new housemates (you and your family), new scents, and new daily interactions.  Eventually, as you show your love for your Leopard Gecko, they will return it. They won’t go on nightly jogs with you, but if kept in a nice happy home, and handled well, they eventually won't try to run when you hold them, they will come out readily when you go into their tank for feedings, and be a very rewarding pet.

Housing

You should allow a minimum of 12 square inches of surface area per adult Leopard Gecko. We keep our celebrities in either 10\20 gallon, visionariums, Sterlite 15 quart, 32 quart, or shoebox tubs. Remember, we own 30-40 breeders and countless babies, at any given time so our space requirements are different from a pet owner.

We use varying sized Sterlite containers for our animals. Pet stores sell hundreds of types of housings, tanks, and tubs for all reptiles but these can become expensive as your collection grows.

Adult male Leopard Geckos can never be housed together in the same enclosure because they will fight and can kill each other. Males are very territorial regarding other males.  A single male can be kept with several females in what we like to call a, “harem”. He will generally mate with each of them. We don't use this practice because we go for more selective breeding pairs.

Note - if you don't want them to breed don't keep males and females together. Also if they have bred remove the male shortly thereafter or he will continue to try and breed with her over and over, which can stress her out and cause various health problems.

Crowded conditions can cause numerous problems. More room or separation may be required if issues occur.  Males and Females may become territorial and fight over space, and especially food.  Larger, older, and more dominant Leopard Geckos may sometimes bully and intimidate smaller, weaker, or younger ones. This can cause injury, weight loss, and possibly death. 

If any of this becomes apparent house each of them separately to avoid injury and stress. 

NEVER house your Leopard Gecko with any other species of animal. Some authors and enthusiasts will tell you do so, but we strongly advise against this practice. Leopard geckos are generally solitary animals and social interaction with their own species can have it’s own inherent problems; let alone other species.

This is a 15 Quart Tub Setup for Juveniles or Single Adults

This is a 32 Quart Tub Setup for our Larger Females and Males

Knowing that Leopard Geckos come from a dry environment, you want to try to recreate that in your housing.

They enjoy hiding and climbing in caves made from terracotta pots placed upside down with an entry cut out for them. Driftwood, artificial plants, and rocks are all good decorative and functional items. Pet shops are full of hides, various wood fixtures, and decorations.

Here is a basic setup of a 10 Gallon Tank for one Leopard Gecko using Repti-Carpet.

Warm and Cool Sides

Cold-blooded creatures like Leopard Geckos take on the temperature of their surroundings.

They are hot when their environment is hot; and vice versa.

In hot environments, cold-blooded animals can have blood that is much warmer than their warm-blooded counterparts. Because of this dependence, cold-blooded animals are generally more active in warm environments, and of course very sluggish in cold environments.

Metabolism, respiration, endocrine function, as well as muscle activity depends on chemical reactions which are directly effected by their surrounding/surfaces with which they come into contact.

A cold-blooded animal can convert much more of its food into body mass compared with a warm-blooded animal.  The process of regulating their own body temperature is known as thermal regulation and is essential to the health, digestion, metabolism, immune functions, and general well being of the Leopard Gecko.

Knowing this; Leopard Geckos require two different sides to their housing. One side of the cage needs to be warmer; generally 86-92 degrees F. The other side should be cool or room temperature and range from 70-76 degrees F with greater humidity. These temperature ranges should be consistent at the floor surface of the aquarium or housing.

Cool/ Moist Side

You will also want to place what is known as a, “Moist Hide”, on the cool side of the cage. Moist Hides are very simple to make. We use large rectangular snap n’ seal containers filled about a 1 1/2'” full of well moistened cocoa fiber or "Bed a Beast". Depending on the size of the enclosure we cut a 2 X 2 inch square in the front, side, or top of the container as an entrance. The idea is that the hide should be large enough that they can turn around completely inside.

Once created, keep the container lid on and fastened to maintain humidity inside the moist hide.  Others use a mix of potting soil and vermiculite or peat moss. We’ve found that the cocoa fiber stays moist longer, is easy to handle, and is very cheap. Also, potting soil can contain parasites and fertilizers and is not as sanitary.

While the moist hide serves as shelter for your Leopard Gecko, its main function is providing an area for shedding, egg laying, and Thermal Regulation.

Water Dish – Keep a shallow dish of fresh water on the cool side to help avoid heat evaporation. 

Warm Side

Hide or Cave - These are by all means necessary. Leopard Geckos in the wild hide beneath rocks or in caves during the day and hunt insects at dusk or night. In captivity they will do the same.

Heat – There are a myriad of different techniques for generating heat for Leopard Gecko’s warm side. Lamps, Rocks, Heat Pad, Heat Wire, Heat Caves, etc.

We use (and highly recommend) what are known as, “UTHs” Under Tank Heaters. They are flat pads that plug into an electrical outlet and stick directly to the bottom of the aquarium. When using UTHs, be sure to use something to create space between the aquarium and the table for ventilation and electrical safety.  Rubber spacers are often provided with the purchase of UTHs for this purpose.  Carefully follow directions on the packaging. You can also purchase spacers generally used for keeping furniture off the floor to create a good amount of space between the tank and the surface it’s placed on. 

Temps-  The temperatures on the surface of the warm side should not exceed 96 degrees, in this event it may be necessary to use what is known as a rheostat or dimmer to reduce the heat to an acceptable range. Heat lamps are really only suggested if the room temperature is below the considered normal cool side range.

Substrates (Bedding)

Substrate must be used to conduct heat from the UTH.  In my travels across the country and speaking to many breeders I’ve found that many use some sort of sand substrate. I’ve seen people use extremely moist beach sand, fine playground sand, and even white beach sand. We do not promote the usage of any type of sand substrate at CelebrityGeckos.com.  You will see sand substrate used most often in Pet Shops. They will tout the usage of calcium sand, “because like birds Leopard Geckos need a bit of sand in their diet to aid in digestion”. This is a marketing myth that helps them sell a type of sand that comes in a variety of colors. What they don’t tell you is that impaction is a serious issue caused by sand substrates, and impaction of Leopard Geckos is deadly. 

You will notice that Leopard Geckos are not very accurate when they strike at their food and they will pick up some of this substrate with each strike. Over time this can build up and back up their bowels to the point that they cannot pass anything through and can cause death.  Calcium sand can be especially dangerous due to the inability to digest the calcium in the sand, and it cannot be completely dissolved in this form.  We also do not promote the usage of any type of fish tank gravel products, corn cob, walnut shells, or cedar chips\shavings.

Rule of thumb; DON’T USE SAND!

We suggest the following substrates:

Paper towels

Newspaper

Card Stock Paper

Reptile Carpet (sold in pet stores) - although tearing of the nails can be a problem, therefore we don’t suggest it.

We recommend use of the paper towels and/or newspaper substrate for hatchlings and juveniles. 

Paper towels, newspapers, and card stock, are the most economical, practical, and safe means of substrate for all ages and types.

Humidity

Humidity Leopard Geckos are native south-eastern Afghanistan, most of Pakistan, and north-west India, and inhabits primarily the rocky, dry grassland regions of these countries. As nocturnal creatures, they spend the day hidden under rocks or in dry burrows to escape the daytime heat, emerging at dusk to hunt. Knowing this you want to recreate this in your enclosure.

Over time many adapt to being non-nocturnal (diurnal) but still rest during the day. We live in Florida so our home’s humidity runs around 50-65%; depending on your location you want to keep them around 50% at the low end of the scale.  

We use a digital Temperature\Hygrometer combination device that can be purchased at most pet shops. They come in both digital and analog forms. If your Leopard Geckos have problems shedding, you can mist the tank with a spray bottle each day to raise the humidity levels to a proper range. 

Note – Misters in pet shops are supposedly geared for reptiles. You can purchase the exact same thing in the plant section of most department stores. A regular household mister\spray bottle will work just fine.

It is imperative that floor temperature and enclosure humidity be well monitored and kept at proper ranges for the health, longevity, digestion, metabolism, and general well being of your Leopard Gecko. Again, they are not native to our environments and it is necessary to recreate their environment to ensure a healthy life.

Lighting

Reptiles like iguanas, bearded dragons, chameleons, and most others bask in the sun to achieve thermoregulation. Through this they assimilate Vitamin D. However, Leopard Geckos are primarily nocturnal so they do not require this type of lighting. However, supplementation is absolutely necessary. We’ll talk about that later.

Just be sure to keep an eye on the temperature of the enclosure and be careful that it doesn’t become too high. We use Herpstats from Spyder Robotics or Helix thermostats that automatically adjust the temps based on the range we set.

Leopard Geckos' eyes are very sensitive, especially babies and juveniles, and their eyesight is poor in bright light. Never expose your gecko or its enclosure to direct sunlight. Heat can raise the temperature way beyond the acceptable temperature levels.

To view them at night we use Red low wattage party bulbs. Leopard Geckos cannot see the color red.

Handling

We handle each of our Leopard Geckos daily to ensure a calm disposition.  Therefore, they are used to being handled when shipped to our customers. However, there are some general rules to abide by when handling any gecko. 

Keep in mind that the age of the gecko can cause variations in their actions. Juveniles and Hatchlings can be rather defensive because they fear being eaten.

Imagine a giant reaching into your house and picking you up!

Note: If you have just received your Leopard Gecko it is advised that you handle them as little as possible. They have dealt with shipping, (a plane ride, truck ride, and being jarred around in box for many hours, and possibly varying temperatures) We advise that they be left to explore and get comfortable in their new enclosure for at least three days prior to handling them. A week is probably best in our experience.

Also, all Leopard Geckos do have their own personality and some generally do not enjoy being handled. But there are some things you can do make them more receptive to you and handling.

1.    Take your time. Many will not warm up over night. They need to get used to you and realize that you’re not a predator.

Start by placing your hand at the bottom the cage palm up and just leaving there for a few minutes. Over time they will get used you, your scent, your taste, and will understand that you are not a threat.

2.      If you decide to lift them up do so by placing your fingers underneath their belly and chest, while being careful not to touch their head or tail if at all possible.

Most lizards have the ability to drop off their tail when stressed. This is known as Caudal Autonomy. Defined as breakage and loss of the tail in a spontaneous and intrinsic fracturing across an autotomy plane by convulsive contractions of tail muscle initiated by the animal. Often in the wild they will sacrifice the tail to elude a predator. While the predator eats the tail, they have an opportunity to run to shelter.

3.      If they do drop their tail, it will grow back very slowly (although it will never look the same). You will also need to separate them from others if they in this event to prevent infections and allow it to grow back.

4.      Juveniles and Hatchlings have a tendency to jump and scurry away from handlers. Just be careful not to squeeze too hard because you can break their bones or suffocate them easily. Be gentle and don’t get frustrated because they are simply following their instincts.

5.      If they become agitated we’ve found that creating a cup with your hands and covering their eyes seems to calm them down. We believe that the warmth and darkness created by our hands helps them feel secure. Also, I’ve personally found if my hands are slightly wet with warm water they seem to relax a bit more. Most likely because the temp is more comforting and there is less abrasiveness of the hands.

6.      Never grab them strongly or overly firm. If they don't want to be held don't rush them. They’ll also probably let you know vocally.

7.      Be mindful that they have nails or claws and they will grip on to your clothing or skin. While this may not hurt you, their nails are somewhat sharp and very small. You must be careful not to pick them up off of you of you too quickly, because you could rip one of their nails or you could suffer a scratch if they imbed their nails in you. This can cause loss of digits and infections.

8.      Try not to startle them in any way. Use slow fluid movements and never make quick grabby motions because you will frighten them. Hatchlings and Juveniles are more likely to be startled or drop their tales.

9.      Listen to them. Leopard Geckos have the ability to make small chirping like noises.  When they are frustrated they will let you know with a hissing, clicking, little squeals. The endearing thing about them is that they all sound a bit different and some even seem to speak. Some of our females will talk to us when they aren't feeling well or we enter the room.

10.  Be patient – Most Leopard Geckos will warm up to you, but it takes time. Weeks and even months are normal. Unlike some snakes and amphibians Leopard Geckos do have the ability to recognize their owners and do enjoy being close to them. It’s just a matter of gaining their trust. This is why they are the most popular reptile in the US at this time.

11.  Create the feeling of security with your hands or clothing.

Once you’ve established a relationship with your Leopard Gecko you will find that they like sitting on your shoulder or in your shirt pocket or even in the folded up lip of your shirt if you’re sitting down.  However, be mindful of their often sudden activity. Always be aware of their location, and if you have other pets (especially cats), make sure they are handled appropriately prior to handling your gecko.

Rule of thumb: Relax.

Knowing that Leopard Geckos have an acute sense of smell, some believe they can sense emotion similar to dogs via the chemical markers expressed by your body and motions. If they sense that you’re agitated they may do the same.

Feeding

Our Leopard Geckos are raised primarily on live medium sized mealworms. Occasionally we will supplement their diet with wax worms or baby mice (known as “Pinky Mice”). These are only given to adults and are most beneficial to pregnant (Gravid) females, and females who have just laid eggs. They are nutritious as whole but are high in fat and should only be given on occasion.

There are many food types out their but remember that Leopard Geckos will only eat live prey. Other options are silk worms (they smell terrible though), super worms (on occasion), and nymph roaches.

All food items should be 3\4 the size of the animal’s head or jaw width, to prevent choking and obstruction of the bowels.  Babies should be fed 2-4 small crickets or 5-10 meal worms every day until they reach about 5 inches in length, then larger prey every other day until they become full-grown in about 10 -12 months.  We don’t usually feed hatchlings crickets because they are hard to catch and can stress them out. Adults can be fed 6-7 large crickets or 10-15 meal worms 4-5 times a week.

We feed each of our celebrities about 8 -12 meal worms every day to every other day depending on age, size, and general appetite. They are presented in a small feeder dish (we use small 3" clay pot saucers) to avoid runaway worms that otherwise dig or hide to escape their fate.  It also helps the Leopard Gecko find and hunt its meal. They are inexpensive and can be purchased at craft stores for less than a dollar each.

Wax worms should be fed only occasionally because they are high in cholesterol and fat. We’ve found that they are especially good for anorexic or sick Geckos because they are like candy to them.

Supplementation

Crickets, meal worms, wax worms, super worms, nymph roaches, silkworms, etc, do not alone provide the amounts of vitamins, nutrients, minerals, and calcium that captive Leopard Gecko need to maintain all the biological and metabolic functions. Many argue that crickets specifically provide no nutritional value without supplementation.

It is essential that supplementation be practiced to ensure health and longevity of your Leopard Gecko.

Note:  a small dish of phosphorous-free calcium in the enclosure at all times. They will lap it up as needed and it will help them maintain proper calcium levels. This is especially important to gravid and ovulating females. We use Phosphorus Free Calcium with D3 from RepCal.

Dusting

All food items must be "dusted", or coated, with a mixture of ultra-fine phosphorus-free calcium powder every other feeding and reptile vitamins once each week.

We use commercial grade reptile calcium powers and vitamins such as Sandfire Super Food’s, RepCal, Zoo-Med,Vionate, and some Fluker products. We do what we call, “The Shake and Bake”. Basically put the crickets in a ziplock bag and shake them up until they are well covered.

Many stores will dust them for you. However, when dusted the crickets will eventually suffocate within several hours, so unless you’re feeding all of what you’ve purchased to your Gecko at once; you many not want to have them dusted.

When using worms of any kind place them in a dish they cannot climb out of and add a small amount of the powders that they will move around in and coat themselves.

Generally, feeders should be removed if not eaten within an hour. Especially crickets and roaches. They have been known to gnaw on the toes of Leopard Geckos as well as ingest the feces of the Geckos, and then pass on parasites to your pet. 

Feeder Care & Preparation

Gut Loading - feeding prey nutritious foods prior to offering them to your pet, so the nutrition is then passed on to your pet.

The Incredible Edible Meal Worm

Meal Worms – We keep our meal worms in a container with holes for appropriate air ventilation and feed them dry Organic Oats, pieces of fresh fruit pieces, or potatoes. Generally we use a cricket gut-loading meal by Cody at Pro Geckos with fresh sliced potatoes across the top to provide a hydration source; these items provide fluid and nutrients for the meal worms to eat.

Meal worms can be placed in the refrigerator where they will go into hibernation and have lasted up to 2 months. Just note that when they are in hibernation they are not eating\gut loading, so it is advised that when acquiring a new batch of meal worms that you leave them in the container at room temperature for 24-48 hours to allow them to load up on the provided supplementation.

Myth - Mealworms cannot eat through the bellies and internal organs of your pet. They are perfectly safe.

Crickets – We don't use crickets as often because they can stress out the geckos and can be hard for them to catch and are adept at hiding in the enclosure. We like to vary their diet so we generally feed crickets once or twice a week. We actually raised crickets for some time as many breeders do; but we found meal worms to be a much easier and practical alternative. Crickets are noisy and dirty and can give off quite a scent. They also do not live very long. Often crickets purchased at stores will only live about a week. Many of our hatchlings love them though; so they are a necessarily evil.

Our main issue with Crickets is the propensity of parasites with them over other feeders. Because of their rapid death rate they attract a number of insects that feed on their carcasses. Specifically, Carrion flies who feed and plant their larva in the carcasses, and then are passed on to your animal.

Crickets are also cannibals which brings with it inherit problems.

If you choose to use crickets many stores sell what is called a, “Cricket Keeper” or aquarium, to house them in while awaiting being used as prey. Fluker sells a number of products for gut-loading crickets and should be used to make the crickets nutritionally valuable.

All prey items enclosures should be kept as clean as possible, and gut-loading items should be changed out as often as necessary. They can quickly grow bacteria and that can be passed onto your pet if left untreated. The gels that are sold to give nutrition and fluids to crickets can serve as a spot for egg laying of various insects and even the crickets.

So change these gels or liquids out often.

Shedding

Shedding Leopard Geckos should shed or, “molt”, about every 2-4 weeks; depending on age.

Many Leopard Geckos eat their shed skin as it comes off; especially juveniles.

It is imperative that all of a Leopard Gecko’s shed skin come off completely. This is especially important to the toe tips, eye lids, and tip of their tale. Skin that doesn’t come off can become very tight on the area and cut off circulation. It is common to see poorly cared for Leopard Geckos missing toe tips or tail tips for this reason. The left over skin can also cause infection or abbesses that can kill the Gecko if left untreated.

If you notice that your Leopard Gecko is having problems removing all of its shed skin in these areas, it may be necessary to help them remove the remaining shedding areas. 

Place them into a dish that is filled about a half-inch of warm saline solution or warm water, and gently use a Q-tip in a rolling motion underneath the toes,  to wet and slowly remove the access skin. Be very gentle and use care around the eye area. Be sure to maintain a warm water temperature while you are helping your Leopard Gecko in this manner, and do not keep them in the solution too long.  They can become cold very quickly and this could be very dangerous. 

We have a few that just always seem to have a problem so when we see them beginning to shed we go ahead and place them in a warm solution as a preemptive measure.

Often you may not notice them actually shedding. The older and more experienced Geckos will become chalky looking for awhile and then shed and eat if before you even see it. Look for signs of problems though every time you view them.

Sanitation

If your Gecko is eating regularly and is healthy it should be passing feces on a daily or bi-daily basis. This should be removed ASAP. Most parasites are found in the feces, not to mention that feces also give off a pungent scent. Also, water dishes should be filled with fresh, clean water daily. We actually use spring water for our celebrities to ensure freshness and cleanliness. Many cities tap water can contain fluoride, chlorine, minor amounts of lead, and phosphorus.

We clean all items in the enclosure every 2-3 weeks with a 10% bleach solution or Nolvasan, to ensure the removal of bacteria. All items are rinsed thoroughly are dried completely before replacing them back in the enclosure. When using terracotta dishes place them into the microwave once they are cleaned and dry, for about 2 minutes to destroy any leftover bacteria.

Bleach and chemical vapors can be fatal.  Water dishes should be disinfected weekly. 

If using repti-carpet, it should be washed in a 10% ammonia solution or Nolvasan, rinsed thoroughly, and dried completely before being placed back the enclosure. 

Do Not Mix Bleach and Ammonia at any time; this creates many lethal gases. (Chlorine Gas - Cl2),(Nitrogen Trichloride - NCl3), (Hydrazine - N2H4)

These gases will not only kill your pet but even you as well.

 
Completely replace moist hide cocoa fiber once a month to avoid mold.

We change out feeder and water dishes generally every other feeding or earlier if they are especially dirty.

Husbandry\Sanitation is simply common sense in our opinion. Food with feces in it is not appetizing and can kill, as well as the slime that develops in stale water can be a breeding ground for bacteria.

Rule of thumb: Don’t put into your pet what you wouldn’t put into your own body. With the exception of worms and crickets.

Quarantine

There is an on-going debate between all breeders and enthusiasts about the need for quarantine and its necessary length of time when introducing new Leopard Geckos into current group.

We advise that 90 day quarantine in a separate habitat be maintained for all newly acquired Leopard Geckos. This will ensure both the new reptile’s health and the health of your current colony. If possible even in another room.

A stool sample is also a good idea to ensure positive health of your Leopard Gecko. They are inexpensive and a helpful means of analysis. However, a negative result does not necessarily mean that the animal is clear of parasites.

Not all parasites are passed through the feces at each bowel movement.

Practice quarantine at all times.

Parasites - This is a topic we are extremely concerned about in the gecko community and in our colony.

I personally do fecal float exams on all of our animals monthly, and immediately if we see any abnormalities. I also conduct them prior to shipping any animal to our customers.

There are a myriad of different parasites and even more drugs to handle them. We keep supplies of many of these medicines on hand at all times. We are also always in close contact with our veterinarian Dr. Steven Sanders DVM, and he sees all of our animals on a regular basis.

As Marcia McGuiness of GoldenGateGeckos.com says, "If you can't afford the vet, don't by the pet!"

Health

Domesticated Leopard Geckos as with most pets such as Dogs, Cats, Birds, etc, do not have the same evolved and resistant immune system as those in the wild. Parasites are a major issue and most can be treated if caught early with antibiotics, d-ewormers, flushing, steroids etc . Most illnesses can be avoided if proper husbandry, quarantine, and hygiene are practiced.

Acid- Fast Tests - one of the most important test for new or ailing geckos. They are the only way to find out if the animal has contracted the parasite, “Cryptosporidiosis”. These tests can only be conducted by your Vet.

Cryptosporidiosis is a diarrheal disease caused by microscopic parasites of the genus Cryptosporidium. Once an animal or person is infected, the parasite lives in the intestine and passes in the stool. The parasite is protected by an outer shell that allows it to survive outside the body for long periods of time and makes it very resistant to chlorine- based disinfectants. Both the disease and the parasite are commonly known as "crypto”, or “pencil tail”.

During the past two decades, crypto has become recognized as one of the most common causes of waterborne disease within humans and reptiles in the United States. That’s right you can contract it as well.

The parasite may be found in drinking water and recreational water in every region of the United States and throughout the world.

Once again, proper testing by a veterinarian and husbandry are essential to you and your animal’s health and well being.

Potential Signs of Illness

Rapid weight Loss

Rapid thinning of the tail

Severe lethargy

Any severe injury, open sore, or lump

Prolonged Diarrhea

Tremors or Seizures

Visible organisms or blood in stool

Sunken Eyes

“Gaping”, sitting still and breathing with mouth open for long periods of time

Unusual Changes in stool – mucous, watery, extreme scent, change in color

Inability to pass stool

Thick - White substances around the mouth – often referred to as, “chalky mouth”

Will not eat for more than 2 weeks

Any other physical abnormity or change (ie. abscess, walking on forearms, etc)

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