Common Leopard Gecko Questions
How long do they Live?
They can live to 20 to 25 years if cared for properly.
What do they eat?
They eat Mealworms, Superworms, Crickets, Waxworms, Hornworms, Pinkie Mice, and a couple of other insects. Below I will go over how much to feed them, how often, and I will provide a nutrition chart.
How should I set up my leopard geckos enclosure?
1) 10 to 20-gallon tank
One leopard gecko can live in a 10-gallon tank or bigger. The minimum would be a 10-gallon tank, but if you can provide them with a 20-gallon tank that would be recommended by most people.
2) Two or more hides
You will at least need one hide on the warm side and one hide on the cool side. They like to hide in different areas, so if you can provide them as many hides as possible, the minimum would be two.
3) Moist Hide
You will need at least one moist hide in the tank to help them with shedding. If a moist hide is not given, they can develop a stuck shed, making more work for you. Below I will go over how to make your own or where you can buy one.
4) Water Bowl and Food Bowl
They love to drink water, so make sure you have a water bowl for them. In their food bowl, you should have some Repti Calcium WITH D3 and Vionate. Vionate will help them keep their nice vibrant colors, and the calcium will help make sure they don't develop Metabolic Bone Disease (MBD).
5) Heat pad and UVB light
All a leopard gecko needs is a heating pad and a UVB light. Heat lamps are unnecessary due to them always hiding, and they can be harmful to your gecko by overheating them and killing them. It is always good to have a thermometer inside the tank to make sure the temperature doesn't get over 90 degrees.
6) Flooring
You can use a Paper Towel, Eco Earth (safe dirt like substance), or Repti Carpet. Other substrates such as woodchips and sand can be very harmful toward your leopard gecko and can cause impactions which will result either in surgery or death.
Can I house leopard geckos together?
You can house female leopard geckos together, but you have to make sure they get along. Females can become aggressive; it just depends on the female. Males should never be housed together because they are territorial, and they will kill each other. Females and Males should only be housed together if you are breeding them but should be separated after breeding because males can be aggressive toward females if they are not ovulating.
Many breeders advise against housing leopard geckos together because they are territorial and they like to be alone. You can have geckos that have been housed together for years and then one day they start to fight. If you house females together you will need to keep an eye on them and if possible try to house them separately or put a divider inside the tank to keep them away from each other.
Interesting Leopard Gecko Facts
Normal leopard geckos grow between 7 to 10 inches and can weigh between 50-80 grams.
They can live up to 20 years!
Their tail is used to store fat during their hibernation periods.
Leopard Geckos go into hibernation when temperatures drop below 50 degrees Fahrenheit.
They live in rocky deserts or sparse grasslands.
Leopard Geckos live in underground burrows.
They are nocturnal, so they are asleep during the day and are awake at night.
Their eyes are sensitive to light, and that's why they hide during the day.
Leopard Geckos can see in the dark!
They have eyelids, unlike most lizards.
They can detach their tail, and their tail can twitch up to 30 minutes after it has been severed from their body.
How Much to Feed Your Leopard Gecko
Insect Nutrition Information
What to do if your Gecko isn't eating
If you have noticed your gecko isn't eating, here is a checklist to go through to help find the solution.
Is the temperature of the tank between 80-85 degrees. If the tank's temperature is below that, then there isn't enough heat, and if the temperature is above that, remove what is causing the heat. Leopard Geckos will stop eating if the temperature drops below 80 degrees and above 85 degrees.
Switch to something new. Leopard geckos like various insects and will stop eating if it's something they have been eating for a while.
Baby leopard geckos won't eat big insects. If the insect is bigger than their head, they won't eat it. Make sure that you feed baby leopard geckos small mealworms, small superworms, and small crickets.
Provide Fluckers Repta Boost to your gecko to help boost their appetite. Repta Boost will also help give them the nutrients they need until they start eating again.
How to Sex Your Leopard Gecko
Leopard Gecko Morph Information
There are many leopard gecko morphs and there are more to be discovered. Here is some basic information that you should know about morphs.
Enigmas- They have a neurological issue associated with their gene; it is known as Enigma Syndrome (ES).
Lemon Frosts- They are prone to developing malignant iridophore cell tumors as they get older.
There are Generic, Recessive, Dominant, and Co- Dominant Traits.
Generic: Determining genetics such as eye color and size of a gecko.
Recessive: Traits that have been passed down by both parents.
Dominant: One parent's dominant genes are displayed.
Co- Dominant: The gecko will display two dominant traits.
Prue bred Leopard Geckos do not have any Hets (homozygous) besides the visual appearance.
Melanistic and Leucistic are not morphs. They are the color of your gecko. Melanistic is a dark or black gecko. Leucistic is a white, pale, or patch coloration of the gecko.
Medical Information
Metebolic Bone Disease (MBD)
Symptoms: Skinny tail, skinny gecko, weakness, deformities in the limbs and spine, bones that become spongy, won't lift the body off the ground.
Cause: Lack of calcium with vitamin D3 and the lack of nutrients in food.
Treatment: Mild cases will need calcium with vitamin D3, UVB Lamp, and Repti-Boost. Severe cases will require a veterinarian to set up a treatment plan. If the MBD is really bad then it might never be able to be reversed.
Parasites
Symptoms: Poor appetite, losing weight, intestinal disturbances, lethargy.
Cause: Poor Hygiene, Dirty Cage.
Treatment: Call a vet and get antiparasitic medication.
Stuck Shed
Symptoms: Dry, dull skin attached to the gecko.
Cause: Not enough moisture, and sometimes the gecko misses apiece.
Treatment: Warm bath and use a damp cloth and help take it off.
Egg Bound
Symptoms: Lethargy, loss of appetite, bloated stomach.
Cause: Physical, genetic deformity, abnormally large/misshaped/stuck together eggs, and poor health. Most often occurs with first time breeding females.
Treatment: Lukewarm baths, gently massage the egg area, and if these don't work, call a vet.
Intestinal Impactions
Symptoms: Constipation, bloated belly, lethargy, loss of appetite, weight loss, dark blue spot on the side, or tummy.
Cause: Eating giant insects, illness, low temperatures, dehydration, and parasites.
Treatment: Warm bath and gently massage its belly. A drop of olive oil or mineral oil orally can help also. If the blockage doesn't pass, call the Vet.
Respiratory Infections
Symptoms: Lethargy, open mouth breathing, clogged nostrils, loss of appetite, weight loss, bubbly saliva
Cause: Low temps and high humidity
Treatment: Call a Vet because the gecko will need antibiotics and probiotics.
Breeding Information
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Females are ready to breed between 45 to 50g and 12 to 24 months old.
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Males are ready to breed at 40g.
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Breeding season starts in January and ends around September.
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Leopard geckos can breed outside the breeding season but it is highly not recommended due to the amount of stress it will cause.
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The male will rattle their tail and nip at the female when they are trying to breed. If the female becomes aggressive and bites back, she is not ready to breed and needs to be removed immediately.
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Females should be bread only when they are ovulating. Ovulation on a female leopard gecko can be checked by bending her gently back and looking at her stomach for a red dot.
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Females only need to be bred once with a male because they can hold sperm in their system for a whole year.
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Females should be left with the male for one week to ensure they have been fully bred with.
- Males do become ready to breed before females, so it is advised to keep males in their own enclosure or they will try to breed with the female before she is ready.
Leopard Gecko Eggs
Basic Egg Information
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Females can lay one to two eggs at a time depending on the gecko's age and experience.
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First time females and older females may only lay one egg at a time.
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Females can lay up to 10 clutches or more in one breeding season
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On average our females lay about 5 clutches per breeding season.
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Females can lay eggs anywhere between 10- 35 days depending on the female and her age.
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The first time females may lay duds the first time they lay eggs, which means their first set of eggs are not fertile.