Leopard geckos are one of the most popular lizard pets. It has been available in the united states for over thirty years. These lizards are commonly given to children that are generally new reptile keepers because they are really easy to keep. Also, keeping a leopard gecko is a great way to teach responsibility.
Leopard geckos are relatively cheap and are low maintenance animal, which means taking care of them would not require much financially, and they would not take up a lot of time.
In this blog we would explore the advantages and disadvantages of keeping a leopard gecko. Also, we would discuss how to properly keep them!
Your leopard gecko’s habitat
Leopard geckos are little lizards. They are born at 3 or 4 inches long and grow to about 8 inches long, with males being somewhat larger at 10 inches. This means you won’t have to spend a lot of money on a large habitat. A single gecko should be able to live happily in a 10-gallon tank, which is their ideal living environment.
For the tank, you can use a variety of materials, like a plastic storage box or an old fish tank. Simply ensure that the material is durable and capable of withstanding the high temperatures required to create the environment. A screen top that supports the essential light fixtures will also be required, as it will allow for proper ventilation while also preventing the spread of mold.
Always keep in mind when designing the home of your geckos that simplicity is the key. Make sure to avoid fancy substrates that will make your geckos impacted. However, if you want to have a slice of nature in your room, you can always set up a bioactive tank for your leopard geckos. Our team recommends using plastic storage boxes or acrylic tanks in keeping your leopard geckos, for they are lighter and easier to lift when cleaning.
During the day, experts suggest keeping one end of your gecko’s enclosure at 75 to 80 degrees Fahrenheit (24 to 27 degrees Celsius). The temperature should be between 80 and 85 degrees Fahrenheit on the other side (27 and 29 degrees Celsius).
A leopard gecko enclosure should have a cool side and a warm side for geckos who are cold blooded and they would regulate their body temperature using their environment. A moist box is also needed to help them on shedding
Some people use overhead heat lamps, while others use heated pads. Make certain that whichever product you purchase is suitable for reptiles. Also, read all of the directions carefully.
You could also want to invest in a UV (ultraviolet) lighting setup. These are a point of contention among keepers. Although leopard geckos do not require UV lights, evidence suggests that having one on during the day has significant health benefits.
You could also want to invest in a UV (ultraviolet) lighting setup. These are a point of contention among keepers. Although leopard geckos do not require UV lights, evidence suggests that having one on during the day has significant health benefits.
If you do decide to acquire one, we recommend avoiding units that aren’t specifically built for reptiles.
Reading your Leopard Geckos behavior
Leopard geckos are active at night. This means that many of their more intriguing activities occur while you are sleeping. However, the leopard gecko has a variety of other characteristics that make it an excellent pet.
First and foremost, they are ground living reptiles that are native to desert conditions. They lack the adhesive patches that other geckos have on their toes for climbing. They are less likely to break free and run away because they do not climb. They also move more slowly and are less likely to bite. As a result, they make excellent reptile pets.
Leopard geckos are also more used to being handled than the usual reptile. However, you must train them to become acclimated to handling. The following are some steps to help your leopard gecko become more social with humans:
- Wait for them to acclimate to their new surroundings.
- When they reach a length of more than 6 inches, begin teaching them.
- Bring them to the floor in a shoe box, if possible.
- Allow 10 minutes for them to crawl through your fingers.
- Return them to their natural habitat.
- For about a week, repeat once a day.
- Never grab their tails.
Because, like many geckos, their tails come off when they feel threatened, you must never grab their tail. The tails of leopard geckos regenerate after about 40 days. As fascinating as this behavior is, it is extremely uncommon in captivity since they do not face the same levels of danger.
Tail rattling is another intriguing tail activity characteristic in leopard geckos. When they are excited, they rattle their tails like a rattlesnake. This could be because they are enjoying their food or are ready to mate.
Tail waving is a third intriguing tail behavior. When they feel threatened, they do this. If you have two geckos in the same tank, it’s critical to understand their behavior. When one begins to wave their tail, the other is either anxious or bullying them.
To avoid this, be aware that two male leopard geckos will fight and should never be housed together. A male and female will also procreate, so don’t put them in the same house if you don’t want them to. For this reason, most owners purchase two female leopard geckos.
The Leopard Gecko’s Diet
Another part that is quite common is feeding your leopard gecko, which emphasizes why they make such a fantastic beginner’s reptile. Leopard geckos require live insects to survive. Insects that are commonly used include:
- Mealworms
- Crickets
- Waxworms
Providing a healthy and varied diet for your leopard gecko is not as simple as putting live crickets in their enclosure; there are three key stages to follow. Gut loading, dusting, and feeding.
Gut Loading
If you’re not familiar with the term “gut loading,” it refers to the ideal way to feed your reptiles the insects you keep. Essentially, it entails providing your crickets or mealworms with a diet that is both nutritious for them and nutritious for your reptile. Between 12 and 24 hours before feeding time, feed the crickets nutritious food that is good for your leopard gecko. What constitutes nutritious insect food varies depending on the bug you’re feeding your reptile, but here are some general guidelines:
- Using powdered commercial diets
- Using commercially available feeds such as gel balls
- Using hog or chick mush
- Mealworms are fed carrots.
- Fruit and vegetables that are not acidic
Dusting
Dusting the insects with vitamins is another way to boost the nutritional value of your leopard gecko’s meal. These supplements are packed with essential vitamins and minerals, such as calcium. Placing the insects in a bag, adding the powdered vitamins, and gently shaking to coat is an excellent approach for dusting. Excess powder can seep into your gecko’s eyes, so don’t add too much.
Most geckos should instinctively know how much they require. You should, however, monitor their intake and watch for signs of deficiency or imbalance.
Here are some Supplements that our team recommends on using
Feeding
After you’ve completed these steps, your leopard gecko is ready to be fed insects. A few crickets each day are required for growing hatchlings and juvenile geckos, but after they reach adulthood, they can be fed once every two or three days.
Their portion size should, on average, provide them with two normal-sized insects for every inch of their length. For example, an 8-inch adult leopard gecko would require a diet of 16 insects every other day. If your gecko appears to be overfed or does not finish their meal on a regular basis, consider reducing the frequency of feeding to every three days or reducing the quantity of insects you serve them.
To make sure that your leopard gecko is getting enough hydration, you should ensure there is a constant source of drinking water by providing a shallow dish that is never empty. They may also bathe in this water, so it must be changed frequently. Leopard geckos take to drinking from a dish quite easily, but if you are worried that your leopard gecko is not getting enough water, you can try spraying their food with water before serving it.
Grooming and Hygiene
Hand washing is the golden guideline of reptile care! Before you handle your hands, after you handle them, and after you touch whatever they have touched, you should wash them. Salmonella can be found in reptiles. While contracting salmonella from a reptile is uncommon, it does necessitate frequent hand washing. Keep them away from anyone with a compromised immune system. This includes infants, pregnant women, and anyone suffering from a disease.
Shedding is another typical problem with reptiles. Leopard geckos, as previously mentioned, require a hide box to aid in their shedding process. Their procedure is short and they tend to remove everything at once. Geckos shed more regularly as they grow older, but other than that, it’s difficult to forecast when they’ll shed. The skin that is going to shed becomes darker, then white.
Leopard geckos are also known to eat off their skin and some of their shedding. This is completely normal and occurs as a means of replacing the energy they lost throughout the shedding process. Generally, you need not be concerned about the shedding process; it will occur naturally. If your leopard gecko does not have enough humidity, its ability to shed will be hampered. If you think your gecko is about to shed, check the humidity level and, if necessary, use a spray bottle to raise it.
It’s critical to keep your leopard gecko’s surroundings clean. Even if you’ve taken care of other lizards before, hygiene care varies from reptile to reptile, so it’s worth looking out for the finest suggestions. If you want to provide your leopard gecko with the best possible care, you should:
-feces removal
-Eliminate shedding
-Remove both dead and live feeder insects, especially if your gecko hasn’t eaten them yet.
-Fill the container with new water.
-Remove and clean any items that have come into contact with feces.
Similarly, you should clean their habitat thoroughly once a week. This entails:
-Disposing of the furnishings and decorations and sanitizing them with a reptile-safe disinfectant
-Cleaning and disinfecting the enclosure
-Substrate replacement with new substrate
Your leopard gecko is nocturnal, so keep that in mind. While you can clean the enclosures of your other lizards at any time of day, you should only clean the leopard gecko’s surroundings after twilight or early in the morning. Cleaning their surroundings during the day has the potential to disrupt their sleep pattern and cause tension.