Whether you are just thinking about becoming a proud new leopard gecko owner, or you are super excited and already have made the decision to purchase a new friend, you must first make sure that you have the proper housing equipment to care for your new pet. You do not need to be an expert on reptiles to know how to deliver excellent leopard gecko care. Leopard Geckos are known to be one of the easiest lizards to care for, but in order for them to live a long and happy life you must set up their habitat properly. So what what does a leopard gecko habitat require?
- Enclosure/Cage/Tank
- Substrate
- Hides
- Décor
- Heating
- Lighting
- Food/Water
Enclosure/Cage/Tank
The first step to making sure that your new leopard gecko is happy and healthy is finding the proper size enclosure/cage/tank. The most common type of tank that is used to house leopard geckos is a glass enclosure. A standard 10 gallon tank is the perfect size enclosure for a baby gecko and a lone adult. I do how ever strongly recommend a 20 gallon long tank for adult leopard geckos as it allows for a sufficient temperature gradient to be set up, which will be mentioned in the heating section.
Substrate
The substrate used in a leopard gecko’s tank can vary depending on what you decided to use. The substrate although is required to be non-abrasive (unable to damage) and non-irritating to your leopard geckos skin. Most pet stores will recommend sand products, I on the other hand DO NOT RECOMMEND SAND AS A SUBSTRATE. Even though it is unlikely, if your leopard gecko somehow manages to eat enough sand it can become impacted (may be fatal). To avoid this I recommend using artificial turfs, paper towels, or newspaper. My personal favorite substrate to use for my 20 gallon long tank is a zilla terrarium liner.
Hides
Your new leopard gecko will be very scared when you first introduce it to its new home. In order for your leopard gecko to feel secure you must provide it with a couple hiding spots or hides. You want to provide your leopard gecko with at least two hiding spots, one on both sides of the tank, and also a moist hide to aid in shedding. There are many cheap options for hides or you can even make your own!
Décor
You are going to want to provide your leopard gecko with plenty of items to explore. Depending on the theme of your cage you can have a lot of fun with this step. You also want to keep in mind that whatever you add to the enclosure, your leopard gecko will fully explore. So don’t even give them the chance to hurt themselves with anything sharp, small that they can eat, or fall off of. Keep it fun and safe for both you and your leopard gecko. (Try putting in a exercise wheel and watch your leopard gecko run, well walk slowly!)
Heating
Leopard geckos are not like humans in the sense of how they keep warm. Leopard geckos are “ectothermic” meaning that they cannot produce their own body heat like we do. Leopard geckos need an external source of heat to bask. The recommended tank temperatures are: 80° to 85°F during the day while at night the temperature should be around 70°to 80°. If you live in a climate that matches those temperatures then you are all set, if not an under tank heater is required. If you require an undertank heater then make sure to place the heater on only one side of the enclosure. This ensures that your leopard gecko has the option cool down if it needs to.
Lighting
It is important to provide your leopard gecko will a consistent amount of daylight hours. The simplest way to achieve this is to purchase an aquarium timer and attach it to a clamp lamp. A lot of suppliers offer heat lamps that serve as both a light and heat source. Black heat lamps and infrared heat lamps are recommend over UV bulbs. That is because leopard geckos are nocturnal and don’t prefer bright lights (may even cause stress).
Food & Water Dish
A food bowl should be small enough that your gecko is able to see inside of it without struggling but at the same time tall enough so that mealworms are not able to escape it. The water bowl should meet the same requirements as the food bowl. Both the food and the water bowl should be placed on the cooler side of the tank to prevent the mealworms from dyeing and bacteria from growing rapidly in the water. Zoo Med offers a combo reptile rock food and water dish which I recommend.
