Leopard Gecko Care Guide

The Enclosure

Size and Material

Leopard geckos are a very reasonably sized lizard compared to other lizards in the hobby. An adult leopard gecko can live a comfortable life in a 36x18x16 enclosure - also called a 40 gallon breeder by a lot of enclosure manufacturers. Juvenile leopard geckos can be started off in a smaller enclosure than a 40 gallon breeder. A 20 gallon is preferred for reasons we will get to in the Temperature section of this guide, but a 10 gallon can work if set up correctly.

Because leopard geckos are terrestrial, always prioritize floor space over height. An enclosure that is taller than it is long would be more suitable for an arboreal gecko species such as a crested gecko. A bigger enclosure is never a bad thing, as long as it is set up properly!

A front opening glass enclosure works very well for leopard geckos. This species is sensitive to objects - like hands - approaching from above. Front opening enclosures allow the leopard gecko to see your hand going towards them, which is less likely to trigger a fear response. 

Substrate

There are two distinct schools of thought regarding substrate (ground covering) for leopard geckos - loose (such as dirt and sand) and non-loose (such as tile) substrate. Both can be done correctly and have their advantages and disadvantages, so we will cover both in this guide.

Loose Substrate

Loose substrate is any substrate you can run your hand through - such as dirt and sand. They allow for more naturalistic enclosure setups.

Advantages and Disadvantages

Loose substrates offer leopard geckos the opportunity to exhibit natural behaviors and create a very aesthetically pleasing environment for the keeper. Being able to dig and burrow provides a lot of enrichment for your leopard gecko, so we encourage the use of loose substrate over non-naturalistic substrate. 

Loose substrate also opens the option to have a bioactive enclosure. Bioactive enclosure setup is a more advanced technique that needs a guide all for itself, so we will not cover bioactive enclosures explicitly in this guide.

The disadvantages of loose substrate are that it is more difficult to maintain and spot clean, and that it may be more expensive upfront to set up. Another downside that often pushes people towards non-loose substrate is that the risk of impaction is higher with loose substrate if the enclosure is not set up properly. Impaction is a life-threatening medical condition which is caused by ingestion of non-digestible matter that is not able to pass through the animal’s system and causes blockages in their stomach and/or gut. However, if the temperature and humidity of the enclosure is ideal for a leopard gecko, and their diet is good, the risk of impaction on loose substrate is very low. Good husbandry is key for a thriving leopard gecko on loose substrate, and we will cover all the necessities to achieve that in this guide.

Ideal Loose Substrates

A staple loose substrate for leopard geckos is a 70:30 mixture of organic topsoil and children’s play sand. Make sure that when purchasing these substrates that they are free of chemicals or added fertilizers. Children’s play sand is the safest option as it meets this criteria. This mixture’s consistency allows for the gecko to display natural behaviors while remaining inexpensive and easy to maintain.

Bad Loose Substrates

There are a few loose substrates that should be avoided at all costs.

1. Calcium Sand - the bane of the reptile keepers’ existence. It is often pushed by pet stores, but can induce a devastating medical condition called impaction. Most reptiles can sense when they need more calcium in their bodies, so they will consume the calcium sand which is not digestible and often not passable. This causes clumps in their stomachs and digestive systems and will often lead to death. Even if the animal does have enough calcium, the risk of them consuming any calcium sand is high enough to emphasize the importance of never using this substrate.

2. Only Sand - leopard geckos do live in desert environments, but they do not live in strictly sandy environments. Their natural environments are rocky and a blend of dirt and sand. Their bodies are not evolved to handle loose sand at all times, and it is difficult to maintain tank parameters with 100% sand substrate. The risk of impaction is also higher with exclusively sand substrates.

3. Walnut Shells - this substrate has a lot of jagged pieces and can cause serious internal injuries if ingested.

4. Wood Shavings or Chips - these are not appropriate for leopard geckos for similar reasons as the walnut shell substrate above, and does not mimic their natural environment or allow good husbandry.

Non-Loose Substrate

Non-loose substrates are often preferred by beginners. Non-loose substrates consist of materials such as paper towels and tile. 

Advantages and Disadvantages

The main advantage of non-loose substrates is that the setup and maintenance is easier than a naturalistic setup. Laying down a layer of paper towels or tile is a more approachable process than mixing dirt and sand to a lot of keepers. It may also be less expensive to set up upfront, and the risk of impaction via substrate is lower (they can still consume paper towels, mentioned below.)

The disadvantage of non-loose substrate is that it eliminates the gecko’s ability to dig and burrow, which in turn gives them less enrichment. The environment will also look less natural, which may be an aesthetic disadvantage for some keepers.

Ideal Non-Loose Substrates

There are a few non-loose substrates that are appropriate for leopard geckos. They include:

1. Paper towels - great for setups when your gecko is sick or injured. It allows very easy swapping of substrate to promote a sanitary environment - just replace the paper towels! It also allows you to monitor your leopard gecko’s waste, which is often the first indicator there is a health problem. This is not an ideal for-life substrate, but it is a great place to start.

2. Thin Slate Tile - having slate tile cut to size is another good option for non-loose substrate. It offers similar advantages to paper towels, while looking nicer and lasting much longer. This substrate also holds heat very well.

3. Non-adhesive Shelf Liner - a blend of being inexpensive and replaceable, while offering better heat retention and aesthetics. Note - shelf liner with adhesive (sticky) bottoms are not appropriate because they release toxic fumes when heated up.

Bad Non-Loose Substrates

1. Reptile Carpet - a flooring commonly sold in pet stores that is very difficult to clean. It will harbor bacteria unless cleaned with something harmful to your gecko (don’t do this!) Reptile carpet can also snag the gecko’s nails, which can injure or even rip off their toes.

2. Vinyl or Linoleum Tile - these tile surfaces emit toxic fumes when heated, and provide a very slippery surface the leopard gecko has a difficult time moving around on.

3. Adhesive Shelf Liner - when heated to the temperatures leopard geckos require to thrive, the adhesive will emit toxic fumes. 

Temperature

Leopard geckos are cold-blooded animals, meaning they do not produce their own heat and must absorb heat from their environment. A common myth is that leopard geckos only get heat from their bellies, however this theory has been debunked. Having appropriate temperatures for a leopard gecko is essential for their general health, digestion, and shedding. We recommend overhead heating for leopard geckos because it provides heat for their entire body instead of just their underside, and provides different types of heat like IR-B and IR-C.

There are two ways to achieve appropriate heating in leopard gecko enclosure - overhead and under-tank heating. Overhead heating is achieved by lights, and the under-tank heating is managed by a heat pad. We will get into specifics on both of these later, but all information regarding temperatures apply to both overhead and under-tank heating. 

Leopard geckos need to thermoregulate - meaning they need spaces in their enclosure that vary in temperature. This is why we recommend a larger enclosure for a leopard gecko. There are three temperatures in a gradient that need to be achieved for a leopard gecko to thrive. During the daytime, the cool side of the enclosure should sit at an ambient air temperature of 70-77 degrees Fahrenheit. The hot side should have an ambient air temperature of 85-95 degrees Fahrenheit, with a basking spot with a surface temperature of 95-100 degrees Fahrenheit. Do not use a heat rock, they are notorious for causing severe burns.

At night, allow the temperatures to fall to around 70 degrees in the entire enclosure, leopard geckos naturally cool down at night.

Under-Tank Heating

Under-tank heating (UTH) is achieved with a heat mat specifically designed for reptile enclosures. The heat mat should go under ½ to ⅔ of the enclosure, and absolutely must be on a regulating thermostat. A thermostat is required to automatically regulate the temperature of the heat mat to prevent burning your gecko or overheating to the point of failure. The heat mat goes underneath the glass, between the surface the enclosure is resting on and the bottom of the enclosure. The probe for the thermostat goes  above the heating pad, within the enclosure and should be check for actual proper temperatures during the initial set up of you enclosure to make sure the temps are safe and correct for your Leopard Gecko 

Overhead Heating

Overhead heating is the use of lights or heat emitters above the enclosure to produce heat. The most popular and economic light heat source for leopard geckos are dimmable halogen bulbs, usually between 50 and 100 watts depending on the temperature of your home and the size of the enclosure. Like UTH, overhead heating requires use of a thermostat - which may also be called a dimmer or dimming thermostat. This ensures the light only outputs what is necessary to heat the enclosure to the temperature set on the thermostat and measured by a probe.

Halogen bulbs are preferred over other heat sources because their light output most closely matches that of the sun. If the enclosure gets too cold at night (below 70 degrees Fahrenheit) you can add a heat source that does not produce light, such as a deep heat projector or ceramic heat emitter. Deep heat projectors are superior to ceramic heat emitters because they produce IR-B and IR-C heat instead of only IR-C heat that ceramic heat emitters produce and are more efficient, but they tend to be more expensive.

Humidity

Humidity for leopard geckos is straightforward to achieve. They are desert animals that live in an arid, dry environment and thrive when their humidity is between 30% and 40%. The hot side of the enclosure will naturally have lower humidity than the cool side which is acceptable as long as they are within that 30-40% range. If the humidity is higher or lower than the acceptable range, your leopard gecko will likely experience respiratory infections and shedding issues. Both of these conditions can cause serious health problems so having ideal humidity is a very important aspect of your husbandry. We will cover more on shedding issues later on in the shedding section of this guide.

Lighting and UVB

Leopard geckos are crepuscular animals, which means they are most active around dawn and dusk, but this does not mean they do not need lighting at all. They need a 12/12 light cycle - meaning 12 hours on, 12 hours off. This will not only help with their circadian rhythm, it will allow temperatures to fall during evening hours, replicating their natural environment. If using overhead heating, simply add a timer to have the lights be on for a 12/12 schedule. 

Never use a red light. They are often sold in pet stores as a nighttime heating option, but red lights are known to cause damage to the leopard gecko’s eyes and disrupt their day/night cycle.

The usage of UVB for leopard geckos is a hotly debated topic. Some say it is absolutely necessary to provide UVB, and some say it is not needed. In our experience, leopard geckos do not technically need UVB but it is extremely beneficial to the animal. It is a natural way for the gecko to get vitamin D3, which allows them to process calcium. We recommend providing a low-output T5 strip UVB bulb that covers about  ½ of the enclosure. Avoid the coil UVB bulbs, they provide very intense output in only one spot which can cause burns. The UVB should match the lighting schedule.

Note - albino leopard geckos have more sensitive eyes and will need more shady spots or dimmer lights in their enclosure.

Please see our Heating and Lighting Guide for a more in-depth guide on this topic! 

Decor and Hides

Leopard geckos are a shy species that do best in an enclosure with a lot of clutter and hiding places. There should be at least one hide in each of the three temperature regions of the enclosure. The cool and hot side hides are straightforward, the hide in the middle of the enclosure will be dedicated to being the humid hide. 

Humid hides have some sort of material inside that holds moisture. Popular options for this material are sphagnum moss and paper towels. These should be moist, not soaking, and left in the hide to create an isolated area of increased humidity which is needed when the leopard gecko sheds. 

Clean-Up and Health Check-Ins

Daily Maintenance

Make sure the leopard gecko has access to clean water at all times. If you’re using naturalistic substrate and you notice the water frequently has substrate in it, place the water bowl on a rock or smooth surface.

Checking the enclosure for waste should be done every day. Leopard geckos do not urinate like mammals do, instead their urine is in a chalky white mass called a urate. It is usually attached to their feces. Their waste is often the first indicator of a health problem, so it is very important to check daily and clean up when needed.

Health Checks

It is important to regularly weigh your leopard gecko. Weighing in grams is the most frequent metric used by other keepers. A kitchen scale can provide accurate weight measurements. Weight loss is one of the first indicators of a health issue.

Like any pet, leopard geckos can develop health problems. Most health problems are caused by issues in husbandry or diet. Some common health issues include:

• Metabolic Bone Disease (MBD) - caused by a lack of calcium, this is the most common issue we see in leopard geckos here at the rescue. If calcium and vitamin D3 are not provided, whether that be via supplements or UVB lighting, they will undoubtedly develop this condition. MBD is not curable or reversible, but its progression can be stopped with fixes to their vitamin D3 intake. MBD causes permanent bone deformations, which can affect the leopard gecko’s mobility and quality of life. This condition can be painful, especially if severe. It varies in severity, ranging from deformed toes, to a curved spine, to fused elbow joints that lock the gecko’s legs under their body. 

• Stuck shed - covered in the Shedding section of this guide

• Impaction - talked about in the Substrate section - impaction is caused by non-digestible matter in the gecko’s stomach or gut. This is a life-threatening condition that requires medical attention. Impaction is easy to prevent but not easy to cure.

• Respiratory infections - usually caused by inappropriate humidity levels or low temperatures which result in the gecko having fluid in its nose, mouth, throat, and/or lungs. Common symptoms are open-mouth breathing and visible bubbles and excessive moisture in the gecko’s mouth and/or nose. This requires veterinary treatment, and like impaction, is easy to prevent via good husbandry.

• Parasites - there are dormant parasites in a leopard gecko’s body. When these numbers go past the safe threshold, you may notice your gecko losing weight - especially in its tail. Diarrhea is another common symptom of parasitic infection. Parasites may come from where you purchased your gecko or feeder insects with parasites. Parasite levels from the dormant parasites in your gecko’s body may climb to dangerous highs if your leopard gecko is stressed or ill from another ailment. A veterinarian can confirm a parasitic infection via a stool sample, and will treat accordingly.

Enigma Syndrome

There are several ‘morphs’ of leopard geckos you can find available. Morphs are color mutations, but some morphs have genetic issues linked to them. One of these issues is called Enigma Syndrome, because it is often, but not always, linked to the Enigma morph. Enigma Syndrome is a crippling neurological disorder which affects cognition and balance of the leopard gecko. Symptoms of Enigma Syndrome include:

• Star gazing - the leopard gecko incessantly craning its head to look upwards

• Head tilting - the gecko has its head constantly tilted on its side

• Seizures

• ‘Death Rolls’ - the gecko rolls on the floor

• Walking in circles

• Trouble eating

This condition is a result of irresponsible breeding, and usually results in a painful life and premature death. If your leopard gecko shows symptoms of Enigma Syndrome, reduce stressors such as handling or lots of noise in their environment. There is no cure for Enigma Syndrome but the affected gecko’s quality of life can be improved by removing triggers for their neurological symptoms brought on by stress.

Dropping Their Tail

A leopard gecko’s tail can be ‘dropped’ when they are stressed or the tail is pulled on. This is a defense mechanism they use to distract predators in the wild. If your leopard gecko drops their tail, it may look alarming, but do not panic! Their tail will grow back slowly (though it will look pretty different) and they will make a full recovery. Since they store so many nutrients in their tail, it is important to increase their food intake while their tail is regrowing. It is also helpful to place the gecko in a ‘hospital’ setup with paper towels as the substrate to help prevent infection.

A “fun” fact - leopard geckos will eat their dropped tails like they eat their shed skin for nutrient recovery. Again, charming, right?

Please always consult a professional if you have concerns about your pet’s health. We are not veterinarians and these are guidelines.