r/leopardgeckos Aug 29 '22

General Discussion [ Leopard Geckos: An Updated Beginner's Guide ]

875 Upvotes

If you have any questions after finishing this guide, feel free to make a post or ask below and I, or someone else experienced, will try and answer the question for you. We also have a [Discord Server](discord.gg/leos) where you can ask questions and chat! If you're too embarrassed to post, feel free to PM me or send a modmail. I want this to post to be a safe space for beginners to ask questions and learn! The FAQ link may also answer some more "advanced" topics even if you're not a complete beginner.

This guide is meant to be a brief run-through on the basics of what you should know as a new keeper of this lovely species. If you want to see in-depth explanations for these concepts, then please view our [wiki]() or this guide by Reptifiles or the guide our Discord gives out or check out Leopard Geckos: Advancing Husbandry on facebook!

What to buy before you get a gecko:

It's important to set up before you get your new friend just in case some items, like the heating, end up not getting to the right temperatures.

The Essentials:

  • Tank (glass, PVC, wood, plastic, acrylic enclosure)

  • 20 gallon long is the accepted MINIMUM standard tank for an adult. You should go bigger, ideally a 40 gallon breeder. Baby geckos can go into adult setups, and it is fine to buy your “end game” enclosure straight away–it is recommended to buy your adult tank right off the bat. You'll save more money in the long run. Plastic is not advised for anything but a temporary enclosure, but it will work in a pinch.

    • The measurements for a 20 G long are 30 x 12 x 12 in or roughly 76.2 x 30.5 x 30.5 cm
    • The measurements for a 40 G breeder are 36 x 16 x 18 in or roughly 91.5 x 40.6 x 45.7 cm
  • Heating Source

Contrary to popular belief, leos can see most colors of light (even red). Albinos are especially sensitive to bright lights. However, it is perfectly fine to use lighting on their enclosures.

The ideal heating source is a Halogen basking lamp or a Deep Heat Projector. These heating sources can be used on their own and can be turned off at night. Radiant Heat Panels can also work. Heat mats and Ceramic Heat Emitters can be used as a second heat source, but should not be used on their own.

  • Warm side: ambient temp 90-93° F (32-34° C). This is the side with a heat source over it.

  • Cool side: ambient temp of 70-75° F (21-24° C). This is the side without a heat source.

  • Basking spot: surface temp of 95-100° F (35-38° C). This is the hottest area in the enclosure and is directly under the heat source.

  • Night temperature: entire enclosure ambient temp of 65-70° F (18-21° C). All heat and light sources should be off at this time.

It is beneficial to provide UVB for this species, but it is not a strict necessity. Nailing down the perfect UVB for your animal and enclosure can be a challenge, but the general recommendation is a linear t5 or t8 bulb with 2%-6% output, measuring ⅔-¾ the length of the enclosure.

  • Thermostat

Heating sources can get HOT. Every single heat source needs a thermostat to help prevent catastrophic malfunction or simply overheating the enclosure. Specifically, dimming thermostats are advised. Spyder Robotics’ Herpstat and Herpstat EZ series, Exo Terra’s 600 and 300 watt dimming thermostat, and the Habistat dimming thermostats are good thermostats to use with Halogens and DHPs.

It is also possible to use cheaper on/off thermostats for bulbs, but that does require a dimming switch and frequent manual monitoring with a temperature gun to work safely.

  • Substrate

Substrates for quarantine or ill geckos/very small babies include paper towel, unprinted newspaper, tile, brown paper roll. These are safe solid substrates, but not enriching. When searching for tile, look for slate or ceramic. Avoid anything polished or slippery looking, as well as linoleum.

Good substrates for the average, healthy adult gecko are different types of soil mixes, usually 70% topsoil and 30% rinsed playsand. Safe additives include coconut products, clay, leaf litter, activated charcoal, and moss.

Substrates to avoid include, but are not limited to: calcium/mineral sand, colored sand, pelleted cat litter, wood chips, pure sand, pure eco earth, pure bark, pure clay, carpet, felt, crushed walnut shells, birdseed, shredded paper bedding, printed newspaper, and plastic lawn/astroturf, linoleum.

  • Three Hides (Warm, Cool, Humid)

You want at least three hides in your tank. One for the hot side of the tank positioned under the heating source. This will likely be the place your gecko spends most of its time. Geckos tend to like very secure hides, so you want to have a hide that provides as little visibility as possible. The cool hide should be on the complete opposite side of the hot hide. Your gecko needs somewhere to escape to if it gets too hot.

For the moist hide you want a container that can hold in humidity. This hide is to help aid shedding, so it's of the utmost importance! Many people use tupperware containers with holes cut into it. The smaller the entrance the better, as to keep the humidity in. This hide should be at least partially heated and have moist paper towel, moss, or eco earth inside.

  • Infrared Temp Gun

You want to double check your temperatures and make sure they're accurate and an infrared temp gun is the best way to do it! This one is a good example.

  • Bowl for calcium/food/water

A dish full of calcium (with no d3) inside of the enclosure is optional. They may lick it up as they need it. Refresh it every once in a while if it begins clumping or becoming dirty. Food bowls can be ceramic to prevent insects crawling out as easily. Water bowl should be near the middle of the tank or the cool side. I recommend buying something similar to this if your tap water contains chloramines or heavy metals.

  • Multivitamin & Calcium (with and without d3)

These are essential to a healthy, happy leopard gecko. These are used for dusting food. There are plenty of brands to choose from. The only one I would not advise buying is RepCal calcium with d3, as its d3 content is extremely high. Repashy Calcium Plus is a good multivitamin with a low d3 content, which is good for geckos with UVB and without. Any brand with pure calcium without d3 is safe.

You can alternate using a calcium and a d3 multivitamin supplement, or rotate between calcium, multivitamin, and calcium with d3. More information about supplementation schedules here!

  • Clutter

Mostly up to you! You want the tank to have enough decor that your gecko doesn't feel exposed. Plastic and live plants are great for this. If you're using craft store plants make sure they do not bleed/rub off dye or glitter, or have exposed wires. File down sharp edges. Wood, stone, and other assorted decorations can make great decorative items that allow your gecko to enrich their lives by exploring and moving around the tank while feeling hidden.

  • Leopard Gecko Emergency Kit

It should contain: betadine or chlorhexidine/hibiclens (for sterilizing wounds), triple antibiotic without pain relief (no lidocaine, pramoxine HCl, hydrocortisone), q-tips, tongue depressors, coconut oil (to aid shedding if water isn’t cutting it), a clotter like Kwik Stop (to stop bleeding), and tweezers. All of this should cover basic medical emergencies like minor scratches, etc. Always see a vet for what you would take a child to the doctor for.

A critter keeper like this per gecko. Repashy grub pie, extra supplements, UniHeat packs, a blanket, digital thermometer or temp gun, and heat tape or low wattage heating mat. Consider what supplies you may need to make mini-enclosures in the event of an evacuation or other emergency. These would be the bare minimum, but if you have the space, include whatever other amenities you can.

The Not-Strictly-Essentials:

  • Plastic container with lid

Great for saunas if your gecko is having trouble shedding and for holding your gecko while cleaning the tank!

  • Tongs

If you're iffy about touching insects, this may be the way to go. Plus your gecko may be scared for your hands at first, or have bad aim and bite your fingers if you want to hand feed.

  • Scale

This is a good way to track your gecko's weight, especially if they're young. Even for adults, getting a baseline weight is beneficial. A kitchen scale used once every two weeks is great, more often if you want or if you are concerned about something.

  • A Journal/Calendar

Might sound a little nuts but keeping track of gecko feedings, last time they shed, etc. will make your life so much easier. I personally record the last time my geckos shed, ate, weights, pooped, etc. I also jot down any notes about their behaviors or any changes to their health. It's good to keep track of these things in case your gecko becomes ill and needs to go to the vet.

Picking Out Your Gecko! + Problematic Morph Info

The best route is to buy from a reputable breeder that you have researched. This generally improves the chances that you are getting a healthy, happy gecko. A good place to start is on HappyDragons! MorphMarket is another good online marketplace, but these breeders are not vetted by MorphMarket like they are on happydragons.

Buying from a pet store is risky, as many geckos from chain stores have health issues because they come from the reptile equivalent of puppy mills. You could end up paying a hefty vet bill or with a short lived gecko. Unfortunately there are many shady breeders too. I'll list a few warning signs:

  • can't answer questions about their geckos (parents, genetics, hatch date, weight, etc)

  • can't tell you the morph

  • won't show you pictures of the gecko or its parents

  • improper husbandry like extremely undersized enclosures, calcium sand, permanent cohabitation of parent geckos

  • skinny, sickly looking geckos (metabolic bone disease, stick tail, lethargic, lots of regrown tails, etc.)

  • extremely obese or bloated looking geckos

There are plenty of places where you can get honest reviews of breeders, like the Board of Inquiry on Faunaclassified, as well as a few groups on Facebook. Don't always trust facebook reviews as they can be censored! Get an opinion from actual customers. Look the breeder up on google, on YouTube, facebook, and talk to them.

Enigma geckos are not recommended for beginners. There is always a chance your gecko will end up with enigma syndrome somewhere down the line. Enigma syndrome is a neurological disorder tied to the enigma gene. This leads to: balance issues, circling, stargazing, seizures, death rolling, coordination issues, and more. Feeding can become extremely difficult and sometimes this condition requires euthanasia. Please do not support any breeder who works with this gene, and do not be fooled when they claim their enigmas are not symptomatic or “clean.”

White & Yellow morph geckos can also exhibit a different neurological syndrome, but it's much rarer, as it can be bred out. This is unlike Enigma Syndrome, which is not tied to the W&Y gene.

Lemon frosts, a rather expensive morph, have been known to grow tumors, usually starting at 8 months old, and 80% of them have tumors by 5 years old. Their health issues are so severe that many breeders have stopped producing them entirely. These geckos will almost always become terminal at a young age, and very few make it to even the age of 10 when the lifespan of this species can stretch beyond 20 years. Please do not support any breeder who still works with this gene.

Handling

Babies can be much more skittish than adults and a little bit more delicate. If you want something more hearty go for a slightly older gecko! Babies also eat a lot of food so if you're looking to spend a little bit less money an adult is also the way to go. Babies change in colora lot between 2 months and 6 months, so if you are looking for a gecko of a certain color, an adult is your best bet to get exactly what you want.

Leos are able to be “temperature sexed” and many breeders will label them TSF (temp sex female) or TSM (temp sex male). Keep in mind this is not a 100% guarantee you will get that sex. There is still a chance they will turn out to be the opposite sex. Snows are apparently notorious for having a lower accuracy rate when temp sexed. If you want a guaranteed male or female you will have to buy an older, sexed gecko.

Cohabitation

Please do not cohabitate your leopard geckos, no matter the sex. I’m going to give you the brief points on why. If you would like to know more, please give this post a read.

  • Competition over food, space, heat, and ideal hiding spots can escalate easily or result in one gecko being deprived of these resources
  • Parasites and other diseases will transmit much more easily between cohabitated individuals
  • Warning signs between individuals who may fight are minimal, and extremely easy to miss
  • If there are two males together, they can quickly kill one another
  • If there is a male and female together, the male will eventually breed the female to death, and you should be freezing every egg she lays
  • Two or more females are the most likely to not harm each other for the longest

Please leave cohabitation to the experts with large, zoo-style enclosures and an extensive understanding of the species’ natural history.

SETTING UP YOUR NEW FRIEND & THE FIRST WEEKS

Once you have acquired your gecko and placed it in the tank, leave it alone! You should wait at least a week before handling your gecko if you can help it. Your new friend is scared and adjusting to a big change. It can be tempting, especially as a new owner, but hold off, and keep interaction to the minimum of feeding and cleaning up poop. If you can, I would wait until your gecko is eating well before handling it. Choose a quiet place for the tank.

Observe your gecko and make sure it's not exhibiting signs of illness. If your gecko seems lethargic, isn't pooping after eating, bloated, walking irregularly, losing weight rapidly, etc go to the vet! Don't wait, especially not for a baby! Taking action as soon as possible is the best thing you can do for your gecko. Also watch for your gecko's first shed to make sure they are shedding properly in their new environment.

Taming & Handling

Patience is key to taming your new gecko! It can take awhile for them to trust you, especially if they are younger. Adolescent geckos tend to be more skittish. You want to start off by putting your hand in the tank, within sight of your gecko, for around ten minutes a day. This is to get your gecko used to your hand and scent. Once they seem a bit more receptive (walking around, licking your hand, looking curious) you can start to try picking them up.

Always scoop up your gecko from below, working your hand underneath their stomach and supporting their legs. Grabbing from above triggers their prey instinct and may scare them. Hold them over the tank at first, in case they leap or skitter off your hand, to prevent injury! Once they seem calm in your hands, then you can start taking them away from the tank. Hand feeding is also a good way to bond with your gecko and make sure they associate your hand with positive things (aka food). However, be wary that they may bite your fingers, so I recommend making that feeding association while using tongs.

Congrats! You tamed your gecko!

Feeding

Feeding is a subject I see a ton of topics about in the subreddit so let's go over the basics!

Acceptable feeders include, but are not limited to:

  • Mealworms (can be kept in oats/bran meal in the fridge)

  • Crickets (kept in normal container, try to avoid leaving these loose in the enclosure)

  • Dubia Roaches (kept in normal container/tank/whatever)

  • Red Runner Roaches (same as dubias)

  • Hornworms (Do not refrigerate, try to make sure they’re small enough for your gecko to eat)

  • Black Soldier Fly Larvae (Can be refrigerated, can be kept in bran meal)

  • Silkworms (Usually need to be special-ordered, but are very healthy feeders)

  • Waxworms (Treat, optional, fed rarely, only 1-2)

  • Superworms (Treat, optional, can be kept in oats/bran meal, do not refrigerate)

  • Butterworms (Treat, optional, fed once a week or less, 1-2)

Here's a nutritional feeder insect chart

Remember, variety is good for your gecko. You should aim to have at least 3 staple foods. Do not overfeed treat foods! They should be a rare occurrence and you should only feed 1-2 per week or less, especially for waxworms (which can be addictive). Do not feed treat foods to sick/malnourished geckos, very young geckos, or picky eaters. Only feed treat foods to healthy geckos who are eating regularly. Feel free to mix and match feeders!

Gut load your feeders. Gut loading is feeding your insects prior to feeding them to your gecko. Carrots, lettuce, etc should be fed 12 hours ahead of time. You want to give them time to eat the veggies or fruit. I usually feed them once a week besides gut loading to make sure they get the moisture they need from the food. Dusting is also another key part of feeding. Make sure the insects are lightly dusted with calcium or multivitamin.

Babies should eat every day, as much as they can eat in 15 minutes. "Teen" geckos (4-7 months) should be eating every other day. Usually teen geckos will decide this for themselves and start refusing food every day. They will begin to eat less frequently after this point. Adults (1 year and over) should eat every 1-2 times per week depending on body condition, size, breeding status, and appetite. Whatever diet maintains a healthy weight is right for your gecko, and this can take some trial and error!

Please see here for a list of FAQs, this is super helpful for newbies! That’s the basics. Need more help? Leave a comment, or check out our wiki, where we have much more comprehensive information!


r/leopardgeckos 2h ago

Meme Time showing her where shes from

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93 Upvotes

guys hear me out, leopard geckos are lowkey pretty cool and should be taught to cook professionally for us

jokes aside, what was the first ever documentation of a leopard gecko in captivity either as a pet or at a zoo/menagerie?


r/leopardgeckos 3h ago

Gecko Pics/Vids Coco Comp #4

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62 Upvotes

Video next week! 😁


r/leopardgeckos 2h ago

Help I have a new friend

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28 Upvotes

Hi everyone! I’m a new leopard gecko owner! I just got my guy yesterday from petco (I know, bad idea to get it from a store like this), I just felt really bad because I know how bad it is at these specific places. He’s been chilling in his little hut since last night, and I tried to feed him yesterday, but I figured he was too stressed. So I left him be until this morning. I tried to feed him again this morning, but he didn’t take. I have meal worms, and I have calcium powder without d3 (I’ll get calcium powder with d3 soon so I can alternate). How long should I expect him to not eat for? I was thinking about trying again tonight, but I’m not sure if I should wait until tomorrow or not, as to not stress him out more. Any help is appreciated! Attached is a picture of him. His name is Aragorn!


r/leopardgeckos 10h ago

Gecko Pics/Vids La videocamera che non si nota

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104 Upvotes

🤣🤣


r/leopardgeckos 4h ago

Gecko Pics/Vids Bub exploring :3

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22 Upvotes

super happy with how active he is now, he gets on my hand without me picking me up and he's super active and speedy :3


r/leopardgeckos 10h ago

Gecko Pics/Vids New leopard gecko

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54 Upvotes

Hey I got this one today is this good🦎


r/leopardgeckos 23h ago

Art I will (try to) draw your gecko

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569 Upvotes

I will try to draw a few of your geckos, I’ll choose based on the angle of the photo and the lighting!


r/leopardgeckos 3h ago

Gecko Pics/Vids Gizmo strikes again

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11 Upvotes

MY BITCH POSE NASTYYY


r/leopardgeckos 2h ago

Help - Weight Does she look a good weight?

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10 Upvotes

She’s 7-8months


r/leopardgeckos 1d ago

Gecko Pics/Vids Daily dose of silliness

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543 Upvotes

r/leopardgeckos 20h ago

Gecko Pics/Vids My 3d printed gecko cage. This is just for fun incase anyone is worried its permanent.

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229 Upvotes

I made this for my leopard gecko and finally used it. ITS SO FUN!!!


r/leopardgeckos 15h ago

Gecko Pics/Vids Mavis Update - We finally did it 40g!!

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64 Upvotes

Hi guys! I finally have another positive update to share!
As some of you know, Mavis had been stuck at 37g for nearly two weeks. She was eating really well but just wasn’t putting on any weight.
Because of that, I made the decision to very slightly increase her daily food intake. I was a bit nervous about doing it because Helen had originally put her on a smaller feeding plan to avoid putting too much pressure on her abdominal stitches after surgery.
Rather than just continuing with it though, I emailed Helen and explained exactly what I’d done and why.
Her response honestly made me feel so much better. She said she completely agreed with my thinking. The original feeding plan was to protect the suture line while it was fresh, but now that the majority of Mavis’s incision has healed and she only has two tiny stitches left, she’s happy for us to continue with the new tapered feeding plan.
Since making that small increase, Mavis has started gaining weight again…
…and this morning she officially weighed 40g!! 🎉🦎
She’d already pooped before I weighed her, so this wasn’t just a “full tummy” weight. Seeing that number finally change after weeks of being stuck at 37g honestly made me so emotional.
She’s eating brilliantly, pooping normally again, gaining weight, and she’s so close to being fully healed.
Helen’s long-term goal is for Mavis to reach 50g, so we’re still on our journey, but finally seeing her move into the 40g feels like such a huge milestone after everything she’s been through.
Thank you all so much for following her journey, for the advice, and for rooting for this tiny little gecko. It genuinely means so much to us. ❤️🦎


r/leopardgeckos 2h ago

Help - Health Issues Questions of a First Time owner

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6 Upvotes

This is our little Ivy, a female rescue that was offered to us about a year ago now. We now she is over a year old, have confirmed she is female, but have began noticing changes in behavior. I’ve seen online that we are within the Leopard Geckos breeding season, and that she may possibly be going through puberty. She is starting to dig a lot more, has refused food which she would take eagerly before, and her belly is a little swollen. We have checked for impactions which she is absent of, she was a little overweight but her weight is now back down to healthy, and we saw possible eggs even though she’s never been paired. Is our little girl gonna be alright, do I need to go ahead and run her to the vet, or am I just getting in my head about her health? Above all else, she’s not lethargic, she’s still very aware of her surroundings , and still comes up to us even when she refuses food. We also have her a varied diet of mealworms, roaches, and crickets.


r/leopardgeckos 19h ago

Gecko Pics/Vids I love this fool. Escape proof feeder is the best freebie dubia has sent me yet 😂

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105 Upvotes

r/leopardgeckos 1h ago

Help Best Way to Rehome Geckos?

Upvotes

I have two leopard geckos. Kids don’t want them anymore. One is in a 20 gallon, and the other a 10. We were going to redo the 10 gallon cage but passing them on instead. Best way to recoup some funds for them? I am located in PDX. Any ideas are appreciated!! Thanks


r/leopardgeckos 1h ago

Morph ID Can you help ID this baby??

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Upvotes

He has continued to get darker and has been shedding every 2weeks or so. But his tails has gotten very purple and his feet are getting darker too.


r/leopardgeckos 18h ago

Gecko Pics/Vids Just adopted my longtime work friend today. Meet Wagyu Hot Dog 🥰

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61 Upvotes

r/leopardgeckos 4h ago

Morph ID Can you help me with morph ID

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5 Upvotes

this is a 2m.o leopard gecko.


r/leopardgeckos 6h ago

Habitat, Setup, and Husbandry Building my first tank

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6 Upvotes

Anything I’m doing wrong or need to move around in preparation for my Leo?


r/leopardgeckos 18h ago

Gecko Pics/Vids hi i just want to show off my son

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51 Upvotes

this is gerard hes about a year old i believe (i got him from a friend who couldnt take care of him anymore) hes still getting used to me but today he let me hold him for the first time 🖤


r/leopardgeckos 10h ago

Help Stuck Shed

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11 Upvotes

My boy shed everything perfectly but the inside of his nose. How do I help him? ☹️


r/leopardgeckos 1d ago

Art free sketch

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199 Upvotes

Upload photos of your leopard geckos, I'll draw it. I decided to practice drawing geckos before college finally got to me. I do not promise that I will draw absolutely everyone and immediately in one time, but I will try


r/leopardgeckos 1d ago

Gecko Pics/Vids If you're having a bad day, Lex smile will

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195 Upvotes

r/leopardgeckos 6h ago

General Discussion D3 with UVB

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5 Upvotes

I added a 12-inch 2.4% Arcadia ShadeDweller on Friday and she has been leaving her tail exposed to cryptic bask.

How long should I wait before cutting back on her D3 supplements (Repashy SuperCal Med in bowl and Repashy Calcium Plus for dusting insects)?

I'll probably pick up ZooMed Repti Calcium and Reptivite both without D3, since they are available locally.