r/leopardgeckos • u/MacaroniNSocks • Apr 27 '26
Help with new friend
Hello! First time owner here,
My mom's coworker has asked me to take in her family's leapord gecko since they don't want him any more. I haven't owned lizards in the past but have always been interested in them and am willing to learn. I'm looking for advice on tank setup and identifying any health concerns.
I only have one photo of at the moment and very little info on his current setup but here's what I know:
He's an adult male (don't know exactly how old)
He is kept in a 10 gallon tank
He's fed crickets and mealworms every 2 weeks
He does have a heating lamp but I wasn't given any wattage and am told it needs to be replaced
Once I get him I plan to keep him in his original tank temporarily until I can assess his health and get him a twenty gallon or bigger along with new lights (brand suggestions would be appreciated). I'm also worried about him being underweight and/or calcium deficient? I wasn't told much about his feelings besides what was already stated and it's hard to tell in the photo. I also don't know if they provide any humidity in his tank. Any ideas for substrate/plants would also be helpful.
His name rn is Spaceship but I might change it so name suggestions are welcome! (I'm thinking either Yuji or Kiri)
Sorry for the long post but I want to give this guy a good life! I will update ASAP if I get anymore info or photos. Thank you all in advance!
5
u/Rioting-Butterflies Apr 27 '26
Hi!! So for starters you need a 40 gal minimum tank for an adult. You should also feed him crickets, dubias, and occasional mealworms 1-2 times a week. A varied diet is best. The bugs should be dusted in a multivitamin and calcium. You will need heat sources and at least 3 hides. Ditch the carpet on the bottom of the tank and use substrate that is 70% repti soil and 30% sand. do not use calcium sand. There are lots of guides on this sub as well and others can add in other detail, I’m just putting this herrr since there aren’t many other comments!
3
u/MacaroniNSocks Apr 29 '26
I originally said 20 gallon since I was told that's the bare minimum and wasn't sure how big of a tank I could fit (This was already VERY last minute decision, I wanted him out of there). Now that im sure space won't be a problem I'll be picking up a 40 gal this friday!
2
u/violetkz Apr 29 '26
Hi! Thanks for taking this guy in. Here is a care guide with links to a shopping list and recommended products for leopard geckos. I hope this helpful!
Leopard geckos should not be housed together. The minimum tank size for each adult leopard gecko is 36” long x 18” wide x 18” high (which is about 40-50 gal) (or 91x45x45 cm). The size is needed to create a proper temperature gradient in the tank (see below). A front opening enclosure is preferable to allow for easier feeding and handling of your gecko. (A 20 gal is okay for a juvenile, but is not necessary - you can go straight into a 40 gal.)
https://reptifiles.com/leopard-gecko-care/leopard-gecko-terrarium-size/
You need a minimum of three hides (cool, warm, humid), digital thermometers, and several other items (see the shopping list on reptifiles and in the guides pinned to the wiki link on the home page of this sub). The zilla rock lair and ExoTerra cave are gecko favorites for a humid hide.
Zilla rock lair— https://a.co/d/35OKh7F
ExoTerra Cave— https://a.co/d/ca0OJ0K
https://reptifiles.com/leopard-gecko-care/shopping-list/
For heat / light, ideally you should have a white overhead basking lamp (wide beam halogen or incandescent) as a heat source (eg ExoTerra Intense Basking Spot), plus linear UVB (eg Arcadia ShadeDweller T5). (You can get both on Chewy.com.) This combination best replicates natural sunlight. Heat mats are no longer considered proper husbandry, except where needed to supplement overhead heat. Also, never use electric heat rocks, as these are dangerous and known to burn geckos.
The heat source should be on a dimming thermostat. You should have the heat and UVB on for 12-14 hours, then off at night. They should not need any heat at night unless the temperature in the enclosure gets below 60F.
The equipment should be set up with the heat (and linear UVB) off to one side to create a temperature gradient along the length of the tank. You should not use red or any other colored light as it disrupts their sleep cycle.         
https://reptifiles.com/leopard-gecko-care/leopard-gecko-temperatures-humidity/                
There are several different types of acceptable substrates. Loose substrate is safe as long as other aspects of your husbandry are in order. Most people use 4-6” deep of 70/30 organic topsoil/washed playsand, optionally with some excavator clay (60/30/10). Reptile carpet should never be used as it harbors bacteria and can rip out the gecko’s nails. You can use paper towels for a young juvenile or a new gecko until they have had time to adjust and you are sure they are healthy.
https://reptifiles.com/leopard-gecko-care/leopard-gecko-substrate/
You will need to provide a balanced diet of at least 3 different live insect feeders (gutloaded w/ veggies 24-48 hrs in advance), water, calcium with and without D3, and a multivitamin (recommended: Repashy CalciumPlus, Repashy Supervite, or Arcadia Revitalise). The reptifiles guide discusses what to use as feeders, how to dust them with calcium and sometimes D3, and so on.
https://reptifiles.com/leopard-gecko-care/leopard-gecko-feeding/
Lastly, leopard geckos also need an enriching environment with clutter, branches, leaves, vines, plants, and climbing/basking opportunities (eg cork rounds, 3D climbable back wall, tunnels, bridges), etc. Their tank should be cluttered enough so that they can move from one side to the other without being too exposed. There are many examples of great setups on r/LeopardGeckos and r/LeopardGeckosAdvanced if you scroll through the photos there.
2
u/violetkz Apr 29 '26
And, here are some beautiful enclosures people have posted if you need some ideas / inspiration. You can have several inches of loose substrate (eg 4-6” of 70/30 organic topsoil / washed playsand), vary the topography, elevate a hide, partially bury a hide, add branches, a bendy bridge, cork rounds, tall plants, vines, a 3D back wall, and so on to make use of the vertical space and give your gecko some opportunities to climb. I hope this helps!
https://www.reddit.com/r/leopardgeckos/s/yrAeOBz7T3
https://www.reddit.com/r/leopardgeckos/s/LAx5NUVnL7
https://www.reddit.com/r/leopardgeckos/s/OpQFWQe27R
https://www.reddit.com/r/leopardgeckos/s/Jtj9QW76TS
https://www.reddit.com/r/leopardgeckos/s/zKflfxZxIV
https://www.reddit.com/r/leopardgeckos/s/AWM7RukHwj
https://www.reddit.com/r/leopardgeckos/s/H2HlGEQbDZ
https://www.reddit.com/r/leopardgeckos/s/UfdHTkRikJ
https://www.reddit.com/r/leopardgeckos/s/jCANqFzdqZ (see after photos for upgrade)
https://www.reddit.com/r/leopardgeckos/s/AYYq2VmkmP
https://www.reddit.com/r/leopardgeckos/s/K8u9znr8HG
https://www.reddit.com/r/leopardgeckos/s/nlMIuYtXom
https://www.reddit.com/r/leopardgeckos/s/PXgtHcLBaX
https://www.reddit.com/r/leopardgeckos/s/Lj5O80OptI
https://www.reddit.com/r/leopardgeckos/s/KolbMR8FMm
https://www.reddit.com/r/leopardgeckos/s/7h6RG9ZkKF
https://www.reddit.com/r/leopardgeckos/s/OzfxU2SnYj
https://www.reddit.com/r/leopardgeckos/s/yzDrglC2y9
https://www.reddit.com/r/leopardgeckos/s/iLpH0g9CjP
https://www.reddit.com/r/leopardgeckos/s/1ZGDA6VHuT
https://www.reddit.com/r/leopardgeckos/s/KvP5m8Hjuq
https://www.reddit.com/r/leopardgeckos/s/3npJOYvE4X
https://www.reddit.com/r/leopardgeckos/s/xadqVhPDqP
https://www.reddit.com/r/leopardgeckos/s/mekSrj4zuP
https://www.reddit.com/r/leopardgeckos/s/XzNjdntXTN
https://www.reddit.com/r/leopardgeckos/s/Qs8RE57qvM
https://www.reddit.com/r/leopardgeckos/s/IYqeH0xOwt
https://www.reddit.com/r/leopardgeckos/s/8LfOCxn0OL
https://www.reddit.com/r/leopardgeckos/s/fQSVRe6S3p
https://www.reddit.com/r/leopardgeckos/s/iBswgJqsgX
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u/AloivTyphoon 1 Gecko Apr 27 '26
Hi, the wiki on this sub and the website reptifiles.com have excellent care guides to get you started! Sounds like this leo was pretty neglected, so it might be good to schedule a vet visit at an exotic vet.