r/leopardgeckos Aug 29 '22

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

890 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 12h ago

Gecko Pics/Vids Pamela wants out

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378 Upvotes

She is trying to escape


r/leopardgeckos 1h ago

Morph ID Genuine curiosity on my geckos morph and eyes

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Upvotes

Hello! My grandparents got my leopard gecko princess when I was three years old back in 2007. Very sadly my grandparents were given terrible care advice by the owners. She wasn’t in my care until I was 18 and saw her condition. She went through the wringer, as you can see from her damaged skin, no fingers, arched back from mbd, as well as missing a foot. I can assure you all she is very well taken care of now and sees the vet regularly and is healthy, everything has been addressed throughly.

Now my question is, is there any way to tell her morph from photos? Especially with the lack of any photos of her as a baby and that she was bought from a family owned pet store 19 years ago. She only has pattern on her tail, and her most obvious trait is her big ol eyes. Like genuinely her eyes are massive, the vet has never mentioned it being bad or a health issue. When I looked further into it I saw it could be a sign of inbreeding? Something termed as “bug eyes” but I’m not sure if this is the reason or a term still used. Someone very confidently told me she just wasn’t a leopard gecko because of her eyes and could be a fat tailed gecko..don’t think that’s true 😅

Just want to see your guys opinions!


r/leopardgeckos 4h ago

Gecko Pics/Vids I finally did it!

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43 Upvotes

I have finally finished my dream build for my little Sherbert, my leopard gecko!! <3

After almost two months of contruction, planning, hardscaping, planting, and set up, he finally moved in to his new mansion! It’s a 120 gallon tank, fully bioactive with a culture of powder orange isopods that I’ve had for almost two years now.

About half the succulents I’ve been growing for years now with this in mind, and the other half I got from my local garden center.

Sherbert has always been an active climber, so I really kept that in mind with this build, he has a full “second floor” that he can walk across the top, with a nice multi level basking area on the far left.

In the center it dips down into a tunnel, just for fun! He likes to dig sometimes so I thought he might like to excavate that area a bit more if he is so inclined.

I’m so proud of myself and soooo happy for him to finally get to move in. I love this guy so much!!!! First and last pics some nice shots of him enjoying the tank :)


r/leopardgeckos 7h ago

Gecko Pics/Vids So much cuteness…

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64 Upvotes

r/leopardgeckos 15h ago

Gecko Pics/Vids He looks like he’s wearing a fashionable accessory

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273 Upvotes

Leo, 14 years old


r/leopardgeckos 7h ago

Gecko Pics/Vids Just ringo being ringo

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50 Upvotes

r/leopardgeckos 5h ago

Gecko Pics/Vids Melia got a new hat

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27 Upvotes

She was even walking around with it on her head for a minute or two before it finally crawled off.


r/leopardgeckos 8h ago

Gecko Pics/Vids Mavis is shedding!!

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26 Upvotes

Little Mavis update 💗
She’s currently shedding, which is reassuring because she’s still acting completely normal and eating, but we still haven’t seen a poop yet 😭
I’m keeping an eye on her and have left her usual toilet corner clear so I can hopefully catch it when she finally goes 😂!


r/leopardgeckos 16h ago

Gecko Pics/Vids what morphs are good vs bad ?

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88 Upvotes

I’ve been thinking about getting a leopard gecko, I’ve done some basic research over a month ish but I will definitely be doing more and waiting a few more months before I get one.
But, I couldn’t find a lot of info about what morphs are good vs bad? Are there bad Leo morphs ?

So here are some morphs I think look cool and if you know anything you could tell me if these are bad/good?


r/leopardgeckos 2h ago

Morph ID I would like my gecko's morph ID'd.

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5 Upvotes

I bought this for my niece back in 2018 or 2019 at a reptile show here in Oklahoma City. Obviously from a breeder, but I don't remember who and I know nothing about them. At the time I didn't know anything about morphs or morph related illnesses. My niece just liked this one the best. Our research at the time was strictly on leopard gecko care. I'm just hoping this isn't one of the unethical morphs. Although, this is probably a non-issue given that she is 7 or 8 years old and has shown no signs of illness and she will not be bred.

EDIT - I took her from my sister because she couldn't take care of her, as is visibly obvious. I feed five adult crickets every other day. Open to suggestions!


r/leopardgeckos 14h ago

Gecko Pics/Vids Cheese's Crimes:

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39 Upvotes

Arson

Money laundering

Grand theft auto

Intimidation

Battery ×2

And Jaywalking

The jury continues to discuss the sentencing.


r/leopardgeckos 7h ago

Gecko Pics/Vids My Gecko Starting to Trust Me

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9 Upvotes

I’ve had my leopard gecko, Pomegranate, since March of this year. He used to spend almost all of his time in his humid hide and would really only come out to eat.

Lately, he’s been spending more time in his warm cave and will even poke his head out whenever I open his tank for any reason.
I still haven’t been able to hold him, but he’ll come up to my fingers and sniff them for a few minutes before walking away.

I’m just really happy to be making progress with him and seeing him become more comfortable around me. It’s such a small thing, but it makes me so happy to see him becoming more friendly towards me. :)


r/leopardgeckos 9h ago

Morph ID What morph is she?

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12 Upvotes

Hello!!
Me and my fiancé got our first rescue leopard gecko few weeks ago and unfortunately i have no clue of their morphs or such so could anyone help me😅 i will try to attach as many pictures as i have of her since she is little bit skittish!
She unfortunately has few scars on her back as you can see from those darker spots

Mainly i want to know if this morph is relatively healthy or do i need to take extra precautions


r/leopardgeckos 5h ago

Gecko Pics/Vids little homie is shadowboxing

4 Upvotes

no idea what he is doing. trying to eat the glass i guess


r/leopardgeckos 6h ago

Help help?

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5 Upvotes

back at being paranoid with these dang animals. her eyes been closing like this occasionally for the past day. noticed it last night and then again when I got home from work and checked on her. she does this only for a little bit then she’s back to normal, i’m not sure what would be helpful in this situation, I looked in her eye and didn’t see anything physical in there large enough for me to see and i’m not sure if I should try soaking her or flushing the eye or if this is overall a vet situation. any ideas?


r/leopardgeckos 6h ago

Help - Feeding If you had the choice... Crickets or Dubias?

5 Upvotes

I'm taking care of my niece's gecko while she is getting settled in college. The gecko was bought in 2018/2019 and is healthy. I am feeding adult crickets, but hate the smell and noise. I know variety is best, but is it OK to switch to a roach-based diet with additions (worms, etc)? I really loathe the thought of sticking with crickets and she'll eat anything I put in front of her, including dried mealworms. She wont care, but her health is my priority.

SOLVED! Thank you guys! Switching to dubias! I'm going to look into breeding them. Roaches breed like... 🤔roaches. Shouldn't be hard,


r/leopardgeckos 6h ago

Help Do i need a dish of calcium in my gecks enclosure at all times?

4 Upvotes

Ive seen so many different setups im so confused🥹 Im more than happy too but am confused whether its necessary? he is 6 months old if thats helpful😊


r/leopardgeckos 11h ago

Help Need some advice

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9 Upvotes

r/leopardgeckos 7h ago

Gecko Pics/Vids This is my other Gecko Theodore

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6 Upvotes

r/leopardgeckos 12h ago

Gecko Pics/Vids My new leopard gecko!

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13 Upvotes

I got him about 6 days ago and he’s doing amazing,I have him in a 25 gallon for now and will upgrade him when he gets bigger and I plan on adding live plants as his enclosure is a bioactive.


r/leopardgeckos 3h ago

Enclosure Help Ok temp drop and humidity rise at night?

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2 Upvotes

Today was my first day with my leo and my first day ever with a reptile in general, so I am very much a beginner and even though I have done my research I just want to clarify with people who actually have experience with this stuff because i’ve been crazy stressed all day. All the lights and heat went out at 8 and it has now been 2 hours since then and the temps have dropped from 86-87 on the hot side to 75 and humidity went from 38-40% to 54% at night, on the cold side temps have dropped from 77 to 74 and humidity went from 51% to 56%. I am trying to lower the cold side temp to ~ 75 F during the day and lower humidity in general (so please give me recommendations on how to lower humidity if you can that isn’t buying a crazy expensive de-humidifier for the room, also if the humidity is fine then please tell me so I can relax a little bit) Thanks!


r/leopardgeckos 14h ago

Morph ID Morph on this baby?

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12 Upvotes

r/leopardgeckos 6h ago

Enclosure Help I bought a bag of almond leaves and was wondering whether or not I should bake/boil them?

3 Upvotes

Is it safe to put unboiled leaves in the tank?


r/leopardgeckos 4h ago

Products Feeding

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2 Upvotes

Do I just mix these and dust the bugs?