Leopard Gecko Care Sheet
Leopard Geckos are nocturnal ground dwellers native to the arid deserts of central Asia. They
are one of the few gecko species to have eyelids. Typically small in size, adults average 8-11
inches and weigh about 45-70 grams. Being nocturnal, they spend most of their day in burrows
or under rocks, coming out at dusk to hunt insects. Leopard Geckos are solitary creatures and
should not be housed together.
Diet
The diet recommended for leopard gecko consists exclusively of insects.
Animal Items*
Isopods (pill bugs)
Waxworms
Moths
Beetles
Grasshoppers
Grubs
Crickets & Mealworms may be fed, but require gut-loading 2 days prior to feeding.
*Never offer scorpions or lightning bugs.
A diet consisting of a variety of insect items is nutritionally complete. If meal worms are used,
offer them in a small dish containing powdered calcium carbonate. Geckos have a higher
tolerance for oral vitamin D3 than other lizards and combination calcium/D3 supplements such
as Reptical are acceptable calcium carbonate substitutes in the dish containing mealworms.
Other vitamin supplements are unnecessary, and in fact are often harmful. If you are feeding
live insects, only provide enough for the animal to eat in a few hours. Clean water should be
available at all times.
Temperature and Lighting
Daytime ambient temperature (everywhere in the enclosure) should be maintained around 85
degrees F (29.5 C). Night time ambient temperature should be maintained around 74 degrees F
(23 C), a range of 72-80 degrees F (22 – 26 C) is acceptable. An Incandescent lamp for basking is
not necessary for these nocturnal animals. Leopard geckos have a low requirement for UVB
light. Fluorescent lamps with a moderate UVB output, such as the Repti-sun 5.0 (ZooMed) or
ReptiGlo 5.0 (Exoterra) are appropriate. A mercury vapor lamp, such as Power Sun by ZooMed
or Mega Ray at www.reptileUV.com provides both heat and UVB. Direct exposure to the
fluorescent lamp, with no glass or plastic between the lamp and the animal, for 1 hour per
week is adequate.
Housing
Recommended cage substrates include desert topsoil, coarse gravel, and folded paper. The
majority of intestinal impactions occur due to sand (including Calci-Sand), crushed walnut shell,
or other substrates composed of small, equal-sized particles and therefore these are not
recommended. Indoor-outdoor carpeting is also not recommended due to the possibility of
carpet threads constricting toes or being ingested. Provide a humid shelter for geckos to use
during shed cycles. Damp sphagnum moss can be added to a hollow piece of wood, or a
Tupperware container with a hole in the side to provide an adequate environment.
Gut-Loading
Gut-loading is the practice of feeding insects a diet high in calcium, protein, and other nutrients
prior to offering the insects to reptiles and amphibians. Domestic crickets and meal worms
should be fed a commercial, grain-based calcium enriched cricket diet such as those made by
Flukers or ZooMed, or a diet consisting of four parts chicken or turkey starter mash and one
part calcium carbonate for two or three days before offering the crickets to your pet. Also, offer
the crickets water in a shallow dish or wet sponge. Gut-loading beyond 2-3 days is not
beneficial, and can actually decrease the life expectancy of the insects.
© ORANGE GROVE ANIMAL HOSPITAL, SVG, PC 2014