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How To Care For Leopard Geckos

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How To Care For Leopard Geckos

Care For Leopard Geckos. Follow Mark Amey's step by step guide to looking after Leopard Geckos. These lizards make good pets as they are friendly, outgoing and easy to handle. Watch the video and learn how to care for leopard geckos. Care For Leopard Geckos. Follow Mark Amey's step by step guide to looking after Leopard Geckos. These lizards make good pets as they are friendly, outgoing and easy to handle. Watch the video and learn how to care for leopard geckos.

Step 1: Housing and bedding

A single leopard gecko should be kept in a well ventilated wooden or glass tank called a vivarium. It should measure about 60 centimetres by 35 by 45. Your pet will need a UV light with 2% UVB which should be on for 12-14 hours a day in summer and 8-10 hours in winter. Fit a heat pad with a thermostat at one end of the tank so there is a warmer and cooler area. The temperature should be kept between 27 and 30 degrees during the day and 20-22 degrees at night. Use a thermometer to check. Line the floor of the tank with calcium sand or newspaper. Don't use other types of sand as they will cause health problems for your lizard if ingested. Include plenty of crevices and caves and a food and water bowl. Provide a container of moist moss within the enclosure which will help your gecko shed it's skin. Never keep males together as they will fight.

Step 2: Handling

Don't pick up your gecko by it's tail or handle it roughly as the tail may fall off. Place one hand over the lizard and gently grasp it around the middle between your fingers. Put your other hand under the lizard to support it.

Step 3: Diet

Feed your leopard gecko live insects such as locusts and crickets every other day. The insects themselves should be fed beforehand with a nutrient rich mixture available from pet shops. Dust them with a vitamin and mineral supplement beforehand. Give your lizard just enough to be completely eaten in about 15 minutes, and don't leave uneaten insects in the tank. Ensure they have fresh drinking water every day.

Step 4: Exercise and play

Don't pick up your gecko too regularly as they don't particularly enjoy being handled, and they should never be handled roughly.

Step 5: Cleaning

Clean the water bowl every day and clean out faeces once or twice a week using a sand sifter which sieves the dirty area. Change the substrate and clean the tank with a reptile friendly disinfectant once every few months.

Step 6: Health

Leopard geckos must be kept in the right environment to prevent health problems. They should be energetic and bright-eyed and have a fat reserve around the base of the tail. If the pelvis or ribs are protruding, it may be a sign of poor diet, dehydration or parasites. If your gecko doesn't have access to the correct moisture, it will have problems shedding it's skin. Old skin can get stuck around the feet and tail, and can eventually cause digits to fall off. Take your lizard to the vet if it loses it's appetite, becomes lethargic or you notice anything abnormal.

Enjoy your leopard gecko.

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Tips & Comments
  1. bexster

    i am getting a leopard gecko soon , but the one in the shop has no tail , what should i do , im still going to get her , but does this mean they have treated her wrong ? thank you

  2. bexster

    i am going to buy a leopard gecko soon but the one in the pet shop has no tail what should i do , im still going to buy her , but does that mean it hasnt been treated right ? thank you

  3. tatoo23

    hello to everyone i have 2 leopard geko for 4 days 1 male and one female the female the fourth day is not so energeti and i am afraid that the male do not let the female to eat or is not energetic because change the skin?can someone give me any advice what to ty to do my mail is michaelbatistatos@yahoo.gr

  4. Regan_Wharton

    Which Vivariums Does Mark Use I Really Like Them

  5. completeairhead

    @ToMm27 that is the most useful info i have heard!!!!!!.im intrested in owning a lepoard gecko and have asked questions like do they need calcium sand and heat rocks but as ToMm27 says the absorb heat from there bellies on rocks so a heat rock would be a good idea and also i got told calcium sand kills gecko's as there not use to it so then why do pet shops use calcium sand in the tanks. i felt like an animal killer when i said about using heat rocks,calcium sand and uvb light people said this would kill them turns out this is what they need !! sticking to this advice and the advice from my mums friend who use to keep snakes,monitor lizards and lepoard gecko's.

  6. nikkicox75

    hi i have 2 leopard gekkos but for some reason one of them refuses to eat anything, tried mealworms waxworms locusts and crickets yet wont touch anything, getting worried now as she is getting really thin, the other one eats all the time and is really healthy and alert, any help or advice most welcome.

  7. uberai

    I have just got leopard gecko home . He is about 4 months old . It has been 2 days, he has not eaten . I am giving him meal worms .

  8. leopardgeckoman

    I was just wondering how did you make that wooden vivarium.

  9. beckyyy

    Everything that is said on the video is general knowledge, i don't even have a gecko just yet but its just common sense what he's saying about such things like heatpads and uv lights. A gecko gets heat from sun light so therefor the heat pad should be above or on the side of the viv where they can warm up by getting closer or move away to cool down, if underneath they will constantly be warm and have no where to cool down. as humans, in small amouts we need uv light for vitamin D which helps bone growth so granted they do not need it but its the best way for development and health care. at the moment im doing all my research to buy a leopard gecko and mark has been good help and very practicle when it comes to costing and things, definitely worth seaking advice from him. i agree with ToMm27, he's probably been looking after animals longer than most of us.

  10. Reptileboy

    I recently asked you about bearded dragons but I just wondering if a leopard gecko is better. Thanx