Care Sheet

The leopard gecko is one of the easiest reptile species to keep and breed in captivity. They are easy to hand tame due to their placid nature. Their life expectancy can exceed 20 years.

Accommodation

Leopard geckos can be kept in a basic vivarium which does not have to be high due to them living mainly on the ground. An average temperature of 25-30ºC. There is no need for ultra-violet light (UVA/UVB) which is essential for many other species of diurnal lizards.

You can use either kitchen towel or newspaper as a substrate for your geckos. We would never recommend using fine grain sand as if digested by your gecko which can cause impaction, which eventually stops your gecko from eating and causes death. ALWAYS use paper towel for hatchlings and juvenile leopard geckos.

As males are territorial they should be housed separately.

Food

All geckos bred by Big Yellow Gecko are fed on either meal worms. These are gut loaded using a high quality complete dog food.

The diet should also include a multi-vitamin supplement such as Nutrobal which can be dusted on the food or left in a separate container. This helps ensure that young geckos grow and develop healthy.  

Breeding

It is easier to accurately sex the geckos as they get older. Males do tend to have a broader head and have distinct pre-anal pores on the undersides of their back legs.

If breeding is to be attempted you should ensure that the females receive plenty of calcium which is needed to form the egg shells. After mating has occurred, the eggs are laid about two weeks later. An ice cream tub containing damp peat should be placed in the vivarium in which the female will dig a hole, lay 2 eggs and then bury them. Further clutches of eggs will be laid at roughly 2 week intervals. The eggs should be removed from the peat and incubated in a container of damp vermiculite. Make a thumb print in the surface of the vermiculite and carefully place an egg in the hole.

The temperature at which the eggs are incubated can affect the sex of the babies. At 28ºC it should produce a mix of males and females. Warmer temperatures (30 - 32ºC) will hatch more quickly producing mainly males, cooler temperatures (27 - 25ºC) will produce females.

Rearing Juveniles

Juveniles should be placed in a small container with kitchen roll as a substrate. A small food dish, shallow water bowl and a small hide must be provided. They can be fed on mini meal worms. Although they may hiss and lunge at you when you have contact with them, this will lessen with more frequent handling or contact.

Cage Cleaning

The vivarium should be cleaned on a regular basis using a reptile or small animal disinfectant spray. The drinking water must be changed daily and any uneaten or dead food items should be removed at the same time.

Always remember to wash your hands thoroughly after handling your gecko or cleaning the vivarium. As even captive bred animals can carry Salmonella bacteria.