AUSTRALIAN HERPETOLOGY WEBSITE
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Australian Herpetology Website (Reptiles and Amphibians)
Covering Snakes and Lizards, Crocodiles ,Turtles,and Amphibians, including Colubrid snakes, Pythons, Elapids (called Cobras or Coral Snakes in some countries), Sea Snakes, File Snakes, Blind (or Worm) Snakes, Sea Turtles, Freshwater Turtles (or Tortoises) Dragon Lizards (Agamas), Geckos, Legless Lizards Monitor Lizards (often called Goannas in Australia), Skinks and other Reptile species.
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Main Australian Section
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Around the World
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Herpetological Societies
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Herp Shops
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Reptile Books
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E-books|
Housing Your Leopard Gecko
Shortcuts to Australian:- Snakes / Lizards /Turtles /Crocodiles /Amphibians / ........Pythons of the World / Monitors of the World / Sea Turtles of the World / Crocodiles of the World / Boas of the World /
WELCOME TO THE AUSTRALIAN HERPETOLOGY
Housing Your Leopard Gecko Page
by
John Fowler & Rachel Barnes
The Leopard Gecko (Eublepharis macularius) is one of the most popular species of geckos kept in the world.
Note that it is normally illegal to keep Leopard Geckos (Eublepharis macularius) and other exotic (not native) species of reptiles in Australia, however much of the information about keeping Leopard Geckos applies to geckos in general.
HOUSING YOUR LEOPARD GECKO
(Eublepharis macularius)
When it comes to providing a home for your gecko, you will have to keep some basics in mind. It needs warmth, humidity, a place to hide, and a substrate for the flooring. Purchase and set up your equipment before you acquire your Leopard Gecko (Eublepharis macularius). While they are fairly hardy, it's not a good idea to leave them sitting and waiting in their carrying boxes while you scurry to get their homes in order. When it comes to the enclosure itself, your best choice is a glass aquarium, readily available at any pet store or, possibly, from garage sales or flea markets. Glass allows you to easily observe your pet, which is a must in order to catch any early signs of problems. A pair can live comfortably in a 10 -15 gallon tank (20 to 24" 50 to 60cm). Crowding your geckos will only cause stress, health issues and territorial fights.
Arrange your tank so that the temperature is 88 to 90 degrees Fahrenheit (31 to 32 degrees Centigrade) on one side, using heat lamps to get to that level if necessary, and arrange the other side to remain down in the mid 70s Fahrenheit (low 20's Centigrade). It's important to allow the animal a temperature gradient, as that will let it regulate its own body temperature. You can use a 40 to 60 watt incandescent bulb, and that will effectively take care of both heat and light however keep an eye on the temperature. As geckos are naturally nocturnal creatures, there is no need to invest in any special lamp, such as UVB lighting. You may also wish to provide an under tank heat mat for your geckos, which will allow them to bask and receive that heat directly into their bellies. Direct sunlight should not be allowed to fall on an aquarium as it may cause the tank to overheat
Be careful about the substrate you choose. Avoid aquarium gravel, walnut shells or calcium sand to prevent impaction. When a gecko eats the substrate and it becomes impacted in its gut, it blocks digestion and will result in a very costly trip to the veterinarian. Newspaper, paper towels, slate or tiles will make fine substrate. Lastly, provide your gecko with somewhere to hide to make him feel more secure. Inverted plant saucers, plants or wood will all suffice for this, and be sure to put something on both the warm and cool sides of the tank. To help your gecko shed properly, add in moist peat moss, sphagnum moss or paper towels to keep the humidity level just right.
OTHER FEATURED LINKS
Techniques in Leopard Gecko (Eublepharis macularius) Feeding
What to Do When Your Leopard Gecko (Eublepharis macularius) Gets Sick?
Leopard Gecko (Eublepharis macularius)
Australianherpetology.com
Caring For and Handling a Crested Gecko
Design a Vivarium For Your Crested Gecko
Common Health Issues Faced By Crested Geckos
About John Fowler | About Rachel Barnes
|
Report Faulty Link
|
Report an Error
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Contact Us
©2025 John Fowler and Rachel Barnes. All rights reserved. Reproduction or reuse of information or materials from this web site is strictly prohibited and against international law.
(NOTE:- No permission is needed to link to this web page).
This site is supported by Temu, Depositphotos, Pi, CryptoTab Browser, and Coinbase
TWEET THIS PAGE
Main Australian Section
|
Around the World
|
Herpetological Societies
|
Herp Shops
|
Reptile Books
|
E-books|
Housing Your Leopard Gecko
Shortcuts to Australian:- Snakes / Lizards /Turtles /Crocodiles /Amphibians / ........Pythons of the World / Monitors of the World / Sea Turtles of the World / Crocodiles of the World / Boas of the World /
WELCOME TO THE AUSTRALIAN HERPETOLOGY
Housing Your Leopard Gecko Page
by
John Fowler & Rachel Barnes
The Leopard Gecko (Eublepharis macularius) is one of the most popular species of geckos kept in the world.
Note that it is normally illegal to keep Leopard Geckos (Eublepharis macularius) and other exotic (not native) species of reptiles in Australia, however much of the information about keeping Leopard Geckos applies to geckos in general.
HOUSING YOUR LEOPARD GECKO
(Eublepharis macularius)
When it comes to providing a home for your gecko, you will have to keep some basics in mind. It needs warmth, humidity, a place to hide, and a substrate for the flooring. Purchase and set up your equipment before you acquire your Leopard Gecko (Eublepharis macularius). While they are fairly hardy, it's not a good idea to leave them sitting and waiting in their carrying boxes while you scurry to get their homes in order. When it comes to the enclosure itself, your best choice is a glass aquarium, readily available at any pet store or, possibly, from garage sales or flea markets. Glass allows you to easily observe your pet, which is a must in order to catch any early signs of problems. A pair can live comfortably in a 10 -15 gallon tank (20 to 24" 50 to 60cm). Crowding your geckos will only cause stress, health issues and territorial fights.
Arrange your tank so that the temperature is 88 to 90 degrees Fahrenheit (31 to 32 degrees Centigrade) on one side, using heat lamps to get to that level if necessary, and arrange the other side to remain down in the mid 70s Fahrenheit (low 20's Centigrade). It's important to allow the animal a temperature gradient, as that will let it regulate its own body temperature. You can use a 40 to 60 watt incandescent bulb, and that will effectively take care of both heat and light however keep an eye on the temperature. As geckos are naturally nocturnal creatures, there is no need to invest in any special lamp, such as UVB lighting. You may also wish to provide an under tank heat mat for your geckos, which will allow them to bask and receive that heat directly into their bellies. Direct sunlight should not be allowed to fall on an aquarium as it may cause the tank to overheat
Be careful about the substrate you choose. Avoid aquarium gravel, walnut shells or calcium sand to prevent impaction. When a gecko eats the substrate and it becomes impacted in its gut, it blocks digestion and will result in a very costly trip to the veterinarian. Newspaper, paper towels, slate or tiles will make fine substrate. Lastly, provide your gecko with somewhere to hide to make him feel more secure. Inverted plant saucers, plants or wood will all suffice for this, and be sure to put something on both the warm and cool sides of the tank. To help your gecko shed properly, add in moist peat moss, sphagnum moss or paper towels to keep the humidity level just right.
OTHER FEATURED LINKS
Techniques in Leopard Gecko (Eublepharis macularius) Feeding
What to Do When Your Leopard Gecko (Eublepharis macularius) Gets Sick?
Leopard Gecko (Eublepharis macularius)
Australianherpetology.com
Caring For and Handling a Crested Gecko
Design a Vivarium For Your Crested Gecko
Common Health Issues Faced By Crested Geckos
About John Fowler | About Rachel Barnes
|
Report Faulty Link
|
Report an Error
|
Contact Us
©2025 John Fowler and Rachel Barnes. All rights reserved. Reproduction or reuse of information or materials from this web site is strictly prohibited and against international law.
(NOTE:- No permission is needed to link to this web page).
This site is supported by Temu, Depositphotos, Pi, CryptoTab Browser, and Coinbase
TWEET THIS PAGE
About John Fowler | About Rachel Barnes | Report Faulty Link | Report an Error | Contact Us
©2025 John Fowler and Rachel Barnes. All rights reserved. Reproduction or reuse of information or materials from this web site is strictly prohibited and against international law.
(NOTE:- No permission is needed to link to this web page).
This site is supported by Temu, Depositphotos, Pi, CryptoTab Browser, and Coinbase
TWEET THIS PAGE