Leopard geckos are favorite pets for many experienced reptile keepers, and also what they encourage newcomers to start with. You can find leopard geckos easily at pet stores and online, even at pet expos. But is it a good idea for you to have one as a pet?
This article will address a few issues such as the environmental and dietary needs of leopard geckos and what type of regimen you need to have to keep them healthy. So should you get one as a pet? Read on to find out.
What Are They Like?
Lizard geckos are relatively small, being between 8 to 11 inches long including their tails and so they can easily hide in the behind your refrigerator They are almost entirely terrestrial, and they have eyelids, unlike other geckos. Leopard geckos are also entirely carnivorous. They subsist on other small lizards, large insects, or arachnids. They can also be active at any time of the day. Breeders have bred leopard geckos in a variety of color mutations, offering potential owners a wide range of patterns and colors to choose from.
Providing Them Proper Nutrition
It isn’t hard to satisfy the nutritional needs of a leopard gecko. As leopard geckos are carnivorous, they can be kept healthy by feeding them insects for their entire lifetime. Crickets, mealworms, dubia roaches, and wax worms usually make a good staple diet for leopard geckos. During feeding, just toss 5 to 10 insects into their enclosure, and the geckos will do the rest, tracking down the insects and helping themselves to a tasty snack.
Dusting the insects with a mineral and vitamin supplement from time to time is a good idea, as most vets will suggest a supplementation regimen for your pet gecko based on their age, sex, and overall status of health. Water is essential, so provide a shallow bowl inside the enclosure, keeping it filled with clean fresh water for your leopard gecko at all times.
How Should You House Them?
You don’t need to manage a large enclosure for your leopard gecko as these pets are relatively small and aren’t very active. Most adults will be just fine in a 20-gallon cage, while the juveniles will be comfortable in a 10-gallon cage. Aquariums are a popular choice for an enclosure, although just about any type of enclosure will work.
You can also go for the commercially built reptile enclosures or storage boxes, but keep in mind, you won’t get a good view of your pet in this kind of box. The best part is, no matter what type of habitat you opt for, they are all available at a relatively affordable rate, and they won’t occupy a large space in your home either. A leopard gecko habitat will also be a nice addition if you are looking for ways to update the look and design of your condo.
What Furniture Should You Get For Their Enclosure?
To keep your leopard gecko healthy and happy, you will need to fit the habitat with a few items. Geckos don’t require a lot of equipment, but a few of the required items are a substrate, a water dish, hiding spots, and possibly a few decorations.
Substrate
Your leopard gecko needs to be comfortable in its enclosure, and you can do that by adding a substrate. The substrate can also absorb any liquids released by your pet. Newspaper is a popular choice for substrate, as it lets you avoid any ingestion possibilities and is fairly cheap, not to mention easy to assemble and takedown.
For those of you looking for a more attractive option, a sand substrate is a possible alternative. You should choose a smooth-grained type of sand to erect the substrate, as this won’t clog your pet’s digestive system if it accidentally consumes some. You can also choose to keep your leopard gecko on wood chips as they are safe, affordable, and look great too.
Water Dish
Leopard geckos have no issues drinking from a water dish, making them a great pick for a pet. This trait of the leopard gecko makes it very easy to keep your gecko hydrated.
All you need to do is place a water dish inside the enclosure and keep it filled with fresh water, and your gecko will happily drink out of it whenever it feels the need. If you are looking out for the aesthetic aspect, going for Tupperware containers or decorative water dishes might be appealing.
Decorations
Although your pet doesn’t need it, you can still choose to decorate its habitat if you want. You just need to make sure that your lizard can still explore as much as it wants, so keep that room available to it by not cluttering the tank up much. You must also ensure that the items you are using to decorate the tank are not posing any safety hazard to your pet gecko. A few popular enclosures that you can consider are faux skulls and skeletons, jungle vines, replicas or real rocks, or artificial or live plants.
How to Make the Habitat Cozy
The enclosures that house leopard geckos need to be set at the correct temperatures. This is relatively easy to accomplish in the case of leopard geckos as they don’t require any form of elaborate lighting as many other lizards do. In most cases, leopard geckos can thrive just with the ambient lighting in the room. You can still install lighting if you choose to, making your pet look its best in the process. You need to turn the lights on and off periodically with the help of an automatic timer.
Leopard geckos will require a heat source, and you can provide this by installing heat lamps that can provide warmth to your pet. You can also choose a heating pad for the same purpose. You need to ensure that your gecko has a thermal gradient by installing the device at one end of the habitat instead of the middle. This way your pet can move about and reside at the temperature it chooses, rather than you fixing it for them.
Final Thoughts
As you may have already realized, leopard geckos make excellent pets. You will just need to learn how to take care of your pet’s requirements so you can provide them with a safe and comfortable habitat and good nutritious food to stay healthy. Follow the tips mentioned in this article so that you can enjoy your precious pet for years to come.
