reptilebreeder.co.uk

Description

Leopard geckos are amongst the largest of the geckos and due to their docile nature, this makes them the most popular gecko kept in captivity. Nowadays there is a huge range of morphs available, and with their simple housing and feeding requirement, it makes them ideal for beginners and experienced keepers alike. Leopard geckos are terrestrial geckos and so cannot climb the sides of their enclosure. They can reach an adult length of 7-9", although the giant morph grows to 9-11". Unlike most geckos, leopard geckos have eyelids.

Housing

The most popular way of keeping these geckos is in plastic trays in a heated rack, but a simple aquarium or vivarium will do fine. Males should only be housed one per enclosure, but can be housed with other females once adult. Decor can be rocks and logs and fake plants to give a natural look, and there should be some hides at both ends of the enclosure. There should also be a humid hide. This can be a Tupperware box with a hole cut in the top for access. This humid area will help when they are shedding. A 2-foot enclosure will be ideal for a pair. A shallow water dish should be available at the cool end at all times.

Lighting/Heating

Leopard geckos are nocturnal and so do not require full spectrum lighting. A simple spotlight on a dimming thermostat can be used to provide both light and heat, or if kept in a lit room, a heat mat on a thermostat covering one third of the floor area can be used. Either option needs to have a hot end of around 90°F with a gradient going down to the mid to high 70s at the cool end. This way your geckos can choose what's best for them.

Diet

Leopard geckos will thrive on a diet of mealworms and crickets and will also enjoy the occasional waxworm and pinkie mouse. When feeding you should supplement the live food with a good multi-vitamin. A shallow dish of calcium/D3 powder mixed with some multi-vitamins should be available at all times.

Breeding

Leopard geckos are easy to breed and reach sexual maturity at around nine to ten months of age, although you should ensure the females have some good weight on them on (around 45g) before putting them together for breeding. The first eggs are usually laid in January and she can continue to lay right through to the summer, averaging 14 eggs per year, although females in their first breeding year normally lay less. When the females are gravid the two eggs can bee seen through the skin on her belly. For laying, a plastic container with a hole in the top should be provided with a 3" layer of damp vermiculite or peat/soil, which they will dig and lay into.

Eggs and incubation

When the eggs are laid they should be transferred to an incubator, half-burying the eggs in damp vermiculite or perlite, placing them the same way they were laid. Leopard geckos can be sexed by the temperature they are incubated at, so for females, 80-82°F, for a mixture of both 84-86°F, and for males 88°F. The eggs incubated the highest will hatch fastest. Eggs can take anywhere from 40 to 100 days to hatch, depending on what temperature they were incubated at.

Hatchling care

When the eggs begin to hatch they should be transferred to a small simple enclosure with minimal decor, and paper towels for substrate. There should be a humid hide, a shallow water dish (jam jar lid) and a calcium/vitamin dish. After about three days the gecko will have its first shed and begin to feed. Now you can introduce some size 2 crickets or some mini mealworms. For optimum growth you should house the young singularly or in very low numbers to reduce stress. The pattern of the young gecko will change each week as it grows, but the pattern it has at around six weeks will be similar to what it will have at adulthood.