The Leopard Gecko: everything you need to know to make it your new pet!

If you are a lover of special animals, then this article is dedicated to you!

In recent years, many people have chosen to adopt a Leopard Gecko to share their daily lives! This is why we chose to tell you about this mysterious little creature!

On the program: Everything or almost everything about the Leopard Gecko! And to make it easier for you, we will also talk to you about its lifestyle, but above all: How to set up a terrarium for your future Leopard Gecko!

The Leopard Gecko: A mysterious creature!

The Leopard Gecko is a species of gecko in the Eublepharidae family!

Its color is generally whitish to yellow speckled with black! Its dress is reminiscent of that of the leopard, where its name comes from! Regarding its size, this animal has an average size of just over 20cm!

Gregarious and nocturnal, the species lives in varied environments but mainly favors the crevices of rocks in rugged and dry environments. This species is found in Pakistan, India, Afghanistan and Nepal. It feeds mainly on invertebrates, but can also hunt small vertebrates, especially as adults.

The leopard gecko: man's future best friend!

The Leopard Gecko is oviparous and lives quite well in anthropized environments and poses no danger to humans! On the contrary, it is characterized by its docile character. In addition to being docile, he is easy to raise! The latter has recently been bred as the new pet of terrarium enthusiasts.

This reptile is also recommended for novices, thanks to its simple basic needs! Furthermore, some precautions should be taken for your well-being. Its main advantage is that it does not require a large terrarium, and its nocturnal lifestyle makes this reptile an ideal animal for people working during the day.

The world of the Leopard Gecko!

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What should you do or not do to ensure your Gecko has a healthy environment?

Never ... !

• Never put two adult males in the same terrarium, as they will kill each other!
• Never allow babies, young geckos and adults to coexist together, because the youngest will be devoured by the older ones!
• Never move a female who has previously cohabited with a male into another male's terrarium, as she would appear to him as a rival!
• Never put too many geckos in the same terrarium, as this will cause stress and develop aggressive behavior in the reptiles!

How do I know how many geckos I can put in my terrarium?

In order to know how many reptiles my terrarium can accommodate, you just need to do a simple calculation. Rest assured: there is no need to be a genius or take your head.

Simply multiply the length of the terrarium by its width! Once the result is obtained, only look at the first number! This number will represent the maximum number of geckos that your terrarium can accommodate!

Small example to better understand: Your terrarium is 60 cm long and 50 cm wide, the calculation will be as follows: 60 x 50 = 3000! So, your terrarium will be able to accommodate a maximum of: 3 geckos! But the best will be to put 2 geckos so that they can be comfortable.

Like everyone, everyone has their own comfort!

Heating and lighting:

As we stated previously, the gecko is an animal that lives at night!

But lighting the terrarium using bulbs or LED strips is therefore essential! TerraLED LED lamps are perfect for lighting a terrarium, they faithfully reproduce natural light. For the pleasure of your animals and plants!

In addition, the lighting must absolutely reproduce the alternation of day and night, which the gecko experiences in its natural environment. UV rays are necessary for geckos, but overexposure to UV rays can cause cancer and blindness in some species.

The duration of the day-night cycle differs from one breeder to another! Some provide 14 hours of heating and lighting, compared to 10 hours of darkness. Other people prefer a 12 hour cycle of each.

Regarding heating, it is essential to divide your terrarium into two zones of equal size: A hot zone and a cold zone. Because during the day, the temperature must be between 30°C and 32°C in hot zones, and between 26°C and 28°C in cold zones. At night, remember to set the thermostat between 20°C and 22°C! This difference in temperature between day and night is essential to the good health of your reptile.

Layout and decoration

(Source: https://i.imgur.com/Y53lZhl.jpg )

The ideal is to reproduce the natural environment of the reptile, by decorating your terrarium!

We strongly advise against the use of sand! On the other hand, beech and pine wood chips, for example, would constitute the safest substrate. Because they avoid dangers that can prove fatal. Also avoid artificial turf, to avoid the proliferation of germs and bacteria. A reptile shelter is an essential place because the gecko hides and rests there during the day.

Don't hesitate to decorate his living space with artificial plants, stones, roots, branches placed to allow him to climb! Try to fill in spaces without substrate, so as not to leave the soil ''bare''.

Water and food:

Don't forget to place a bowl of water to change every day, so that your gecko can drink fresh, clean water! Right next to it, place a bowl full of food!

Crickets are the staple of their diets. Additionally, it is not recommended to feed them mealworms!

And it is best to feed them using tongs. To keep your gecko healthy for as long as possible, always supplement its diet with calcium powder. This powder will protect it from diseases linked to decalcification.

How do I know if my gecko is eating enough or is in good health?

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Know that the health of your leopard gecko is measured by the size of its tail. A thin tail will therefore be synonymous with an insufficiently fed or sick gecko.

Maintenance and hygiene:

For a happy and healthy gecko, maintain good terrarium hygiene! And this, by changing the water every day, and by regularly picking up the excrement. Several times a year, clean the terrarium and its accessories, and don't forget to replace the substrate!