Leopard Gecko Care Basics: Tank, Heat, Lighting, Diet and Handling
Leopard geckos are calm and fairly compact, but they live for many years and depend on you for correct heat and nutrition. Here is how to start.
A leopard gecko needs a secure enclosure with a temperature gradient (a warm side and a cooler side), several hides, including a humid hide for shedding, a diet of live insects lightly dusted with calcium, fresh water, and calm, limited handling. With good care, VCA Animal Hospitals notes they can live 10 to 15 years, so plan for a long commitment.
This is general information for beginners. Reptiles have specialized needs, so find a veterinarian experienced with reptiles and ask them about your own gecko’s setup and health.
The enclosure
Guidance on minimum size differs between sources. VCA says a single adult can be housed in a 10-gallon tank at least 6 inches high, while the RSPCA recommends a larger vivarium of about 60 x 30 cm floor space and 40 cm high (roughly 24 x 12 x 16 inches) for one adult, as big as possible. Many keepers go larger still, since more floor space makes a better heat gradient and more room to explore.
- Secure lid: a screen top or front-opening vivarium that locks.
- One gecko per enclosure is the simplest setup. Males are territorial and should not be housed together.
- Location: away from direct sunlight, drafts and heaters, in a quiet part of the home.
Substrate
VCA lists reptile carpet, paper towels or newspaper as suitable options, and advises avoiding coarse sand, corncob bedding and crushed walnut shells, which can cause intestinal blockage if swallowed. Paper towels are easy to clean and let you monitor droppings, which is especially useful for a new gecko.
Heat: the most important part
Leopard geckos are reptiles, which means they rely on their environment to regulate body temperature. They need a range of temperatures so they can move between warm and cool areas.
| Zone | General guidance | How to provide it |
|---|---|---|
| Overall enclosure | Mid-80s °F (about 30°C), per VCA | Heat source at one end only |
| Warm side and basking spot | Warmer than the overall enclosure; ask your reptile vet for a target | Under-tank heater, heat mat or low-level basking lamp |
| Cool side | Noticeably cooler than the warm side | The far end, away from heat |
| Night | Can drop, but VCA says not below about 70°F (21°C) | Turn off lights; use non-light heat if needed |
- Use a thermostat on every heat source to prevent overheating and burns.
- Measure, don’t guess. Use digital thermometers at both ends, or an infrared temperature gun for surface temperatures.
- Avoid hot rocks inside the tank; VCA warns they can create burning hot spots.
- Keep the gecko at least 6 inches away from any heat lamp, and guard lamps so the gecko can’t touch them.
Lighting and UVB
Leopard geckos are most active at dusk and night. Give them a regular day-night light cycle. VCA notes that UVB lighting is not strictly required but is recommended; if you use it, follow the manufacturer’s distance guidance (VCA suggests about 10 to 12 inches from the gecko) and replace bulbs as directed, since UVB output fades over time. Provide shaded areas so the gecko can get away from the light.
Hides and humidity
Provide at least three hides:
- One on the warm side.
- One on the cool side.
- A humid hide filled with damp sphagnum moss or similar, which helps your gecko shed its skin cleanly.
Check after each shed for stuck skin, especially on toes and the tail tip. Retained shed that doesn’t come off with a humid hide should be checked by your vet.
Diet: live insects plus calcium
Leopard geckos eat live insects, not plants or fruit. Crickets are a common staple, and VCA lists dubia roaches, silkworms, mealworms, superworms and waxworms as other options in smaller amounts; waxworms and superworms are high in fat and best kept as occasional extras.
| Age | Feeding frequency (VCA) |
|---|---|
| Juveniles | Every 1 to 2 days |
| Adults | 2 to 3 times per week |
- Gut-load insects for at least 24 hours before feeding with a nutritious insect diet or vegetables.
- Dust insects lightly with a phosphorus-free calcium powder before feeding. VCA also suggests keeping a shallow dish of calcium in the enclosure. Ask your reptile vet whether to add a multivitamin and how often.
- Size matters: feeder insects should be no bigger than the space between the gecko’s eyes.
- Remove uneaten crickets, which can nibble a resting gecko.
- Water: a shallow dish of fresh water, changed daily.
Without proper calcium and lighting, reptiles can develop metabolic bone disease, which causes weak, soft or bent bones. See VCA’s leopard gecko care and feeding guide for more.
Handling
Leopard geckos are usually docile but can be stressed by frequent or rough handling. Let a new gecko settle for a week or two before handling. Then:
- Approach from the side, not from above, which can feel like a predator.
- Scoop the gecko gently from underneath and let it walk across your hands.
- Keep sessions short and stay low over a soft surface.
- Never grab the tail. Leopard geckos can drop their tail as a defense; it regrows but looks different, and the gecko loses fat reserves stored there.
Salmonella and hygiene
Like all reptiles, leopard geckos can carry Salmonella even when they look healthy. The CDC has linked multiple Salmonella outbreaks to pet geckos and advises washing hands with soap and water after touching a reptile, its food or its enclosure, keeping reptiles out of the kitchen, and not letting children under 5 handle reptiles or their habitats. See the CDC’s guidance on reptiles and amphibians. Our guide to small pets for kids compares other options for young families.
When to see a reptile vet
Schedule a check-up with a reptile-experienced vet soon after you bring your gecko home. Contact the vet promptly if you notice:
- Not eating for longer than usual, or noticeable weight loss, including a thinning tail.
- Swollen, soft or bent limbs or jaw, or trembling.
- Lethargy, sunken eyes or wrinkled skin.
- Stuck shed on toes or around the eyes.
- Runny or bloody droppings, or no droppings for an extended time.
- Burns, wounds or swelling.
Our guide to choosing a veterinarian includes questions to ask an exotics clinic.
Bottom line
Leopard geckos are calm, interesting reptiles, but correct heat, calcium and hygiene are non-negotiable. Set up and test the enclosure before your gecko arrives, feed gut-loaded, dusted insects, handle gently and keep a reptile vet’s number handy.
FAQ
How long do leopard geckos live?
VCA says they can live 10 to 15 years with good care, a clean environment and proper feeding.
Do leopard geckos need a heat lamp?
They need a heat source, but it can be an under-tank heater, heat mat or low-level basking lamp. Whatever you use, control it with a thermostat.
Can leopard geckos live together?
Males should never be housed together. Beginners are best keeping one gecko per enclosure.
Is sand safe for leopard geckos?
VCA advises against coarse sand because it can cause intestinal blockage if swallowed. Paper towels, reptile carpet or newspaper are simpler options.