Leopard Gecko Care Simplified

There are many reasons that leopard geckos make good pets; they don't have a bad odor, require small space and little supervision, cost very little to maintain, are easy to care for and are quiet. They're also great projects for children art.

A leopard gecko needs somewhere to live, and many owners find an aquarium to be the most suitable housing available. Ten to fifteen gallons is recommended space per gecko although many believe that more room is beneficial. Some prefer a 40 gallon space per gecko. Plastic bins work well and can be stacked for convenience. It's important to house your geckos separately, especially males as they will fight, often to death. Unless you want baby geckos, you also want to keep males separate from females.

You'll need flooring material, or substrate, for your cage. Sand seems like the natural choice, however, it can be an unhealthy one and should be avoided. Geckos tend to "splash" the sand when they chase their prey and could ingest it causing digestion problems. It's best to avoid loose substrate like cedar shavings or cat litter, for most of them shed toxins that are harmful to the gecko's respiratory systems. Paper towels, unprinted newspaper, or reptile carpet are the best choice. Lighting is optional and not necessary for gecko health. The animal is nocturnal and can live fine without the UV rays.

Leopard geckos are cold-blooded and require a range of temperatures to maintain their body heat. The cage should offer three temperature zones and range from cool (68 at night) to very warm (about 90 on his basking spot). Controlling these areas is critical to good gecko health and should be researched before cage set-up. There are a few options to choose from in temperature regulation. You can use an Under Tank Heater (UTH), heat tape or heat cable, ceramic heat emitter or red incandescent bulbs. Research leans toward the use of the Under Tank Heater as the safest and healthiest choice.

The gecko's cage can be plain or decorated with rocks, tunnels, or driftwood. You should provide three hides for temperature control and entertainment. A hide is simply a container with a lid and a hole cut into the side where the gecko can crawl in or out. You should provide two dry hides and one moist hide. The moist hide should be set on the cooler side of the cage and be kept sprayed with a mist to provide humidity for the gecko's skin health. Females will also like to lay their eggs in moist substrate within the cool hide.

Geckos like to eat insects, and crickets are a great choice as they are easily bred or purchased. Don't feed your gecko crickets caught in the wild for they can bring harmful parasites or pesticides. Crickets and worms must be "gut loaded" at least 24 hours before feeding time in order to provide the most nutrition possible. The insect is fed with nutritious food giving it time to digest and utilize the nutrients before the gecko ingests the bug. Geckos like mealworms, waxworms, and superworms as well as other types.

These simple steps should keep your gecko healthy and satisfied.

Source : Ezinearticles