Leopard Geckos

Leopard geckos (Eublepharis macularius) are native to the deserts and dry rocky plains of Afghanistan, India and Pakistan. Leopard geckos are now well established in captivity following decades of large-scale commercial propagation.

PET POTENTIAL/BEHAVIOR
Gentle lizards. Hardy, long-lived. Easy maintenance. Moderate size, attractive appearance. Nocturnal.

ANATOMY
Unlike many other geckos, leopard geckos possess movable eyelids. Leopard geckos lack the adhesive lamellae on their feet that enable many other geckos to cling to glass or walls. Instead, on each digit is a small claw, suiting them well to a terrestrial lifestyle.

SEXING
As juveniles, there is little visual difference between male and female leopard geckos. The sex of the gecko can be predicted based on the temperature at which it was incubated as an egg.
In temperatures from 78-82oF (25-28oC), the great majority of hatchlings will be female; from 85-87 male.
Note the V-shaped row of enlarged pre-anal pores, which produce a waxy secretion, and the prominent hemipenal bulges in the male.
Females lack prominent pre-anal pores, having only very small pre-anal pits. Hemipenal swellings are absent.
As adults, males have a V-shaped row of enlarged pre- anal pores along their inner thighs, whereas females have only small pre-anal pits.
Males also have paired hemipenal swellings at the base of the tail, which females lack. Males are slightly more heavy-bodied and robust with a broader head and thicker neck than females.

HOUSING
Quarantine new geckos in a separate area of the house for at least 30 days. Leopard geckos can be housed in groups provided there is only one adult male per enclosure, as males are highly territorial and aggressive when mature.
Standard 10-gallon (or larger) aquariums work well as enclosures. Cage size should be at least 36” x 15” x 12” (90 x 38 x 30 cm); a cage height of at least 6” (15 cm) is recommended for a group of 2-3 animals.
The cage should have a screen top for adequate ventilation. Acceptable substrates include paper towels, newspaper, orchid bark or fine sand (controversial).
Coarse sand, corncob, walnut shell and/or sand-like calcium ground litter should be avoided as substrates, as they have been implicated in gastrointestinal impactions. Feces should be removed regularly and substrate replaced as necessary.
A moist hide box is important for both security and proper shedding.
Geckos should be prevented from free roam of the house and exposure to cats, dogs, or other predators. A moist hide box filled with damp sphagnum moss, cypress mulch, or vermiculite is especially important for both security and proper shedding.
It is important to mist the hide box substrate daily, which promotes normal skin shedding. The shelter should be cleaned and the vermiculite or moss changed weekly.
While these animals are well adapted to a dry climate, the lack of a moderately humid shelter will make a leopard gecko prone to dysecdysis (trouble with shedding). A common shedding problem is retention of skin around the toes with subsequent avascular necrosis and loss of the distal phalanges.

HEATING AND LIGHTING
Leopard geckos fare best at temperatures in the mid- 80s°F (30°C). A gradient of temperatures should be available in the enclosure, from 70oF (21°C) on the cool end to 84-88°F (29-31°C) on the warm end.
Heat should be provided by a heat pad, heat tape or basking light. Hot rocks or direct contact with heating elements or light sources should be avoided. UVB or other supplemental lighting is not essential to these primarily nocturnal lizards but can be used. A reduction in light intensity within the vivarium may be used to encourage diurnal activity.
Orchid bark is a good choice for a substrate
Clean fresh water should be provided in a shallow container.

DIET
Leopard geckos feed primarily on live moving insect prey. Commercial diets are available, including dried or canned insects and frozen prepared meats. Leopard geckos need to be conditioned to feed on non- living food sources, and some may be hesitant.
An appropriate diet may consist of commercially-raised crickets with smaller numbers of silkworms, roaches, mealworms (Tenebrio sp.), superworms (Zophobas sp.), waxworms and other live insects.
Large leopard geckos will also consume baby “pinkie” mice and other lizards, but these food items are not required. Prey items should be fed a high quality diet (“gut-loaded”) for at least 24 hours prior to using.
Live prey may be offered in shallow containers, which will prevent mealworms from burrowing, reduce cricket dispersal and reduce accidental ingestion of substrate. Appropriate-sized prey items should be offered every 1-2 days for juveniles and 2-3 times a week for adults. Crickets should be no bigger than half the size of the gecko’s head.
Feed no more than the animal will consume within 15 minutes, which usually amounts to 4-6 food items. Beware that hungry juveniles housed together may nip toes or tail tips off their cage mates.
Clean fresh water should be provided in a shallow container and changed daily.
SUPPLEMENTATION
A jar lid full of calcium powder should be available at all times and will particularly benefit breeding females. While vitamin and mineral supplementation is controversial, leopard geckos will tolerate a wide range of supplementation regimens.
Dusting prey items with a calcium supplement is probably beneficial. Prey are dusted daily for juveniles and every 2-3 feedings for adults.

RESTRAINT
A leopard gecko should not be caught or lifted by the tail; its body must be fully supported. Leopard geckos have the capability of autotomy, or self- amputation of the tail, which they will often execute when restrained or stressed excessively.
A lost tail will take several months to grow back, and a regenerated tail is not as aesthetically pleasing as the original.