Leopard Gecko - Eublepharis macularius
BEcaBDue to the overwhelming amount of knowledge and care sheets available on the internet today we are going to focus more in depth on our own preferred methods of housing. While this may be more suited for an advanced hobbyist it can easily be replicated within the confines of a standard 10 gallon aquarium.
Supplies Needed -
We use rack systems to house all of our gecko s. If you intend on housing more than a few geckos these are by far the most economical and space saving options available. We custom build all of our racks in house. Not everyone is able to do this but fortunately there are a lot of commercial racks available on the market today.
All of our Leopard Geckos are housed individually. This includes hatchlings.
Each Iris tub is marked and then drilled for ventilation along the outer rim.
Paper towels are our substrate of choice. The bottom of the tub is lined with 1-2 layers of paper towels.
For a hide box we use a Styrofoam meat tray. The tray is positioned at the rear of the tub over the heat source.
A Ziploc or similar container is used for a moist hide. An entrance is cut on one side of the container and a layer of moist paper towels is placed inside. This is then placed at the front of the enclosure away from the heat source. This keeps the container from drying out faster than desired. This also servers as an alternative water dish. Your gecko will drink from the condensation that builds up on the interior of the container. They will also drink from the moist paper towels as well.
The food and water dish can be placed anywhere else in the enclosure as long as they do not reside on top of your heat source. We use escape proof worm dishes situated inside of a 4" saucer located on top of the Styrofoam hide. This keeps the gecko from moving its hide around too much.
All of our Leopard Geckos are housed individually. This includes hatchlings.
Each Iris tub is marked and then drilled for ventilation along the outer rim.
Paper towels are our substrate of choice. The bottom of the tub is lined with 1-2 layers of paper towels.
For a hide box we use a Styrofoam meat tray. The tray is positioned at the rear of the tub over the heat source.
A Ziploc or similar container is used for a moist hide. An entrance is cut on one side of the container and a layer of moist paper towels is placed inside. This is then placed at the front of the enclosure away from the heat source. This keeps the container from drying out faster than desired. This also servers as an alternative water dish. Your gecko will drink from the condensation that builds up on the interior of the container. They will also drink from the moist paper towels as well.
The food and water dish can be placed anywhere else in the enclosure as long as they do not reside on top of your heat source. We use escape proof worm dishes situated inside of a 4" saucer located on top of the Styrofoam hide. This keeps the gecko from moving its hide around too much.
Heat Source Required!
Leopard geckos require a heat source for proper digestion, growth, and development. We recommend using belly heat. This can be provided in the form of an under tank heat pad. Our rack systems are routed and equipped with a heat cable that supplies our units with heat. The desired temperature range for the heated area is 87-90 degrees Fahrenheit.
It's Feeding Time!
We offer our geckos a broad diet. We know that we wouldn't be happy eating the same meal everyday and we wouldn't want our pets to suffer from the same boring food options day after day. Here is a quick breakdown of what we offer as food items:
Mealworms can be offered as a staple diet but some geckos are fussy eaters and prefer meals that run around. Each gecko has its own personality and you won't truly know what yours is until you have had it in your possession for some time.
- Dubia Roaches
- Turkestan Roaches
- Mealworms
- Crickets
- Superworms
- Pinky Mice - Offered occasionally to laying females
Mealworms can be offered as a staple diet but some geckos are fussy eaters and prefer meals that run around. Each gecko has its own personality and you won't truly know what yours is until you have had it in your possession for some time.
Calcium & Vitamins -
We supplement our geckos with Repashy Calcium Plus. In addition to this females that are in the process of egg laying are offered an additional supply of Osteo-Form SA within their enclosure.