

If you handle them when they are young, they might be more docile and friendly. Some are more tolerant and friendlier than others. How much you can handle a leopard gecko will depend on your gecko. Caring for a leopard gecko has never been easier!
#Should you keep light on for geckos at night skin#
They also eat their skin when they shed, so there is no skin clean-up needed. Putting some damp moss or damp paper towels inside a dark hide-rock will help your gecko shed easier and make sure it loses all the skin it needs to.Ĭlean-up is really easy! They go to the bathroom dry (no liquid) and always in the same spot in their cage. You can tell the gecko is about to shed when its skin turns a paler, cloudy color. They also need some moisture when they shed. Have a water bowl in their cage in case they get thirsty. Reptile carpet is a great alternative to sand because it is safe and easy to clean. Although they are desert creatures, be wary of using sand substrate because it can cause impaction problems. Because they are nocturnal, they do not need UV lights as many other reptiles do. This is so the geckos maintain a regular night-and-day schedule like it would have in the wild. You should have a “daytime” white light and a “nighttime” purple light that you switch between morning and night. (Basic thermostats are sold at the pet store). The cool side should be around 80° F and the hot side around 90° F. Ideally, one side of the cage will be hot with a heat light above it, and the other side will be a little cooler without a light above it. Heat lamps are a popular, affordable, and easy option.

Leopard geckos must always have a heat source to keep them warm and dry. Caring for a leopard gecko is easy but not something you should rush into unless you are committed.

Interestingly, adult geckos only have to be fed once or twice a week! Give them about 6 large crickets or mealworms each feeding if feeding twice a week, or a dozen if feeding once a week.Ī leopard gecko is a long-term commitment – know that they will be your pet for up to 20 years. My son chose a leopard gecko so it’s important to know baby leopard geckos should be fed about 5 small crickets a day. Fun fact- They store fat reserves from their food in their tail, and a healthy adult gecko will have a fat tail! This is so the gecko gets the calcium it would normally get from licking mineral deposits in the wild. You should sprinkle calcium powder on the insects before feeding them. It is very easy to find these at any major pet store, and they are cheap (about $3 for a dozen crickets, or 50 mealworms). Leopard geckos primarily eat live crickets and mealworms. Their feeding is affordable and low-maintenance My son is now the proud parent of a gecko and to save you time researching, I am here to explain everything you need to know about caring for a leopard gecko. My mama heart knew I couldn’t say no to his request, so after much research, we ventured into gecko pet care. I should have seen this coming as he has been so responsible with his beta fish, feeds and cleans up after the dogs, and always does his chores. My 9-year-old is asking for a pet that can be his and his alone.
