Caring for Geckos:

Leopard geckos are one of the easier reptiles to look after however they do require some research before hand.

The first thing you will need is a Vivarium. Which are easily available online or can be built by yourself to your own specification. A Leopard gecko can easily be housed on its own in a 2ftx1ftx1ft Vivrium however some people do provide less and more room per gecko! It is really how you feel about it but i prefer to give them a bit of room to move about in. That way they will be a happier gecko and a happy gecko equals healthy gecko to the most part!

Other things you will need are as follows;

HEAT MAT (heating cables can also be used) to provide the heat in the vivarium which should cover no more than half the size of the floor in the tank. The temperatures you want to achieve are between 78-82F cold side 86-90F Hot side. HIDES made from many things including rocks (disinfected first), bark available from reptile shops containers etc anything which provides a dark hole for the gecko to retreat into to hide (hence hides). If you have more than one gecko then a hide for each should be available. HUMID HIDE made from a plastic container of some sort with moist kitchen towel in, this is to allow the gecko to shed succesfully. Comercially made ones are available. SUBSTRATE this is the lining for the bottom of the tank and it is widely acknowledged now that the safest substrate for leopard geckos especially young ones is paper towel (however I use reptile carpet for my adults which is easily cleaned). Many people use news paper for their adults but this is not very attrative looking so I avoid it! In the viverium you will also need to provide a water dish (The water is to be changed everyday to avoid bacteria build up), a calcium dish with plain calcium in (I use calypso) and if you decide to feed mealworms a mealworm dish of some sort which has tall sides so that the mealworms cant escape.

What to feed and when

I feed my geckos a mix of mealworms crickets (Black, brown and silent at differnet intervals), I also give them a treat of waxworms or locusts every once in a while(once every few months)Although less now as they are pretty happy on crickets and mealworms. However i stress that waxworms and locusts should be treats as they are a bit like chocolate and can get addictive for the geckos so that they wont eat the mealies and crickets. Waxworms especially are mostly all fat so they are not nutritionally beneficial and crickets and mealworms properly gut loaded are much better for Leopard geckos. I make sure that there are plenty of gutloaded mealworms in the dish at all times and then put in say 4 crickets per reptile each day! I calcium dust the mealworms and crickets every few days and do the same with Nutrobal.

Feeding Hatchlings and juveniles

Hatchlings should not be fed till after their first shed which is usually between 3 days and a week so if you dont see them shed leave it a week! They should be fed food items which are no wider than half their head width and no longer than the length of the head! Mini mealworms or small crickets are great! The same calcium and nutrobal regime can be used and just make sure they have plenty to eat! Also you still need to provide them with fresh water calcium in a dish. Also just to add they of course need Hides and a Humid hide as with the adults.

What to feed the food!

Their are products such as bug grub on the market to feed mealworms and crickets. Crickets should have water (i put cotton wool buds in the wter to avoid drowning crickets and some fruit aswell lettuce etc (though clean out often to avoid fruit flies). Mealworms dont need water as they get all they need from their food so just some bug grub and some carrot or potato is good idea to keep them happy (though again clean out to avoid mess). This should give you a good gut loaded food for you geckos.

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