Introduction

Leopard geckos (Eublepharis macularius) make great pets and are very attractive. The skin on their back is very bumpy while the skin on their stomachs is surprisingly soft. These geckos are insectivores and will eat crickets, mealworms, waxworms, and pinkies in captivity. Living to be 25 years for these lizards is not uncommon with the proper care and diet. Generally captive bred leopard geckos are easily handled, calm, and never try to bite, making them one of the best species of lizards to be kept as pets.

Care of Leopard Geckos

1.Your leopard gecko will need at least a 10 gallon cage and cover, but bigger would be better.
2.You also need a substrate to cover the bottom of the cage.
3.A hidebox is a must. This will prevent your lizard from becoming stressed, sometimes they even loose sleep from not having a place to hide. You can use almost anything as a hidebox.
4.A heating pad under the cage will keep it warm even during the night. Never use hot rocks. They can burn the belly of your lizard without them realizing.
5.Keep a dish of water available at all times. Make sure that its both shallow and large enough for them to run through.
6.Low branches and other similar things for them to climb on and explore. Around dusk leopard geckos are particularly curious so the bigger the cage you get the more they can have to climb on and explore. Don't ever overcrowd the bottom of the tank because they need a flat area to walk around.
7.Give them crickets to eat. They can be purchased at a pet store for a reasonably low price. Vary your geckos' diet by giving them mealworms every once and a while. Don't feed them so many mealworms because they aren't as nutritious. Mealworms can also be obtained at a pet store. Before feeding the crickets to your gecko gut load them.
8.Use Rep-Cal or a simular supplement to coat the crickets before feeding them to the gecko. Coat the crickets every feeding untill they are 6-7 months old. After that only coat the crickets every other feeding.

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