Quick Facts
LIFESPAN: Approximately 10-15 years
SIZE: Up to 10” (25 cm) long
EXPERIENCE LEVEL: BEGINNER

Socialization & General Care

• Leopard geckos are generally docile and inquisitive and can be easily handled with minimal socialization.
• Be certain to scoop them up from under the belly and support their belly in the palm of your hand.
• Allow your leopard gecko 3-4 days to adjust to his new habitat before handling.
• Leopard geckos will shed their skin every 6-8 weeks, more often for juveniles. The first sign of shedding is usually dulling of the skin (milky coloured).
• Leopard geckos require a moist retreat (shed box) to aid in shedding their skin.
• Leopard geckos often eat their shed skin as it is very high in nutrients.
• Reptiles may transmit disease to humans; make certain to wash your hands after cleaning your pet’s habitat or after handling.

Nutrition

• Leopard geckos are insectivores, meaning that their diet consists solely of insects.
• Crickets should be their primary food source, however, they will benefit from a variety of insects. Acceptable options are mealworms, waxworms and superworms.
• Insects should be dusted with a calcium and vitamin D supplement as well as a vitamin supplement on a weekly basis. Juveniles will benefit from a twice weekly dusting.
• To dust crickets, simply add ¼ of a teaspoon of the calcium powder to a small plastic bag and shake crickets gently to coat them.
• Crickets should be fed a commercial nutrient-dense diet (gut-loaded) prior to being fed to your leopard gecko. Putting pieces of vegetables (potatoes, sweet potatoes or apples) into your cricket enclosure will help provide the necessary nutrients.
• Insects should be offered daily to juveniles, and daily to every other day for adults. Leopard geckos should be allowed to eat until they are content.
• Never feed your leopard gecko insects that cannot fit into its mouth all at once.
• To avoid accidental ingestion of substrate, worms should be offered in a shallow bowl.
• Fresh water should be available at all times and food and water dishes should be cleaned daily.

Health Issues to Watch For

• Swollen joints and limbs
• Eating or drinking less
• Runny, discoloured or pungent stool
• Weight loss
• Gasping or forced breathing
• Discharge from nose, eyes or mouth
• Discoloured skin
• Shedding difficulties (skin stuck on toes)

Seek veterinary care if you notice any of the above signs.

Fun Leopard Gecko Facts

• The leopard gecko lacks sticky toe pads so they cannot climb and hang upside down.
• Leopard geckos originate from the dry deserts of Pakistan, India and Afghanistan.
• Leopard geckos are part of the Gekkonidae family and are further classified into the sub-family Eublepharinae. All geckos in the Eublepharinae sub-family are unique in that they have eyelids.