Leopard Gecko Care: Setup, Diet & Common Mistakes

Leopard Gecko Care: Low-Maintenance, Not No-Maintenance

Leopard geckos are the reptile equivalent of goldfish.

Not because they're disposable, but because everyone treats them like disposable starter pets instead of decade-long commitments.

Pet stores call them "perfect for beginners" because they tolerate mistakes better than bearded dragons or ball pythons.

They don't need UVB lighting. They don't need high humidity. They eat every 2-3 days instead of weekly. They're small enough to house in a 20-gallon tank for life.

That doesn't make them maintenance-free.

It makes them lower-maintenance, which is not the same thing.

Leopard geckos still develop metabolic bone disease without calcium supplementation.

They still get impacted and die when housed on sand substrate.

They still need proper temperature gradients, appropriately sized hides, and regular feeding schedules.

The difference is that leopard geckos survive improper care long enough for you to learn what you're doing wrong and fix it before they die.

That's not "easy." That's forgiving.

This guide covers what leopard gecko ownership actually requires, not the glossy version pet stores sell, but the daily reality of keeping a small desert lizard alive in a glass box.

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What Leopard Gecko Ownership Actually Costs

Pet stores sell leopard geckos for $30-50 and tell you the setup is cheaper than other reptiles because "they don't need UVB."

That's true. It's also incomplete.

Initial setup cost:

• 20-gallon long tank (minimum): $50-80
• Heat mat or heat lamp: $20-40
• Thermostat: $25-50
• Three hides (warm, cool, humid): $30-45
• Water dish: $5-10
• Digital thermometer (2): $15-25
• Infrared temp gun: $20-30
• Substrate (tile or paper towels): $10-30
• Calcium supplements: $15-25

The Etekcity Infrared Thermometer Gun lets you point-and-click to measure hide surface temps, basking spot temps, and cool side temps in seconds instead of relying on stick-on analog thermometers that are consistently 10-15°F off and make you think everything's fine while your gecko slowly freezes.

Total initial cost: $190-335.

That's half the cost of a bearded dragon setup, but it's not the $80 "complete starter kit" pet stores push.

Ongoing costs:

• Live insects: $10-20 per month
• Calcium supplements: $5-10 per month
• Substrate replacement (if not using tile): $5-10 every 2-3 months
• Heat bulb replacement (if not using heat mat): $10-15 every 6-12 months
• Vet visits (annual checkup + fecal): $80-150 per year

Annual ongoing cost: $250-400.

Leopard geckos live 10-20 years with proper care.

That's up to two decades of buying crickets and dusting calcium, not a 3-year commitment.

Temperature Requirements: Easier Than Most Reptiles, Still Required

Leopard geckos are from the deserts and rocky grasslands of Afghanistan, Pakistan, and India.

They need warmth, but they're more tolerant of temperature fluctuations than tropical species.

Correct Temperature Gradient

Warm side (hide surface temperature): 90-92°F

Basking spot (optional): 94-97°F

Cool side (ambient): 70-77°F

Nighttime: Can drop to 60°F without issue

These temperatures are more forgiving than ball pythons (which die if you let temps drop to 65°F) or bearded dragons (which need precise 100-110°F basking spots).

But "more forgiving" doesn't mean "optional."

If your warm hide is 82°F instead of 90°F, your gecko's digestion slows, it stops eating, and you'll spend six weeks asking Reddit why it won't touch food.

Heat Mat vs Overhead Heating

Leopard geckos are one of the few reptiles where under-tank heat mats actually work as a primary heat source.

They're ground-dwelling lizards that naturally absorb belly heat from sun-warmed rocks.

Heat mat setup:

• Place heat mat under one end of the tank (covering 1/3 of the floor)
• Use a thermostat to regulate temp (unregulated mats hit 120°F+ and burn geckos)
• Place a hide directly over the warm spot
• Verify surface temperature with infrared temp gun

The iPower Reptile Heat Pad comes in sizes that fit standard 20-gallon tanks perfectly, includes adhesive backing so it stays put under the glass, and produces consistent warmth when paired with a thermostat instead of the wildly inconsistent heat you get from cheap no-name mats that cook geckos one day and go cold the next.

Overhead heating (alternative):

You can use a low-wattage halogen bulb or deep heat projector instead of a heat mat.

This creates a more natural heat gradient and allows for optional UVB supplementation.

Overhead heating is better long-term but costs more upfront ($60-100 vs $30 for a heat mat).

Thermostat: Still Non-Negotiable

Heat mats without thermostats cause burns.

Every heat source needs temperature regulation.

Place the thermostat probe on the tank floor directly above the heat mat, not floating in the air.

Set target temp to 90-92°F.

Check temps daily with an infrared thermometer for the first two weeks until you're confident the setup is stable.

The Inkbird Reptile Thermostat has a digital display so you can see exactly what temperature it's maintaining, costs half what "reptile-specific" thermostats cost while doing the same thing, and has dual probes so you can monitor both warm and cool side temps simultaneously instead of guessing.

Enclosure Setup: Size, Substrate, and Hides

Tank Size

20-gallon long tank (30" x 12" x 12") is the minimum for adult leopard geckos.

Larger is fine (40-gallon works well), but unlike ball pythons, leopard geckos don't get stressed in appropriately sized larger spaces.

Do not use tall tanks.

Leopard geckos are ground-dwellers. A 20-gallon tall tank (24" x 12" x 16") wastes vertical space they'll never use.

Substrate: Stop Using Sand

Pet stores sell "calcium sand" and "vita-sand" marketed as safe for leopard geckos.

It's not.

Leopard geckos lick substrate while hunting insects.

Ingested sand clumps in the digestive tract and causes impaction, a blockage that requires surgery or kills the gecko.

"Calcium sand" doesn't dissolve. It clumps harder than regular sand when wet.

Safe substrate options:

• Ceramic tile: Best option. Easy to clean, holds heat, looks natural, zero impaction risk
• Slate tile: Same benefits as ceramic
• Non-adhesive shelf liner: Cheap, replaceable, safe
• Paper towels: Ugly but functional and free
• Reptile carpet: Works but harbors bacteria if not washed weekly

Avoid:

• Sand (calcium, vita, play, any kind)
• Loose substrates (walnut shell, crushed walnut, wood chips)
• Anything the gecko can accidentally eat

The tile debate is settled: tile works, sand kills.

Use tile.

Hides: Three, Not One

Leopard geckos need three hides:

1. Warm hide: Placed over the heat mat or under the heat lamp. Tight-fitting (gecko should touch 3 sides when inside).

2. Cool hide: Placed on the cool end. Same size and style as warm hide.

3. Humid hide: Placed anywhere (usually on warm or neutral zone). Filled with damp sphagnum moss or paper towels. Used during shedding.

If your gecko only has one hide, it will stay in that hide regardless of temperature because feeling secure trumps thermoregulation.

Then it either overheats or stays too cold, stops eating, and you post "why won't my gecko eat" on Reddit.

The Exo Terra Reptile Cave comes in sizes that fit leopard geckos perfectly (small for juveniles, medium for adults), has a natural rock appearance that doesn't look like cheap plastic, and has appropriately small entrances that make geckos feel secure instead of exposed like those giant hollow logs pet stores sell.

Decor and Climbing Enrichment

Leopard geckos are ground-dwellers but appreciate low climbing opportunities.

Add flat rocks, cork bark, or low branches (nothing higher than 6 inches, they're not arboreal and will fall).

Avoid sharp decorations that can injure soft gecko bellies.

Diet: Insects, Calcium, and Why Your Gecko Has Rubbery Legs

What to Feed

Leopard geckos are insectivores.

They eat live insects, and only live insects (they won't eat dead prey).

Good feeder insects:

• Mealworms (staple)
• Dubia roaches (best nutritional value)
• Crickets (noisy, smell bad, but work fine)
• Black soldier fly larvae (high calcium)
• Superworms (occasional treat, high fat)

Avoid:

• Waxworms except as rare treats (too much fat, addictive)
• Wild-caught insects (pesticide risk)
• Insects larger than the space between the gecko's eyes (choking/impaction risk)

Feeding Schedule

Juveniles (under 1 year): Feed daily. Offer as many insects as they'll eat in 10-15 minutes.

Adults (1+ years): Feed every 2-3 days. Offer 5-7 appropriately sized insects per feeding.

Leopard geckos are prone to obesity.

Do not leave a bowl of mealworms available 24/7 unless you want a fat gecko with fatty liver disease.

Gut-Loading Insects

Pet store crickets and mealworms are nutritionally empty.

You need to gut-load them (feed the insects nutritious food 24-48 hours before offering them to your gecko).

Feed insects:

• Collard greens, mustard greens, or commercial gut-load powder
• Carrots or sweet potato (vitamin A)
• Commercial cricket food (if you're lazy)

Insects are only as nutritious as what they recently ate.

Feeding un-gutloaded insects is feeding your gecko cardboard dust by proxy.

Calcium Supplementation: The Thing That Prevents Broken Legs

Leopard geckos will develop metabolic bone disease without calcium supplementation.

Not "might." Will.

MBD causes soft bones, bent legs, tremors, seizures, and death.

It's 100% preventable with proper supplementation.

Supplementation schedule:

Option 1 (No UVB lighting):

• Dust insects with calcium + D3 at every feeding
• Dust with multivitamin powder once per week

Option 2 (With UVB lighting):

• Dust insects with plain calcium at most feedings
• Dust with calcium + D3 twice per week
• Dust with multivitamin powder once per week

The Zoo Med Repti Calcium with D3 is the standard for geckos without UVB, it's fine powder that sticks to mealworms instead of falling off like cheap brands, and the D3 content is dosed correctly for leopard geckos so you're not under-supplementing (MBD) or over-supplementing (toxicity).

How to dust:

Put insects in a plastic bag or container with a pinch of calcium powder.

Shake gently until insects are lightly coated (you should still see the insect color through a thin dust layer).

Feed immediately, powder falls off within 10-15 minutes.

Calcium dish (optional):

Some keepers leave a small dish of plain calcium powder in the enclosure.

Geckos will lick it as needed to self-regulate calcium intake.

This is supplemental, not a replacement for dusted insects.

Hydration

Leopard geckos get most hydration from insects but should have access to fresh water 24/7.

Use a shallow dish they can't drown in.

Change water daily.

If your gecko is dehydrated (sunken eyes, wrinkled skin, lethargy), soak it in shallow lukewarm water for 10-15 minutes.

UVB Lighting: Optional but Beneficial

Leopard geckos are crepuscular (active at dawn and dusk).

They receive some natural UVB exposure but don't require it like diurnal species.

However, recent research shows that optional low-level UVB improves health:

• Better bone density
• Improved coloration
• More natural behavior
• Enhanced appetite and activity

If you provide UVB:

• Use a 5-7% UVB bulb (T5 or T8)
• Mount 10-12 inches from basking spot
• Run 10-12 hours per day
• Replace every 12 months

If you skip UVB, that's fine, just use calcium with D3 at every feeding.

Shedding: What's Normal and What's a Problem

Leopard geckos shed every 4-8 weeks when young, less frequently as adults.

Normal Shedding Process

Before shedding:

• Skin becomes dull and pale
• Gecko may refuse food
• Increased hiding and grumpiness

During shedding:

• Gecko peels shed off with feet and mouth
• Eats the shed (this is normal, recycles nutrients)
• Process takes 10-30 minutes

A healthy shed comes off in large pieces with minimal effort.

Stuck Shed

If shed doesn't come off completely, pieces remain stuck on toes, tail tip, or around the eyes.

Causes:

• Humidity too low (humidity should be 30-40%, but humid hide should be 70-80%)
• Dehydration
• Lack of humid hide
• Malnutrition (vitamin A deficiency causes shedding problems)

Fix:

• Soak gecko in shallow lukewarm water for 10-15 minutes
• Gently remove stuck shed with damp Q-tip or fingers
• Provide humid hide for future sheds

Warning: Stuck shed on toes constricts blood flow and causes toe loss if left for multiple sheds.

Check toes and tail tip after every shed.

Health Problems: What Actually Goes Wrong

Metabolic Bone Disease (MBD)

Caused by: Lack of calcium, insufficient D3, poor diet.

Symptoms:

• Soft or rubbery jaw
• Bowed or bent legs
• Tremors or twitching
• Difficulty walking
• Kinked tail
• Lethargy and loss of appetite

MBD is 100% preventable with proper calcium supplementation.

Once deformities appear, damage is permanent.

Impaction

Caused by: Eating substrate (sand), eating insects that are too large, dehydration, low temperatures.

Symptoms:

• No bowel movements for 7+ days
• Bloated belly
• Lethargy
• Loss of appetite
• Straining to defecate

Treatment:

• Soak gecko in warm water for 15-20 minutes daily
• Gently massage belly (only if you know what you're doing)
• Give oral lubricant (coconut oil or petroleum jelly, 0.5ml max)
• See a vet if no improvement in 3 days

Severe impaction requires surgery.

Prevention is easy: don't use sand substrate.

Respiratory Infections

Caused by: Low temperatures, high humidity (over 50%), poor ventilation, stress.

Symptoms:

• Open-mouth breathing
• Mucus around nostrils
• Wheezing or clicking sounds
• Lethargy
• Refusing food

Respiratory infections require antibiotics from a vet.

They don't resolve on their own.

Parasites

Common in pet store leopard geckos.

Symptoms:

• Diarrhea or runny stool
• Weight loss despite eating
• Visible worms in feces
• Lethargy

Get a fecal exam from a reptile vet within the first month of ownership.

Tail Loss (Autotomy)

Leopard geckos drop their tails when threatened or grabbed by the tail.

The tail regrows but never looks the same (stubby, different color, lacks original pattern).

Prevention:

• Never grab a gecko by the tail
• Handle gently and support entire body
• Reduce stress in enclosure

If your gecko drops its tail:

• Remove dropped tail from enclosure (gecko may eat it, that's normal)
• Keep enclosure extra clean to prevent infection
• Increase feeding slightly to support regrowth

Tail regrowth takes 3-6 months.

Common Leopard Gecko Mistakes

1. Using Sand Substrate

Pet stores sell it. Geckos get impacted and die.

Use tile. This is not debatable.

2. Skipping Calcium Supplementation

"My gecko looks fine" doesn't mean its bones are fine.

MBD develops slowly. By the time you notice symptoms, permanent damage has occurred.

Dust insects with calcium. Every feeding.

3. Cohabitating Multiple Geckos

Leopard geckos are solitary.

Housing multiple geckos together causes fighting, stress, injuries, and death.

Males will kill each other.

Females compete for resources and bully weaker individuals.

One gecko per enclosure. No exceptions.

4. Not Providing a Humid Hide

Leopard geckos need a humid retreat for proper shedding.

Without it, they get stuck shed on toes and lose digits.

5. Overfeeding

Obese leopard geckos develop fatty liver disease and shortened lifespans.

Adults only need 5-7 insects every 2-3 days, not unlimited mealworms 24/7.

6. Not Using a Thermostat

Unregulated heat mats cause burns.

A thermostat costs $30. Treating burns costs $200+.

Final Thoughts: Low-Maintenance Doesn't Mean No-Maintenance

Leopard geckos are the easiest reptiles to keep alive.

That doesn't mean they're maintenance-free pets you can ignore for weeks.

They need daily feeding schedules, temperature monitoring, calcium dusting, enclosure cleaning, and health checks.

They live 10-20 years, which means a decade or two of sustained effort.

But compared to bearded dragons (daily salad prep, $120 UVB setups, 120-gallon tanks) or ball pythons (70% humidity nightmares, feeding strikes that last months), leopard geckos are easier.

They tolerate mistakes.

They eat reliably.

They handle temperature fluctuations better than tropical species.

They don't need UVB (though it helps).

If you can provide a 20-gallon tank, a heat mat with thermostat, three hides, and calcium-dusted insects every 2-3 days, leopard geckos are rewarding pets that tolerate handling, live for decades, and won't stress-fast for six months because you looked at them wrong.

If that sounds like too much effort, get a pet rock.

It's actually maintenance-free.

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