Land: Leopard geckos are native to desert areas of Pakistan, Northwestern India and Afghanistan.

Adult Size: Leopard geckos reach 8-10 inches.

Appearance: Leopard geckos are cream to yellow ground color with black spots. Many different breeds have varied colors and patterns, which can include high yellow, orange, striped, pattern-less (no spots or stripes), lavender, solid white and amelanistic (no black pigments in markings).

Diet: Leopard geckos eat crickets, kingworms, mealworms, waxworms, earthworms, grasshoppers, locusts and pinkies. Food should be supplemented with calcium and multivitamins. Wax worms are a good supplement or treat, but are too fatty and not nutritious enough for a regular diet.

Ease of Care & Housing: The leopard gecko is easy to care for and a good choice for the novice lizard pet owner. The cage setup for leopard geckos can be as simple or elaborate, as you like. A single animal can be maintained in a ten gallon aquarium. The substrate should be too large for them to swallow and dust free.

Natural Habitat: In their natural habitat, leopard geckos live in arid regions, particularly rocky deserts or sparse grasslands. They avoid sandy deserts. Leopard geckos are strictly nocturnal, emerging at night from holes and crevices to hunt for food, avoiding the heat of the day. In the wild, leopard geckos feed on a variety of insects, but they will also eat scorpions as well as other lizards. Leopard geckos often live in loose colonies. Leopard geckos are seldom found off of the ground. A 10 gallon aquarium will house a single gecko. 20 gallon will house 1 male with 2 females leopard geckos. Daytime temp 85-90F. Night temp low 70’s. Substrate of washed playground sand (not for juveniles, as leopard geckos will ingest the sand), orchard bark mixture, Astroturf with bound or melted edges, or newspaper. Include shelter for leopard gecko to hide in, and rough rocks to use when gecko is shedding.

Drink: Leopard geckos should have a small dish of fresh water each day. A shallow dish works well for easy access and should be accompanied by a calcium source.

Sleeping Habits: The leopard gecko is nocturnal.

Temperament: Leopard geckos rarely bite, tame easily and have been known to sho an affinity for their keepers.

Breeding: For leopard gecko breeding, a ratio of about 3-10 females to one male per enclosure should be used. The males become aggressive during breeding and may dominate the females if too few are present. Two males should not be placed together in the same enclosure, or they will fight.