OK, so you’ve decided that your family needs a cute Leopard Gecko in its life. To create a safe and comfortable environment for your Leo, you have to have a few things in place so that they can live “normally” and ensure their health as they grow. Here is a checklist of what a Leopard Gecko needs in its tank:
- Background for the tank
- Daytime Lighting
- Nightime Lighting
- Moist hiding spot
- Humidity monitor
- Heat mat/heat lamp
- Thermometer
- Water Dish
- Substrate
- Reptile Carpet
- Places to hide
- Things to climb
Vivarium Backgrounds for Leopard Geckos
One key feature that leopard geckos need is privacy and protection from a lot of human lifestyles visually. So you should provide a screen or background to some sides of the tank so as to protect the gecko from too much visual stimulation which can cause serious distress.
It’s not used to an environment that is foreign and constantly moving. The tank background/backdrop is readily available online and makes for a lovely setting for them. You got to keep your little friends happy right?
What kind of daytime lighting is needed for a Leopard Gecko tank
You have a few options for daytime lighting for your leopard gecko. For daytime simulation, UVB lights are a common addition to a leopard gecko tank. It provides some heat, simulates the light spectrum of the sun that it needs, and also helps it to synthesize vitamin D3 for its health requirement.
Leopard Gecko Night-time Lighting
As you are probably aware, Leos are nocturnal creatures mostly, and come from a part of the world that provides a different environment that we are used to here in the States.
Night-time lamps do something similar, provide some heating and also give you the option to see your little buddy as they carry about their Night-Time activities.
Night-time lights come in three different forms: red, blue, and black lights. The idea is that they mimic moonlight for the gecko, but also serve to keep some heat coming into the tank. The most popular choice is the red light and is often left on 24 hours for ease of use. You do want one with genuine red glass which doesn;t interfere with the natural day-night cycle of your Leo.
Humidity in a Leopard Geckos tank
The Leopard Gecko tank needs different areas for the different natural needs of your pet. A humid area is essential for its health and growth. This humid area allows the gecko to manage its body temperature whenever it needs to over the course of the day. It’s also the best spot to facilitate natural skin shedding. The right moisture in the air, allows the skin to be shed without any problematic stickage.
Create a humid area by adding a hide that can be made of a coconut shell, reptile cave, or some other type of enclosed or semi-enclosed shelter with some sphagnum moss inside. This is also where Leos will invariably hang out with their mating partners.
Get a hygrometer to monitor the humidity in the tank, and try and keep the humidity within the acceptable range of 25%-40%.
What about Heating a Leopard Geckos Vivarium?
Leopard Geckos regulate their temperatures using their environment, and not from within their physiology. Because of this you have to provide something called a gradient temperature to their tank. The gradient of the tank temperature should go from between 75 degrees to 90 degrees at the other end.
So using heat pads at one end will provide this gradient as long as you have adequate ventilation.
Using heat packs (or heat mats) is a good solution, and will help the gecko go through it’s day. Geckos like to be heated from their stomach primarily as this aids digestion and is the quickest way to regulate their body temperature.
When using a heat pad please ensure that the bottom of your tank is NOT made of glass that can heat up as this can overheat your gecko and even burn its belly.
You can also use a heat lamp, which can be placed in the corner of the tank and also provide your leopard gecko a lovely basking spot for when it needs to heat up.
As heating is of paramount importance, you can invest in a dedicated tank thermometer. Depending upon whether you have chosen heat mats or heat lamps, you can place the thermometer to measure the correct area according to your needs.
Provide a water dish for your Leopard Gecko
Obviously with a lot of living creatures provision of clean drinkable water is essential. this has additional importance with a leopard gecko in its vivarium, as the water in the tank also affects the moisture content of the air that your leopard gecko has to live in.
Leopard geckos should always have access to clean water. They are thirsty creatures and you will find them often drinking throughout the day. The water dish for a leopard gecko should be flat and shallow so that they can access it easily. Please be aware that geckos cannot swim so if the water is deep, is a danger that they could drown.
Substrate for a Leopard Gecko
The substrate is what goes on the bottom of a tank, so it has to be comfortable to be walked on, laid on, and also safely handle any waste that the geckos produce.
There are different types of substrate that you can choose for your leopard gecko tank. To provide the best substrate advisable to keep the materials as natural as possible for the gecko.
Leos can accidentally ingest small items, so it is generally advised against using sand as this can cause impaction which, if you are unfamiliar with the term, is like the gecko’s version of constipation. It can be harmful and worth checking with your reptile specialist vet.
The most natural form of the substrate is to use large stones, rocks, or pieces of slate to create a habitat that mimics their natural environment and also allows for basking spots and hiding places
Leopard Gecko Tank Decoration
– Plants
There are not many plants in the natural environment of a leopard gecko, however there is nothing stopping you from making it look nice. It is advisable to invest in artificial plants as they are safe, non-toxic, and easy to clean.
Do make sure that if you invest in artificial plants, you wash them frequently and you are safe in the knowledge that they won’t die in that environment. Another bonus is that you do not have to water them which won’t affect the humidity within the tank so you win-win
– Logs and branches
It’s lovely to be able to provide climbing spots for your leopard gecko, bearing in mind that your leopard gecko isn’t the best climber. Leopard geckos don’t have the feet to climb the side of the tank so you have to provide climbing spots that have low and easy access.
So find a dead dry branch or small log to place in the tank to allow the leopard gecko to flex its climbing muscles every so often. Needless to say, when your leopard gecko is on that branch it would be a hugely Instagrammable setting for you!
– Houses and hides
And the need for the Gecko to have at least 2, preferably 3 hiding spots it gives you numerous options when it comes to pimping out the tank. There are numerous available online which allow you to have something functional but also look good like a mini White House or the Bates Motel if you are of the more macabre slant.
Roundup
So you have a list of all the essentials of you and ornaments which can make it easier on the eyes for all those that are enjoying looking at the leopard gecko in its natural environment. So using this checklist you can ensure that your leopard gecko is comfortable and in the right safe environment that it needs as well as having the best property on the block. Lucky Leo!
OwningReptiles.com does not provide veterinary advice. Our aim is to provide the reader with information to enable them to make a good decision when making a purchase or caring for their pet. All content is therefore for informational purposes only. If you’re concerned about the health of your pet you should seek medical advice from a vet.