Q&A for How to Create a Habitat for a Leopard Gecko

You'll need a suitably sized tank, probably around 20 gallons. Then, you'll need to set up a warm side of the tank using a heat lamp, as well as a cool side of the tank. You should also fill your tank with a substrate and artificial plants and decor your gecko can explore.

Check its eyes. If they are nice and bright, your gecko is good. It they appear to be sunken in, you need to give it water or lightly mist the gecko right away.

No! Sand is deadly for nearly any reptile, as it can cause impaction. Impaction is when something causes a blockage in the digestive track of your reptile. When your gecko attacks its food, it will very likely ingest some sand as well. Over time, the sand will buildup in your gecko's system, leading to a long, slow, and painful death. Don't use calci-sand either. I know the company tells you that it is digestible, but it isn't.

Yes, always wash your hands before and after handling your gecko.

Leopard geckos will choose a spot to deposit their waste in in their tank, normally a dark corner or somewhere away from your gecko's favorite hide or spot. This is pretty convenient, as it makes it easier to clean your gecko's poo.

A forty gallon is huge for a single gecko, especially a young one, but as long as the tank is full of hiding places and not too empty, the lizard should be okay.

Yes, because if you don't have one it will be very hard to tell the temperature. This could leave the habitat too cold or too hot, possibly harming your Gecko.

Yes, as long as they both have at least 10 gallons each.

You don't need one, but geckos love them.

Yes: one cool hide, hot hide, and moist hide. But you can also have more if you wish; just don't overcrowd it with too many hides.

A gecko could survive on it but it is not the best option. You should always have a variety of foods for your gecko, crickets, mealworms, waxworms, or Dubia roaches. Keep in mind that waxworms are very high in fat so you should only give them about 3 every 3 weeks.

It is actually best not to touch your leopard gecko during shedding, but you should make sure he/she has a moist hide to go into, moist hides are very important during shedding.

Keep one hide in the cool side and another in the warm side. (You can make one side warm with a heat mat.) You should also have a humid/moist hide.

Try getting a thermostat or a rheostat. A thermostat can be used to adjust the temperature that certain heat sources will give off, while a rheostat will adjust the amount of power being sent to the heater, giving you the option to lower the power of your heater.

Just line the bottom, it's much easier.

I do not recommend it. When they get old enough to mate, your male gecko will most certainly mate with your female constantly, which will strain your female's body heavily.

Leopard geckos prefer to stay on dry land. A dish of water can be a drowning hazard. If you do put a container of water in the tank, be absolutely certain the water level in the container is not any higher than the gecko's belly.

He's probably fine, depending on the height he fell from. Check for internal bleeding; one sign is a large blotch on the belly.

Put the heat mat on one side of the terrarium. Ideally it will cover about a third of the whole terrarium.

Coconut fibre (Zoo Med Eco Earth) works well, as it's digestible. You can also use paper towels, newspaper, and reptile carpet.

Sand is a definite no. It might have been included as a general "Desert Lizard" tank, as other reptiles can utilize sand substrate, but leopard geckos have a higher risk of ingesting the sand, becoming impacted, or doing damage to their toes, which could fall off. As for the lamp, it's not necessary unless the under-tank-heater cannot maintain a high enough temperature on the hot side of the tank. Mine has problems getting to the 90-94 degrees required, so I added a ceramic lamp bulb. It helps heat, and isn't light-emitting, which would disrupt their sleep/feeding schedules.

You have to put the heat-pad under the tank. If you have it inside of your tank, your leopard gecko could get seriously burned.

it would work, but a 10 - 15 gallon is best for leos. If the 30 gallon is your only option, then it will have to work, but you could try to section part of it off.

I do not recommend using heat rocks. They can actually give leopard geckos severe burns on their bellies, as the skin there is much thinner and it is where they absorb their heat.

No.

No. Your gecko will enjoy all the room to explore. Just make sure it has room to roam and doesn't get crowded.

That is the best solid substrate. Eco Earth for at least part of the substrate would be good, as they love to dig in it.

One side needs to be warmer than the other. It’s best around 90 during the day.

Pretty much any plant that doesn't have thorns or is poisonous is fine.

Yes, they will, unless you keep them separated.