Q&A for How to Clean a Leopard Geckos Tank

I recommend you do a spot clean every couple of days, and a deep clean every 2 months.

You should remove the sand and replace it with reptile carpet. Sand can cause impaction, which can cause death.

Run it under hot water, and scrub it with a sponge until clean. Then let it air-dry for half an hour.

You should be sure to keep anything with chemicals away from lizards, because they do like to lick things. If you use something like Clorox wipes, make sure to rinse the tank thoroughly before putting the gecko back in.

Not if you make sure your hands are clean before and after handling it.

There is no legal age to own a leopard gecko, even a little kid could have a leopard gecko as long as he/she is ready for the responsibility. Children have to remember that leopard geckos are not objects, they are living creatures and should be treated as such. But they are also one of the sweetest and easiest lizards to care for!

You probably want to give it a wash. You won't need to use anything extensive for a new tank, but it's helpful to clean it so there is no chance of germs that could get your gecko sick.

You can use a tissue or sponge.

Personally, I typically tend to clean out the tank when a few the lizard's droppings are present. You might not have to do a full tank clean and just clean up the droppings. Since leopard geckos tend to go in the same area, they need the area clean or else they won't have any space to use the bathroom. It's helpful to just clean out the whole thing whenever there are droppings present.

Once a month. Every six months, use eco earth and never use bioactive substrates.

Wearing gloves, you can pick her up by the base of her tail, or scoop her up with both hands. Do not pick her up solely by her ribs. They snap easily.

Yes, but you can also purchase reptile carpet.

This is not a big problem but it can make the enclosure look messy. If the mess is from the dusted insects, consider getting a food dish. If the mess is from the calcium dish inside the enclosure, try making it so there is only a small hole so the leopard gecko can only get her face in there.

You could make a bleach solution to spray on an empty tank or decorations by mixing 1 part bleach and 16 parts water. Let it sit for a few minutes and then wash thoroughly with clean water.

If you rinse it out thoroughly and make sure there are no bubbles left over, it should be fine.

Whatever morph is the cutest really depends on personal preferences. Some of the more expensive morphs that people really like, such as Melanistics, Tremper albinos, and super giants, go for upwards of $1000.

I would put the gecko into a small plastic bin instead of someone else holding him/her. It's safe to have someone else hold the gecko, but it is much easier to have a little bin to put him/her in.

No, they need separate enclosures. Crickets left in the tank with the gecko will often start biting the gecko.

Many people bake wood to sterilize it before adding it to the enclosure. This isn’t entirely necessary. Long term you don’t really need to clean it, only if they poop on it.

You can spot clean it (removing poop and the substrate around it), or fully change the bedding. However, coconut fibre is not a great substrate. It tends to be dusty when dry and can be hard on their joints. A soil/playsand or soil/sand/clay mix would be better.

Try adding an elevated (higher) piece of decor, such as a ledge or branch. Geckos tend to poop in the highest part of their enclosure, and it’ll also give them more climbing enrichment.

It’s not, bioactive substrates are great! They provide beneficial digging enrichment and only need minimal cleaning.

Once a week is good for spot cleaning (removing poop and urates), but deep cleans don’t need to be that often.

If they’re still in the process of shedding, don’t help them, let them do it on their own (with the help of a humid hide). If they’re done shedding and have stuck shed (especially on their toes), give them a shallow bath. You can help rub off excess skin, just make sure the skin is moist before you remove it.