Key Takeaway:
- The perfect tank setup should mimic the natural habitat of a leopard gecko in terms of temperature, humidity, and substrate.
- Maintain temperatures of 90 to 95 degrees Fahrenheit in the basking area and 75 to 80 degrees Fahrenheit in the cooling spot. Nighttime temperatures should be between 67 to 74 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Leopard geckos are well adapted to living in semi-arid conditions, meaning you should provide them with low humidity (30% to 40%).
- Leopard geckos may need light during the day to establish and maintain their circadian rhythm. Low-level light is preferred to protect the gecko’s eyes. All lights must be switched off at night to avoid disrupting the day/night cycle.
- The perfect substrate for leopard geckos should be non-toxic, easy to clean, poor at retaining moisture, and digestible if accidentally ingested.
- To set up a leopard gecko enclosure, you need a glass tank, substrate, plants, hides, rocks, logs, heat mat, heat lamps, backdrop, thermometers, hygrometer, food and water dish, and mister.
- Adding a 3D background, live plants, bioactive substrate, isopods, rocks, logs, and hides make the tank look realistic.
Assuming you’ve decided to keep a leopard gecko, you need to make the right preparations.
To start with, you must create the perfect home for your new-to-be pet. Your leopard gecko should have a cozy place to interact with and live for the rest of its life.
That said, we’ve decided to take you through the process of creating the perfect leopard gecko habitat.
We hope this guide will help you create a nice habitat for your pet leopard gecko.
Leopard Gecko Habitat in The Wild Overview
Knowing how leopard geckos live in the wild can help you create the perfect habitat. Ideally, you want the leopard gecko setup to look similar to its natural habitat.
In the wild, leopard geckos live in semi-arid conditions! These lizards are common in rocky dry grasslands and desert regions of Nepal, India, Pakistan, Afghanistan & Iran.
Therefore, as you build your tank, you must replicate the environment of a dry grassland. These regions have the following characteristics:
- Low humidity
- Warmth
- Hides
- Rocks
- Plants
- Dry substrate
If you can provide the conditions we’ve mentioned, the habitat will be ideal for your leopard gecko to live in. Remember, that the setup will influence your gecko’s health, mood, safety, and comfort.
Leopard Gecko Enclosure & Habitat Requirements
Leopard geckos are not as demanding as most lizard pets. However, you must ensure, that your pet leopard gecko lives in comfortable conditions.
Let’s take a look at the habitat requirements of a leopard gecko as it should give you an idea of how to set up your vivarium.
Heating and Temperature
Leopard geckos need a temperature gradient in their habitat. Therefore, you have to create a basking spot with a temperature range of 90-95 degrees Fahrenheit. This spot should be the warmest part of the tank.
The gradient should also have a cool side to help the gecko regulate its temperatures. This part should have a temperature range of 75 to 80 degrees Fahrenheit.
At night, leopard geckos thrive in a temperature range of 67 to 74 degrees Fahrenheit.
So, as you heat your leopard gecko’s tank, ensure you stick to the temperature ranges we’ve mentioned.
The temperatures shouldn’t be too hot or too cold as that might affect the gecko’s metabolism and health.
Lighting
Leopard geckos are crepuscular animals, meaning they are most active during dusk and dawn.
These lizards should carry out their normal activities with the little light that enters their tanks.
However, that doesn’t mean that light is unnecessary. Leopard geckos need daylight to keep their circadian rhythm in check. Besides, the live plants in the setup need light to grow and thrive.
If you must use artificial lighting in a leopard gecko’s enclosure, ensure it is low-powered. Strong, bright lights can hurt your gecko’s eyes and cause immense stress.
Leopard geckos will only need lighting during the day. Once nighttime reaches, you should switch off the lights.
Leaving the lights on at night can interrupt the already-established circadian rhythm. However, some people add red bulbs in the enclosure to help them view what their geckos are up to at night.
Turning on red or black bulbs for some minutes shouldn’t harm the gecko.
Humidity
Leopard geckos live in semi-arid conditions, meaning they don’t need too much humidity. These geckos have adapted to living in low-humidity conditions.
You must replicate the same conditions in your tank setup. In captivity, leopard geckos should be fine with humidity levels of 30% to 40%.
If humidity levels exceed 50% your leopard gecko might experience respiratory infections. Besides, excess humidity can cause bacteria growth and skin infections on the gecko.
Nonetheless, leopard geckos need humid hides to help them shed. Your enclosure should have two moist hides that your gecko can retreat to when shedding.
Apart from humidity, you must provide your leopard geckos with fresh water to help them hydrate. Ensure that you have a water dish in the enclosure filled with fresh water.
Substrate
A leopard gecko enclosure is not complete without a substrate. A substrate provides a comfortable flooring for geckos to live and walk on.
The market has so many substrates to choose from. However, you must be careful when selecting a substrate because some options may hurt your leopard gecko.
If you are not sure about the substrate, use paper towels or unprinted papers until you figure things out.
The substrate you use shouldn’t hold too much moisture as it might increase the enclosure’s humidity levels.
Besides, the substrate should be non-toxic, easy to clean, and digestible in case the gecko accidentally ingests it.
To replicate the natural environment of a leopard gecko, you can opt for a bio-active substrate. This type of substrate is low-maintenance and allows leopard geckos to dig.
Size
Leopard geckos need space to move around and explore. Therefore, you must purchase a tank that’s large enough to accommodate a leopard gecko and the necessary supplies.
Tank size will differ depending on the age or size of your gecko. For instance, baby leopard geckos should be fine in 10-gallon tanks while adults need a minimum space of 40 gallons.
You can house your pet leopard gecko in any tank size as long as you maintain the right temperatures and humidity. I
t’s also acceptable to house babies and juveniles in large tanks instead of purchasing new tanks every time a gecko outgrows it.
Type
You can house your leopard gecko in a vivarium of your choice. However, most keepers prefer to house their pet leopard geckos in plastic and glass enclosures.
These enclosures are popular because they allow people to display their pets. Besides, you can easily monitor your leopard gecko from plastic and glass tanks.
You may also use a wooden vivarium that has a glass display. Wooden tanks are pretty good at holding heat and maintaining low humidity levels.
Plastic enclosures are good but you have to be careful when using them with heat mats or heat pads. Sometimes, heat mats may overheat and melt the plastic container.
Ventilation
Leopard geckos need air circulation in their terrariums. Therefore, you can’t just seal them in a glass tank and expect them to be fine.
For air to circulate in the tank, you must provide adequate ventilation. Covering your leopard gecko’s terrarium with a mesh lid is the best way to ventilate the tank. Alternatively, you can install a USB fan to help circulate the air.
With adequate ventilation, you’ll have an easy time keeping humidity levels at the required range.
Isopods
Isopods are a must-have if you want a bioactive enclosure. Isopods act as the cleaning crew in the enclosure.
They’ll be responsible for breaking down the leopard gecko’s waste, meaning you don’t need to clean or replace the substrate frequently.
You must have a substrate that supports bioactivity before introducing isopods into the enclosure. The ideal substrate should be a mixture of sand, clay, and soil.
Leopard Gecko Tank Setup
Now that you already know what a leopard gecko needs, you can proceed to set the tank up. A complete tank setup should include the following supplies:
Plants
As much as leopard geckos live in semi-arid conditions, they could still do with plants in their enclosure.
Besides, the areas that leopard geckos live in have different kinds of plants. You can either use live or fake plants in your terrarium.
Live plants should make your setup look beautiful. However, you need to choose the plants wisely because they raise the humidity in the tank.
But to be safe, you should use artificial plants because they don’t increase humidity or produce toxins that can harm your gecko.
Rocks & Bogs
Apart from having a good substrate in the tank, you’ll also need to add some rocks to make the tank look realistic.
Rocks are an essential decoration element. Besides, rocks and logs make good climbing spots.
Leopard geckos love to climb rocks and bogs when they come out from their hides. So, with rocks and bogs in the enclosure, your leopard gecko won’t get bored when they come out at night.
Sanitize your bogs and rocks before you bring them into the terrarium. Doing so should kill any parasites hiding in the crevices.
Hides
Leopard geckos also value privacy especially when they are sleeping or shedding. Therefore, you must provide enough hides in the terrarium. Your leopard gecko will retreat to their hides when they feel insecure.
You should have one hide in the warm spot and another one in the cool side. This way, your leopard gecko should regulate its body temperature as it wishes.
You’ll also need a moist hide that can help your leopard gecko shed seamlessly. A moist hide is a normal hideaway with a substrate that can retain moisture well. You can use sphagnum moss, wet paper towels, or coconut fiber in the hide.
Background
Glass enclosures need a naturalistic backdrop to make them more attractive. Besides, the background helps the leopard gecko feel more secure in the tank. 3D terrarium backgrounds make the tank look realistic.
Ensure you choose a background that has color and texture that mimics a desert environment. A rock terrarium background is suitable for leopard geckos.
Installing a background requires you to attach it to the wall using some screws or silicone depending on what the enclosure is made out of.
Food And Water Dish
Your leopard gecko will also need designated spots for quenching their thirst and feeding. Therefore, you must add a water dish to the enclosure and fill it with fresh water.
You also need to add a dish specifically for food. This dish should hold mealworms, roaches, or whichever insects you feed your gecko.
Thermometer
A thermometer is crucial for monitoring how hot or cold your tank is. Remember, you must maintain a certain thermal gradient in the tank. To do so, you must have thermometers and thermostats
For precise temperature measurements, you should use a digital thermometer. A good thermometer should have an easy-to-read screen and a waterproof temperature probe. Remember you need a thermometer on the warm side and cool side.
Hygrometer
Leopard geckos thrive in humidity levels of 30 and 40%. Therefore, you must keep track of the tank’s humidity levels.
To do so, you need a good hygrometer. The hygrometer should measure the moisture content in the tank so that you can make the necessary adjustments.
Mister/Fogger
A mister or fogger is only necessary when you want to increase the tank’s humidity. You’ll rarely need a fogger because leopard geckos don’t need a lot of humidity.
You should only mist the tank once or twice a week. Other than that, you should only mist the tank when the gecko is about to shed.
Heat lamps
Leopard geckos need heat to keep their metabolism up and digest food. And while these creatures get their heat from the heat mat, you still need to install heat lamps to keep the air warm.
The heat lamp helps create a nice spot for your leopard gecko to bask and rest after eating. Remember, the heat lamp should be placed directly above the tank and it should be on the warm side of the enclosure.
Basking spots
Leopard geckos love to bask. Therefore, you must provide them with comfortable basking spots in the terrarium.
An ideal basking spot should have a nice rock for the gecko to rest as its body absorbs heat from the heat lamp.
Remember that the basking spot should be the warmest place in a leopard gecko enclosure.
How To Setup A Leopard Gecko’s Tank
Setting up a leopard gecko tank shouldn’t be a tough nut to crack. As long as you have the necessary accessories and supplies, you should be fine. Here is a quick breakdown on how to set up a leopard gecko tank:
- Acquire a spacious glass tank
- Set up the heating mat on the bottom side of the tank. (the mat should only cover half of the tank’s bottom)
- Install the 3D backdrop and secure it with silicone or nails
- Place the substrate in the tank and ensure it’s sufficient to allow burrowing
- Place your rocks, logs, plants, and hides in the right spots
- Get the tank ready with the rest of the supplies (thermometer, hygrometer, & thermostat)
- Place your preferred heat lamp and light bulb directly above the tank.
- Test the temperature and humidity levels for a day or two before bringing the leopard gecko inside the tank.
Setting up a leopard gecko’s tank requires some creativity. However, you can source ideas from Google, Pinterest, Reddit, Facebook and Instagram.
How To Make a Leopard’s Gecko Habitat Realistic
If you want to keep your leopard gecko as a display pet, you have to make its habitat realistic.
A realistic habitat should make your leopard gecko feel secure and comfortable. Moreover, realistic habitats are quite appealing to the eye. But how do you make a gecko habitat feel realistic?
Well, a realistic habitat should have the following accessories:
- A 3D backdrop – a background makes a terrarium look real and beautiful. You only need to choose one that resembles a desert or semi-arid environment.
- Plants – A realistic habitat should have plants. It’s up to you to choose between artificial and live plants. Just ensure to use plants that grow in arid areas so that the tank looks natural.
- Rocks – Leopard gecko habitats look more natural with some medium-sized rocks or slates. Therefore, you can pick some nice-looking rocks and place them in the enclosure.
- Bioactive Substrate – To create a realistic leopard gecko habitat, you must use a bioactive substrate instead of paper towels or sand mats. Bioactive substrates will make the tank look more natural.
- Logs – Dry logs are also great at adding texture to the enclosure. Therefore, it’s good to have a couple of dry logs lying around in the enclosure.
- Isopods – introducing isopods to clean up after the leopard gecko will give the tank a natural and realistic touch.
Summary
Setting up a leopard gecko tank should be an exciting experience for both beginners and experts.
You only need to know a leopard gecko’s requirements to get the setup right. If you can create a setup that mimics the environment of a semi-arid grassland, the better.
Keep in mind that your leopard gecko will live and interact with the same enclosure every day.
So, as you set up the tank, ensure it’s as comfortable as possible. This way, you don’t have to keep tweaking things every week or day.
