Reptile

Leopard gecko

Eublepharis macularius

🇫🇷 Gecko léopard 🇬🇧 Leopard gecko 🇩🇪 Leopardgecko

Nocturnal terrestrial lizard, docile. Starts activity at dusk.

Download advice sheet (PDF)

Overview & key figures

📜

Regulations

Not CITES-listed

ℹ️OPAn: minimum standards for nocturnal reptiles (multiple hides, heat gradient; UVB advisable). Individual housing common; keep basic records.

⏳

Lifespan

from 15 to 20years

⚖️

Adult weight

from 50 to 100g

🌙

Lifestyle

Nocturnal / Terrestrial

🌡️

Body temperature

Ectothermic

🧬

Sexual maturity

from 10 to 18months

🥚

Incubation

from 21 to 21days

ℹ️gestation

🪹

Litter / clutch size

from 2 to 2eggs

ℹ️per clutch

Habitat & environment

Type of housing

Terrarium made of glass or plexiglass (easy-to-clean, heat-retaining materials). Ventilation on each side of the terrarium is essential.

Substrate & bedding

Sandmat Exoterra®, kitchen paper, newspaper. Substrates that can be ingested (sand, soil, or those used for the humid hide) carry a risk of intestinal impaction: use only with certain precautions.

Lighting

Photoperiod : 12 h cycle

UVB

UVB need : Recommended
Lamp type : Low-intensity UVB fluorescent tube
Recommended brands : X-ReptileReptile ExpertSolar RaptorArcadia
Replacement : Every 6 months (UVB depletes before visible light)
Leopard geckos are crepuscular, so in the wild they are also exposed to UVB. However, unlike bearded dragons for example, they can absorb calcium given as a dietary supplement without UVB radiation. With regular calcium intake, UVB is therefore not considered vital compared with some other lizard species; it is nonetheless appreciated, improves calcium absorption and best reproduces the gecko's natural environment.
UVB does not pass through glass or plexiglass. Place the lamp inside the terrarium, under a protective grille. Direct sun behind a window pane is ineffective and may cause dangerous overheating.

Required equipment

✓ Several hides on the warm and cool sides
✓ Humid hide (sphagnum, vermiculite or a damp sponge) to aid shedding
✓ Shallow water dish
✓ Stones
✓ Branches

To avoid

⚠️ Heating plates
⚠️ Hot rocks
⚠️ Heat mats inside the terrarium
⚠️ Lamps too close to the animal and unprotected (risk of burns)

Technical parameters

Hot spot	30–32 °C
Cool spot	20–25 °C
Humidity	40–50 %

Nutrition

Daily base

Strictly insectivorous: no fruit, vegetables or vertebrate prey. Vary the prey, feed the insects (gut-loading) and supplement with calcium/vitamins. Match the prey size (width ≤ distance between the eyes). Roaches (Dubia, lateralis) and black soldier fly larvae offer a good Ca:P ratio.

🦗 Insects

🦗 Cricket

🪲 Roach

🦗 Locust

🐛 Silkworm

⏰ Feeding frequency

• Juveniles: 4-5× per week
• Adults: 2-3× per week

Supplements

• Organic carrot juice can help prevent vitamin A deficiency.
• Dust calcium powder onto the food 2-3× per week.
• Reptile multivitamins: 2-4 times/month.

Treats

Keep fatty prey (wax moths, meal/superworms) as occasional treats.

🪱 Mealworm Very fatty, treat only.

Behaviour & socialisation

Social life

Solitary or small groups of females. Males fight. Male/female cohabitation not advised.

Activity cycle: Nocturnal, crepuscular.

Enrichment

Hunting live insects
Multiple hideouts (warm, cool, humid)
Variety of ground textures

Health & prevention

Clinical warning signs

⚠️ Incomplete shedding (toes, eyes)

⚠️ Lethargy

⚠️ Anorexia

⚠️ Thin tail (loss of reserves)

⚠️ Tremors

⚠️ Rubber jaw

If any of these symptoms appear, prompt veterinary care is essential. Contact an exotic-pet vet as soon as possible — they can assess your animal's condition and make the appropriate diagnosis.

Common conditions

Vitamin A deficiency

Cause: Diet low in vitamin A

Symptoms: Eye problems, poor shedding, immune issues

Prevention: Organic carrot juice, vitamin supplements

Nutritional osteodystrophy

Cause: Calcium deficiency

Symptoms: Bone deformities, tremors, weakness

Prevention: Calcium supplementation

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