If you are thinking of keeping a leopard gecko then you must be aware of the various requirements of it. Also, it is important that you provide it with the perfect enclosure or terrarium. This is because your pet is going to stay in that for a long time so it should have the necessary and appropriate conditions.
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Best Size of the enclosure for Leopard Gecko
In this section, we will focus on the size of the tank that you should provide your leopard gecko so that it can stay in it comfortably.
Now when you are looking for a terrarium for your Leopard gecko then you should, first of all, consider the age of the pet. This is the most important thing before anything because as per the age of your pet the measurements of the tank will vary.
If your leopard gecko is 6 inches is shorter than that then a 20-gallon tank would be sufficient. In case of a 7 inch or longer Leopard gecko, a 40-gallon tank would be required.
If your pet gets enough place to hide, both your small and large leopard geckos can be housed in a bigger sized enclosure. So, the hassle is saved and the expenses that you have to undergo to upgrade the enclosure will also be saved.
As per research, the leopard geckos can be housed in 10 or 20-gallon tank permanently. Also, by doing this you are preventing the pet from getting used to a large space. But, it is important for the pet owners to know that every inch of the area that you will provide the Leopard gecko will make use of it.
The larger and enriched enclosures will help them exercise more and make them live a healthy life. So as per our understanding, we see that the reptiles need more room to stay.
So, for this reason, you can get a bigger terrarium for your pet so that it can stay in it nicely and has about 4.5 inches of floor space. Floor space is very important. This is because they are terrestrial and will climb only sometimes and will stay on the floor maximum times.
Most of the owners try to keep their pets in a terrarium made of glass which is attractive and also helps in creating a better temperature gradient. If you are finding any trouble with the temperatures you can even make use of the wood or the PVC insulators that are very popular.
Housing Leopard Geckos Together
We would not recommend you to keep your leopard geckos at the same place or the enclosure.
This is because by doing this you might notice broken bones, severe bites and even dropped tails. This is mostly noticed in the case of the males but it can be seen in the females. No doubt makes and females should not be housed together as well.
Since the Leopard geckos do live in colonies in the wild so they may share the area with the other ones but this is only during the day when they will be asleep. As they are active during the night you will find them scattered and fighting too.
Also, according to the experts when the leopard geckos are housed together they are found active
If you are thinking of housing leopard geckos together then you should give them an enclosure of their own. Do keep in mind that they are as like humans and do want space. So do not immediately let two leopard geckos stay at one enclosure.
Furniture and Plants for Tank
The things that you will pit into the enclosure will help to make the environment more natural. More you provide the better setup, more natural behaviours you will notice of your pet. You can get good plants for your leopard gecko.
You can add things like rocks, logs and also natural living things that will excite your pet. You can add plants, that they can use for hiding areas and getting a natural feel of the place. Also, if you are thinking that you will add plants then it is necessary that you consult your vet beforehand because some might be allergic ones and may harm your pet. So to be sure consulting is better.
Temperature recommendation for the tank
The leopard geckos are ectothermic animals. This means that they do not have the heat of their own. So you do need to provide heat externally. The tank should have heat if about,80-90 degrees F and for the night about 70 degrees F. This is necessary to keep your leopard gecko healthy. To check on the temperature you can keep a thermometer.
Also, the areas inside the enclosure should have different temperatures and your pet can reside in it as per its needs. Also, a basking spit should be there which should have warm temperatures. This will ensure that your per carries out it’s basking in the appropriate temperature.
You can make use of tank heaters, heat mat, under tank heaters and lamps. Also, you can use the basking lights to maintain the hot spots.
How to use Lights for the Tank?
This is important and that too for the natural cycles of your leopard gecko. For summer days they should have 14 hours of light while in winters 12 hours of light is required.
You can use heat lamps and use top lightening system instead of simple ones as they will meet both the requirements of heat and light and will provide the proper conditions for your pet.
Cleaning the enclosure
Also, you have to maintain the enclosure. The area should be cleaned so that your pet stays healthy. So for that, you have to remove the waste and the debris, the dead insects and the skin too.
You also need to clean the water bowls and keep it with filled freshwater. Also, remove the soil substrate. You can use a disinfectant to maintain hygiene.
Conclusion
Do provide appropriate enclosure to your pet so that it can reside in it comfortably and carry out its activities. Make sure the conditions are appropriate.
