How To Set Up A 10 Gallon Leopard Gecko Tank

Go your gecko gear here!  Nosotros'll help you lot find everything you demand for your leopard gecko habitat setup.

Before you bring you new pal home, you'll need a few things to firm your gecko and go on it healthy and happy.  Peradventure your baby gecko is outgrowing its tank, or you want some ideas to upgrade.  Wherever you're at in your leopard gecko journeying,  nosotros've got it covered. If you're looking for ideas regarding enclosures, heating, lighting, feeding, etc.. yous may discover the chapter links below useful.

Nosotros've compiled a list of the essentials, and have already done the shopping for yous.

*We're an affiliate – nosotros may earn a commission through qualifying purchases from the links on this folio. As always, thanks!*

Leopard Gecko Habitats, Tanks, & Enclosures

The commencement affair yous'll need is the habitat itself.  These can exist referred to equally habitats, tanks, cages, enclosures, or vivariums. Since Leopard geckos are fairly pocket-sized, their enclosures and tanks tin be smaller than other reptile choices.  You'll want at least a 10 gallon tank for a single leopard gecko, and at least xv gallons for a breeding pair (though 20 gallons is preferable.)  You could consider a 20 gallon enclosure if you have the infinite or are planning to house several geckos together.

There are a number of factors to consider when choosing a domicile for your leopard gecko. Keep the following points in mind when making your pick:

• Escape Proof
  • Your enclosure should be escape proof.  This is for your gecko's protection.  A glass enclosure is a good choice.
  • Wire or mesh would not make a suitable enclosure; in add-on to providing holes where the leopard may get loose or stuck, it will not allow you to control the temperature or surroundings.
• Controlled Environment
  • You want to create a healthy surroundings for your leopard gecko.  You should be able to command the temperature, lighting, and humidity inside the enclosure.  You lot'll learn more nearly how to practice this in the sections below.
• Let for ample space for the fauna to deport naturally
  • Your pet shouldn't be cramped.  You want to pattern an enclosure that allows your pet plenty space to be agile.  Leopard geckos  are non avid climbers and don't need excess elevation.

Here are some simple tanks to start with:

Aquarium Tanks

A simple aquarium tank can work well for a leopard gecko. If yous accept the option to buy a long tank, this is preferable. You gecko won't climb high and will appreciate the extra infinite to move effectually on the ground.

10 Gallon
20 Gallon

Tank Lids

Make certain you have a lid that properly fits your enclosure . Since your leopard gecko cannot climb the glass, in that location is footling run a risk or your gecko climbing out of the tank. Tanks should be covered not only to prevent the gecko from getting out, merely information technology volition keep other animals (or curious kids) from getting in easily. Lids also give something for the lighting fixture to sit on.

Reptile Enclosures

At that place are enclosures especially designed for reptiles . Most of these accept doors in the front end instead of opening from the meridian. Since virtually predators would approach a leopard gecko from above, side opening tanks may keep your pet more at ease.

Leopard Gecko Heating

Once you lot have your enclosure picked out, you'll want to make sure it'due south warm enough for your gecko.  Leopard geckos, like all reptiles, are cold blooded.  This ways their body temperature is dependent upon the temperature of their environment, and makes heating a critical office of your leopard gecko habitat setup.

One side of the enclosure should be warmer than the other and then your lizard tin ameliorate regulate its temperature. The warm side of your enclosure ambient temperature of almost ninety °F (32 °C), while the cool side should exist virtually 80 °F (27 °C).

Here are some options for heating:

Under Tank Heaters

Leopard geckos absorb almost of their heat through their bellies, so an nether tank heater or heat mat makes a groovy choice.

Oestrus Lamps

Lights produce estrus and can keep your gecko'due south habitat warm while providing light. You'll need a light fixture , too as bulbs .

Heat Rocks

Rut rocks are not recommended for leopard geckos. They provide localized, uneven heat, and could requite your leopard gecko serious burns. Please practise not use a heat rock.

Thermometer

How practice you know if information technology's warm enough, but not too hot?  You'll want a thermometer to check and monitor the temperature.

A simple digital thermometer like the one hither has a suction loving cup display with a probe that you can place in the tank. They are besides bachelor in a double pack, and then you tin easily take one probe at the warm side and cool side of the enclosure.

Infrared thermometers are as well handy for spot checking specific places or surfaces within the enclosure.

Leopard Gecko Lighting

Now it's time to accept a look at lighting. Since leopard geckos are most active at nighttime, y'all don't demand UV or basking lights every bit you would with reptiles similar iguanas or bearded dragons.

Leopard geckos do not bask in the sun to absorb heat, and instead, absorb most of the oestrus through their bellies.  Lighting for a leopard gecko is largely aesthetic. You'll demand a light fixture , as well equally bulbs .

Yous should however replicate a natural twenty-four hour period and dark cycle, aiming for 14 hours of daylight during summer months, gradually moving to 12 hours of daylight during winter.

Fixtures and Bulbs

Y'all can do just fine with a regular seedling to simulate a day/night wheel.

A red lite designed for nocturnal reptiles could too be used to aid maintain temperature, equally well every bit permit you to see into the enclosure at night while your gecko is most active.

Timers

Using a timer for your lights is a skillful idea to simulate a natural day/night bicycle for your leopard gecko.  A simple outlet or Christmas lite timer will exercise the trick.

Smart Plugs

You could also use a Smart Plug instead of a timer.  Nigh smart plugs tin exist automated to turn on/off dynamically at sunset and sunrise, or you could command the lights from your smart phone.  Smart plugs are available from a number of companies, though have similar features and practise the same thing: permit control over what is plugged into information technology, in this case, your gecko's lighting.

Leopard Gecko Accessories

We've got the basics down.  At present it'southward fourth dimension for creature comforts.

Leopard Gecko Hides

Your leopard gecko will need at to the lowest degree two places to hide ; 1 on the warm side, and one on the absurd side.  You lot may want to include a third "moist hide" to help during shedding.

Food and Water Bowls

You'll demand a bowl for h2o. Occasionally, your leopard gecko may want to sit in the h2o bowl, so it is nice to have a basin large enough for it to fit in. The bowl should be shallow enough and then your gecko is not in danger of drowning.

In add-on, you'll want a bowl to contain mealworms, waxworms, etc. and then they are not itch around the tank.

Check this link for the all-time prices on bowls for your leopard gecko. This is a popular food bowl from Amazon that has a lip which prevents insects from escaping and comes in several sizes.

Finish your enclosure off with some décor.  Some enclosures wait great with a few rocks or faux plants .

Basking surface area

Leopard geckos practise not bask in the sun like many reptiles.  Still, they may relish having a flat smooth rock to climb or sit down on.  I like to put this on the 'hot' side of the tank above the under the tank estrus mat so the rock will absorb and hold some of the heat.

Y'all can find fake "rocks" along with other tank decor, though for our leopard gecko habitat setup, we just constitute a nice sized flat rock in the backyard that was perfect.

Ready to become Enclosure Kits

If y'all want the whole kit in a box, you lot could try something like this starter kit: Exo Terra Leopard Gecko Starter Kit

Related Mail: At present that y'all've got everything your leopard gecko needs in its habitat, check out some fun leopard gecko accessories to level upwards your set up.

Leopard Gecko Food

You tin can find nearly annihilation on the internet and have it delivered to your door. Would you believe you can order alive crickets and live mealworms online? Dubia Roaches and Waxworms can also be purchased online if you want more multifariousness in your leopard gecko's diet.

Fifty-fifty though you tin detect and purchase live feeder insects online, they will probably be a bit cheaper in your local pet shop.

I've got everything I demand for the habitat setup, where tin can I buy a leopard gecko?

Glad you asked! If you're looking for a "normal" leopard gecko similar the guy at the pinnacle of this page, yous tin find them at most pet shops that carry reptiles.

If y'all're looking for something a bit more exotic, cheque out some of the leopard gecko breeds over at CB Reptile (affiliate link to cbreptile.com.) They have a wide array of captive bred leopard geckos with differing patterns and colors. They also have other reptiles, supplies, and accessories bachelor.

---

Well-nigh the Author: H. Evan Miller is the founder of the Leopard Gecko Habitat. Like many young boys, he developed an early on fascination with dinosaurs, and by extension, reptiles. He's been keeping reptiles equally pets since he was a kid (we won't count the decades) and enjoys sharing his enthusiasm, experience, and cognition on the topic.

Y'all can read more about his ongoing adventures with science, engineering, and a couple of curious kids over at STEMtropolis.com.

How To Set Up A 10 Gallon Leopard Gecko Tank,

Source: https://leopardgeckohabitat.com/leopard-gecko-habitat-setup-and-gear/

Posted by: phillipsthenselp.blogspot.com

Share this post