Eublepharis macularius
Leopard Gecko
Leopard geckos are calm, long-lived and among the simplest reptiles to house correctly, making them the classic first lizard.
EublepharidaeLifespan 15–20 yearsCare complexity 2/5Suitable for beginners
At a glance
- Scientific name
- Eublepharis macularius
- Family
- Eublepharidae
- Origin
- Rocky dry grasslands of Afghanistan, Pakistan and India
- Lifespan
- 15–20 years
- Adult size
- 20–27 cm
- Weight
- 50–80 g
- Temperament
- Docile, slow-moving and easy to handle
- Activity level
- Crepuscular; quiet by day
- Social needs
- Solitary; males must never be housed together
- Intelligence
- Learns feeding routines and recognises its keeper
- Noise
- Occasional chirps and squeaks
Housing and environment
- Housing
- Minimum 90 x 45 x 45 cm with three hides across the temperature gradient
- Space requirement
- Floor space with low climbing features
- Temperature
- Warm hide 30–32°C, ambient 24–26°C, cool end 22°C
- Humidity
- 30–40%, with a humid hide at 70–80%
- Exercise
- Enrichment through climbing rocks and foraging for live insects
- Grooming
- Provide a humid hide for clean shedding, especially around the toes
Diet and feeding
Live insects only: crickets, dubia roaches, mealworms, dusted with calcium and vitamin D3
Behaviour and compatibility
Tail waving, tail dropping under threat, licking surfaces to explore
- With children
- A good supervised family reptile
- With other animals
- House alone
- Training difficulty
- Low
Health
- Metabolic bone disease
- Retained shed causing toe loss
- Impaction
- Cryptosporidiosis
- Egg binding
Reptile vet needed; supplement dusting schedules must be followed exactly
Special care requirements
A dropped tail regrows in a different, blunter shape — avoid ever grabbing the tail