Eublepharis macularius
Leopard Gecko
Leopard geckos are calm, long-lived and among the simplest reptiles to house correctly, making them the classic first lizard.
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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
Life stages and changing needs
Expanded care guidance · Updated 7 October 2026 · Not professionally reviewed
Young animals and settling in
Young geckos grow through frequent shedding and need appropriately sized prey, suitable calcium provision and access to both secure hides and thermal choices. Choose an independently feeding animal and obtain its existing husbandry records. Diet and supplementation depend on lighting and growth, so a juvenile should not simply receive a larger version of an adult’s occasional meal.
Adult care and reproductive changes
Adults need room to walk and explore with hides across the thermal gradient. House individually to avoid competition, biting and unwanted breeding. Females can produce eggs without a male and may need a veterinary assessment if their condition changes. A fat tail is a storage organ, not a reason to pursue maximum tail size through overfeeding.
Later life and changing needs
Older geckos may need easier routes and lower climbing features, but still require appropriate heat, light and retreat choices. Track body and tail condition with dated weights. A new wobble, difficulty catching food or a thinning tail is a health signal. Do not diagnose ageing, brumation or vitamin deficiency from appearance alone.
Diet and feeding
Live insects only: crickets, dubia roaches, mealworms, dusted with calcium and vitamin D3
Offer a variety of appropriately sized, responsibly sourced feeder insects. Gut-load them with a suitable nutritious diet before feeding and use a species-appropriate calcium and vitamin plan. Mealworms alone do not represent ideal dietary variety; wild insects may contain pesticides. These geckos are insectivores, not animals to feed fruit, vegetables or mammal meat as staples.
Observe feeding and remove uneaten live insects that could bite or disturb the gecko. Feeding frequency depends on size, condition and reproductive state. Review weight trends instead of treating every attempt to hunt as hunger. Consult a reptile vet if swallowing becomes difficult, the mouth changes or food refusal occurs alongside weight loss.
Daily care and ongoing checks
Every day
Check the thermostat and independent temperature measurements, refresh drinking water and inspect all hides daily. Provide an appropriate moist retreat for shedding without making the whole enclosure wet. Use safe substrate and feeding arrangements assessed for the individual. An unregulated heat mat or heat rock can injure a gecko even when the room feels cool.
Regular maintenance and prevention
Inspect toes, eyes and the tail tip after sheds; constricting skin needs prompt attention, not pulling. Clean soiled areas and dishes, and check the enclosure for loose equipment. Never lift the gecko by the tail. Wash hands after care and arrange baseline veterinary advice, including parasite testing when indicated, before illness develops.
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
Shed checks and individual feeding
Leopard geckos need a moist hide for shedding alongside dry retreats and a measured thermal gradient. Pay special attention to shed retained around toes and the tail tip, where it can constrict circulation. Do not keep soaking the entire habitat or pull skin away; seek help when an animal cannot shed normally.
The tail stores energy, so its condition helps reveal nutritional change, but an enlarged tail is not the sole definition of health. Offer varied, appropriately prepared insects and monitor body weight. Obesity, egg production, parasites and unsuitable temperatures can all affect feeding; one universal weekly ration cannot fit every animal.
Before you take one on
Sources and further guidance
These welfare and veterinary resources inform general husbandry advice; they do not certify this profile or replace a species-experienced professional. Confirm exact environmental settings and feeding plans for your animal.
Quick answers
- How long do leopard geckos live?
- Leopard geckos commonly live 10–20 years in captivity with correct care. They need a warm basking area around 30–32 °C, a cooler end, hiding places and calcium-dusted insects. RSPCA leopard gecko care
Can your home meet leopard gecko needs?
- Plan for a lifespan of 15–20 years, including holiday cover and, where one is available, a vet familiar with this species. Lifespan ranges are not guarantees.
- Arrange the social setting before arrival. Social guidance for this species: Solitary; males must never be housed together. Do not assume another animal of any species is a suitable companion.
- Habitat priority for this species: Floor space with low climbing features. Make sure your setup can provide this consistently. Measure temperatures and humidity with thermometers and a hygrometer rather than guessing.
- Key care point: A dropped tail regrows in a different, blunter shape — avoid ever grabbing the tail. Discuss diet and any specialist needs with the supplier, rescue and a vet who treats this species, and check local legal requirements before acquiring an animal.
Educational reference, not an individual diagnosis or a verified professional review. Read our editorial policy.
Guidance libraries and further reading
These organisations publish relevant guidance. Their links are further reading, not evidence that they have reviewed this page.