Leopard Geckos are one of the most popular species of geckos because they make such excellent pets. Hundreds of thousands are bred commercially in the United States each year. Leopard Geckos are easy to find, just as easy to care for and the emotional rewards are endless. Leopard geckos come in a huge variety of color morphs, from albino to tremper albino. They also stay relatively small. Hatchlings are usually 1"-3" and adult females can reach 8"-10". Rare adult males have reached lengths of 12".

When choosing a leopard gecko take your time, find one that suits you. With proper care, your leopard geckos will probably outlive the family dog. Be sure you understand how to care for a leopard gecko before you get one.

Natural Habitat: Leopard geckos in the wild are found primarily within Pakistan but they can also be found in Afghanistan and southern parts of India. Their environment is very hot and arid; the terrain is usually a desert and/or clay-like surface. During the day, they hide in cracks, caves and crevices to sleep and keep cooler. Once the sun has gone down they come out to hunt.

Life Expectancy: Leopard geckos, like most other reptiles, can live 15-20 years under the best conditions. Breeding consistently every year can lower a leopard gecko's life expectancy.

Housing: So long as the temperature meets the requirements, leopard geckos can be kept in anything that has enough ventilation and will not allow the leopard geckos escape routes. An adult leopard gecko needs 10 square inches of space. An adult male and a trio of female leopard geckos can easily be housed in a 10-gallon tank, 20"x10"x12". Two males should never be kept in an enclosure together; they could end up fighting over territory. You should also take care not to house too many young geckos together because they have ravenous appetites and could decide their cagemates look like good eating if they're hungry.

Substrate: Leopard geckos require a substrate that won't hold humidity because they are native to an arid environment. If you're trying to setup a more natural looking environment for your geckos, try using sifted and washed play-sand. Of course, as with most arid-dwelling lizards, sand is dangerous for younger geckos due to the high risk of impaction. If you're trying to cut costs and you want to make things simple or if you're housing babies, paper towels or newspaper is the way to go. It's cheap and relatively easy to clean. Of course, this is not the final say in caging substrate. Substrate is always a huge debate. So long as the substrate you use doesn't have chemicals and stays relatively dry, you should be fine.

Hidebox: A hidebox, filled with moist potting soil, is a requirement for the habitat of a Leopard Gecko. The hidebox can be as simple as a 6" Gladware bowl with a hole cut in the top of the lid to serve as an entrance. Geckos need a moist hidebox for several different reasons. The first reason is that it helps them shed. If the cage is too dry the leopard will not shed properly. That can lead to complications and health problems. Secondly, it will provide a great hiding spot for the gecko to escape to if he feels stressed out. That is the reason it is called a hidebox.

Water Dish/Food Dish: Leopard geckos require a shallow dish or bowl that won't tip over easily. You can use something like a jar lid or you could get as complicated as a hollow water dish that serves as a secondary hiding spot

Heating Requirements: The leopard geckos' hidebox should be kept at a temperature of 88-90° Fahrenheit and the other side of the cage should be about 5-10° cooler. You can reach the required temperatures by placing an under-tank heater (a UTH) on the side of the cage. However, because a UTH can raise temperatures too much, you should purchase a thermostat or rheostat to control the temperature.

Lighting Requirements: Leopard geckos do not require Ultra-Violet rays because they receive benefits through their diet. In addition, because they are nocturnal and hide during the day, they don't normally see the sun.

Diet: It is imperative that young geckos eat a healthy diet. Their long-term health is dependent upon their diet within their first year. Young leopard geckos should be fed five to ten appropriately sized food items every day. The food items should be no larger than the width of the reptiles mouth. This holds true in young and old Leopard Geckos. Adult leopard geckos do not eat as much and should be fed two to three times a week. Throw in about 30 crickets and remove any that are uneaten the next day. Crickets or mealworms should form the bulk of the Leopard Gecko's diet.

In addition to the live insects, leopard geckos should also be provided with a calcium supplement. You can gut-load crickets 24-48 hours prior to feeding them to your leopard geckos. Take your crickets and put them in a rubbermaid container and then feed them either chicken feed or cricket food. You can also provide Repti-cal in a dish within the enclosure. The geckos will lick it up when they need calcium. Without a calcium supplement your leopard gecko can quickly develop deformities