| When it comes to providing a home for your gecko, | | | | You can use a 40 to 60 watt bulb, and that will |
| you will have to keep some basics in mind. It needs | | | | effectively take care of both heat and light. As |
| warmth, humidity, a place to hide, and a substrate | | | | geckos are naturally nocturnal creatures, there is no |
| for the flooring. Purchase and set up your equipment | | | | need to invest in any special lamp, such as UVB |
| before you acquire your leopard gecko. While they | | | | lighting. You may also wish to provide an under tank |
| are fairly hardy, it's not a good idea to leave them | | | | heat mat for your geckos, which will allow them to |
| sitting and waiting in their carrying boxes while you | | | | bask and receive that heat directly into their bellies. |
| scurry to get their homes in order. When it comes to | | | | Be careful about the substrate you choose. Avoid |
| the enclosure itself, your best choice is a glass | | | | aquarium gravel, walnut shells or calcium sand to |
| aquarium, readily available at any pet store or, | | | | prevent impaction. When a leopard gecko eats the |
| possibly, from garage sales or flea markets. Glass | | | | substrate and it becomes impacted in its gut, it |
| allows you to easily observe your pet, which is a | | | | blocks digestion and will result in a very costly trip to |
| must in order to catch any early signs of problems. | | | | the veterinarian. Newspaper, paper towels, slate or |
| A pair can live comfortably in a ten gallon tank, but | | | | tiles will make fine substrate. |
| bigger is always better. Crowding your geckos will | | | | Lastly, provide your gecko with somewhere to hide |
| only cause stress, health issues and territorial fights. | | | | to make him feel more secure. Inverted plant |
| Arrange your tank so that the temperature is 88 to | | | | saucers, plants or wood will all suffice for this, and be |
| 90 degrees Fahrenheit on one side, using heat lamps | | | | sure to put something on both the warm and cool |
| to get to that level if necessary, and arrange the | | | | sides of the tank. To help your gecko shed properly, |
| other side to remain down in the mid 70s. It's | | | | add in moist peat moss, sphagnum moss or paper |
| important to allow the animal a temperature gradient, | | | | towels to keep the humidity level just right. |
| as that will let it regulate its own body temperature. | | | | |