| Whether you're a mass breeder or just a hobbyist | | | | supplies about alternatives. Impaction occurs in |
| with one leopard gecko, the environment is kept | | | | reptiles when they consume something that they |
| pretty much the same. In the case of mass breeding | | | | cannot digest. I use a worm dish to avoid this from |
| more food and hiding areas are introduced into the | | | | happening, another way to avoid substrate impaction |
| reptiles environment to avoid tail nipping. | | | | is to feed leopard geckos in a separate container. |
| Heating is another very important step in the health | | | | Another benefit of feeding outside the enclosure is |
| of leopard geckos because they must | | | | your leopard gecko will not be stressed by left over |
| thermoregulate their body temperatures. I personally | | | | insects crawling all over them. Crickets are notorious |
| like under tank heaters, but you can use lights or | | | | for nipping reptiles for a water source, this can cause |
| heat rope. Pet stores sell heat rocks, but beware | | | | stress that can make your pet sick and possibly kill it. |
| that they can burn your lizard. Temperatures should | | | | Never house two males in the same enclosure |
| be kept at 72 degrees on the cool side of you | | | | because they will fight and hurt each other. Females |
| enclosure and 88 degrees on the warm side of your | | | | can be housed together but they can still kinda bully |
| enclosure. This allows your leopard gecko to | | | | each other. I prefer to keep all my leopard geckos |
| thermoregulate their body temperature by moving to | | | | separate from each other and supply them with two |
| the side that it requires. Keeping minimum | | | | hides per enclosure. One hide is kept in the cool side |
| temperatures at no less than 68 degrees and making | | | | and the other in the warm side of the enclosure. The |
| sure their are no cold air drafts. | | | | cool side is kept dry and the warm side is moistened |
| A 30 gallon fish tank is a popular enclosure for | | | | when I see that my leopard gecko is almost ready |
| leopard geckos to live in. I personally like to use | | | | to shed. A water dish is used in the cool side to |
| bamboo to make my own cages, other materials can | | | | supply fresh drinking water. Some people also put a |
| be used as long as they are safe. When making your | | | | calcium dish in the enclosure but I just ad that to the |
| own cage be sure to check for sharp edges and that | | | | food supply. You can also decorate the enclosure |
| none of the materials used are toxic. The enclosure | | | | with rocks and non toxic plants that are thornless |
| must be escape proof because like most reptiles, | | | | and survive in dry environments. Driftwood can look |
| leopard geckos are little Houdini's. | | | | nice and also supply hiding areas at the same time. |
| In my cages I use aquarium safe rocks partially | | | | Some enclosures can be very exotic and amazing |
| covered in reptile sand as my substrate, there are a | | | | looking, others can be simple and plain. When set up |
| gauntlet of other substrates available. Impaction is | | | | properly and cleaned regularly it doesn't matter to |
| one thing to consider when choosing substrate, so do | | | | the leopard gecko what it looks like it will be happy |
| not be afraid to ask at the store where you buy | | | | and healthy and that's what really matters the most. |