If you’re looking to get a leopard gecko as a pet, then this article is for you!
We’ve done our best to give you as much information about having a leopard gecko as a pet as well as some of the things you should keep in mind. If you have any questions while reading this article, leave a comment and we’ll see if we can help you out!
Table of Contents
The leopard gecko
Leopard gecko’s are native to areas around India and Pakistan and live in warm and rocky environments. They love to eat crickets and mealworms and are complete insectivores, meaning they only eat insects and nothing else.
Leopard geckos are easy to care for and are very hardy reptiles. This makes them great pets for beginners, compared to some of the more challenging species of reptile.
They can get quite old and geckos of over 10-15 years old aren’t uncommon. There have even been reports of them reaching ages well into the 20+-year range.
Leopard geckos, unlike many other gecko species, don’t have suction pads on the bottom of their feet. This is true for all geckos belonging to the Eublepharidae family. This means that they can’t climb on vertical surfaces like glass as other gecko’s can.
This makes them a little easier species to keep as pets, as escape is less of an issue with leopard geckos. That being said, leo’s are still very good escape artists, and if given the chance they will still give it a good go!
I’ve witnessed this first hand when my pet leopard gecko escaped in a hotel room while moving house! When looking back on it the experience was funny, but at the time it was quite a pain!
If you’re looking at getting a leopard gecko as a pet, then the costs compared to other reptiles may be a factor that convinces you.
Leopard geckos are bred a lot in most places on earth, and there is a very good chance that you can find a local breeder. Because of this, they aren’t very expensive either, unless you go for a very rare morph.
(A morph is simply a color variation. Some are very rare and sell for hundreds more than other more-common morphs.)
When it comes to keeping a leopard gecko as a pet, the heating is the most expensive thing. You can expect a good $15-$30 per month to be added to the electricity bill.
However, compared to a cat or dog, they won’t drain your bank account. Apart from the heating, costs for crickets and other feeder insects, and vet check-ups aren’t that much.
Fun fact:
Did you know that leopard geckos can drop their tail if it gets trapped anywhere or it gets ambushed by a predator? This is the reason why their tail is fat – it looks like its head. If a predator grabs its tail then it will drop it so that it can escape.
Once the tail has been dropped, the leopard gecko will grow back an extra-fat tail. This doesn’t look as good as its normal tail, so make sure you’re careful with your gecko!
Is the leopard gecko a good pet?
Leopard geckos make wonderful pets and are an extremely popular species to keep as pets. They are very hardy and are a beautiful species to look at.
If you’re looking for a pet reptile to handle a lot, then a leopard gecko isn’t for you. They aren’t too fond of being picked up all too much prefer to be left alone.
That being said, this can vary from one leopard gecko to the other.
If you’re looking for a great pet to look at and display, then a leopard gecko is going to be right up your ally!
You can create beautiful terrariums and get very creative. They can be a great addition to your home and help add some life to it.
As leopard geckos mature, they tend to become calmer, which makes them even better pets. Some gecko species move very quickly and are therefor a lot harder to keep in their enclosure when feeding or cleaning it.
Leopard geckos aren’t as “jumpy”, and this makes them all the easier to have as a pet. The fact they don’t have suction pads on their feet also helps!
How hard is it to keep a leopard gecko as a pet?
Leopard geckos are easy to maintain. They don’t have a lot of special requirements and they are very hardy when it comes to disease and illness.
Leopard geckos are a lot more forgiving than some other reptile species, so are a great reptile for beginners.
As long as you have a heat mat, a good enclosure and can feed them, they’ll be more than content.
Diseases, mites and illness can always occur in reptiles, but leopard geckos are very hardy. Especially once they are mature, the chances of your leopard gecko dying to these things aren’t very high compared to some of the more challenging lizards.
If you’re serious about getting a leopard gecko as a pet, then take a look at our leopard gecko care sheet!
This sheet is all you’ll need to get started. It covers everything from your leopard gecko’s terrarium all the way to feeding and shedding.
FAQ’s
How much does it cost to have a leopard gecko?
Leopard geckos are reasonably cheap pets to own. They cost about $20-$40 to buy, and around $25-$40 per month to maintain. This mainly consists of electricity costs.
You can easily breed crickets and mealworms yourself in order to keep costs low. That being said, these aren’t very expensive to buy from a breeder either.
Purchasing the right heat mat can save you some money on electricity. The setup costs are reasonable and may set you back around $200-$300 for everything.
All-in-all, leopard geckos are one of the cheaper species of reptiles you can keep as a pet which is one of the reasons they’re great for beginners.
Can leopard geckos make you sick?
Leopard geckos don’t carry any forms of illness that can affect us. However, it’s best practice to wash your hands after handling them as with any pet.
Do leopard geckos carry salmonella?
Yes and no. Leopard geckos themselves don’t, but the crickets they eat can. As long as you wash your hands after handling your leopard gecko there should be no issue with salmonella.
Do leopard geckos bite?
If you’re asking if they can bite… Yes. That being said they don’t bite often and their bites are completely harmless to humans. I’ve been bitten by my leopard gecko once and it was extremely anticlimactic.
A leopard gecko bite is completely painless.
Can leopard geckos be kept alone?
Leopard geckos prefer to be housed alone. If you do want to keep multiple leopard geckos, make sure they are female. Two males will generally fight and this isn’t good for either of them!
How much room do leopard geckos need?
Leopard geckos need an enclosure of about 10-20 gallons. A 10-gallon enclosure will work but it’s best to go with something a little bigger!
Conclusion
As you can see, keeping a leopard gecko as a pet does come with some challenges. However, they are a very rewarding reptile to keep as a pet and are one of the easier species to keep.
If you’re a beginner when it comes to reptile keeping, then a leopard gecko is a great option. They make great additions to your home and are great display animals.
