The leopard gecko
The ideal lizard to start with — hardy and docile
The leopard gecko is a small ground-dwelling, nocturnal lizard, known for being docile and easy to handle. It is one of the reptiles most often recommended for beginners — but "easy" does not mean "no needs": its terrarium must be properly heated and properly set up.
| Life expectancy | 15 to 20 years |
|---|---|
| Social life | Solitary (housing several together is not advised) |
| Level required | Motivated beginner |
| Legal framework | Certificate of competence required — find out more |
Its essential needs
- A horizontal terrarium with a temperature gradient and a warm spot at 30–32 °C at floor level.
- A humid hide, essential for successful sheds.
- A substrate that cannot be swallowed (sand carries a risk of intestinal blockage): mat, tiles or a suitable substrate.
- A varied diet of live insects (crickets, cockroaches) dusted with calcium and vitamin D3.
Key health points
- Without enough calcium and vitamin D3, the gecko builds a fragile skeleton: metabolic bone disease. Watch for a soft jaw, deformed limbs, tremors or difficulty walking. It is common and easily prevented by dusting the prey with calcium.
- If it catches its food on sand, it can swallow some and block its gut (an obstruction): it stops digesting, swells up and stops eating — this is an emergency. The safest option is to keep it on a floor that cannot be swallowed (mat, kitchen paper) rather than on sand.
- An incomplete shed often leaves rings of dry skin on the toes or the eyelids (dysecdysis): the retained skin tightens and can make a toe drop off or irritate the eye. A humid corner in the terrarium helps sheds to be complete.
In Switzerland: certificate of competence required Many reptiles require a species-specific certificate of competence, as well as precise keeping conditions (terrarium, UVB, temperature, humidity). Legal framework in detail →
A word from the Au Furet practice A thick tail is a fat reserve and a good indicator of health: a gecko whose tail is getting thinner needs to be monitored.
Need a vet for this species? Few practices are trained in exotic pets. Find an exotic pet vet · Au Furet practice.
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