Leopard Geckos are probably one of the easiest pets to care for! This is one of the many reasons these are very popular pets for children. Even though these tiny little reptiles are easy to take care of you still need to have some basic Leopard Gecko Care Information.

Leopard Geckos require very minimal care in terms of housing and care, so this is why parent's like them as pets for their children. Children and caretakers will enjoy the Leopard Geckos because of their variety of color patterns and how they color morph.

Generally being a rather docile species, although there are some very energetic lil guys out there, they're good for teaching children the values of life, money, and responsibility.

What is the perfect size aquarium for your Leopard Gecko? Many people believe that a 10 Gallon size aquarium is large enough for keeping your Leo. If that is a baby Leo, then you will have enough room for a while. Once your Leo matures into a healthy adult, they will more than likely need some more room to play and hide.

If your tank or aquarium is too small, your Leo will become bored because of the small area. This condition called "Circling" can be very unhealthy for Leo's.

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Choosing the right substrate is crucial for the survival of your Leo. You should never use a loose substrate to line the bottom of your aquarium because it has many potentially deadly effects on your Leo. Find out more about why you shouldn't use loose substrates for your Leo by reading: The Myth's Behind Sand & Loose Substrates.

What are some acceptable substrates to use in your Leo's aquarium?

Non - printed on paper products: You can use computer paper, paper towels, unprinted newspaper as substrates. The reason behind ink less paper products is the ink will transfer to the Leo and dry out its feet an belly.

Non Stick Shelf Liner: This is another economical substrate for your Leo's habitat. Do not use anything with glue's because your Leo could possible get stuck plus when heated, the chemicals in the glue could release toxic fumes that could seriously hurt or kill your Leo.

Reptile Carpet: This type of substrate is going to be a little more expensive but is specifically designed for reptile substrates. If you are going to buy Reptile carpet, make sure your Leo isn't to young because baby Leo's have been known to get their mouths caught in the Reptile carpet, which isn't a good thing.

Ceramic or Slate Tiles: Even though these are probably the most expensive option, they are more natural and realistic options for a substrate. They are obviously hard surfaces, which will benefit your Leo but also provide a degree of "thermal mass" in the Leo's habitat to assist with the heating. Plus, you can create some very nice hides for your Leo using tiles.

Possibly the most important part of a leopard gecko's well being is proper temperatures. Unfortunately, many either don't worry about the temperatures in the cage, or use the wrong devices to measure them. Temperatures help aid in digestion and metabolism, and proper temps mean a better quality of life for your gecko. Too cool, and your gecko will not be able to function properly, like digesting their food. This can result in regurgitation or impaction, as well as malnutrition. Too warm and they can become distressed and overheated.

The proper temperatures should be 83-85 on the cool side, and 93-95 on the warm. They need a cool and warm side to their cage in order to properly thermo-regulate. You CANNOT guess what the temperatures are, you need to measure them with an accurate device.

A digital thermometer is one of the best devices you can use. The only thing better is a digital temperature gun, that are much more expensive, but worth the extra cost since they can give you instant temperature measurements whenever you need them, and are extremely accurate.

The main heating element that should be used for Leopard geckos is an Under Tank Heater. Like it's name suggests, it is a heating pad that goes underneath (NOT in) the tank. The UTH should be big enough to cover 1/3 of the bottom of the tank, or 1/2 if you don't plan on using a light bulb for secondary heat. UTHs should always be controlled with either a thermostat or lamp dimmer to set it to the right temperature, and prevent temperatures from fluctuating too much. UTHs last a long time, and are designed to stay on 24/7.