Hatchlings
Raising hatchling or young leo's requires greater care and attention than that of adult and although some of the conditions needed are the same there are differences.
The most important thing to note is choice of substrate. Hatchlings and young leo's less then five inches in length should not have sand or loose particule substrates as they are at a far greater risk of impaction - the only safe substrates for leo's this size is kitchen-towel, plain paper etc.
For the first two weeks or so I use ventilated 3lt containers for the hatchlings then as they grow they are moved into larger tubs/rubs. A typical hatchling box should have a hide, humid/moist hide (hatchlings and young leo's shed far more often then adults as they grow), a dish with calcium powder and water dish.
Small, plastic lidded tubs with either a layer of damp kitchen paper or damp moss inside make ideal humid/moist hides, small flowerpot trays and toilet rolls (cut in half lengthways) make ideal hides, plastic milk tops and jar lids do for water and calcium dishes. When it comes to heating I keep the hatchlings in the same temperature range as adults ie: hot end at 88*F-90*F and position the tubs so that a temperature gradient is provided.
With regards to lighting ~ I have noticed that newly hatched hatchlings seem to be light sensitive so for the first two weeks I lay a single layer of kitchen paper over the top of the tubs to diffuse any light.
Hatchlings and young leo's can be housed in small mixed sex groups in large tupperware containers, plastic flatpacks, terrariums or faunariums etc but care must be taken to remove those that are growing quicker and getting bigger then their clutchmates or those that are not thriving as well; I prefer to keep them either singly or in pairs. I seperate all males ~ from each other and females ~ before they are three to four months old as males mature quicker then females and this not only prevents the developing males from fighting but also prevents them from trying to mate with the females.
Handling ~ hatchlings and young leo's are quite fragile, easily hurt and stressed; can be defensive ~ having a young leo try to bite and hiss at you will make you jump lol ~ and real quick to move! They really shouldn't be forcibly handled; instead let them become used to your hand first a little at a time keeping your hand still and near the viv floor (leo's will jump if frightened) ~ they'll eventually climb up for a look.
Feeding ~ newly hatched leo's don't tend to eat for the first few days; instead they absorb any remaining eggyolk until they have their first shed, usually you can tell when this has happened as their first stool is pale in colour. You can start offering small livefood round about day three ~ hatchling hoppers, micro crickets, mini mealworms etc; all food should be the appropriate size ie no more then the length of the leo's head or wider then the width between the leo's eyes. Young leo's appetites will rapidly grow until they eat between 10 - 15 livefood items everyday. It is important to remember to dust all food with the correct supplements ~ usually calcium powder five times a week and vitamin powder once or twice a week ~ and ensure all livefood is well gutloaded.
Shedding ~ young and growing leo's shed their old skin more often then older or adult leo's and on average will shed every two - three weeks. First their skin will turn (or start to turn) white/grey and they will either start spending more time in their moist-hides and/or try to rub against any viv furnishings to help remove the dead skin which they will generally eat. It is important to check that all old shed has been removed from areas such as toes, end of tail and head.
Cleaning ~ unlike older leo's hatchlings will defecate pretty much anywhere until they start picking one area; ~ I use kitchen-paper as substrate which I just remove and replace with clean daily along with removing any dead crickets, debris etc. Sometimes they'll pick their moist hide; what I have found that works to stop this is to thoroughly clean the hide to remove any scent and replace it in a different area. Water dishes should be cleaned daily and fresh water given; this prevents any build-up of algea and more importantly bacteria. I would recommend cleaning the entire hatchling tub/rub along with all hides at least every week.
Adults
Leopard geckos provide an ideal introduction to the world of reptiles and their relatively small size, gentle nature, varied colours and patterns along with their cleanliness ~ leo's tend to defecate in one corner ~ and ease of keeping make them popular with beginners and pro's alike. Even so I would seriously advise anyone thinking of buying a leo to research their care thoroughly and have all the correct equipment ready before buying one. Remember ~ leo's can live between 10 and 20 years with the right care and attention.
Setting up of a vivarium or tank should be the first job in hand; a twentyfour inch long x twelve inches wide and twelve inches high viv or tank is suitable for one leo ~ viv floor space is far more important to a leo then a viv's height; a UTH with thermostat placed to cover approximately a third of the viv to provide a hot end of approximately 88*F-90*F (31*C-32*C) grading down to a cooler end of approximately 75*F (23*C) ~ leo's thermoregulate and this gives them the chance to pick areas more suited for them as required.
Substrate is a matter of choice but I prefer using substrates such as lino, tiles and paper to avoid chances of impaction; hides for the leo to sleep in ~ one at the hot end and one midway to the cooler end; a humid hide/box filled with damp moss or similar for shedding; a water dish filled with fresh, clean water and a dish with pure calcium powder.
Getting your first leo ~ Take your time in picking one, look for healthy, alert leo's with a decent size tail, check the conditions they're kept in ~ overcrowding can lead to stress and/or bullying not to mention an increased risk of health problems; is the viv they're in clean, what substrate is being used, does the shopkeeper or breeder provide a care-sheet, etc. Taking your time now can save a lot of possible problems with your leo later.
Finally; if you are buying a second leo (or more) at a later stage I always recommend quarentining them for a minimum of 3 months to ensure they are healthy. Don't assume that all captive breed shop or breeder bought leo's are parasite free.
Handling ~ Leos should never be picked up by their tails as like all lizards they can 'drop' their tails as a defence strategy known as caudel autotomy; instead let them become slowly accustomed to your hand and eventually they'll climb on to it. If you must get hold of your leo then hold it gently but firmly around it's upper body underneath and supporting it's front legs being careful not to cause undue stress.
Feeding ~ Leo's are insectivores, in that they feed exclusively on insects. Adults should be fed approximately three times a week ~ between five and ten livefood depending on the size and how many the leo will eat within about 20 minutes per feed. There is a wide variety of livefoods available for leo's which can be bought from petshops and online; I feel that it is important to offer as wide a choice of food as possible to maintain a healthy leo, all live food should be no more then the length of the leo's head or wider then the width between it's eyes and should be well gut-loaded and dusted with the correct supplements especially calcium to avoid MBD and other problems
Shedding ~ Leo's shed on a regular basis ~ on average about once a month depending on age and growth rate of the leo ~ and a humid hide/box placed at the cool end of the viv is needed for them to go to; the humidity helps soften the shedding skin and keeps it pliable enabling the leo to pull it off easier before eating it. First their skin will turn (or start to turn) white/grey and they will either start spending more time in their moist-hides and/or try to rub against any viv furnishings to help remove the dead skin which they will generally eat. It is important to check that all old shed has been removed from areas such as toes, end of tail and head. If old skin does not peel/shed properly it can cause health problems for your leo especially around the toes and eyes.
Cleaning ~ Leo's are on the whole quite clean and will generally pick one area to defecate in; this allows for easier regular cleaning ~ I put small squares of kitchen-paper in the toilet area which I just remove and replace with clean daily along with removing any dead crickets, debris etc. Water dishes should be cleaned often and regularly; this prevents any build-up of algea and more importantly bacteria. I would recommend cleaning the entire viv or tank along with all decor every month or so ~ although leo's only defecate in one area they will walk through it and assorted livefood doesn't care where it defecates.
Male or Female? ~ Leo's can usually be reliably sexed by the time they are about 5-6 months old ~ although experianced keepers may be able to do so a lot earlier; males generally are bigger and heavier then females but this isn't always a reliable way of sexing them ~ this is best done when the males start to develope two hemipenal bulges just below the vent area and a v-shaped row of pores infront of the vent, with older males these pores can exude a waxy liquid. It should be noted here that contrary to popular belief the males hemipenal bulges are not caused by testicular development ~ the testes are actually held internally. Females generally only have a faint v-shape pore outline with small or no bulges although some females can show enlarged bulges.
Both sexes of leo's are the same regarding general care however there are a few major differences not least being that although females can be kept together in a small group in large enough viv or tank providing they are approximately the same age and size ~ mature males cannot be kept together as they will fight resulting in either injuries or death.
I would advise also that males are not kept with single females ~ especially females who are under a minimum of one year old ~ as the male will more often the not pester the female to breed before she is safely old enough and big enough to do so.
Please do not hesitate to forward any questions you may have to the email address on the contact page.
NB: *All of this information has been gathered from the website www.sleepydeegeckos.webs.com and as such all credit is afforded back to the original author*
