If you are taking home an adorable leopard gecko, then you first need to be prepared about its several needs to live in confinement.

One of the most important things you need to prepare for your leopard gecko is lighting and temperature.

However, leopard geckos are nocturnal animals. They are more active during the night and might only sleep throughout the day.

So, why did I say they need light?

Even though leopard geckos do not need lots of light inside its cage, proper lighting plays a crucial role in the health and happiness of leopard geckos. However, you will need to regulate the amount of light which is only beneficial for your pet lizards and does not cause overheating.

3 Factors to Consider When Lighting Your Leopard Gecko’s Cage

When it comes to choosing the best lighting for your leopard geckos, there are 3 factors you need to consider. Because these insect-eating lizards came from Afghanistan, Northern India, and Pakistan, they need a particular amount of temperature and heat in order to survive their captivity.

Here are 3 factors that you should consider when buying lighting for your leopard gecko’s cage that will ultimately affect the happiness and health of your leopard gecko.

1. Temperature

Temperature plays a crucial role in the lighting of your leopard gecko’s cage. Because lighting is also a way to provide heat, you need to regulate the temperature inside the cage wherein it will not be detrimental to your leopard gecko’s health.

In case you are using a mat heater, then there is no need to make use of UV bulbs for lighting. Because your leopard gecko is already in a warm environment in order to keep him happy and healthy, there will be no need to add another heat source such as UV lighting.

You can make use of a small bulb which projects blue light instead of in order to minimize the heat while providing your leopard gecko with enough light to roam around its habitat during the night.

2. Night Time Darkness

Because leopard geckos are nocturnal species, they rarely bask in the sun. Nighttime darkness, on the other hand, plays a crucial role in regulating your leopard gecko’s internal clocks effectively.

If you want to watch the whereabouts of your pet lizard during the night, then using any white light is a big no-no. Instead of white light, you can make use of red or blue light which is color that does not disturb your leopard geckos.

Additionally, these types of lights provide extra heat in places with cold temperature.

3. UV Lighting

UV lighting is needed for some species of lizard to aid their calcium absorption. To these animals, lacking UV exposure can cause a condition called metabolic bone disease. Leopard geckos, on the other hand, are not prone to such conditions due to the fact they are nocturnal animals and do not bask in the sun.

Therefore, the presence of UV light or direct sunlight will not hurt them. However, you need to provide hideaways in forms of woods and rocks in their enclosure. And also, UV lighting can boost temperature inside the cage, which affects the amount of heat lighting that is needed.

Top 10 Best Light For Leopard Gecko

1. Zoo Med Repti Basking Spot 75 Watts Lamps

The Repti Basking Spot Lamp from Zoo Med features a unique patented double reflector which focuses 35% more light and heat into a tight beam. Perfect for your leopard gecko’s basking spot in order to regulate its body temperature.

This 75 watts lamp by Zoo Med can be used for 10 to 12 hours a day without a problem and is mostly perfect for diurnal reptiles but also useful for nocturnal lizards.

2. Zoo Med Basking Combo

The Zoo Med Basking Combo is a two in one daylight spot lamp and an infrared heat lamp. It includes a 75 watts Reptile Basking Spot lamp during the day and a 75-watt nocturnal infrared heat lamp for the night. This Basking Combo lamp from Zoo Med is the perfect way in order to meet the heating needs of your leopard geckos 24 hours a day.

Sale

Zoo Med Basking Bulb Combo Pack Day and Night 75 Watts

• Lamp combo pack for your reptile.
• Includes 2 bulbs for your convenience.
• Contains one 75-watt basking lamp for daytime.
• Contains one 75-watt nocturnal infrared lamp for nighttime.
• Basking lamp is designed using a double reflector that focuses 35% more light and heat than some other bulbs.

$16.70

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This infrared heat lamp is made out of a true red glass with premium quality in order to offer a 24-hour heat source every reptile including leopard geckos. Infrared bulbs are also an excellent way to view nocturnal reptiles without disturbing them with unnecessary white light. The Reptile Basking Spot Lamp features a double reflector design which emits a light beam in order to create an effective basking site for your reptile to rest and absorb heat.

3. Exo Terra Night Heat Lamp

The Exo Terra Night Lamp stimulates natural moonlight and is the perfect bulb for nocturnal viewing without disturbing your pet’s night and day cycle. the heat that is generated by the bulb is minimal; however, it is enough to provide tropical nighttime temperatures.

Exo-Terra Night Heat Lamp, 100 Watt

• Moonlight Lamp
• Simulates Natural moonlight
• Perfect for nocturnal viewing
• Provides tropical night time temperatures
• Stimulates breeding behavior in reptiles and amphibians

$8.99

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The Night Heat Lamp emits a bluish color because of the blue glass and its lower voltage does not interfere with the natural night drops in temperature.

4. Evergreen Pet Supplies UVA/UVB Mercury Vapor Bulb

This UVA/UVB Mercury Vapor Bulb from Evergreen Pet supplies is the perfect daylight bulb for a wide variety of amphibians and reptiles like toads, frogs, chameleons, lizards, iguanas, snakes, leopard geckos, turtles, tortoises and bearded dragons.

This large bulb is compatible with different sizes of the enclosure and is tested for quality. It is a powerful source for UVB and UVA lights with visible light and heat that is completely self-ballasted meaning it has no harmful UVC outputs.

This bulb should be used with a good-quality ceramic socket and a large or deep some that are capable of supporting the large bulb.

5. Zoo Med Reptisun Terrarium Hood

Unlike the regular bulb lighting style, the Zoo Med Reptisun Terrarium Hood is a high output bulb with new horizontal low profile design. It provides the right amount of UVA and UVB light for your leopard gecko’s basking spot.

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Zoo Med ReptiSun® Terrarium Hood, 36-Inch

• Convenient on/off switch
• Holds T8 36 lamps"
• This hood fits all standard 36 long aquariums"
• Features an energy efficient, flicker-free electronic ballast.

$63.95

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This basking light has high output light fixture with an on and off switch for your convenience. It is energy efficient with T5 HO Electronic Ballast for a rapid start and maximum performance.

6. Exo Terra Heat-Glo Infrared Spot Lamp

The Exo Terra Heat-Glo Infrared Spot Lamp is a powerful source of infrared heat emission in order to increase the overall temperature of your leopard gecko’s terrarium. This particular bulb is ideal for nocturnal viewing and its reddish light will never disrupt with the normal activity of your leopard gecko during day and night, making it the perfect 24 hours radiant heat source.

Exo Terra Heat-Glo Infrared Spot Lamp, 75-Watt/120-Volt (4 Pack)

$45.00

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The Exo Terra Heat-Glo Infrared Spot Lamp has red glass helps emit infrared heat waves that are produced by the special filament inside the bulb. It has a special built-in reflector to direct heat in any direction necessary.

7. Zoo Med Nocturnal Infrared Incandescent Heat Lamp

With a true red glass (not coated or painted), the Zoo Med Nocturnal Infrared Incandescent Heat Lamp is the perfect 24-hour heat source for all reptile and amphibians. It provides very little amount of visible light so as not to disturb your pet’s sleeping pattern.

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Zoo Med Nocturnal Infrared Incandescent Heat Lamp 75 Watts

• The Zoomed Nocturnal Infrared Heat Lamp is ideal for night-time or 24-hour heating of large wire or glass reptile terrariums
• Ideal 24 hour heat source for all types of reptiles, amphibians, birds or small animals
• Very little visible light provided so as not to disturb your animal's sleep patterns
• Excellent for nocturnal viewing of all types of captive animals
• Spot reflector focuses more heat onto your reptile and minimizes - 75 Watts

$10.49

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Furthermore, this is also a perfect lamp for nocturnal viewing of your leopard gecko. The Zoo Med Nocturnal Infrared Incandescent Heat Lamp has spot reflector which focuses more heat to your reptile and helps minimize nighttime glares.

8. Exo Terra Sun-Glo Basking Spot Lamp

This 75-watt basking spot lamp from Exo Terra features neodymium sleeves which provide the terrarium a more natural appearance. Its standard spectrum is perfect for plant’s photosynthesis and the UVA light contributes to your reptile’s physiological well-being.

This spot lamp allows direction of light and heat in a particular direction in order to create the perfect basking site inside the terrarium. It also helps in increasing the ambient air temperature for your leopard gecko.

9. Reptile Heat Lamp Bulb

This Heal Lamp Bulb is a perfect 24 hours heat source for your leopard gecko. The ceramic heat emitter is a radiant heat source that creates a natural sun-like heat in a uniform pattern and can last up to 10,000 hours.

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Reptile Heat Lamp Bulb -60W Ceramic Heat Emitter No Harm No Light Infrared Heater Lamp for Chicken Coop Lizard Aquarium Snake Outside Dogs Brooder 110V,White

• Perfect 24 Hours Heat Sources – Ceramic heat emitter is a radiant heat source which creates a natural sunlike heat with a uniform pattern, last up to 10000 hours.
• 100% Heat Efficiency – Reptile heat lamp the long wave infrared heat produced by this emitter will warm reptiles very efficiently. It also increases the ambient air temperature in the terrarium.
• No Light Emitted – Reptile heat bulb does not disturb normal sleeping habits of reptiles, chickens coops and outside pets. Available for daily use.
• Suitable for High Humid Environments – Ceramic heat lamp was made of high-purity pottery clay which ensures its anti-crack and working in high humidity terrariums.
• Heat Lamp for Reptiles Voltage: AC 110-120V; Power: 60W; Material: Ceramic, Metal; To avoid scald, please wait at least 1 hour to cool down before touch it.

$9.99

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The long wave infrared heat that is produced can arm reptiles very efficiently and also increases the ambient air temperature inside the terrarium. This heat lamp bulb does not disturb the normal sleeping patterns of your reptile pet making it perfect for everyday use.

10. Exo Terra Daytime Heat Lamp

The Exo Terra Daytime Heat Lamp makes a good choice for your leopard geckos basking spot. With a 100-watt broad spectrum, it makes the perfect temperature inside your leopard gecko’s terrarium.

Exo Terra Daytime Heat Lamp T10, 25 Watt, 1 Count

• Broad-spectrum daylight lamp for terrariums
• Creates heat gradients for thermoregulation.
• Stimulates breeding behavior through UVA rays.
• Can be combined with Night Glo or Heat Glo for a 24 hours cycle.
• he Exo Terra Glow Light (PT2052 / PT2054 / PT2056) is perfectly suited for the Exo Terra Incandescent Bulbs.

$11.99

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This daytime bulb is coated with Neodymium sleeves that help provide your terrarium a naturalistic appearance. It has a spectrum that is perfect for your reptile’s health and plant’s photosynthesis.

Regulating Lighting and Temperature on your Cage

For every amateur reptile owners, lighting and temperature is probably the biggest obstacle. And because most reptiles need different temperature zones, getting the exact temperature can be tricky.

A Leopard Gecko Hot Spot

Ask about any leopard gecko owners what the perfect basking spot temperature is and you will hear various answers.

The truth is: leopard geckos are okay with really high temperatures in terms of hot spots. They only need the hot spot in order to get their body on temperature. And when they reach the perfect temperature, they will instantly leave that spot.

A hot spot temperature of 95 to 100 degree Fahrenheit is definitely okay. There are some owners who might even have a higher hot spot temperature which is also okay as long as the overall temperature in the cage does not get really high.

To easily measure and monitor the temperature, you can opt for a temperature gauge:

Sale

Zoo Med ReptiTemp Digital Infrared Thermometer, 6 x 1.3 x 6 inches

• Great for Monitoring Basking Areas, Thermal Gradients, Incubation, and Hibernation Temperatures.
• Temperature measurement Range -28° to 230°F (-33° to 110°C)
• Min/Max Function
• Centigrade/Farenheit switch
• Includes one CR2032 Lithium cell battery

$20.37

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You can select and view other product reviews in here.

The Cool Zone

In order to regulate body temperatures, a leopard gecko also need a cool zone. The temperature in this cool zone needs to be at least 74 to 80 degree Fahrenheit. Also, you will need to add a moist hide in the cool zone for your leopard gecko to be happy.

Night Temperature

During the night, the most preferred temperatures in your leopard gecko’s cage should be between 70 and 75 degrees Fahrenheit.

The Right Time to Switch the Lights On

As you already know, leopard geckos are nocturnal, however, that does not mean that you need to keep your light on all through the night.

You need to stimulate a normal day inside the terrarium. The sun goes up and will shine for at least 12 hours a day and then comes the night.

So let us say that you switch your terrarium’s lights on at 10 in the morning, and then you will need to switch it off by 10 in the evening.

Remember not to switch the lights on and off whenever you want. If you have decided to turn the lights from 10 in the morning until 10 in the evening then you need to stick with that schedule.

If not and you turn the light on and off whenever you wish, then it would disturb your leopard gecko’s circadian rhythm that can result in health issues.

And I know what you are thinking— manually switching the light on and off at the exact time each day are sometimes impossible and quite annoying.

I’m sure there will be times where you can’t be at home at the right time. Well, if you want to stick with the light rhythm, then I suggest you buy a time switch:

Zilla Reptile Pet Habitat Lighting & Terrarium Heat Power Center Timer, Digital

• 24/7 Digital Timer allows for daily programming with on/off outlets as well as constant power outlets
• 8 Total outlets - 4 daytime/nighttime alternating outlets and 4 constant power outlets
• Easy-to-use digital programming and LCD display
• Take complete control of habitat fixture on/off cycles with one power strip
• Up to 1875 watts, 15 amps

$22.46

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Lighting for Special Leopard Geckos

Do you have a leopard gecko with albinism or red eyes? Then you might want to be careful. These leopard geckos have extremely sensitive eyes and a lighting which is too bright can hurt their eyes. In case your gecko with red eyes is blinking all the time or possibly hiding the whole day, then it is a telltale sign to change your bulb since it is too bright for their eyes to handle.

The post Best Light For Leopard Gecko Reviews 2022 appeared first on My Life Pets.

Habitat

Tank/Enclosure

Leopard Gecko Habitat Idea

Leopard geckos are super easy to house. Some breeders commonly kept them in plastic bins, while some offer them glass enclosures. Standard glass aquariums featuring screen tops also work well.

In terms of sizes, you will have to make your gecko fee safer and prevent feeding issues caused by anxiety from spaces that are just too large. Plus, it makes it easier for them to stay warm. Although it is not an issue for all geckos, it may happen to some when placed into a large enclosure as babies. As your leo grow, you will have to “size up” their enclosure and provide them enough room to move around.

For baby geckos, a 5 – 10 gallon is enough. Meanwhile, for an adult gecko, it would be better if you get them at least a 20-gallon tank or bigger for extra room.

If you are housing multiple leopard geckos, here is one single rule that you need to follow:

Never house males together. Males are extremely territorial and they will fight for their spaces. Females, on the other hand, can live together if they are of similar size. A male and female(s) of similar size can also live together, but you probably should not do it, unless you want to constantly have little babies to raise.

For a group of geckos, you will need a larger enclosure. As a general rule, it would be safe to add 10 gallons for every 1 leopard gecko adult you have.

Substrate

Sand should not be used for substrate for leopard gecko since it can cause bowel impaction when consumed with food accidentally and may irritate their eyes. It is recommended that you get ceramic or slate tiles since they are super easy to clean, conduct heat very well, natural looking and has zero impaction risks.

The other cheap route is simply using paper towels or newspaper. They might not be as good as slate tile but they are easy to clean and works really well. You can also use repti carpet which cost more and needs to be clean and air dry since they get messy and dirty quickly.

For a moist substrate, you can go with coconut fiber. However, it is not recommended to be used throughout the whole tank since it can cause impaction as well as increasing humidity in the tank.

Also, it is important to note that you should not expose geckos to commercial sands and plant soils since it may contain pesticides or fertilizers that can harm your geckos.

Lighting

Leopard geckos originally came from the arid regions of Asia and India. They are crepuscular which means that they are active in low light, after sunset, and before sunrise. In the wild, geckos are exposed to low levels of UVB that helps them produce vitamin D naturally and use calcium in their diet.

You can try replicating this exposure inside their enclosure by using a weak 5 – 6 percent UV tube attached to the ceiling at the back of the terrarium. A leo’s skin is quite sensitive and hypersensitive morphs such as albinos shouldn’t be exposed to too much UV and are recommended to scaling it down to at least 2 percent UV tube.

Also, it is suggested that T5 bulbs are replaced every 9 months and T8 bulbs every 6 months.

Temperature

It is crucial that you have the right temperatures inside the enclosure. The temperature should be between 75 – 85 degrees Fahrenheit during the day with their basking area offering up to 90 degrees Fahrenheit.

The enclosure needs to be arranged in a way which allows a temperature gradient here there is a heated area in the higher temp range and opposite are offering cooler temperatures.

You can also provide additional heat to the enclosure by using ceramic heaters, heating pads, and suitable lights. Use reptile thermostat to monitor temperature better

Landscaping

Leopard geckos will surely appreciate an assortment of branches for climbing and basking, so you need to provide secure branches and of varying sizes. Boards covered with indoor or outdoor carpet also makes a good climbing post for your pet. You can even add a leopard gecko hammock where your pet can leisurely lounge around.

Leopard geckos spend most of their time underneath hides during the day. Thus it is crucial you provide a range of decoration which they can either get inside or under. Tubes and cork bark pieces are favorites while a cave or moss box with damp substrate helps in gecko shedding.

The enclosure should also be decorated with artificial plants for a natural look that will make your leopard geckos at ease. Desert plants are effective and provide perches for your leopard gecko. Meanwhile, trailing plants are quite good at disguising equipment or electrical wires as well as providing good cover for juvenile lizards.

Water and Humidity

It is crucial that you have a water dish always available for your gecko. Size does not matter, but you should choose a dish that is shallow enough for your pet to reach. You need to change it daily. To know if your leopard gecko is getting enough water, check on its tail and see if it’s nice and plump since that’s where they store water.

In terms of tank humidity, you need to make sure that is between 20 – 40 percent humid. Don’t keep it higher than that since your gecko might develop infections from high humidity. Use a humidifier for leopard gecko tank when you feel necessary.

Consider getting a hygrometer which allows you to measure the humidity inside and make sure that the tank has optimum humidity for your gecko’s health.

Sanitation

You need to pick up gecko waste often in order to make sure that their enclosure won’t smell. For that spot where your gecko tends to defecate, you can simply add a piece of paper towel there and change it whenever they defecate. If you are using slate tiles, then it is very easy to spot clean whenever you see fit.

Although leopard geckos are not messy creatures, in general, you will have to take everything out, including your gecko, every 4 – 5 months. This is to totally clean and disinfect the tanks and the items inside. Scrub the tank and accessories with a 33 percent bleach solution then rinse thoroughly with water to remove all traces of the bleach smell. Dry the tank and accessories completely then add a clean and dry substrate.

For daily sanitizing, warm water and anti-bacterial soap should do the job. If you suspect that your gecko is sick, have a parasite outbreak, or a gecko dies, then you will need to use Ammonia in disinfecting the tank. This is the only disinfectant which is effective in killing coccidian oocysts, giardia, and crypto.

Nutrition

Food and Diet

Leopard Gecko eat

Leopard geckos are insectivores, so live insects are a must. Geckos tend to eat just about any bugs which crawl in front of them, but not all insects are healthy or safe for your leopard gecko. Here are the most common insects given to leopard geckos:

Crickets: This is probably the most popular insect fed. They are easy to purchase and generally healthy. When feeding crickets to your gecko, just make sure that they are not larger than your geckos.

Mealworms: Another leopard gecko staple, mealworms are healthy and easy to get your hands on. When feeding mealworms, you need to choose the ones that are freshly molted so that they are easier to digest.

Silkworms: These are also healthy insects for your gecko and can be used to add variation to your pet’s diet. However, they do not live longer than a few weeks and are quite expensive.

Waxworms: This one needs to only be fed occasionally as a treat, at least once or twice per week. This is because waxworms are high in fat can become quite addictive to some leopard geckos.

Dubia Roaches: Another leo favorite, dubia roaches are tasty and healthy for leopard geckos. They are also quite easy to breed so most gecko owners create their own Dubia roach colony in order to save money.

Vitamins and Minerals

Unfortunately, no home diet can ever replace the variety which lizards enjoy in their natural habitat. This is you will have to supplement them with vitamins and minerals. You can do this by dusting feeder insects with special reptile mineral and vitamin supplements in powder forms before giving them to your gecko.

As for powdered supplements, you can buy multi-vitamin powder from reputable producers. You need to make sure that mix includes vitamin D3. Since leopard geckos are nocturnal or twilight creatures, they do not bask in the sun or under UVA/UVB lights. Thus, it is important that you provide them with enough vitamin D3 on their diet.

Leopard geckos need high calcium and sometimes can’t be satisfied only through dusting, particularly for breeding females and juveniles. Thus, you can just leave a tray containing pure calcium inside their enclosure. Leopard geckos with a high craving for calcium will surely find and lick it when needed. Just make sure that you use plain calcium for such purpose and not the ones mixed with vitamin D3 in order to avoid overdose.

Another great way to boot the mineral and vitamin content in your leopard gecko’s diet is to gut load your insect feeders. Gut loading only means that you will need to feed the insects with nutrient-dense and premium foods at least 24 – 48 hours before giving them to your geckos.

Foods To Avoid

Here are some bugs and insects which are toxic and unhealthy to your gecko:

Fireflies / Lighting Bugs / Any Insects That Glow: If insects can light-up or glow in the dark, then you should never feed. The chemicals which make these insects glow is extremely toxic to leopard geckos and even a single bug may contain a lethal amount of toxins. Also, there’s no known treatment since there has been no gecko that survived long enough to reach a veterinarian.

Wild Insects: Insects that you have caught inside or outside your home should never be fed to your gecko. This is because wild insects may have parasites which can infect your gecko. Also, parasites might contain trace amount of insecticides and pesticides that can be highly toxic for leopard geckos.

Growth

Leopard Gecko Growth

Lifespan

Leopard geckos have a longer lifespan than some reptiles. On average, a gecko can live up to 6 – 10 years, with most males living 10 – 20 years. As a matter of fact, some male geckos can still breed at 27 ½ years of age.

Leopard Gecko Hatchlings

Around 2 months on average, more precisely at least 35 – 89 days, depending on the incubation temperature, baby leopard geckos can hatch from their eggs.

Hatching happens relatively quickly and quietly, so witnessing the moment can be very rare. When born, hatchling geckos are usually 3 – 4 inches long.

Juvenile Leopard Gecko

Before their first birthday, you might see young gecko males standing on their 2 legs and “wave” a single front limb in slow circles. This is to look larger and let older males know that they recognize their dominance and won’t try to challenge them.

A male arm-waving usually stop when fully grown. Meanwhile, adult females can start waving during mating. Juvenile leopard geckos are also quite different in appearance, being boldy colored and banded. However, it lightens when they reach their adulthood.

Sexual Maturity

Leopard Gecko Female

Male leopard geckos usually hit sexual maturity at 6 – 8 months old. Meanwhile, female leopard geckos can hit sexual maturity and ovulate for the very first time at about 8 – 12 months old.

Size at Maturity

Most leopard geckos tend to measure 8 – 10 inches in length at adulthood, while some females approaching at least 12 inches. However, there are some males of the giant bloodlines that can reach nearly a foot.

Hibernation

Hibernation is a natural part of the yearly cycle for geckos, however, it is not necessary for pet geckos. It’s perfectly fine to keep heat throughout the winter season and they should drink, eat and be active throughout winter.

However, if you are planning on breeding your leopard gecko or want to take a break and let them hibernate, then you just need to turn off the under tank heaters, pushing them to hibernate. The ideal hibernating temperature should be 70 degrees Fahrenheit.

During the hibernation period, geckos will drink less, eat less and less active. Your gecko can remain in hibernation for at least 3 months without losing weight since their metabolism has slowed.

You can choose to feed your geckos occasionally, but only do light feeding. If your pet doesn’t want to eat during hibernation, then it is totally fine, just remove the uneaten crickets so that they won’t annoy your leo.

Normal feeding should resume in spring when hibernation period is over and they become more active.

Handling and Temperament

Generally, you don’t handle leopard geckos on a regular basis until they are more than 6 inches in length and have settled in. Once your gecko is large enough, it’s best to set it first on the floor and allow your gecko to crawl through loose fingers and hand-over-hand for at least 10 – 15 minutes daily until they are completely accustomed to your touch.

The taming process may take at least 5 – 7 days. You should never hold or grab a leopard gecko’s tail or you might risk dropping it. Usually, the tail can regenerate in less than 40 days.

Disease Prevention and Treatment

Leopard Gecko Malnutrition

If your leopard gecko does not receive the proper lighting, temperature, humidity, diet, and care that it needs, then it may develop some diseases. Here are some of the most common diseases that are found in leopard gecko.

Metabolic Bone or Vitamin Deficiency

This is the inability to absorb calcium because of improper calcium or vitamin D supplement or insufficient UVB lighting. If left untreated, metabolic bone deficiency can lead to a disorder characterized by softened bones and deformities.

Symptoms of this disease include bumps in the leg, jerky movements, twitches and spasms, swollen lower jaw and vertical columns of the back and tail. It can be treated by consulting your veterinarian and providing proper UVB lighting, diet and tank temperature.

Gastrointestinal Disease

This is characterized by runny stool, smeared or caked stool around the vent area as well as the loss of appetite caused by parasitic or bacterial infection. You can change its diet to more nutritious insects. However, if the problem persists, you should consult your veterinarian.

Respiratory Disease

If your leopard gecko’s tank is too cold or humid, then it may develop a respiratory infection. Symptoms of respiratory disease include mucus in the nose or mouth, labored breathing, gaping mouth, and puffy throat. In order to avoid this, you need to make sure that the enclosure is warm enough and remove anything which causes too much humidity such as water and plants. If symptoms worsen, you should consult your veterinarian.

Reproduction and Breeding

Leopard Gecko Reproduction

Mating Season

Leopard geckos follow a mating season, both in the wild and in captivity. Although this might not be always accurate, the prime mating season for leopard geckos is from February through August.

Mating Dance and Copulation

Breeding behavior is usually seen with an adult female and male leopard geckos during copulation. This unique and usually bizarre behavior is visible during the courting phases where the males will show interest and readiness to their breeding mates.

Just before mating, a male will start dancing around the female, stalking and circling the female to get close to her. You’ll see a swift wiggling, tail wagging and/or tail vibrations which may be heard.

During the pre-copulatory phase, the male will start biting the female on her neck or nape to prevent running off or holding on for mating. The female will remain calm as the male lay on top of her. She will then slightly lift her tail and the male will insert his hemipene in her cloaca.

Mating usually lasts a few minutes. After that, you will see the male licking his hemipenes to retract, but it may take at least a few hours.

Gravidity

A gravid leopard gecko will be forming the eggs during the period of 8 – 9 months.

Gravid geckos will use her fat resources in the tail to make egg yolks and the egg shells are formed with calcium.

So, during this time, you will have to provide her with high-quality diet. A gravid gecko needs to have a diet rich in calcium so you will have to gut load and dust insects with calcium supplements.

You can also offer multivitamins at least once a week. Also, provide a dedicated dish with pure calcium source and keep it inside the tank at all times. You can also feed her pinky mice 1 – 2 times a week in order to replenish her storage of nutrients.

Egg Laying

Leopard geckos will lay eggs at least 16 – 22 days after the copulation. The female will dig a hole to lay her eggs and bury them. A scattered substrate is a good sign that your gecko already laid her eggs.

You will need to remove them soon in order to prevent them from drying. Make sure that you do not change the position of the eggs when removing them. These eggs are not hard or rigid and should expand and grow. Thus, you will need to provide the right moisture and incubation.

Place the eggs in a container (can be any clear plastic container with holes for circulation) with 2 – 3 inches of medium such as peat moss, sand or vermiculite. The eggs need to be buried halfway.

The eggs will be put to an incubator for the ideal temperature. Incubation temperature will determine the sex of the eggs. If eggs are incubated at 90 degrees, then 98 percent of your hatchlings will be male. At 87 degrees, you will have an equal number of female and male geckos. At 80 degrees, 100 percent of the hatchlings will be female.

Meanwhile, temperature conditions below 74 degrees and above 95 degrees can kill the eggs. Incubation can take up to 35 – 89 days depending on the incubation temperature.

Conclusion

Leopard geckos are such wonderful creatures to own with their colorful morphs and good personality. With a lot of TLC and little maintenance, you’ll surely have no problem in keeping one of the most lovable and colorful pets imaginable!

The post Leopard Gecko Care 2022: A Comprehensive Guide For Beginners appeared first on My Life Pets.

And since you will be spending money, it would be great to choose the best possible incubator in the market today. After all, reptile keepers who choose to invest in poor quality incubators end up with a handful of dead eggs as a result of improper humidity and heating.

You don’t want that and we certainly do not want that for you. So, we have gathered here only the best reptile incubators to help you with your reptile breeding.

Hova-Bator Still Air Reptile Egg Incubator

The Hova Bator actually calls itself the best small incubator in the world. And although the brand has a strong group of followers among poultry keepers, this very item can now also be enjoyed by the reptile keepers, thanks to their “still air incubators”.

Now, Hova Bator removed the egg turning functionality so that every reptile keeper can now successfully use it. This particular reptile incubator features a chest-style design with 2 glass windows in the lid so you can observe your incubating eggs.

It is quite neatly designed and comes with a ventilation system which heats the air inside and allows a gentle rise up through the vents, while fresh air is taken through the vents at the bottom part ad warmed. This system helps in preventing the buildup of “stale air” which encourages mold to grow on the reptile eggs.

Designed specifically for reptile breeders, this reptile incubator pack also includes several handy accessories. There are the stand-alone hygrometer and thermometer for measuring the condition within the incubator. Then there is the provision of pots and substrate into which you can place your reptile eggs and ensuring that they only get the best possible care.

The only downside of this amazing reptile incubator is that it does not have a cooling system and only one for warming. However, this does not seem to affect the eggs or results at all.

Happybuy ReptiPro Reptile Incubator

You probably have not heard about the ReptiPro before this article. This handy reptile incubator is sold by lots of Amazon sellers and is one of the top recommendations of most reptile keepers.

The ReptiPro 6000 is an upright reptile incubator which looks like your favorite beer fridge. It features 2 movable shelves and a small area at the bottom where water can be added to raise the humidity inside the device.

Being dimension-wise, this reptile incubator only measures 24 cm deep, 27 cm wide and 37 cm tall. These are internal dimensions which only means that this reptile incubator offers quite a generous amount of space suitable for incubating a large group of reptile eggs.

But, the biggest reason as to why most reptile keepers love this incubator is because of its extremely accurate and precise temperature controls. The reptile incubator can maintain temperature from 0°C – 40°C or 32°F – 104°F that is controlled through a digital readout. Such temperatures are suitable for any reptile eggs— from ball pythons to tortoises, to corn snakes and bearded dragons.

The ReptiPro is also one of the very few reptile incubators which actually has a cooling system as well as a heating setting which offers superior control on the internal temperature. Moreover, since this incubator comes with a cooling function, it can also be used for herps which require a winter cooling period— like some amphibians— offering you versatility.

Zoo Med ReptiBator Reptile Egg Incubator

From the reptile keeping experts comes the oddly-named “ReptiBator”— Zoo Med’s very own “tub style” reptile incubator. Not like the Hova Bator with 2 small windows in its lid, the ReptiBator maintains complete visibility because of its clear lid. This feature might actually be useful for people who wish to make a quick visual check on their incubating reptile eggs.

The ReptiBator can control temperatures between 15°C – 40°C or 59°F – 104°F although some reptile breeders complain that this one is not always completely accurate, unlike the ReptiPro. Meanwhile, it is nice to note that the manufacturer offers a built-in temperature alarm which can be handy in case of major problems like a power interruption and is designed so that when electricity is restored, this reptile incubator remembers your pre-selected temperature choice and re-establishes it as quickly as possible.

The ReptiBator also offers a quite generous amount of space with dimensions of roughly 15” x 15” x 6” which is enough to house multiple clutches of egg at one time. One final point worthy of mentioning is its reservoir built at the base which allows you to pour in some water and placing a foam matting down and carefully placing your incubation containers. This is such an efficient and easy way to increase the humidity inside the incubator.

Unfortunately, some user complains about its cheap and flimsy build quality. Users claim that it might be quite overpriced for its construction. Also, this incubator only heats, and does not have any cooling system in case of overheating.

Exo Terra Reptile Egg Incubator

Another popular brand name in the pet supply industry, the Exo Terra will not miss the opportunity to provide its very own reptile incubator. This particular model is one of the more commonly-encounters egg incubators in reptile stores. Unfortunately, just because they are regularly stocked does not necessarily means that they are the best solution for incubating reptile eggs. However, it still has some great features that you might want to consider.

Superficially, the Exo Terra incubator looks similar to the ReptiPro 6000. But in terms of reliability, this model has much to be desired. Unlike conventional incubators, this model automatically starts its cooling system when the temperature exceeds the desired incubation temperature. It also automatically switched back to its heating mode, when the temperature drops too much. Such cooling and heating combination is actually useful during rapidly changing environments.

It comes with digital temperature control and a bright LED indicator as well as a dual slide out shelves in order to maximize incubation space. It also has an interior light switch in order for you to easily monitor your reptile eggs without disturbing the incubation process. Eco Terra also offers a slide-out tray at the bottom for adding water to provide humidity inside.

Great as it may sound, some other reptile keepers reported that this device does have a short lifespan as well as an issue in maintaining suitable temperature and that it would just suddenly die without any warning. This might cause numerous failed clutches especially if you do not have any “spare” incubators.

Little Giant Still Air Reptile Incubator

The Little Giant Still Air Incubator Kit is another great reptile egg incubator that comes with everything needed for your hatchling success. This incubator is well-built and sturdy enough, and yet so lightweight that you can easily move it around your house if required.

Its lid comes with 2 large viewing windows in order to make checking your reptilian eggs convenient and easy without opening the incubator so that no humidity or temperature fluctuations happen.

The incubator’s interior contains a 40-watt heating element and also include both hygrometer to monitor humidity and a thermometer to monitor the temperature inside— both of which can be viewed through the LCD digital display. If necessary, each can also be adjusted and changed using those buttons placed under its digital display.

And just like the Hova Bator incubator, this model also comes as a kit complete with substrate and bowls, making it a perfect choice for amateur breeders. With the included accessories, clutches can each be placed to separate bowls which contain moisture-retaining substrate which is quite helpful since it secures and keeps the eggs from drying out.

This also means that you can easily add additional water when requires in order to monitor and keep moisture levels on individual clutches. And the fact that they are in bowls only means that they are very easy to move or remove from the incubator for inspection.

The only downside is that this incubator needs to be placed at room temperature in order to properly work. So, when the season is a bit crazy, who knows what will happen to your precious clutches.

R-Com PX-390 Juragon Pro Reptile Egg Incubator

The Juragon Pro Reptile Egg Incubator from R-Com is not as popular as the other products on this list, but it comes with a worthy reputation among breeders. For one, it features a well-built and large construction with a carrying capacity of up to 100 eggs at once. So, if you are a full-time reptile breeder, this may be a great choice for you.

Also, due to its different settings available, this egg incubator is suitable for a wide range of reptiles including turtles, lizards, and snakes. The incubator features a large screen on the lid, offering an easy viewing for your eggs as well as making inspections a hassle-free process. Its foam tray inside gives you the freedom to add the desired substrate as well as positioning the eggs in roomy arrangements. Plus, there’s also a handy waterhole in its exterior for adding water without disturbing the internal environment conditions.

Now, that’s not the best part yet! Its best features are its user-friendliness and extremely easy to understand interface that makes it great for beginners. Everything on this incubator is labeled and easy for you to understand, including its plus / minus button for humidity and temperature alterations as well as everyday temperature gap function that helps handle ay temperature fluctuations. Lastly, the reptile incubator comes with a handy alarm that will alert you in case there are any sudden changes in the humidity or temperature inside the incubator.

RCom Digital Egg Incubator

Another great reptile incubator from R-Com, the Suro features automatic Egg Turning via the use of a turning cradle. The incubator also has a full temperature and humidity control, complete with an easy to read digital readout.

Featuring a high refined designed with a streamlined shape, this incubator can fit just about anywhere. Suitable for both beginner and professional breeder, it is suitable for both poultry incubation and reptile breeders. Humidity and temperature calibration and can be set by the user.

The incubator has a capacity of at least 24 eggs and comes with a large clear view window for viewing and egg inspections without disturbing the incubation process. It also includes a universal tray that can accommodate all egg types. The incubator is also among the easiest incubators to clean on the market today since it can be easily disassembled and assembled.

Conclusion

Breeding reptiles are such an extremely rewarding experience. However, there is no doubt that it does need a particular level of commitment— both in terms of study and time. But, just seeing the process of new life hatching right in front of your eyes is definitely worth the effort, and the process will teach you a lot and your passion for reptiles and with the natural world is bound to grow profoundly.

So, if you want to experience that, then a reptile egg incubator is a must. And choosing only the best reptile incubators I’ve given you from the above list the best way to ensure a successful and proper hatchling development and the experiencing the joy of breeding these wonderful creatures!

The post Top 7 Best Reptile Incubator Reviews 2022 appeared first on My Life Pets.

However, with the market offering so many different options, it might be quite difficult for you to decide which one fits your reptile needs. So, if you are currently scratching your head in trying to decide which one to choose, then I’ll gladly lend you a helping hand.

Here, I have compiled only the best reptile thermostats and made it easy for you to decide.

1. iPower Digital Heat Mat Thermostat

The iPower Digital Thermostat is Amazon’s Choice for “reptile thermostat” and is arguably the simplest and cheapest of all. This one is a simple mat, meaning that you only need to turn it on and off as necessary in order to maintain a good vivarium temperature.

This thermostat is not suitable for heat bulbs or ceramic heater and only works with low-powered heat mats. And just like heat mats, thermostat comes with a very simple design that lacks bells and whistles. Simplicity and reliability, this mat only needs to be plugged into your heat mat. No day or night variance, automatic cut off, just set the temperature and you’re good to go.

The mat displays temperature in Fahrenheit or Celsius and can be set from 40°F – 108°F or 5°C – 42°C. Keep in mind, however, that temperatures are dependent on the power of the heat mat itself.

Pros:

• Temperature control in cold or warm environments
• Highly versatile
• Easy plug-in operation
• Features LED indicator lights
• Cheap

Cons:

• Not enough to create extra warm hotspots

2. Habistat Dimming Thermostat

This thermostat from Habistat is designed to control light bulbs and provides one of the most accurate methods of temperature control. This dimming thermostat comes with 2 plug sockets which make it very easy to use.

It is very accurate and comes with handy features that once you set it on the dial as soon as it reached the desired temperatures, it will automatically shut the bulbs down. The thermostat can be also used on almost any heaters and once you set it up, it will run in the background, offering a stable environment for your reptiles.

Pros:

• Plug sockets are provided by the manufacturer
• Does not damage light-emitting sources
• Temperatures can be set beforehand
• Highly accurate
• Auto shut off
• 2 plug sockets

Cons:

• Not designed for non-light emitting heat sources

3. Herpstat 2

The Herpstat 2 is a digital proportional thermostat that is suitable for proportional heating. It is a system which constantly monitors and adjusts the amount of heat that it produces in order to maintain the target temperature.

This thermostat is suitable for initial warm-ups where soft start-up slowly applies power in order to avoid any damage that is caused by overpowering. It is ideal for heating a vivarium as well as managing humidity, lighting and cooling. Thanks to its selectable temperatures, this thermostat can simulate moonlight, sunset, and sunrise.

Individual night or day schedules can also be set as well as setting different temperatures for each output. In order to ensure its efficiency, it features a high or low-temperature tracking which monitors the heating system.

Pros:

• Temperature tracking to monitor heating system
• Precision temperature sensors
• Day or night schedules can be set
• Programmable
• Soft start-up to avoid damages caused by overpower

Cons:

• Not great if you are looking for a static temperature which does not vary throughout the day

4. Century Digital Mat Thermostat

Amazon Bestseller for Terrarium Heat Mats, the Century Digital Mat Thermostat offers an effortless heating setup by simply setting the temperature probe, plug the controller and use its 3 large button interface to choose your desired temperature setting.

Its digital display support units in both Celsius and Fahrenheit. The thermostat is handy with LED heating and its power indicator lights allow you to know the controller’s status even during the night or in total darkness. The controller features an easy to read display and a hanging tab inside a tough plastic housing.

Its cord for the temperature probe as well as the grounded 3-prong plug measures an extra 6 feet in length and is designed to suit almost any application you can imagine— heating, fermentation, brewing, rooting and germination.

Pros:

• ETL listed
• Extra-long cords
• Highly versatile
• Easy and effortless heating setup
• Bright, easy to read display
• Strong and sturdy housing

Cons:

• Not suitable in water

5. Vivarium Electronics VE-300 Thermostat

The VE-300 Thermostat is an upgrade of the previous thermostats from Vivarium Electronics. This proportional thermostat s a tabletop model that is designed to sit nicely on top of your cages or racks, so you do not have to worry about mounting it or dealing with stands.

Being a pulse thermostat, the VE-300 is ideal for ceramic heaters. Its temperature control range is 25°F – 140°F. Featuring an auto shut off features, it helps prevent overheating. It also comes with sound alarms (if requested) when particular temperatures are reached. This way, you will be alerted should the temperature in your vivarium suddenly drops.

Another great feature are that it offers an automatic lowering of temperature at night which makes your life a bit easier and allows a natural cycle of temperature throughout the day

It has a single outlet that can be easily expanded with the use of outlet strips, allowing it to control multiple heaters at once. Its standard display shows the current time of the day, current setpoint value and the current probe temperature settings. Featuring a 3-button keyboard, this thermostat is very easy to navigate through with its large backlit display making programming quite intuitive and easy.

The thermostat comes with a cool feature, stacking cases. It can stack on each other for a very professional and neat appearance. Both fuse and probe are easily replaceable and it comes with probe cord locks in order to prevent unintentional unplugging.

Pros:

• Stackable
• Large backlit display
• 3-button keyboard
• The single outlet can be expanded with the use of outlet strips
• Automatic temperature drop at night
• Auto shut off feature
• Sound alarms
• Ideal for ceramic heaters
• Tabletop model

Cons:

• Not recommended for incandescent bulb

6. Bayite Digital Outlet Thermostat

The Bayite Digital Outlet Thermostat uses independent heating and cooling in order to keep your vivarium in the right temperature range. With its waterproof sensor, this thermostat can control the temperature more accurately and features with a low or high-temperature alarm.

Although a perfect reptile thermostat, this product is also suitable for incubation, pet breeding or as an aquarium heater. It also comes with an automatic power on delay that helps protect its compressor for longevity.

Furthermore, with this thermostat, exhaust fans will do most of the work and start at about one every two minutes, making it the perfect product if you are looking to save some money on electricity.

Pros:

• Saves money on electricity
• Can be used as a cooler or heater
• Waterproof
• A wide range of uses
• Temperature alarm
• Automatic power on delay

Cons:

• Does not have a timer

7. WILLHI WH1436A Digital Thermostat

This digital thermostat from WILLHI can be used to turn on and off electric appliances at the desired temperature. The thermostat features low and high-temperature alarms, which notify you when the desired temperature is reached, or when temperature overshoots or suddenly drops.

It also comes with an auto-shutoff timer that should help you save on electricity as well as keeping your life easier. In order to help keep the temperature at the desired range, this thermostat turns on or off your device at a certain set of degree, switching easily from refrigeration to heating mode.

A great thermostat controller, it can also be used for electric radiators, accelerating germination, aquariums and home brewing.

Pros:

• Auto shut off timer
• Can switch from refrigeration to heater
• Versatile for various uses
• Temperature alarms
• Waterproof thermocouple included
• Compressor safety timeouts

Cons:

• Does not include the battery

8. Inkbird Dual Stage Digital Thermostat

This digital thermostat from Inkbird is so easy to set up making it a perfect item for those who are not an expert in handling reptile thermostats. Featuring a dual display window, you can check measure temperatures and set temps at the same time. With the built-in dual relay output, you can connect it to heating refrigeration equipment at the same time.

In case of damage, its sensor can be easily replaced. Also, when a sensor error or an over-temperature occurs, an alarm will go off that allows you to identify the problem quickly and easily. This thermostat also supports reading in Fahrenheit and Celsius units, making it extra convenient.

Pros:

• Includes a manual
• Temperature calibration
• Over temperature and sensor fault alarm
• Dual relay output
• Reading in both Celsius and Fahrenheit
• Dual display window

Cons:

• Not suitable for water tanks

9. Leviton TBL03-10E Slide Control Lamp Dimmer

Leviton is specialized in producing lighting controls and dimmers, bringing Energy Smart Living to your home. This tabletop slide control dimmer is suitable if you wish to adjust the light in your tank, depending on the hour of the day which allows you to simulate sunset or sunrise and nighttime with no problem at all.

This device cannot only be used for reptile tanks. It can also be used around the house and can replace standard wall switches in order to provide immediate savings on your electricity bills.

The devices require no installation and are compatible with halogen, incandescent, and dimmable CFL and LED bulbs. Furthermore, its 6-foot cords make it easier to reach any outlet.

Pros:

• Versatile use
• 5-year warranty
• Tabletop design
• 6-foot cord
• Requires no installation
• Compatible with halogen, incandescent, and dimmable CFL and LED bulbs
• Cheap

Cons:

• Dimmer is a bit quirky
• Not specifically designed for tanks

10. Vivarium Electronics VE-200D Thermostat

Another dimming thermostat, the VE-200D from Vivarium Electronics offers the same quality experience you should expect from the new VE-300, but with the inclusion of incandescent heat lamps.

Featuring a slightly different temperature range from the VE-300m the VE-200D is capable of controlling temperatures between 40°F – 150°F. The thermostat can also control heaters with a total of up to 700 watts and offers a day or night temperature drop as well as an automatic safety shutoff in case of high temperatures and saving cost in electricity,

It has a full backlit display that makes it easier to read during nighttime. The thermostat can also remember the last temperature setting during a power failure

Pros:

• High controlling temperatures
• Control heaters of up to 700 watts
• Day or night temperature drop
• Auto shut off feature
• Suitable for incandescent heat lamps
• Full backlit display

Cons:

• Not suitable for fluorescent bulbs and mercury vapor

Conclusion

As we all know, reptiles love some heat, but they also need some cool space to hang out. So, what better way to regulate their tank temperature than the best reptile thermostat out there? Regardless of what you choose from the above list, you will have a quality and valuable purchase with every item.

The post Top 10 Best Reptile Thermostat Reviews 2022 appeared first on My Life Pets.

A humidifier can purify the air that can give the comfort, safety, and health benefits to your pets. This is a great idea if they have allergies because properly humidified air can reduce the symptoms. It can even save you from veterinary bills and free you from worries.

Top 10 Best Reptile Humidifier

There is a lot of reptile humidifier available in the markets today. It comes in a variety of foggers, misters, and different materials to help regulate the humidity. Make sure to research well what is best suited for your reptile before buying one.

To help you decide, here are some of the best reptile humidifiers:

1. Evergreen Reptile Humidifier

This reptile humidifier is perfect for your reptile that is in need of a moist environment. It is easy to assemble with full sets of instructions and tips that can offer a longer lifespan compared to another humidifier. The Evergreen Pet Supplies Reptile Humidifier’s tank can hold up to two liters and has a no-spill valve, flexible adjustable hose, and a dry-run protection which automatically shuts off when it is empty.

Pros

• It gives a consistent output and well-built.
• It runs quietly, ideal for indoor use.

Cons

• The tank is hard to refill, you need to remove everything and put it back again.
• The humidifier only lasted only for a shorter period than it promised.

2. Coolspider Reptile Humidifier Fog Machine Mister

This reptile humidifier is an ultrasonic cool mist fog machine with a durable and flexible hose that automatically shuts off when the water level is low. It has a powerful fog output that can fill up ultra-fine cool mist into a large tank cage. The Coolspider Reptile Humidifier Fog Machine Mister is ideal for humidifying a terrarium or vivarium with a natural fog cool and full anion to make their habitat fresher.

Pros

• It is great in giving the amount of fog you need for you reptile housing.
• It has a high-quality warranty for about a year after the purchase date.

Cons

• The release mechanism does not allow water to enter the ultrasonic base to create mist.
• The tube does not always stays or seals the place.

3. Aiicioo Reptile Humidifier Fogger

This reptile humidifier has a humidification system that is one of the key accessories for many reptiles and amphibians such as geckos, snakes, turtle, iguanas, frogs, and a variety of plants. It has a large three-liter tank that you can set the desired mist level and non-stop humidifier for up to 12 to 24 hours. The Aiicioo Reptile Humidifier Fogger has an automatic shut-off when the water runs out and turns it on again after refilling it.

Pros

• It has an almost no-noise feature under 30 decibels that is great for you and your pet’s sleeping habit.
• It has a large tank that reduces your job in changing the water on a regular basis.

Cons

• The item worked great in the beginning but started leaking a few weeks after.
• The warranty is just a month.

4. Zoo Med Reptirain Reptile Humidifier

This reptile humidifier has programmable misting for terrariums, cages, and indoor gardens. It has four spray interval settings and duration settings. The Zoo Med Reptirain Automatic Terrarium Mister contains mounting hooks, 6-watt AC adaptor, remote nozzle extension, and suction cup hold down.

Pros

• It is fully programmable, portable, and easy to use.
• It is perfect for dry climate places.

Cons

• The spray end has the tendency to drip and leak.
• The misting system stops after a month and you need to pay for the repair.

5. Oiibo Reptile Humidifier

This reptile humidifier works silently as it infuses clean and moisturized air that provides your reptiles the moist environment they need. It easy to refill just by pouring water into the orifice at the bottom of the tank. The Oiibo Reptile Humidifier is easy and safe to use for a wide variety of reptiles and amphibians.

Pros

• It is really easy to fill the tank from the bottom.
• It is impressive how quiet the unit is while working.

Cons

• The item works great except that it is difficult to clean inside.
• The mist comes out sometimes and the tubes collect a lot of water.

6. Zoo Med Reptile Fogger Humidifier

This reptile humidifier has the ability to increase the humidity inside the terrarium with adjustable fog output control. It contains a no-spill valve which makes it easy to refill the water bottle. The Zoo Med Reptile Fogger Terrarium Humidifier can be used with a Zoo Med HygroTherma to have an exact control to the humidity and temperature.

Pros

• It comes with a 1-liter bottle, no-spill valve, and all the necessary fittings.
• It has a 3-month warranty.

Cons

• The vaporizer got clogged and broken after.
• The humidifier stopped within a month of use.

7. Blue Spotted Deep Jungle Fogger

This reptile humidifier provides the necessary moisture and humidity for your pets’ well-being. It has a compact design, adjustable flow control, and fan-less for silent operation. The Blue Spotted Deep Jungle Fogger promotes a healthy, safe, and natural behavior of the reptiles by giving the right humidity level and environment.

Pros

• It gives a deep jungle rainforest environment with its cool-mist compact ultrasonic fogger.
• It is ready to use that includes a mounting clip, extendable hose, and no-spill attachment.

Cons

• The product did not seem to turn above 75% of its power.
• The fogging tube got leaky and broke quickly.

8. AGPTEK Mist Maker Fogger Air Humidifier

This reptile humidifier is using an ultrasonic electronic technology to create a magical effect on your tanks, ponds, and even swimming pools. It can produce a large amount of mist that with no heat or chemical used. The AGPTEK Mist Maker Fogger Air Humidifier is safe, easy to operate and strive to offer customer satisfaction.

Pros

• It has an attractive LED lights that change colors randomly.
• It has an output voltage of 24 volts that is very safe to use in the water.

Cons

• The mist maker is messy and dangerous as it spits water everywhere.
• The spray drops all over and empties the water into the container quickly.

9. ESUMIC Mist Maker Fogger Air Humidifier

This reptile humidifier is best for terrariums, indoor foundations, and other decoration use. It is easy to install and convenient to operate with 12 automatically changing colors LED lights to add an amazing look to the rockery. The ultrasonic atomizer releases negative ions which makes the air fresher and healthier by reducing the dust and bacteria.

Pros

• It adds a stunning mist effect to any tank or pond.
• It filters the bad smell with its electro and ultrasonic technology.

Cons

• The unit started to corrode on the outside after days of use.
• The fogger stopped working within 2 weeks.

10. Pravono Reptile Fogger Humidifier

This reptile humidifier can give your pets a fresh, healthy, and moist skin by using distilled or pure water. It has two mist working modes that is super silent when running. The Pravono Reptile Fogger Humidifier can be used as a flowerpot, where green plants can grow on top.

Pros

• It has a large water capacity that can use for a long time without adding water every time.
• It is super portable with its small size.

Cons

• The packaging has no proper directions.
• The item is quite expensive.

Now that you know some of the best reptile humidifiers, you can choose from these top 10 what is right for your pets. Along with pros and cons, you can balance which one to buy. These reptile humidifiers can be found in the nearest pet stores or online shops.

Proper Caring for Reptiles

If a dog or cat seems to be a bit ordinary for your taste, then maybe choosing a more exotic animal like cold-blooded creature can satisfy your needs. Reptiles and amphibian, known as herptiles, have different requirements and needs special care. So before you visit a pet shop to get your own lizard or snake, there are few important things you need to consider, and here are some of them:

1. Reptile Size

Different cities, states, and countries have specific rules for keeping certain kinds of reptiles. There are endangered and protected creatures that will require you to several regulations. You can check with your local wildlife department to give you information with regards to pet a reptile.

When it comes to considering reptiles as pets, size matters. You need to make sure how big or small the animal up until it reaches its maturity so you will know the size of your tank. Although it does not mean that their growth will not be fully developed, however, their health will be affected.

2. Reptile Housing

Thinking about what kind of cage your reptile will need is also important. Their habitat must provide them enough space to move around and escape-proof for your convenience. Animals like snake grow a massive size so it is essential to have the appropriate vivarium or terrarium for them.

Maintaining your reptile’s cages clean can keep your pet’s health in shape. Animals are also susceptible to bacteria and infections like salmonella that can be transmitted to humans. You must schedule a regular cleaning and periodically disinfecting the reptile’s cage for a healthier environment.

3. Reptile Nutrition

There are a lot of commercial diets available for reptiles but giving them fresh foods is better. Some of them need worms and mice, while others require fruits and vegetables. You must be willing to put in some effort and money to provide the food they need.

Also, it is not enough that you can feed them with the right foods. Part of your job is to give them the necessary amount they need to consume in a day, week, or month. This way, you can maintain the well-being of your reptile while preparing yourself for budgeting your pet’s food expenses.

4. Reptile Temperature

Cold-blooded animals cannot maintain their body temperature on a regular basis. It is in your hand to give them the right temperature for them to survive. You can ask for professional help on the proper heating devices for the reptile you have chosen.

In cold weather, most reptiles need to feel warm, but that is quite hard especially indoors. Infrared heaters are gaining popularity because it can give the feel of sunlight through its infrared light. You can check for the best-infrared heaters out there that best suits your pet’s needs.

5. Reptile Humidity

One of the most essential things that your reptile need is the right amount of humidity. In their natural habitat, the reptile can create a stable humidity just by moving from one place to another, depending on the climate they need. There are animals that can develop serious health problems when they are in a dry place, while others can lead to fungus and bacteria with too much moisture.

That is why you have to make a way to provide the proper humidity in your pet’s tanks. It can be a vivarium with water filtration or a terrarium with air humidifier. You can also add alert devices so you will stay updated on the right humidity level.

If you want a pet that you can snuggle and play with, then reptiles are not for you. There is a different level of how much or how little care these species need. A lot of pet store which specializes in reptiles can guide you in safe ways of taking care of them.

Conclusion

It may seem a lot of sweat and effort to take care of a reptile, considering the special requirements they need to survive. However, they can make a terrific pet that can live long and healthy with proper guide and care. You just have to keep in mind that all pets should be treated just like a family member to help them live a happy life.

The post Best Reptile Humidifier & Foggers: Reviews & Guide 2022 appeared first on My Life Pets.

Well, although they are an excellent choice, you need to understand how to take good care of your leopard gecko.  And even though a leopard gecko is among the easiest reptile you can take care of, these creatures come from a really unique natural habitat which these reptiles have adapted to and will require you to create an identical habitat in order to stay healthy.

Because of this, it is up to you as an owner to buy the nest leopard gecko habitat there is and make sure that you fill it with the many requirements in order to mimic their natural habitat.

Top 10 Best Leopard Gecko Habitat

The market offers a lot of enclosures and tank for geckos, so it is not that surprising if you are having such a hard time in choosing one. Well, we’re here to help!

Here are the top 10 best leopard gecko tanks that will surely not disappoint you and your pet!

1. Exo Terra All Glass Terrarium

Exo Terra is known to be one of the most popular brands to offer amazing habitats for reptiles. Thus, we have their all-glass terrarium on our list. This top-notch terrarium makes and ideal leopard gecko habitat since it is specifically made with a leopard gecko in mind.

This tank is adapted for the needs and desires of your leopard gecko. It is small tall, making it a wonderful choice for young geckos. And because this tank is all glass, it should prevent the loss of heat and humidity, thus providing constant temperature which is very important for the development and health of your gecko.

Additionally, this tank allows fresh air to enter, thanks to its handy front window ventilation. It has a raised bottom frame which makes heating easy and safe as you add an under-tank heater. Its bottom is also waterproof so you do not have to worry. Moreover, you will totally love this tank since it is very easy to clean. Front windows and dual doors come in handy since they provide you access to the inside of the tanks. And the closable inlets ensure that the tank always looks great since there will not be any wires all over the tank.

Pros:

• Ideal for young geckos
• Easy to clean
• Good ventilation
• Prevents loss of heat and humidity
• High-quality design

Cons:

• Heavy
• Pricey

2. KollerCraft Flat-Backed Reptile Habitat

Now, if you wish to have a stylish terrarium, then this tank is the perfect one for you! This KollerCraft Tank does not have a classic shape but has a flat-backed which looks really elegant and makes your living room look vivid.

This tank has a 5-gallon capacity and measures 10x19x12 inches, thus it is ideal for leopards geckos and other kinds of small reptiles. It has a sturdy screen top that will make sure that your sneaky per will never have the chance to escape while also providing air circulation.

Because of the wide flat-backed design, you can watch your leopard gecko for hours since there is no metal construction to hide the area of the tank. Moreover, this tank by KollerCraft offers plenty of space to add branches and plants in order to create the ideal leopard gecko habitat.

You can totally place the light on top of the tank without even worrying about the safety of your reptilian buddy. As for its price this tank model is perfect for a low budget and for those who do not want to break the bank on a decent tank.

Pros:

• Affordable
• Sturdy metal screen top
• Seamless construction
• Ideal for small reptiles
• 5-gallon capacity
• Stylish

Cons:

• Lightweight since it is made of acrylic
• Breaks easily

3. Exo Terra Glass Terrarium Mayan

Another perfect leopard gecko tank from Exo Terra, this model measures 18x18x24 inches which makes it suitable enough for leopard geckos and other reptiles to live in. The dimension is just right— not too small with a lot of space for your leopard gecko to wander around. Also, it allows you to decorate the tank with the necessary plants and branches for your leopard gecko have a natural feel.

Additionally, this leopard gecko enclosure has two doors for accessing the inside of the tank without risking escape from your sneaky reptile buddy. Moreover, this Exo Terra tank features a front window ventilation for fresh air to penetrate the inside of the cage and a water-resistant base. It also has a stainless steel mesh cover that ensures there is no escaping the tank.

Pros:

• Enough space for your leopard gecko to wander around
• Escape-proof tank
• Front window ventilation for fresh air
• Water resistant base

Cons:

• Your leopard gecko’s foot can get stuck on holes at the bottom

4. Zoo Med Laboratories ReptiHabitat

If you are a first-time leopard gecko owner, then you might want to start off with a gecko kit. But do not just choose any gecko kit since some might come in poor quality. Rather than those, choose this one from Zoo Med Laboratories. This particular kit makes caring for a leopard gecko a breeze since it comes with every features and thing that your reptilian friend needs for a happy living.

This leopard gecko habitat might not be as durable as a glass one like Exo Terra, however, it is definitely worth the money and provides you with a good value. This gecko kit comes with a very reasonable price considering with what you can get with it.

The unit is sturdy enough to secure a leopard gecko and provides it with happiness. It has an easy setup so you should not have any trouble with it even if it is your first time. Furthermore, the tank is very easy to clean which only adds up to its value and quality. Also, it allows enough fresh air to come in for your leopard gecko to breathe in.

Pros:

• Provides good value for the money
• Secure
• Easy to clean
• Comes with a lot of things

Cons:

• The temperature gauge is not precise
• Not as sturdy as glass terrariums

5. Exo Terra Nano Glass Terrarium

In case you are looking for a decent leopard gecko habitat which does not cost a fortune, then this cage from Exo Terra is the thing that you and your reptilian pet need. It looks nice, secure and sturdy. And when you add different decoration items, the tank will surely look amazing and will impress anyone who sees it.

With a measurement of 8x8x12 inches, this Eco Terra tank is ideal for small reptiles like leopard geckos since it provides adequate space for your reptilian buddy. It has raised bottom frame, escape-proof door, waterproof bottom, and front window ventilation, all of which add value to every penny you spent.

Pros:

• Small, perfect for small reptiles
• Affordable
• Durable and sturdy

Cons:

• Poorly made background which fades away quickly

6. Zilla Tropical Starter Kit for Reptiles

Another starter kit for every first time reptile owners out there who are not yet willing to get all parts one by one. This tanks is of high quality and comes with a lot of items needed to create the most comfortable habitat for your leopard gecko. Plus, it comes with an affordable price, so you will never have to regret your purchase and neither will your reptilian buddy.

Made from quality material, this leopard gecko habitat is very sturdy and completely safe for your reptile pet. The tank has enough space which allows you to create shade areas and basking spots for humidity and temperature management. It also has enough space to add vines and plants so your pet will be very much comfortable.

The Zilla Tropical Reptile Starter Kit is delivered to you with reinforced packaging, so you do not have to worry about it being damaged when delivered at your front door.

Pros:

• Ideal for small reptiles
• Spacious enough
• Comes at a great price
• Sturdy

Cons:

• Not suitable for larger reptiles
• You might need to buy another lamp

7. Zoo Med ReptiBreeze Open Air Screen Cage

Another great leopard gecko habitat from Zoo Med, the Open Air Screen Cage is a tall, anodized aluminum tank which has a huge amount of airflow because of its open designs. The anodized construction makes this tank really durable without being heavyweight.

The tank comes with all the necessary hardware needed in order to set up the cage and all you need is a screwdriver in order to assemble the tank. Moreover, this tank can be decorated to your liking. This leopard gecko cage has two front doors— one on top for main accessing and one at the bottom in order to change substrates.

It has a bottom tray which is designed for an easy access, changing and cleaning of the substrate. Like most premade tanks, this is suitable for small reptiles like leopard geckos.

Pros:

• Anodized Aluminum Construction
• Lots of vertical climbing room
• Easy to assemble
• Double front door design

Cons:

• Screen can rip
• Uncovered metal cage edges
• Limited horizontal space

8. Exo Terra High Glass Terrarium

Another tank from Exo Terra, this high glass terrarium is another perfect leopard gecko tank which is a bit more polished than other premade reptile habitat solutions in the market today. It has a dimension of 24x18x36 inches which makes it enough for your leopard gecko to wander around.

This all-glass terrarium from Exo Terra is specifically designed with a waterproof bottom, dual opening doors that do not allow any risk of escaping, and a screen top that allows penetration of UVB light for your leopard gecko’s health. This tank also features tube and wire inlets that allow easy installation of monitors, sensors and other cool features that you might want to add.

Pros:

• Rock background included
• Lots of vertical climbing room
• Double front door design
• Screen top for UVB penetration

Cons:

• Lack of wiring
• Some delivery issues with glass
• Glass can overheat in the sun

9. Zilla Fresh Air Screen Reptile Habitat

The Zilla Screen Reptile Habitat is perfect in making your reptile buddy feel at home. This durable screen cage allows open-air circulation in order to replicate the natural environment of your leopard gecko.

It is made of a tough black mesh which will not scratch or rip and its sturdy anodized aluminum frame is built to last. It also has a PVC plastic bottom which allows for an easy cleaning and a cord port that offers convenient wiring of other power accessories.

Pros:

• Easy to assemble
• Black mesh screen is sturdy and escape-proof
• Water resistant PVC bottom
• Cord access
• Allows open air circulation

Cons:

• No way to remove floor for easy cleaning

10. Exo Terra Screen Terrarium

The Exo Terra Screen Terrarium makes a perfect habitat for amphibians and reptiles like leopard geckos. It allows air flow which provides optimal ventilation while minimizing fungus growth and odor in your leopard gecko’s habitat.

The screen design of this cage provides a broader temperature gradient that helps reptile in regulating their body temperature more effectively and also prevents overheating inside the cage. It also has an aluminum screen mesh which allows ultraviolet rays from the sun to penetrate the inside of the cage.

Its substrate tray also allows you to place a small layer of substrate items in order to increase humidity levels and absorb spray power and can be easily removed from the cage with the swiveling bottom door. Lastly, it has nickel plated latches which are sturdy enough and adds stability to the cage and will keep your reptilian buddy secure and safe.

Pros:

• Optimal ventilation
• Screen design provides broader temperature
• Aluminum screen mesh for UVB rays to penetrate cage
• Substrate tray for increasing humidity levels
• Nickel plated latches for sturdiness

Cons:

• Bottom tray can easily break

Conclusion

Choosing the perfect habitat for you gecko sometimes is a daunting task and could lead to a little bit of hassle and confusion. But that’s what this list is all about to put together the top 10 best leopard gecko habitat that is available out there. We have carefully choosen and reviewed the items for you, and it’s only a matter of your preference now on what to choose between them.

Hope you loved our content and stay tuned for more amazing information.

The post Best Leopard Gecko Habitat: Reviews & Guide 2022 appeared first on My Life Pets.

Some aspects of caring and feeding for pets are universal like the need to pay attention to them and to check their health on a daily basis. Leopard Geckos, however, requires some special consideration.

If you are an owner of a leopard gecko, then you need to know the best diet and food for these amazing creatures.

Top 10 Best Foods for Leopard Gecko

Leopard geckos are widely known to love a pure insect diet. However, a gecko’s dietary preferences change over time so you need to keep more than just one type of gecko food. With a broad selection of foods, then you will be able to provide the best diet for your leopard gecko.

Here are the top 10 best food for leopard gecko:

1. Crickets

Crickets are by far the best and most popular food choice for geckos. You do not have to catch a cricket in the middle of the night just to feed your beloved geckos— crickets can be bought in bulk from a wide variety of suppliers. However, you need to ask in advance about the sizes of the crickets. If these crickets are too large, then your gecko might have a hard time eating them.

Crickets, however, have major drawbacks. Most people find crickets to have this unpleasant smell which is difficult to ignore. Also, crickets are escape artists— they master the art of escaping and just disappear without a trace. This is why most gecko enthusiasts prefer to use other food from time to time.

Pros:

• Erratic movements stimulate feeding
• Gut loads well
• High protein
• Low fat
• Cheap
• Easy to find

Cons:

• Can bite your gecko
• Hide in crevices
• Short lifespan
• Jumpy
• Good at escaping
• Unpleasant smell
• Noisy

2. Mealworms

Mealworms are another good feeding choice for your gecko. Like crickets, there are various suppliers who can provide you with the necessary mealworms for your gecko packaged into a one pound container. The good news about mealworms is that they do not have the capability to easily escape and just disappear. Mealworms, however, do not have small sizes like crickets.

Take note that some geckos do not like mealworms since they do not move that much, making them less challenging to hunt. If your leopard gecko repeatedly refuses this insect, then you need to switch to a more “active” option.

Pros:

• Easy to breed
• No smell or mess
• Decent lifespan
• High protein
• Cheap
• Easy to find

Cons:

• Slow movement can turn off your gecko feeding
• Does not gut load well
• Bad calcium to phosphorus ratio
• High-fat content

3. Silkworms

Silkworms are one of the best options in order to add some variety to your leopard gecko’s diet. These small and white worms only live a few weeks, so you might want to order them in only small quantities. Silkworms, however, are somewhat less common, so if you can’t find a supplier, then you might need to do the hunting. Moreover, silkworms are much expensive than other feeding options on the market.

Pros:

• Easy to digest
• Low fat
• High moisture

Cons:

• Slow movement may not stimulate feeding
• Special feeding requirement
• Hard to find
• Expensive

4. Waxworms

Geckos absolutely love waxworms. Why? Because these worms are high in fat. And just like how we enjoy fatty foods, geckos also enjoys eating fatty foods; however, you need to watch the amount of waxworm you feed to your leopard gecko and limit this type of food every month or less often. Surely, you do not want to have an obese leopard gecko, right?

Pros:

• Used to jump start feeding
• Irresistible to geckos
• Cheap
• Easy to find

Cons:

• Sensitive to heat and moisture
• Smelly
• Cannot be gut loaded
• Short lifespan
• Extremely high-fat content

5. Dubia Roaches

Dubia roaches are less known than mealworms and crickets; however, this gecko food is quickly becoming more popular. This is because of several advantages they provide to gecko enthusiasts. Dubia roaches live much longer than worms and do not bring any unpleasant smell to your home. Also, some people choose to breed them, in order to have a steady supply of food for their leopard gecko.

Pros:

• Gut loads really well
• Easy to breed
• Movement stimulates feeding
• Low fat
• High protein
• Extremely long lifespan

Cons:

• Not easy to find
• Expensive

6. Phoenix Worms

You can add variety to your leopard gecko’s diet by adding phoenix worm to the mix. Unlike crickets, these worms are smaller, thus it is easier to feed it to smaller leopard geckos.

Pros:

• Movement stimulates feeding
• Decent shelf life
• Best calcium to phosphorus ratio available
• Cheap
• Easy to find
• Low fat
• Decent protein

Cons:

• Some geckos don’t like them
• Messy
• Cannot be gut loaded

7. Locusts

The famous insects from the bible that plague the Egyptians, Locusts are part of the leopard gecko’s diet. They are similar to some of the other food options however, these insects are more difficult to find. If you wish to add these insects to your leopard gecko’s diet, then you need to measure its size. The best locust meal for your gecko should be no longer than your leopard gecko’s head. Otherwise, you might end up with a frustrated leopard gecko.

Pros:

• Gut-loads well
• Movement stimulates feeding
• Decent shelf life

Cons:

• Difficult to find
• Might be large for other geckos

8. Butterworms

At first glance, these worms look like waxworms. However, they are completely different worm species. Butterworms are the larval version of a Chilean moth and are low in fat but high in calcium and protein. These butter worms can be stored in refrigerators for several months and feed to your leopard gecko.

Pros:

• Low fat
• High calcium
• High protein
• Decent shelf life

Cons:

• Hard to find
• Cannot be gut loaded
• Slow movement may not stimulate feeding

9. Superworms

Superworms are the larval stage of the Zophobas beetles. These worms are also known as King worms and are popular live food for geckos since they are softer and are easier to digest than mealworms. Superworms are high in protein and low in fat making them a good diet for your leopard geckos.

Pros:

• Easy to breed
• Long lifespan
• Decent protein source
• Cheap
• Easy to find

Cons:

• May not be suitable for smaller geckos
• Can Bite
• Does not gut load well
• Low protein
• High-fat content

10. Hornworms

Hornworms have low fat and high levels of calcium so they make an excellent nutritional supplement for leopard geckos which needs regular vitamin dusting. Plus they lack exoskeleton which makes them easier to digest. Moreover, hornworms are also great for finicky eaters. These worms are good for enticing geckos on a “hunger strike” and make your picky gecko eat once more.

Pros:

• Large and filling
• Low fat
• High moisture

Cons:

• Difficult to find
• Low protein
• Expensive

Insects to Avoid

While leopard geckos are known to be insectivores, not all insects include their diet. Never feed your leopard gecko with the following insects:

1. Fireflies, Lightning Bugs Or Other Insects That Glow

Insects which have the ability to light up or glow in the dark should not be fed to your leopard gecko. The chemicals that make these insects glow are highly toxic to leopard geckos and just a single glowing bug contains a lethal amount of toxin. There is no known treatment for this kind of situation since there has been no evidence of a gecko that survived long enough to reach a vet.

2. Insects Caught Inside Your Home Or Outside

Never feed a leopard gecko any bugs or insects that you have caught yourself. This is because wild insects that you caught might have parasites which can infect your leopard gecko. In addition, most bugs and insects might have trace amounts of pesticides that can be highly toxic for your leopard geckos.

The Best Supplements for Your Leopard Gecko

We, humans, need extra supplements daily to keep our mind and body working smoothly. Similarly, adding a few supplements to your leopard gecko’s diet is a good way to keep them healthy and reduce the risk of diseases.

1. Calcium

Calcium is highly recommended for leopard geckos. This is because calcium plays a significant role in keeping your leopard gecko’s bones healthy and strong. Calcium supplements for reptiles often come in a variety of doses which is helpful since you can customize the serving based on the status and age of your leopard gecko. Remember that giving too much calcium to leopard geckos can lead to unwanted side effects.

2. Vitamin D3

If your gecko is not that fond of bathing in sunlight, then this vitamin in small quantities can be helpful in making your gecko feeling well. If you do not have any idea about the proper amount of vitamin D3 to give, then you can consult your veterinarian for advice.

3. Multivitamin Supplement

Combined supplements or multivitamins is a good way to simplify the feeding process of your leopard gecko. You should powder your leopard gecko’s food with a multivitamin powder from time to time to ensure that it is getting enough minerals and vitamins. However, you need to watch out for the dosage, since too much is never good.

What is Dusting?

Dusting is a process where an insect is dusted with dusting powder like calcium and vitamin supplements before you can feed it to your pet. By dusting the insects, you can provide additional nutrition to your leopard gecko.

To dust a live bug, just put a tiny amount of supplement powder and the insects in a glass jar or a resealable plastic bag. Shake it until the bugs are lightly dusted. Make sure to feed the dusted insects to your leopard gecko immediately.

What is Gut Loading?

It is a process where you “load” or feed healthy and nutritious food into the insects before you can feed them to your gecko as food. You can find several commercial crickets or insect feeds available in your local pet store or online.

Gut load these insects 12 hours before you feed them to your leopard gecko in order to help your gecko retain all the nutrition in their body. In case you are using mealworm for food, you can gut load with a small piece of carrot 24 hours before you feed it to your leopard gecko. Much better, you can leave small pieces of carrots in a dish with mealworms in it for your gecko to feed on.

Feeding Leopard Geckos

Leopard geckos are notoriously known for eating anything that wiggles or move in front of them. Because most leopard geckos do not like dead preys, you should always feed them live insects.

Dust or gut load the insects before you feed them to your leopard gecko. Then, just place the insects in your leopard gecko’s habitat. In case you are feeding your gecko some worms, then you need to place them in a food bowl and this will allow your gecko to easily access the worms. Otherwise, these worms will simply burrow under the bedding of the tank and your leopard gecko may not be able to find its food.

Overfeeding a leopard gecko is not common since they are known to stop when they are not hungry anymore, however, it is possible. So if you think that your leopard gecko is gaining an unnecessary weight, then you might want to cut down on their feedings and remove fatty insects from their everyday diet.

Also, make sure to give your leopard gecko enough water. Always replace the water and the dish is cleaned on a regular basis.

Feeding Schedule

The feeding schedule of leopard geckos depend mostly on its health:

• Young and growing geckos should eat every day with at least 4 to 8 insects.
• Adult geckos around 1 to 2 years old can eat on alternate days with at least 5 to 10 insects.
• Weak or unwell geckos should be fed every day until they become healthy.
• For picky eaters, you can feed them normally; however, you can leave a food dish with worms available in their tanks so they can eat if they get hungry.

The best time to feed your leopard gecko should be early in the evening or late in the day (7-9 pm) when it becomes active after a daytime sleep and it is that time when they start hunting in nature. Feeding usually takes 10 to 20 minutes.

Conclusion

Keeping a leopard gecko is not that hard; however, you will need to conduct a thorough research before taking one home. If you did make your research then you most probably will have no problem in feeding your beautiful leopard gecko.

The post Best Food for Leopard Gecko: Reviews & Guide 2022 appeared first on My Life Pets.

However, there is just one major problem about leopard geckos. Everyone says that leopard geckos are beginner-friendly reptiles. Yes, it is true, but the problem is some people don’t do their own research before purchasing such an exotic pet. And that is the main reason why lots of leopard geckos don’t even live longer than one year.

Either way, if you are reading this content because you want to know what is the right and best substrate for gecko, then you have come to right place. It is impressive that you’re doing your own research and rest assured you will be able to get the accurate information in this article.

On the other hand, in this content, we will not only provide information about substrates, but we will also review some products from that you can use to make the best and comfortable bedding for your leopard gecko.

Best Substrate for Leopard Gecko

1. Zoo Med Excavator Clay Burrowing Substrate

Instead of using a loose sand as a substrate for your leopard gecko, why not consider adding this clay burrowing substrate from Zoo Med on it. With this clay, your gecko’s substrate will become more compact and the risk of ingestion will be lowered since it became hard after some time.

However, you can also use this without having it mixed to loose sand. In fact, if you use this alone your pet’s substrate will become harder. But nevertheless, if you want to give your gecko a little smooth substrate where he/she can dig in, then mix this product with sand, but don’t put too much sand on it.

Nonetheless, this all-natural and chemical or dye-free substrate will make your exotic feel as if they are living in a natural habitat.

2. Zoo Med Excavator Cavern Kit

With this substrate, you can easily create a cave for your leopard gecko since it comes with a cavern kit. However, you don’t really need it since you can use your hands or a shovel to make it.

Nevertheless, with this substrate, you will be able to make a naturalistic and exciting environment for your exotic pet.

3. Original Jurassic Reptile Substrate

This substrate is very popular and safe to use since it doesn’t cause abrasions and impactions. Also, the Original Jurassic Reptile Substrate is not only for leopard geckos, but it is also perfect for sand boas and bearded dragons.

On the other hand, this substrate will not upset your gecko because it does not contain dyes as well as dust. As a matter of fact, this sand (natural) from Utah mimics several reptile’s naturalistic habitats.

Nevertheless, when wet, it turns out to be a great burrowing substrate for leopard geckos and other reptiles.

4. Reptile Sciences Terrarium Sand

This 100 percent digestible calcium carbonate sand, prevents both external and internal abrasions, which lowers the possibility of impaction in reptiles like leopard geckos.

Also, the Reptile Sciences Terrarium Sand is an all-natural product and in fact, it is free from phosphate and silica. This sand substrate, on the other hand, contains essential ingredients such as magnesium, strontium, and potassium.

Either way, it features a naturalistic odor neutralizer and makes an all-natural habitat for your leopard gecko.

5. Reptile Prime Coconut Fiber Bedding Substrate

It is an ideal substrate for terrarium structures incorporating invertebrates, reptiles, and amphibians. As a matter of fact, it can be utilized with desert dwelling and tropical species. Leopard gecko owners, on the other hand, can use this product damp or dry.

Another good thing about this coconut fiber substrate has excellent humidity retention abilities. Not only that, it also breaks down and absorbs waste products as well as odor naturally.

Either way, it is better to use the Reptile Prime Coconut Fiber Substrate alone so that you will be able to give your gecko a more realistic and naturalistic habitat.

6. Zilla Beaked Terrarium Moss

This all-natural moss maintains humidity and holds moisture. In fact, this substrate can offer amphibians and reptiles a realistic environment by giving a luxurious green carpet setting.

The Zilla Beaked Terrarium does not contain any chemical or dyes, plus it is harvested from the coniferous rain forests in Oregon. Nevertheless, your exotic pet will surely love this bedding underneath him/her.

Even so, this substrate is ideal for newts, chameleons, toads, green anoles, frogs, salamanders, and rainforest geckos.

7. Sporer Reptiles Carpet Terrarium Liner

This terrarium substrate is specifically designed for reptiles that make their habitat. In addition, it sports a unique design. This carpet liner, on the other hand, is solid on one side while the other side is plush and softer which protects your pet’s teeth, feet, and tummy that fiber or sand substrate can do.

Aside from sporting a unique design, it also features a natural color that looks like a well-manicured and pretty green lawn with slightly rough ground with small stuff and hills.

Either way, this carpet liner fit all types of reptiles like a frog, spiders, snakes, turtles, newt, bearded dragons, anoles, iguanas, lizards, and of course geckos.

Most importantly, this liner can be cut depending on the size of your pet’s tank or cage.

8. Zilla Reptile Terrarium Bedding Substrate Liner

This low-maintenance terrarium bedding can be easily rolled out and cut when needed. The Zilla Reptile Terrarium Bedding substrate line is very safe to use since it can’t be eaten like other types of substrates.

As a matter of fact, it is ideal for juvenile leopard geckos and other young reptiles.  On the other hand, it is preserved with a biodegradable enzyme which lessens the odors. Also, this substrate can be easily cleaned with cold tap water.

Even so, this product is made of a non-abrasive as well as absorbent materials. Thus, this substrate will not annoy reptiles. Nevertheless, this substrate liner measures 17.25 by 47.25 inches.

9. Josh’s Frogs Coco Husk Brick

This environmental-friendly and inexpensive substrate are ideal for a wide variety of amphibians and reptiles that needs an adequate to a high level of moisture.

The Josh’s Frog Coco Husk, on the other hand, is very easy to clean and an absorbent bedding. In fact, it can be expanded six times than its original volume. Most importantly, this substrate facilitates burrowing.

So if you’re looking for coconut husk substrate for your leopard gecko, then this is for you.

10. Carib Sea SCS00710 Reptiles Calcium Substrate Sand

This sand substrate is made of aragonite a solvable form of calcium and features easily digestible, and 100% edible and naturally round grains that will not cut animals inside and out.

In addition, the Carib Sea SCS00710 contains magnesium and strontium and it is free from phosphates and silica.  In fact, the strontium found in this product can increase bone density.

Also, this substrate is very easy to use and accessible at a very affordable price. In fact, this product is trusted by expert reptile breeders.

Either way, the Carib Sea SCS00710 weighs 10 pounds and available in a natural white color.

What is a Substrate?

A substrate is the flooring or bedding you’ll place in your leopard gecko’s tank for her/him to walk on. However, you have to be cautious when choosing since some substrates consist of fine particles that can be ingested easily. As a matter of fact, if your leopard gecko accidentally swallowed those fine particles your exotic pet may possibly experience severe health problems like impaction.

What Substrate Should You Utilize For Your Leopard Gecko? 

Honestly, choosing the right substrate is considered one of the most challenging parts of putting up a tank for geckos. As a matter of fact, there’s much debate over which substrate is best and safe for leopard geckos.

Even though they are not as attractive as some other options, paper towels are one of the most common substrates today. For hatchlings and juveniles, paper towels may possibly the best substrate for them. While for adult leopard geckos, there are lots of available choices for them that is why choosing the right one is a bit confusing.

Nevertheless, listed below are some of the common substrates where you can choose from. Also, we have included a few substrates that should be avoided.

Sand

For some, they considered sand as an unsafe substrate because the risk of impaction and ingestion that is associated with it is higher. Sand ingestion, on the other hand, is very common in juvenile leopard geckos that is why sand substrates are not recommended for them.

Other potential difficulties with sand include mold or bacterial and dust growth that leads to respiratory problems.

But regardless of these facts, many leopard gecko keepers tend to use sand as their substrate, because scooping or cleaning their waste is easier and it looks more natural.

However, adult, properly supplemented, and healthy geckos are less likely to swallow sand. Nevertheless, if you prefer to use sand as a substrate make sure that your exotic pet is healthy and adult. Even so, both calcium-based and fine-grained sand is proven safer and digestible, though it should be digested slowly.

Paper Towels

As what we have mentioned a while ago, paper towels are considered as one of the best substrates for young geckos and sick geckos as well. However, adult leopard geckos can also use paper towels.

With this substrate, you don’t have to worry about inhalation and ingestion of particles. Not only that, paper towels are easy to clean, very absorbent, and hygienic. Plus, it makes health monitoring even easier.

But the problem about paper towels is that geckos can’t burrow in them, unlike sand where geckos are free to burrow their bodies in it. Nonetheless, if your leopard gecko doesn’t burrow himself/herself, then you can consider paper towels as your leopard gecko’s substrate.

Reptile Carpet

Reptile carpets carry the little possibility of ingestion and easy to clean as well, however, some reptile carpets are uneven for gecko’s skin. Nevertheless, to make the cleaning process easier, make sure to keep two pieces in your hand.

Prepackaged Reptile Bedding

Nowadays, there are lots of reptile bedding products on the market and in fact, some individuals use these to give their gecko’s tank a comfortable bedding or flooring.

Even so, some of these consists have tiny particles that can be ingested while leopard geckos are eating. That is why, if you consider this substrate, take the safety measures as with sand.

Slate Rocks

Some leopard gecko owners make use of slate rocks. If you want to give your gecko smooth and flat stones, then slate rocks can be a great option. In fact, slate rocks can offer a natural environment that distributes and holds heat very well without much threat of ingesting substrate.

Newspaper

Similar to other substrates, particular paper towels and sand, newspaper as a substrate easy to replace and clean. Newspaper, on the other hand, is really impressive simply because there are no wobbly pieces that can be swallowed by your leopard gecko. Nevertheless, your gecko’s tank may not look attractive, but it is absolutely safe.

Substrates to Avoid

Corn cob, wood shavings, gravel, wood chips, as well as walnut shells are not suitable options of leopard geckos, especially for juvenile ones. Because these substrate choices come with several risks that may possibly harm your exotic pet.

Now that you already know the different substrates for leopard gecko perhaps you have already decided which one is best for your pet. Either way, to help you with the selection process, we have reviewed some substrates for leopard geckos.

Conclusion:

We hope that this content about the best substrate for leopard gecko helps you a lot. Either way, if you want to prolong the life of your gecko, then consider buying one of the substrates mentioned above and most importantly use the right substrate.

The post Best Substrate for Leopard Gecko: Reviews & Guide 2022 appeared first on My Life Pets.