The most crucial aspect of caring for a leopard gecko is getting the setup of the enclosure right. While at it, a key factor you need to focus on is the housing size. An appropriately sized tank will ensure your leopard gecko feels comfortable, stays happy, and has an impact on the overall animal’s health.
The size of enclosure you place your leopard gecko is based on the animal’s size, age, and the number of pets you intend to keep. A young one should have a 10-gallon tank, while a mature one should be housed in a 20 to 30 gallon-sized tank.
How can you tell if the enclosure you have prepared for your beloved reptile is correctly sized? What size is too large, too small, or just perfect for your pet? I designed this post to educate you on your leopard gecko’s most appropriate enclosure size.
We will also go a step further by looking at the factors that come to play when determining the enclosure size. Read on and find out!
The Recommended Tank Size
While choosing the right tank size for your leopard gecko, consider that they need sufficient space to move around. Also, keep in mind that rather than housing your adorable reptile, the enclosure tank should have hiding areas, decorations, a feeding dish, and a water dish.
Having included all the amenities needed in its housing, your leopard gecko will require sufficient space to move around.
Leopard geckos are mostly ground-dwelling reptiles, and they may climb up on the vertical spaces provided in their habitat’s hiding areas or decorations.
That said, the virtual space you need to focus on is the floor space. Once the floor space is sufficient, you can also pay attention to the height and width of the container in equal measures.
Ideally, you can have a tank size for an adult gecko with dimensions that are 36 inches long, 18 inches wide, and 18 inches tall. Here is an illustration of the same.
Factors Influencing The Ideal Tank Size for Leopard Gecko
having mentioned that the recommended tank size for an adult leopard gecko should be 36″ by 18″ by 18″, there are several factors that determine this choice of size, and they include:
- the size of the animal
- age of the leopard gecko
- the number of leopard geckos you will be housing in the enclosure
The Size of Your Leopard Gecko
Leopard geckos vary in size, with the male ones having the potential to grow more prominent than the female ones. A male leopard gecko can measure between 7 and 11 inches, while a female one measures between 6 to 8 inches. A juvenile leopard gecko can be around 5 inches long.
With this in mind, a leopard gecko that is 6 inches long or less can be housed in a 20-gallon tank 30 inches long, 12 inches wide, and 12 inches high. On the other hand, a leopard gecko that is 7 inches long or less can be housed in a 40-gallon tank that is 36inches long, 18inches wide, and 18inches high.
The Age of Your Leoprad Gecko
The age of your leopard gecko is also another determinant factor in choosing the right sized tank for housing your animal. Baby or juvenile geckos can ideally fit in a 10-gallon tank measuring 20 inches long,10 inches wide, and 12 inches high.
On the other hand, an adult gecko would be more comfortable and happier in a 20-gallon tank or more prominent.
While you may wish to settle for a tank that fits your leopard gecko while it’s still young, budgetary considerations may influence the decision to start with adult-sized enclosures. This way, you will not need to spend more money and more time relocating your pet into a larger house as it grows.
Juvenile leopard geckos proliferate. You will notice that your leopard gecko would have added an extra inch within eight months. It means that if you get a 10-gallon tank for your juvenile leopard gecko, you will need to upgrade the size in a matter of 12 months or less.
Speaking of the age of your leopard gecko, is there space that is too large? You may be concerned that a 20-gallon tank can be too large for your baby leopard gecko. However, this shouldn’t worry you. Your leopard gecko will make use of any additional inch of space you provide in their cage.
They’ll have more room to explore and run around- this is a good exercise that will keep them healthier and more fulfilled.
The table below provides a summary of the correct enclosure size to adapt based on the age of your leopard gecko:
Age of the Leopard Gecko | Recommended Enclosure size |
Baby or juvenile | 10-gallon tank |
Adult gecko pet | 20-gallon tank or more significant (up to 30-gallon tank) |
The Number of Leopard Geckos You Are Housing
Leopard geckos are known to be solitary animals. However, for reasons such as breeding or your inherent love for these adorable reptiles, you may wish to keep more than one leopard gecko in an enclosure. Increasing the number of leopard geckos you are housing in a cage will ultimately mean you need to increase the size of the chamber.
Leopard geckos are small animals, but they need sufficient space to move around. And when having more than one of these animals in a cage, you will need to provide enough leeway so that each of them gets to enjoy alone time whenever they need it.
For instance, if you have two leopard geckos, they will both need appropriate hiding areas with the necessary conditions (moist or warm) for hiding, shedding, and sleeping.
Also, consider that there are times one of your pets may experience some health problems. In such cases, you will need to isolate the sick animal to prevent the infection transmission between the two animals.
The ill animal will also require a relaxed environment for recovery, free from attacks by their companions, as the weak animal is more vulnerable.
Naturally, when put together, leopard geckos are likely to fight and attack each other in a single enclosure. These conflicts are more likely to occur if more than one male animal or many females.
With this knowledge in mind, here is a helpful guide that will advise you on the tank size to acquire to house specific numbers of leopard geckos properly:
Number of leopard geckos | Size of the enclosure | Dimensions: length, width, height |
one | 20-gallon tank | 30″ by 12″ by 12.” |
two | 25-gallon tank | 24″, by 12″by 20″ |
three | 30-gallon tank | 36″ by 13″ by 16.” |
four | 40-gallon tank | 36″ by 18″ by 18.” |
In a nutshell, as you add a reptile to your tank, you will increase the tank size by five gallons. It would be great to have two or three leopard geckos in one tank so they can co-exist peacefully. If you have four in a tank, create more ample space for increased chances of solitude.
Tips for the type of enclosure to choose
Getting the type of enclosure right is equally essential, and here are some helpful tips:
- Glass tanks are more recommended for the following reasons: aesthetics, safety, ease of cleaning and mainatenance of appropriate temperatures.
- Wire or mesh enclosures are not appropriate as they pose safety concerns.
- Wooden tanks can be ideal as they are cheaper and also create an appealing habitata for the animals.
Conclusion on What Size of Enclosure is Required for Leopard Geckos
Have you gained ample knowledge on the right tank size for your leopard gecko? To sum up, all you need to keep in mind is the size and age of the animal. If you intend to keep more than one of these pets, you will have to get a larger-sized enclosure, and you need to increase the housing for every extra animal by five gallons.
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