Scaly friends count too.
Leopard Gecko
Eublepharis macularius
Also called Common leopard gecko, Spotted fat-tailed gecko, Leo, Leopardgecko (German)
From Rocky, dry grasslands and semi-desert of South and West Asia: Afghanistan, Pakistan, northwestern India, Nepal and eastern Iran123
At a glance the quick version
Hatchlings weigh about 2-5 g
Looks how to spot one
Small scaled gecko with a thick, fat-storing tail
A stocky ground gecko with soft, bumpy skin, a broad head and a plump tail that stores fat reserves. Unlike most geckos it has movable eyelids and can blink, and its toes carry small claws instead of sticky pads, so it walks and climbs rocks rather than scaling glass. Young animals are banded, and the bands break up into spots as they grow.13
Personality what they are like
A calm, curious lizard that tends to tolerate gentle handling well once settled. It moves at a relaxed pace and spends the day tucked in a hide, coming out to explore and hunt at dusk.34
Daily activity how busy a day looks
Most active at dusk and during the night. It explores the floor, climbs low rocks and branches, and appreciates a roomy enclosure with plenty of cover for exercise.135
Grooming and care the hands-on bits
Provide a heat gradient: basking surface about 34-36 °C, warm hide 32-33 °C, cool end 21-25 °C, with nights able to drop to about 16 °C. Keep general humidity around 30-40% and offer a moist hide at 70-80% for shedding. Low-level UVB is a helpful extra, kept gentler for pale and albino morphs. Leopard geckos shed in one go and usually eat the old skin.63
Home where they are happiest
An adult needs at least 90 x 45 x 45 cm of space, and 120 x 60 x 60 cm is better. Give at least three hides (warm, cool and humid), a natural-style floor and low climbing décor.56
Food basics what goes in the bowl
Insect-eater. Offer a rotation of live feeders such as crickets, dubia roaches, mealworms, silkworms and black soldier fly larvae, gut-loaded and dusted with calcium. Juveniles eat daily, young adults every 2-3 days and well-conditioned adults about every 5 days. Keep a shallow dish of fresh water available.73
Company who they like around
Wild leopard geckos live in loose colonies, but in captivity they are happiest kept one per enclosure. Two males should never be housed together.15
The story where it all began
English zoologist Edward Blyth described the species in 1854 from the Salt Range in Punjab. The genus name combines Greek words for 'good' and 'eyelid', and the species name comes from the Latin for 'spot'. Because it breeds so readily in captivity, the leopard gecko became one of the first lizards to be bred in large numbers by hobbyists, and it is sometimes called the first domesticated lizard. Today almost all pets are captive-bred, and breeders have produced a wide range of colour and pattern morphs. It ranks among the most popular pet lizards, second only to the bearded dragon.12
Fun facts for the dinner table
- 1
Unlike most geckos, leopard geckos have eyelids and can blink and close their eyes to sleep.1
- 2
They replace each of their roughly 100 teeth every 3-4 months.1
- 3
Egg incubation temperature decides the sex: cooler or very warm eggs give females, while middle temperatures give males.1
- 4
A leopard gecko on the hunt often twitches the tip of its tail just before it pounces.1
- 5
Because of how its ears are built, you can see light shining straight through a leopard gecko's head from the side.3
- 6
Two leopard geckos have been recorded living to about 37 years in captivity.2
- 7
After shedding, they usually eat their old skin.3
Recognised by the official bits
- The Reptile Database
- Valid species Eublepharis macularius (Blyth, 1854), with five recognised subspecies2
- IUCN Red List
- Least Concern1
Popularity One of the most popular pet lizards, second only to the bearded dragon (no year given)1
The care rhythm Furry Diary remembers it for you
A typical home-care rhythm for a Leopard Gecko. It is our own starting plan, not a vet's advice, and you can change every line in the app.
- Fresh waterevery day
- Temperature checkCheck the warm and cool endsevery day
- Spot cleanevery day
- FeedingHow often depends on species and agevaries
- SupplementsCalcium and vitamin dusting as your vet recommendsas your vet recommends
- UVB bulb changeMany UVB bulbs fade before they stop glowing, follow the maker's adviceevery 6 months
- Weigh inevery month
- Full cleanevery month
- Vet check-upFind a vet who sees exotic petsevery year
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Where this comes from
Every breed page shows where each fact comes from. If we got something wrong, sorry, we are pet people, not a science magazine. Tell us at support@furrydiary.app and we will fix it.
- Wikipedia: Common leopard gecko en.wikipedia.orgused for range, size, weight, body, colours, behaviour, social, history, fun facts, IUCN, popularity
- The Reptile Database: Eublepharis macularius reptile-database.reptarium.czused for names, subspecies, original description, distribution, longevity record
- Animal Diversity Web (University of Michigan): Eublepharis macularius animaldiversity.orgused for range, length, lifespan, temperament, diet, shedding, fun facts
- ReptiFiles: Leopard Gecko Care Guide reptifiles.comused for size, lifespan, activity, housing alone
- ReptiFiles: Leopard Gecko Terrarium Size reptifiles.comused for enclosure size, housing alone
- ReptiFiles: Leopard Gecko Temperature & Humidity reptifiles.comused for temperatures, humidity, humid hide, UVB
- ReptiFiles: Leopard Gecko Feeding reptifiles.comused for feeders, feeding frequency, supplements, water
Checked 2026-09-30. Text is written in our own words from these sources.