The leopard gecko (Eublepharis macularius), which is also known as the leopard lizard, is one of the most popular pet reptiles around the world, and largely due to its friendly nature and ease of handling.

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They are native to the region stretching from the Middle East to Southwest Asia, and their habitat is hot, dry deserts with very sandy and rocky soils. These characteristics must be taken into account in order for their handling under human care to be adequate and to promote a high level of well-being.

How it should be housed

The terrarium for a lizard should be at least 40 liters, with greater length and less height, since they are terrestrial animals. For each new individual to be placed, about 20 liters should be added to the terrarium. It is worth remembering that although males are a very friendly species, they are territorial and should not be kept together in the same habitat.

Their environment should be built with durable and easy to clean materials such as glass, plastic, and acrylic, always with a shaded side space for ventilation. Glass aquariums should be avoided, as they do not provide adequate ventilation and are prone to the growth of fungus and bacteria. Natural objects, such as sand and large stones, or artificial ones, such as artificial grass, can be used as substrate.

Leopard Lizard Food

Their diet is insectivorous and may consist of cockroaches, crickets, mealworms, and the insectivorous gel food. However, when raised commercially, these prey tend to provide more unsatisfactory nutritional levels, hence techniques such as gut loading, i.e. offering the prey a calcium supplement, fresh fruits and vegetables before offering them to the lizard, and dusting, i.e. coating the prey with calcium supplements and powders to increase its vitamin and mineral content.