How much would it cost to keep a pair of leopard geckos?

Answer 1

Leopard geckos are insectivores, they are ground dwellers and they come from the desert. In captivity, there are many different things you can use to replicate a natural environment for a leopard gecko. A couple of different options can include:

Tank/terrarium : A minimal of 10 gallons of space is required for each adult leopard gecko. A zoo med, exo terra, hybousa, all living things, tupper wear tubs or even a fish aquarium will work. The set up must be secure because although leopard geckos cannot stick to glass, they are great climbers and can easily find a way out of the setup if there is no lid.

Heating/lighting : Leopard geckos require an ambient temperature ranging from 75-80 F and a basking spot up to 95-98F. In most cases a 40W bulb is sufficient. be sure to purchase a thermometer to ensure heat is regulated. These animals are nocturnal and do not require UVB lighting. They do not require a night light either. If you are able to maintain an ambient temperature of 75-80, in most cases a heating mat is not required. There has been many cases where a leopard gecko recieves severe burns due to laying on the mat directly.

Substrates/bedding/accessories : Throughout the keeping of leopard geckos, most care sheets advise keepers to use calcium sand as a substrate, although this has been made for ground dwelling reptiles, it is not easily digestable. When a leo feeds, there is a high chance of recieving a mouthfull of sand, after an extended period of time, the leo's digestive track can become clogged up, this is called "impaction". Most hobbyist's reccomend using tiles, paper towels, reptile carpet to reduce impaction. Accessories within the tank can include fake leaves, rocks, branches and small bush's/ferns.

Purchasing these items new can cost up to $300 including the animal. Purchasing these items used can cost up to $200 including the animal.