· How big a tank do I need for X number of leopard geckos?
Generally, the MINIMUM size tank you need is a 10 Gallon for a SINGLE adult Leopard Gecko.
One thing with housing Leos is that you never put two males together. Unless you specifically want to breed, it's best to have multiple females. I generally work on a basis of 10G per leo.
Bear in mind that Leopard Geckos are mostly ground dwellers, although they will climb rocks if you put them in there, so flood space is more important to Leos than height. So, as far as a Leo is concerned, a 10g is identical to a 20g tall (given that the only difference between the two is that a 20g is twice as tall).
So, have a look round at all the different sizes before you decide which you purchase. Also have a think about building a custom enclosure. Generally you want about 18"x12" minimum per Leo.
Also remember that whatever home you decide to put your leos in, it must also be able to house one or several hide boxes. Moist hides, dry hides, on the cool and warm ends (also make sure your tank is small or large enough that you can maintain a correct heat gradient), food bowls, etc.
The long answer is that you must use them very sparingly. Waxworms are like "Leo Crack" (a term often used) as they are so addictive.
Waxworms are a treat. Leos love the taste of them, however they're not very nutritious, and quite fatty. Leos can get addicted to them to the point where they refuse all other kinds of food.
A usual safe amount to feed is one or two of them twice a week, although personally I don't feed waxies to our leos. The only waxies in this house end up being eaten by the beardies :)
Superworms are a much better treat for them. They're more nutritious, not as addictive, and the Leos love crunching them down!
These hide boxes work great and our leos love 'em. We've got two in our 30g 1.2 tank, and one in the 10g tank which houses Huff. During the day, they mostly fall asleep inside them, and at night they lay on top of them just to get that bit nearer the heat lamps.
Always place your moist hides in the warm end. Putting them in the cool end will just mean your leos get cold and damp, and can cause vet visits!
Please see this page for images showing you how to sex your leopard geckos.
Whilst adults are easily recognisable as one sex or the other when comparing to the photographs or other leopard geckos, it can be very difficult to tell the sex of youngsters under 6 months or so old.
· I have a Leopard gecko that I kept for about 18 months and I am planning to buy another Leopard gecko (juvenille), but is it ok to put them in the same cage?
Whenever you purchase a new reptile, you should always quarantine that animal. You never know when your newly acquired friend is going to be harboring parasites, viruses or other nasties. So, setup a temporary home for about 3 months or so, and as soon as he's pooped, take it down to the vet's for testing.
Once the 3 months is up, if there have been no problems, and the vet's given the all clear, you can go ahead and house it along with your existing colony.
HOWEVER, a leopard gecko that has been in your care for at least 18 months is going to be an adult by now. As such a juvenile would be much too small to house with it. The juvenile, if not completely eaten by the adult, will be severely stressed out and bullied by the larger leo.
Also, when looking to purchase a new leopard gecko, if you already have a male, and intend to eventually house them together, do not buy another male. Males will fight, often leading to the eventual death of one or both.
Whilst leopard geckos are terrestrial animals, they do often like to climb. They will climb to reach food, to find a nice hiding spot, or simply to bask and browse over their lair. All my leopard gecko tanks have plenty of things for them to climb on.
We even had one escape once. Two days later, we found him 8ft up a vertical wall. So, yes, while they aren't strictly arboreal, they do like to climb.
