Leopard Gecko Life Span

While browsing on the Internet, you might have come across pleas like, "I need to know about a leopard gecko's life span, because I have two of them, a male and a female. Can somebody help me out with the information?" Well, I am not trying to make fun or hurt the feelings of anyone. Instead, my point is that, you need to get hold of information about their life span and the care and the food needed by them, before you adopt them as pets at home. I am sure, you are fully aware that as a pet, your gecko is totally at your mercy for its well-being, and you wouldn't like to jeopardize it, through lack of information.

How long do Leopard Geckos Live
It is found that their average life span is between 10-20 years. In the wild, its life expectancy can be as long as 20 years. On the other hand, the same in captivity is 8-10 years. However, with proper pet care, the life span can be stretched up to 15 years. In rare cases, even in captivity, they known to have lived up to 20 years. There are some rumors of a leopard gecko which lived up to 35 years of age (in captivity). Though we cannot base our findings on rumors.

The average life span of a leopard gecko depends on the environment in which it is made to live in. They are lizards which belong to the Gekkonidae family and comes under the sub-family; Eublepharidae.

These lizards are native to the dry and rocky terrain of Pakistan, India and Afghanistan. Providing the same kind of environment at home is of primary importance in order to help it live as long as possible. A ten gallon tank can be used to house a pair, a male and a female leopard gecko. Putting two males in one tank can lead to, territorial war.

Leopard Gecko Care
Using a thermostat controlled heater can help you in maintaining the temperature between the range of 29-31 degree Celsius in the daytime, and 22-25 degree Celsius at night. Leopard geckos are nocturnal lizards and do not seem to require UV light to absorb calcium, as the rest of the lizards do. Though, calcium deficiency can lead to deformity. Therefore, as an alternative to an electrical heater, a 40-60 watt or a infra red bulb, fixed at one end of the gecko tank can provide adequate heat and light. As a heat source, a light bulb placed at one end of the tank will create, hot and cool areas inside the gecko tank. In order to regulate body temperature, they shift from hot to cooler areas or vice versa, as needed. Failure in maintaining the proper range of temperature could definitely have an effect on its life span.

Use shifting and washed play-sand, as the cage substrate for your gecko tank. If you are preparing the tank for hatchling of a leopard gecko, instead of using sand or wood shavings, use paper as a substrate.

Your pet leopard gecko could do with a hiding place in the form of a box. Make a hole at the top of the box through which your pet can enter and hide. Add sand and water in the box to provide a moist environment which helps a gecko in shedding its skin. Improperly shed skin can cause problems to a pet gecko.

The Leopard Gecko is a tough lizard and if it is properly cared for, causes few problems as a pet. However, a disease may cut short its life. Deficiency of vitamins and metabolic bone disease may trouble your pet. It may also suffer from problems such as loss of tail, rotting of mouth, egg-binding and sand impaction. You may have to call in a vet to treat your pet gecko for respiratory disease, anorexia, gastroenteritis, diarrhea and problems experienced during shedding of the skin.

Leopard Gecko Food
The leopard gecko is an insectivorous lizard. For the baby, you can feed small meal-worms and crickets in small amounts. A wild leopard gecko eats whatever insects it could lay its hands on, such as fruit-flies, meal-worms, crickets and small cockroaches. You should take care of lacing your pet foods with calcium. Both the hatchlings and adults, shed their skin once a month and eat it. It is nutritious, and supplements vitamins which are important for them. So, don't remove it as waste while cleaning up the gecko tank.

Additional Facts
The size of a gecko can range from an adult size of 0.75 inch, in case of the dwarf gecko, to 14 inches, in case of the Tokay gecko. The average adult size is 8-10 inches. A point to remember is that temperature plays a vital role in determining whether the hatched lizard is male or female. The eggs, incubated at 78-83 degrees Fahrenheit will produce females. For a mix (litter), maintain the temperature in the range of 84-87 degrees Fahrenheit. The eggs incubated at 88-91 degrees Fahrenheit, will produce mostly males which are generally more colorful than females.

Taking proper care, providing a healthy nutrition and maintaining a clean environment for your pet is very important in extending the gecko's life. If you are attentive to your pets needs, your pet leopard gecko may outlive your dog.