Do I need a bigger enclosure?

[Charlevoix]

Hello,

I've had Frankie for about 6 months now and I do believe she's about 7-8 months old. She's only about 6 inches long. I have her in a ten gallon at the moment. Is that big enough?

 

[SillyRbtJeepsR4Girls]

A 10 gallon is fine for housing 1 leopard gecko.

 

[kholtme]

Many people would agree that a 20 gallon long tank would be the minimum. A bigger tank will help you get a better temperature gradient, and also will give you adequate room for a dry hide and a moist hide to be on the warm side above the uth, and a cool hide while still giving your gecko room to walk around outside of hides. I have a 40 gallon tank for my gecko and i know I enjoy all the room it gives my gecko, and im sure he does too, although a 40 gallon tank takes up a lot of room. The bigger the better

I would recommend getting a bigger tank.

 

[Elizabeth Freer]

Hello,

I've had Frankie for about 6 months now and I do believe she's about 7-8 months old. She's only about 6 inches long. I have her in a ten gallon at the moment. Is that big enough?

Leopard geckos reach their maximum size at about 18 months old.

What are her warm end and cool end temperatures?

Soon you'll need to upgrade. Keep an eye out for good sales.

Does your leo have any giant genes? If not, then a minimum size enclosure is 30 x 12 x 12 inches (a 20 gallon LONG tank) will be good.

 

[SillyRbtJeepsR4Girls]

20 gallon would be nice but it's not absolutely necessary for housing just one gecko. For 1 single solitary leopard gecko a 10 gallon will suffice. The single most important part of gecko husbandry aside from enclosure size are nutritious feeder items, making sure that the insects you are feeding your geckos are properly gutloaded with nutritious feed 12-24 hours before feeding them off to your geckos (I gutload my roaches with unmedicated chicken feed, it's cheap and very nutritious). Calcium with D3 dustings once a week and calcium withOUT D3 every other feeding. I also feed my geckos roaches with a dusting of multivitamin powder once a month.
*edit, also forgot to add, temperature is extremely vital as well, if your temps aren't high it's likely the gecko will have trouble digesting their food, or not want to eat. I like to keep my Leo's warm side @ 90 - 92 and cool side around 75 - 80, depending on the season.

 

[LEOPARD1]

15 gallon long minimum. Although I house adults in 12.5 gallon drawers/tubs.

 

[kholtme]

15 gallon long minimum. Although I house adults in 12.5 gallon drawers/tubs.

You say 15 gallon minimum, then say that you house your leopard geckos in a smaller inclosure that you recommend. Why is that?

 

[LEOPARD1]

You say 15 gallon minimum, then say that you house your leopard geckos in a smaller inclosure that you recommend. Why is that?

If you havent read a lot of people reccomend a 20 L minimum for adults. Some keep Adults in a 10 gallon minimum. I house mine in a non- traditional enclosure so I threw I think 12.5 gallon out there. *MY* ideal minimum would be a 15L for and adult. I dont buy Exo Terra, Zilla, Zoo Med etc...enclosures.. My point is everyone has their own opinion, preference. I have my eye on a modular plastic drawer with perfect dimensions to upgrade to.

Its boils down to whether the LG thrives in the enclosure.

 

[kholtme]

The most important factor in keeping any pet is to make sure they live and have the healthiest life possible. I dont know how you could have a warm side, with two hides that are of proper size (warm dry and warm moist) at 88-91 degrees, and a cool side with one hide of proper size in a 10 or 15 gallon tank. A 15 gallon maybe, but not a 10 gallon. I currently have a 40 gallon breeder for one leopard gecko and I love it. I personally believe a 20 gallon long is the minimum for one leopard gecko, but the bigger the better.

 

[LEOPARD1]

The most important factor in keeping any pet is to make sure they live and have the healthiest life possible. I dont know how you could have a warm side, with two hides that are of proper size (warm dry and warm moist) at 88-91 degrees, and a cool side with one hide of proper size in a 10 or 15 gallon tank. A 15 gallon maybe, but not a 10 gallon. I currently have a 40 gallon breeder for one leopard gecko and I love it. I personally believe a 20 gallon long is the minimum for one leopard gecko, but the bigger the better.[/QUOTE

I agree if the animal is healthy and thrives in the enclosure it is what you should aim for whether its a 10, 15, 20 40,etc etc...

 

[majahawt]

Personally I don't understand how people can keep leos in anything smaller than 20 gallon I have 34" x 15" x 16.5" enclosures and I sometimes have trouble figuring out where to put stuff so that there's both enough hiding space and enough open space. That said, only about half of the stuff in my tanks are necessities and the rest is additional hiding spots, things for them to climb, rest on, etc. I think it's only fair to make their environment as stimulating as possible

 

[Elizabeth Freer]

/\ Well said, Maja!

I, too, believe that a 20 gallon long (30 x 12 x 12) is a bare minimum for a normally sized adult leopard gecko.

 

[LEOPARD1]

Call Peta! The LG is climbing, it may be possibly interacting with a 12.5 gallon modular storage drawer;-)

 

[majahawt]

Call Peta! The LG is climbing, it may be possibly interacting with a 12.5 gallon modular storage drawer;-)

I saw your original post and although the new one is nowhere near as snarky, I don't think it's necessary to try to start arguments about this. OP asked for recommendations, and everyone is giving their personal opinions. I could always keep a cat in a bird cage if I'd like but... It's pretty obvious that wouldn't exactly be very good.

 

[LEOPARD1]

Once again my sense of humor goes misunderstood