Baby Leopard Gecko Care: The First Few Months
| First meal | Usually after first shed (~week 1) |
| Feeder size rule | No wider than eye spacing |
| Feeding frequency | Daily |
Before the first meal
Hatchlings live off internal yolk reserves right after hatching and usually don't eat until after their first shed, typically within the first week — this delay is normal, not a feeding failure.
Housing a hatchling
A simpler enclosure with paper towel or another easy-to-monitor substrate, extra hides for security given the smaller body size, and correct temperatures verified with a probe thermometer are the priorities. Loose substrate is best avoided at this stage.
Feeder sizing
Feeders should be no wider than the space between the hatchling's eyes — pinhead or small crickets and small mealworms are typical starting sizes. Oversized feeders are a real impaction and injury risk at this stage.
Feeding frequency and supplementation
Feed daily, offering as many appropriately-sized insects as the hatchling eats in about 10–15 minutes, dusted with calcium at most feedings.
Handling
Keep handling to a minimum for the first couple of weeks while the hatchling settles and starts eating reliably, then introduce short, gentle sessions gradually.
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A single adult leopard gecko needs a 20-gallon long tank as an absolute minimum, with a 36x18 in (40-gallon breeder) footprint now considered the recommended standard — plus a secure lid, an under-tank heater on a thermostat, a thermal gradient, at least three hides, and a shallow water dish.
Set up in this order: substrate, then heat source wired through a thermostat, then hides and water dish, then decor — and run the whole enclosure for at least 24–48 hours to confirm stable temperatures before your gecko moves in.
Hatchlings can start in a 10-gallon tank or tub, juveniles do well in 20 gallons, and adults need a 20-gallon long as an absolute minimum — with 36x18 in (40-gallon breeder) now the widely recommended standard, not just an upgrade.
Heat a leopard gecko enclosure with an under-tank heater and/or overhead heat source (halogen or deep heat projector) wired through a thermostat — a thermostat is mandatory, not optional, and heat rocks should never be used.
Leopard geckos can survive without UVB using dietary D3 supplementation, but current husbandry guidance now recommends low-level UVB (roughly 2–6% T5) as best practice — it improves D3 synthesis, bone density, and natural behavior, and views on it have shifted significantly from older nocturnal-species advice.
Keep ambient humidity around 30–40% across most of the enclosure, with a dedicated humid hide raised to roughly 70–80% to support smooth, complete sheds.