Leopard Gecko Temperature Chart (Day & Night)
| Warm hide floor (day) | 88–92°F (31–33°C) |
| Cool side (day) | 75–80°F (24–27°C) |
| Overnight low | ~65–75°F |
| Basking spot (overhead heat) | Up to ~95°F |
Day targets
The warm hide floor — where the gecko rests directly over the heat source — should read 88–92°F. The cool side ambient should sit around 75–80°F. If using overhead heat, a basking spot can run slightly warmer, up to roughly 95°F, since the gecko can move away from it.
Night drop is normal and fine
Temperatures can safely drop overnight, generally not below about 65°F, as long as it climbs back to daytime targets each day. Most homes don't need supplemental night heat unless the room regularly falls into the 50s or low 60s.
Signs temperatures are off
Too cold: reduced appetite, lethargy, staying buried, slow digestion. Too hot: restlessness, glass-surfing, avoiding the warm side entirely, or seeking out the coolest spot available. A gecko choosing between zones normally is a good sign the gradient is working.
How to measure correctly
Use a digital thermometer with a probe placed directly on the warm hide floor surface, not just hanging in the air, and a second probe or spot-check on the cool side. Stick-on dial thermometers are frequently inaccurate by several degrees and shouldn't be relied on alone.
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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.