Mourning Gecko vs Leopard Gecko: Which Should You Get?
| Adult weight | Mourning: 2–4g | Leo: 45–65g |
| Humidity | Mourning: 60–80% | Leo: 30–40% |
| Heat source | Mourning: usually none | Leo: required |
Size and lifestyle — a big contrast
Mourning geckos are tiny (2–4g) and almost entirely arboreal, while leopard geckos are considerably larger (45–65g) and ground-dwelling with no climbing ability at all — this alone drives very different enclosure shapes, one tall and vertical, the other long and floor-focused.
Heating and humidity — near opposites
Mourning geckos need high humidity (60–80%) and generally no supplemental heat, while leopard geckos need low humidity (30–40%) and a dedicated belly-heat source. Someone set up for one species would need to change almost everything to properly house the other.
Diet simplicity
Mourning geckos can be fed a complete MRP powder alone with zero live insects required — arguably the simpler feeding routine of the two. Leopard geckos are strict insectivores requiring regular live feeding and calcium dusting.
Which suits a first-timer better
Both are excellent, well-suited beginner reptiles. Mourning geckos may edge out on simpler feeding, lower equipment cost, and space efficiency (a colony fits a small footprint), while leopard geckos may suit someone who wants a larger, more classically 'held' pet with more daytime activity.
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A single adult mourning gecko needs a minimum 12"x12"x18" front-opening, well-ventilated enclosure — taller matters more than wider since this species is highly arboreal — furnished with cork bark, branches, and dense foliage for climbing.
A complete mourning gecko setup needs a tall 18"+ front-opening enclosure, cork bark and branches for climbing, coco fibre/moss substrate, a misting routine to hold 60–80% humidity, and complete MRP powder — no heat lamp is required in most homes.
Hatchlings can start in a small (roughly 5"x5"x8") enclosure to make food easier to find, juveniles move up around a few months old, and adults need a minimum 12"x12"x18" vertical enclosure.
Mourning geckos generally do best at normal room temperature, roughly 75–82°F, and can suffer heat stress above about 82°F. Most homes need no basking bulb or heat mat at all — just monitoring during hot weather.
Low-level UVB (roughly 5–6% output) is increasingly recommended as good practice, though it isn't strictly mandatory for mourning geckos the way it is for a strongly basking desert species — their diet's built-in D3 from MRP covers much of the gap.
Mourning geckos need roughly 60–80% humidity, achieved through misting once or twice daily, with good ventilation to prevent the dampness from turning stagnant.