HERP-CARE CHECKLIST
What will I need for my Boa Constrictor?
- A bigger than 20-gallon tank is preferable per male, average size 6” to 10” with a max life span of 20 years.
- Regular white light incandescent heat bulb to help provide a basking spot during the day. A red, blue, or purple heat bulb or ceramic heat emitter can provide supplemental heat at night.
- Day time basking spot of 88°F with gradient thermal down to 75°F, the other side of the tank
- Keep the nighttime temperature at 70℉
- Keep the humidity level 30% – 40%
- Avoid excessive moisture and high humidity
- Sturdy branches and rocks in the cage and no sand substrate
- Feed a variety of crickets, wax worms, and mealworms.
- Provide vitamin D3 supplements with food
The Leopard Gecko is a popular beginner’s reptile because it’s easy to handle and requires minimal care compared to other lizards. They originate from Afghanistan, Pakistan, northwest India, and Iran.
During the day, they retreat to burrow and sheltered hiding spots, becoming active at dusk when the temperature is favorable.
Leopard geckos are usually nocturnal, ground-dwelling geckos are generally docile and easy to tame.
They do not have sticky toe pads like other geckos, so they do not climb walls. But unlike other geckos, they do have eyelids.
Leopard geckos are tail rattlers, similar to rattlesnakes. If you see your gecko rattle the tip of its tail rapidly, that means your leopard gecko is excited to eat or to mate.
Leopard geckos are opportunistic predators that eat a variety of prey items. Invertebrates are presumed to make up the majority of wild geckos’ diets. But in captivity, they will also eat small vertebrate prey if given the opportunity, including baby “pink” mice and even hatchling leopard geckos.
Leopard geckos typically breed in the summer. Females can store sperm throughout their breeding season, and produce up to three clutches from one or two copulations.
Use the Herpville App to set reminders for feeding, watering, breeding and cleaning.
Substrate
- Reptile carpet is the best
- Gravel, wood chips, and walnut shells are not recommended, avoid sand as well.
Temperature
| Basking Spot | Ambient | Cool Side | Night | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Min | 94°F | 80°F | 70°F | 70°F |
| Max | 97°F | 85°F | 77°F | – |
- Create a basking zone during daytime using incandescent light or ceramic heater
- Use point and shoot thermometer to measure temperature regularly
Lighting
- A small amount of UVA and UVB light (2 percent to 7 percent) can keep leopard geckos healthy.
- In the summer, give them about 14 hours of “sun” per day. And, in winter, the lizard will need about 12 hours of light.
Humidity
- Cage Humidity 30 – 40%. When humidity falls too low, lizards will retain shed skin.
Shedding
- Sheds every 4 – 8 weeks
- Put the lizard in warm water in a large container to help shed
- Use moss as necessary
Feeding Schedule
- Feed juvenile leopard geckos daily. Feed the adults every other day.
- Offer insects to geckos just one or two at a time, and make sure they eat them on time.
- Insects, including crickets, roaches, mealworms, superworms, hornworms, calciworms, and waxworms
- Offer food from a shallow dish or feeding tank
- Provide vitamin D3 supplements
- Providing clean water regularly on a plate is non-negotiable.
Monitor & track your animals using Herpville App!
Herpville app provides you with tools, tips, and techniques to keep your reptile pets and amphibians alive and healthy.
Whether you are a reptile hobbyist, pro breeder, or own a reptile business, Herpville will significantly improve your reptile husbandry and will provide support for the entire lifecycle of reptile breeding.
You can connect with reptile enthusiasts all over the world and share photos, exchange animal caring ideas and potential for buying or selling.
