How to Build Reptile Terrariums for Geckos

Leopard gecko hatchlings are a few inches long, and adult house geckos reach from 7 to 10 inches. The life spans of these cold-blooded creatures typically range from 6 to 10 years, but they can live as long as 20 years. As with any plant or animal terrarium, you'll need to create a climate-controlled environment for your gecko that best suits its biological needs. Specifically, this will entail creating a space which is generally warm overall and which possesses comfortable hiding places.

Things You'll Need

  • 10 to 20 gallon glass aquarium
  • Aquarium heating pad
  • Low-wattage aquarium light with clamp
  • Pea gravel, newspaper, artificial turf or flat stones
  • Three small, shallow glass dishes
  • Pure calcium powder
  • Small plastic container
  • Untreated moss
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Instructions

    • 1

      Place a heating pad designed for aquarium or terrarium use underneath one end of your aquarium tank, creating hotter and cooler temperature areas on both ends of the tank for your gecko to alternate between. Keep the hotter end of your terrarium floor between 80 and 85 degrees F.

    • 2

      Secure a low-wattage light with an attached clamp to ventilated lid of the terrarium. Keep the light on 12 hours a day.

    • 3

      Line the bottom of the terrarium with substrate. Use pea gravel, newspaper, artificial turf or flat stones for your substrate.

    • 4

      Place a small, shallow food dish and water dish on the cooler end of the terrarium.

    • 5

      Place a small, shallow glass feeding dish filled with pure calcium powder in the terrarium next to the food and water dishes to supply the gecko with additional minerals it needs.

    • 6

      Create dry hiding spots at the warm and cool ends of the terrarium from pre-made rock and wood hides, or make your own dry hiding places with small rocks.

    • 7

      Create a humid hiding spot at the warm end of the terrarium by cutting a hole in the side of a small plastic container for your gecko to use for skin shedding and egg laying. Put dampened moss inside.