Helpful Advice on Leopard Gecko Lights

Do you need more information on leopard gecko lights? You might already know that lighting is one of the most important aspects of the lizard’s life and getting it right might be the difference between a happy lizard and a stressed out lizard. Let’s keep your beautiful lizards happy with these helpful tips on lighting.

UV Not Required

One of the most basic tips about leopard gecko lighting is that the leo doesn’t need UV. Some lizards may need this because it helps them absorb calcium, an essential mineral to lizards including the leo. However, because the leo is a nocturnal creature, they don’t bask in the sun like their cousins. They get their calcium from somewhere else. Remember this and don’t get fooled by clever sales people trying to unload their UV lights on your leos.

The Heating Issue

The real problem you have to address is the heating. Your lights need to be powerful enough to maintain the tank in the right temperature which is around 90 degrees on the warm side and 80 degrees or lower on the cool side. You can use hardware store bought lights for this purpose and but make sure they have enough wattage to get the job done. You may need anywhere from 40 to 100 watts depending on the tank size. Also remember that too much heat is also a problem for the lizards. Make sure you get two distinct areas in the tank. Invest in a proper outdoor temperature gauge to ensure these temp areas.

Calcium Required

You may not need UV lighting but you still need calcium. Again, don’t be fooled by special lights that promise to fill this kind of need. In truth, the leo doesn’t need any special lighting. If you want to keep them safe from calcium deficiency, you’d do best with proper calcium powders or supplements. You use these by powdering your leos food before you feed them to the lizards. If you already use live crickets, you may need to feed your lizards the powdered critters as soon as you dust them with the powder because they have the habit of shaking the dust off if they are left on their own for too long.

Final Tips on Lights

Again, the heat is the main issue. If the tank is too hot or too cold, the lizards may stop eating because their digestive systems may no longer be able to digest food. This can be dangerous because if they get too weak from starvation, they may stop eating altogether. Temperature anomalies can also cause strange behavior. If you find your lizard trying to dig through the substrate, this can be a sign that it is having trouble with the heat.

Also, remember that the lizards are nocturnal. Their natural instinct is to hide away from the light during the day. Because of this, it is very important that you give your lizards hide boxes so they can have the comfort of a hiding place like they do in the deserts where they are from.


Donna Perez is a lizard enthusiast who has vast experience of raising Leopard Geckos.

For more information about Leopard Gecko Light, Visit Leopard Gecko Heaven.