Leopard geckos are popular pets because they are relatively easy to care for and don’t require much space. But before you purchase one, it’s important to find out what types of animals can live with leopard geckos.
Leopard geckos do not need tank mates to live happily. They live perfectly in solitary, but you can introduce same-species tank mates with proper care and conditions. Provide a lot of extra space in the tank to prevent competition for resources and territory.
Introducing bigger reptiles as tank mates is not a good idea as your gecko might get eaten by the new tank mate. This article discusses different leopard gecko tank mate possibilities that can be paired with your pet leopard gecko to create the perfect shared home environment.
Do leopard geckos need tank mates?
Lizards and other possible tank mates considered ideal for leopard gecko tanks should have a similar care level. This is just an idea to ensure there isn’t too much work to keep both of them happy and well-fed.
So, that’s about tank mates, but do leopard geckos need companions? The straight answer is NO. Leopard geckos don’t need companions because they prefer to be alone. However, you can still introduce other leopard geckos in the same tank because these lizards are sociable. They don’t feel lonely, so it is not a requirement.
One of the major general rules of thumb is to keep within the same species when planning to introduce a tank mate in a leopard gecko tank. Also, not all lizards and similar pets will work well as potential tank mates for a leopard gecko because they have different care requirements and diets.
However, some exceptions exist, like the blue-tongued skink or bearded dragon make great tank mates for leopard geckos.
can leopard geckos live together
Can leopard geckos live together?
Leopard geckos are primarily solitary animals, but it’s possible to house several geckos in the same tank. However, to house them in the same, you will need to consider the following things;
- Leopard gecko Sex.
Housing males together is a bad idea. Males are territorial and too aggressive; therefore, they will often fight. These will lead to injuries or even death.
Two females can easily live together with very few issues. You still need to keep their size in consideration. In cases where one is relatively larger than the other, the bigger one might dominate the tank.
Male and female leopard geckos can live together if the intention is to breed them. If that is not your intention, it’s best if they’re kept separately.
- Leopard gecko Size.
Regardless of gender, always keep Leopard geckos of the same size in the same enclosure. Bigger leopard geckos will always dominate the tank and food supply. Thus, the smaller tank mate will experience stress whenever they are barred from reaching the food.
- Leopard gecko tank size.
If you are housing two or more leopard geckos together, the bigger the tank, the better. The minimum tank size should be 20 gallons.
Can Leopard geckos live with other reptiles?
No. It is not a good idea to keep leopard geckos with other reptiles, including other leopard geckos. These lizards are very territorial animals and can become aggressive in confined spaces. If some other reptiles are introduced improperly, it can lead to aggressive behavior in your Leopard geckoes such as fighting and biting.
Also, different reptiles may need different living conditions than a typical leopard gecko setup can provide. For instance, bearded dragons require higher humidity levels than what is generally recommended for leopard geckos.
This, however, does not mean you cannot introduce new tank mates in your gecko’s enclosure. It is generally a trial and error process, so remain watchful to ensure you safely and successfully introduce good tank mates.
In the next section, I’ve discussed some great tank mates you can pair with your leopard gecko with a great chance of success.
READ ALSO: Leopard Geckos Fighting: Reasons and Solutions for Aggression
Leopard Gecko Tank Mates
What reptiles can live with a leopard gecko? If you’re considering a leopard gecko for your next pet or already have one, it’s important to know that they are primarily solitary animals. They don’t need to be housed with other lizards to feel content and happy. However, the key to leopard gecko tank mates here will be how big your cage is. A very large enclosure = more room for more friends.
Here are some leopard gecko tank mates to try:
Turtles
If the tank is set up properly, turtles can live together with your leopard gecko. However, you’ll need to be sure the turtles can’t climb out of the tank. This is because they are usually quite large and don’t have any claws on their feet that will allow them to get back up if they fall down. That means to house them together, you will need a massive tank.
You might need additional hiding spots for your leopard gecko since he won’t always want his little head sticking out from underneath a substrate.
You’ll also need to be prepared as the turtle might spray the tank’s walls with water, which might seep into the leopard gecko’s habitat.
It might also be worth researching whether or not turtles are safe to keep with your other pets. While turtles make an excellent companion for your leopard gecko, they can be hard to maintain at times and might require more effort than you’re accustomed to with your gecko.
Bearded dragons
Due to size differences, keeping Bearded dragons and leopard geckos together is not advisable. The beardie is much bigger and could potentially eat the leo.
There are some circumstances where you can introduce bearded dragons as tank mates for leopard geckos:
- When introducing them into the tank at the same time – probably as young pets so that they can get used to each other as they grow
- If the tank is very big such that these lizards won’t have to compete over space
These conditions must be met if you consider a bearded dragon as a leopard gecko’s tank mate.
The key aspect to keeping both leos and bearded dragons happy is having a large enough enclosure so that they have plenty of room to roam around. As such, these two species would likely spend most of their time trying to avoid each other rather than interacting if kept together for long-term or even for short-lasting periods (such as overnight).
Other lizards
Small lizards can make great tank mates for your leopard gecko if introduced in the tank at the right time. They are climbing reptiles and will need a lot of room to explore.
Provide plenty of hiding spots and tall plants in the tank for them to climb over.
Keep in mind that your leopard gecko is a nocturnal reptile, so if you introduce lizards that are diurnal, they will naturally wake up at the same time as your gecko, which can result in a problem. Try introducing these lizards during the day instead of nightfall or evening when other reptiles may be asleep!
Make sure all inhabitants get along with one another before adding any new pets into the tank.
Crickets and dubia roaches
Crickets are the most unlikely creatures to add to your lizard’s tank, but they are more than ideal because they are a great food source for the gecko. If the enclosure is big enough, your leopard gecko will hunt and eat crickets and enjoy a good meal and source of calcium.
If you want to keep crickets in with your Leopard gecko, this is how you can do it:
- Get a small plastic container with air holes in the top and place dry cat food inside. The crickets will come to eat and lay eggs there for your gecko to find!
- Fill up another smaller clear container, such as an old water bottle half full of water and put some sticks in it for the crickets to lay eggs on.
- Put some egg cartons inside with a little hole in each and fill them up with dry cat food so that when the crickets come they can eat easily and then lay their eggs there!
Other food-type tank mates for your leopard geckos are mealworms and dubia roaches. Your gecko will be happy and well-fed while you enjoy having these creatures around!
READ ALSO: Best Foods to Feed Leopard Geckos
How to introduce a tank mate safely
Before introducing a new tank mate to live with your leopard gecko, you might want to take some precautions to ensure that one animal does not kill another. Also, you don’t want the new friend infecting each other with parasites and diseases.
Here’s how to introduce a leopard gecko tank mate safely:
Go for same-sized geckos/tank mate
Leopard geckos can live together with other tank mates but it is important that they are of the same size when introducing them to each other.
It will be extremely difficult for a small or medium-sized lizard to coexist in a tank with one or more large-sized leopards, so if you’re going for this make sure they all meet on the first day, no exceptions!
A bigger space is better
At least an 18×18 inch cage (or bigger) is needed and should never be housed alone unless for breeding purposes. If housing males together, females should not remain inside their enclosures as territorial disputes between the two sexes may arise.
Don’t mix species
When introducing a new tank mate, choose from the same species to avoid any competition, disruptions, and cases of some pets eating others. In some cases, large bearded dragons sometimes eat small leopard geckos when placed in the same tank!
Different species, like leopard geckos and chameleons, do not live together, while others of the same species can. It is, therefore, best to stick with the same genus when mixing reptiles.
Don’t limit to one male
Male geckos are generally very territorial, but so are the females. If you’re introducing new tank mates, you might want to mix them up instead of limiting the number of males.
The ideal situation is to keep each gecko separately. Still, you can have them as tank mates if you have a large vivarium, which can help mitigate problems such as leopard gecko fights, biting, and competition for food and mates.
Do health checks and quarantine
The health of your reptile pet is important. Therefore, before adding a new tank mate to the enclosure, do the necessary health checks to ensure the new reptiles are healthy and free of parasites.
You might want to quarantine and treat sick reptiles before introducing them as tank mates for your leopard gecko. I’d recommend taking the new candidates to your reptile veterinarian for a quick check-up before going with them back home.
Conclusion
Some lizards that make great leopard gecko tank mates include bearded dragons, juvenile anoles, juvenile blue tree monitors (or any species of monitor lizard), collared lizards, some types of chameleons – though not all due to dietary requirements – captive-bred corn snakes or kingsnakes, etc.
You can have other nocturnal lizards with your Leopard Geckos such as an Albino African Fat-Tailed Skink (with caution). You could also house two Repti Glo Bulbs at opposite ends of their tank for nighttime lighting needs while in separate containers during daytime hours when they’re not needed. This way, each reptile can have its own light schedule.
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