Leopard Geckos can be found in Western India, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Iraq and Iran. As you might know, those countries are sunny places most of the time and you probably know that you need some kind of lighting for your leopard gecko if you want to keep it in a tank.
The problem with that is, that there is so much misinformation on the internet when it comes to Leopard Gecko Lighting (and reptile info in general). That is why I created this website. I want to help people who are confused by all the information about reptiles they found on the internet.
So if you are frustrated and exhausted from reading tons of information about lighting for Leopard geckos and just want the right answer right now, don´t worry! In this article I will show you exactly which bulbs you need to create the perfect environment to keep your Gecko healthy and happy.
Do Leopard Geckos Need Light?
That´s a good question! Leopard geckos are active at twilight/ nocturnal. That means that they sleep during the day and almost see little to no sun at all.
However, they actually do need light and that for 12 hours per day. As soon as they wake up, they need to get their body on temperature and that requires a basking spot.I have seen some people on Youtube who do not use any lighting at all for their Leopard geckos and use only heat mats instead.
This will hurt your Leopard gecko in the long term.
Even though they are nocturnal, you will see them very often during the day heating up their body under the basking spot. Not simulating a normal day with lighting most probably will let your Leopard gecko go in a “half dormant state”.
That means it might be awake sometimes, but it is never fully active like a normal Leopard gecko should be. Please keep that in mind. I wrote a more detailed article on heat pads for leopard geckos here.
And does a Leopard gecko need UVB light? Well, I will come to that later in this post.
Leopard Gecko Lighting and Heating
Lighting for most reptiles are seperated in three sections: Light, Heat and UVB.
Light and heat is actually pretty easy. I know that you most probably heard everywhere, that you should get one of those very expensive reptile basking bulbs, to create a good basking spot.
While it is true, that Leopard geckos need a basking spot, by no means you have to buy one of those very expensive reptile bulbs for that.
The problem with those reptile basking lights of the most common manufacturers in the reptile scene is that most of them burn out really quickly. I tested a lot of those bulbs and it was really frustrating to sometimes buy new basking bulbs every two weeks.
I recommend this bulb for heating. It is cheap and it definitely does the job. It provides a good light and it provides the right temperature for the basking spot and the rest of the tank.
In fact, this setup containing the mentioned bulb, this lighting fixture and this thermometer is all you really need for the right lighting for your gecko.
I bet you did not think that lighting can be so inexpensive, right?
However there is definitely more you should know about lighting for your habitat. Which leads us to the next point:
Temperature!
The Right Leopard Gecko Temperature
I remember when I started with reptiles, lighting and temperature and all that stuff was my biggest obstacle. Since most people say that most reptiles need a couple of different “temperature zones”, I always asked myself how I could reach the exact temperatures.
You know there is the temperature under the basking spot and you need to have a cooler zone and all that. It was really confusing.
Most probably you are confused as well.
I am going to tell you something that most probably nobody told you before: Don´t worry too much about it.
I mean, don´t get me wrong, your gecko needs a basking spot and you need to have the right temperature, but if you get, let´s say this 60W basking bulb and you have a 20 or a 30 Gallon tank, everything falls in place.
If you don´t have a tank yet, get this tank right now! It is absolutely perfect for leopard geckos.
However, for all of you who want to know the exact temperatures you should reach, I created the chart below.
The Leopard Gecko Hot Spot
Ask Leopard gecko owners what their basking spot temperature is and you will receive tons of different answers.
The truth is, that Leopard geckos are okay with very high temperatures when it comes to the hot spot. They just need the hot spot to get their body on temperature. As soon as they reach the right temperature, they will leave the spot.
95 – 100 °F is definitely okay for a hot spot. Some people even have higher Leopard gecko hot spot temperatures and that is okay as well … as long as the overall temperature in the terrarium does not get too high, which leads us to the next zone.
Around The Hot Spot ( Warm Side)
As you have seen, the hot spot temperature can be a little bit higher, it won´t hurt your Leopard gecko at all.
However, the temperature around the hot spot, which is also called “the warm side” should not be above 94 °F.
This is simply too warm for Leopard geckos and your pet would probably be in the cooler zone in its moist hide the whole day.
The Cool Zone
To regulate their body temperature, Leopard geckos also need a zone with lower temperatures.
The temperature in the cool zone should be between 74 – 80 °F.
You will also need a moist hide in the cool zone. Of course, I have written a guide on how to create a moist hide as well. You can read it here – the article will open in another window, so you can continue to read here after reading the guide.
Temperature At Night
I never had any problems reaching the right temperature at night, which should be between 70 and 75 °F. With my lighting setup I simulate a normal day, so it is very natural. Due to this my tank is always warm enough, even during the night, as rocks and substrate were heated up during the day.
However some people do not use any light at all for their Leopard geckos (not recommended as you have read above). Due to this they have bigger temperature drops at night in their terrarium and need some additional tools to keep their terrarium temperature in the right zone.
For this, I recommend getting heat mats / under tank heaters for Leopard geckos.
Most of the time, I do not really use those tools, however Leopard geckos sleep on warm stones in the wild, so getting a heat mat / under tank heater here would contribute to a natural Leopard gecko habitat, especially when you decide to take no lighting at all.
Please keep in mind that it will hurt your Leopard gecko in the long term if you use no lighting at all.
Is a Leopard Gecko UVB light necessary? There is no real answer to that. I think it depends on your beliefs. Personally, I like to create my habitats as natural as possible and that includes UVB light.
However, you do not have to do that. Many people keep their geckos without any UVB source, however they use a Vitamin D3 supplement to keep their geckos healthy. This supplement is one of the best and of course, a supplement is a way cheaper option than buying a UVB light.
Why I Think That UVB Light Is Necessary
As I already said, Leopard geckos are active at twilight/ they are nocturnal. They should sleep the whole day, but actually most leopard geckos do not do that.
In fact many Leopard geckos take sunbaths throughout the day. You can find tons of videos on Youtube of geckos which are active during the day. When I realised that my geckos were pretty active in the evening when the lights were still on, I started to use UVB lights in the evening when they get ready for hunting.
And my geckos were even more active and had a higher appetite!
This proved to me that UVB lights have a positive effect on my geckos, so I stick with it. (I never noticed brighter colors though.)
If you want to create a more natural habitat as well and are thinking about getting a UVB light, I have a recommendation. I use this bulb for a very long time now, not only for Leopard geckos, but also for my Bearded dragons and I have to say that this is one of the best bulbs I´ve ever used.
I never had any problems with burned out bulbs. Further it also comes with a fixture which makes it easy to install. Simply place it on the screencover of your tank – that´s it.
Get The UVB-Bulb + Fixture Here!
When Do Leopard Geckos Need Light? – The Right Time To Switch Lights On
I was alway a little bit unsure about the right lighting time for my geckos when I got my first geckos. As you know Leopard geckos are active at twilight/ nocturnal, however that does not mean that you should keep your lights on during the night.
You just have to simulate a normal day in your terrarium. Sun goes up and shines for 12 hours a day and then you switch it off. So let´s say you switch the lights on at 10 AM, then you would have to switch it off at 10 PM.
Do not switch the lights on and off whenever you want. If you decide that you want to turn on the lights from 10 AM to 10 PM, you should stick with it. Turning the lights on and off whenever you want would disturb their circadian rhythm, whitch will result in health issues.
Switching lights on and off manually at the exact same time every day is annyoing and sometimes impossible. There will always be days when you won´t be at home at the right time. To stick with a light rhythm I recommend to get a time switch here.
Do You Have a Gecko With Red Eyes Or Albinism? Be Careful!
Those geckos have very sensitive eyes and light which is too bright could hurt their eyes. If you have a gecko with red eyes and it is blinking all the time or is hiding the whole day, it might be a sign that your bulbs are too bright.
You should definitely switch bulbs then. I never had problems with the bulbs I recommend above.
Conclusion
Creating the best Leopard gecko lighting is not hard at all as you have seen. Just decide yourself if you want to use UVB or not. Now there is no reason to be confused anymore.
However, if you have any questions, just leave me a message in the comment section below and I will help you asap. I always get back to my readers 🙂
What do you think? Is UVB light for Leopard geckos necessary or is it just a myth? Do you use it? Let´s talk about it in the comment section below!
Wanna learn more about Leopard Geckos? Read My Leopard Gecko Care Guide!
So I just want to clarify. If we have the basking spot light then we do not need an h see tank heating mat? Or is it safe to do both so they can get warm through the ground? And what color bulb is the basking spot lamp? Red, white?
Hey Ramona,
personally I do not use infrared light nor heating mats for my reptiles. Infrared light penetrates deep into the tissue and it can happen that the tissue is damaged.
I would only use the normal white basking light without a heating mat.
Cheers,
Pierre
Thanks for this advice for the perfect gecko lighting! My roommates and I are looking to buy a leopard gecko, and we wanted to research what we could do to make our new pet happy. It’s a good thing too, because I had no idea that their hot spot should be about 95-100 degrees Fahrenheit. This article has definitely been helpful; thank you!
Thank you so much for the great explanation. Petco told me UVB was important for my leopard gecko, but I read other articles that confused me. So glad yours was here and I feel confident. I have mine on a timer 12 on/12 off. My only concern about her now is that she is a little chubby girl! haha Not sure if she’s just more healthier and has a better appetite since using the UVB now for a couple months or what, but she hasn’t shed her usual once/month either. Would that have anything to do with it?
Hey Lisa,
thank you for your comment. I am happy I could help with my article.
Compare your gecko to other geckos of the same species on the internet. If it is really chubby you might want to feed less. A good indicator for a fat leopard gecko is a too fat tail. They store “energy” in their tails for bad times.
If it is too fat you should feed less.
Regarding the sheeding, is your humidity okay? Do you have a moist hide? These are some very important factors for a health leopard gecko.
Here is my article on the moist hide: Leopard Gecko Moist Hide
Most leopard geckos are more active because of the UVB light. So that might be totally normal 🙂
Hope this helps!
Pierre
We just got my son a gecko and I only have a daytime light bulb. I was wounding if I have to leave it on all night or can I turn it off and back on in the morning?
Hey Mark,
thank you for your comment and congratulations to your new gecko 🙂
You should simulate a normal day for your gecko which means that the light bulb should be turned on for 12 hours during the day.
You shouldn´t leave it turned on during the night. 🙂
Hope this helps!
Pierre
Hi Pierre! So I recently got a leopard gecko, and I decided using lamps is better than heat mats(fires,not being hot enough, etc) and after reading this article I feel so relieved! I’ve read that uvb will supposedly burn your gecko, but I’ll use the uvb, and I hope that won’t be the case. Also, is a 50w bulb good for a 10 gallon tank, I want the best for my little baby, and, I have a schedule for my baby gecko of dusting his food with calcium, 5x a week, and with vitamins 2x, is this good? Thanks!
Hey Giomar,
I am very happy that my article helped you to feel better about your decision 🙂
Hm, I never heard of anybody that it burned the gecko. Maybe it was a bad bulb? Or the bulb was to near to the gecko? Or maybe the owner even let the UVB burn day and night? Who knows 🙂
If you use a correct day/night cycle, you will be fine.
A 50W bulbs should do the job. It also depends on your room temperature and how near you place the bulb to the gecko, but a 50W sounds very good vor a 10 Gallon tank.
I would use the vitamins only once a week/ every two weeks. Vitamin poisoning is ugly.
Make sure that you gut load the feeding insects. (Feeding the insects healthy vegetables/fruits before feeding the insects to your gecko.)
Hope this helps my friend!
Pierre
Wow! Thank you very much! This was a super helpful cite, as I am going to be getting my first leopard gecko soon
You are very welcome!
Have fun with your gecko!
Pierre
So if I am not using a UTH (which I am not) and I just use a regular bulb for heat and light, during the day time hours, what will I use to heat it at night? I have a ZOO MED nightlight red reptile bulb (60 watt) for night. We just got our Leo 2 days ago and I am very confused!
Hey Jill,
sorry for my late reply I was on vacation.
I understand that you are confused, this is not easy at the beginning. You have to check if you need to heat during the night at all. Monitor the temperature at night and if the temperature drops below the recommended temperature, you need an additional heat source during the night.
I would not use an infrared bulb as they do hurt your reptile. I would go with an under tank heater if you have a substrate that is okay for that kind of heating. A suitable substrate is this here.
Hope this helps,
Pierre
Hello…. I stumbled upon your website and I’m so happy I’m getting straight answers. I do however notice things that I’m not doing right. The pet store told me to use that calcium sand. And the more I read online, the more I feel bad for using it. So I will probably be switching that out. Also, with the lighting, the guy at the pet store pointed out this day time/night time LED light to use instead of UVB. He said they don’t like bright lights and would be fine. But I think it’s only 3W lights but it’s LED. Wanted to see if this would be ok, considering I mounted it to the side of the tank. Or should I be switching that as well. Thank you for your guidance with my gecko, I just want to do everything right.
Hey Melissa,
I am very sorry for my late reply but I was an vacation.
Forst of all, I am very happy that you like my website. Second I am very happy that you do your research about your gecko. We all make mistakes in the beginning so don´t feel too bad about it.
I would not use calcium sand. Powder the feeding insects with calcium. This way you can control the calcium intake and you can prevent poisoning. I recommend this substrate.
It is just soil with a little bit of sand and you can use an under tank heater with it. (if you need it)
It is true that they do not like bright lights, but you should be fine with the lights I recommend here. However if you have a bad feeling about it, use the LED light.
Mount it on top of the tank but not in the middle. Please remember that you should not keep the lights on during the night. Keep them on for 12 hours during the day and switch them off during the night.
If you have any further questions, I will be happy to help you out!
Pierre
Hi! I have a leopard gecko and I’ve had him for a little over a year now. Lately I’ve noticed that at night when I turn his red light on the temperature on the hot side gets to be around 90 or above. From what I’ve read the temperature at night should be around 70-75. The temperature in my house is around 76 so could I just turn the infrared light off? I’m worried he’s getting too hot at night. Or what if I got an undertank heat mat and turned that on at night and turned the red light off?
Hey Holly,
sorry for my late answer, I was on vacation.
Turn the red light off, but keep monitoring the temperature. Infrared light isn´t good for reptiles.
You can get an undertank heater if it is needed and if you have a suitable substrate. Soil for example is okay for that!
Hope that helps, Holly.
Pierre
Hello! Your website helps A LOT and i thank you for that. So I’ve been doing research on leopard geckos, and recently decided that I want to take care of one. I have a ten gallon tank, but i still need to buy the rest of my items. I will most likely be buying the undertank heating pad, but im woried. It will make the glass to hot. Is calcium sand a good substrate? Im going to try and buy the micro-climate cave, and is the galapagos coconut soil bedding a good substrate for the moist cave? Last thing, where do you recommend i get a leopard gecko? There is a nearby petland, though im not sure if they have any non-expensive ones. Thank you so much!
Hey Tayva,
awesome that you want to get a leopard gecko. They are amazing!
Here are a couple of articles that will help you with your questions:
Leo Enclosure Guide
Leo Moist Hide Guide
Leo substrate guide (The substrate I recommend should not be used with an under tank heater)
The glass can get hot when using an under tank heater, but you can control the temperature with a thermostat. I dislike using UTH´s and just stick to light bulbs. This lighting guide (where you left a comment on) should help you if you decide to not use a UTH.
I recommend getting one here. (You will get a $5 discount through my link)
All the best,
Pierre
Thank you for this article. I’ve heard so many different things I’m supposed to be doing for my little babe. I just want to make sure everything is perfect.
Hey Shelley,
I totally understand that.
Hope this article was able to help you!
All the best,
Pierre