Eublepharis macularius
Leopard gecko
A terrestrial enclosure around 90 × 45 × 45 cm for an adult, with a warm hide and a moist hide.
Legal status
- Check local rules
Eublepharis macularius is not listed in the CITES Appendices in force from 5 March 2026. No EU wildlife-trade annex was verified for it, so none is recorded. It is not on the EU list of invasive alien species and it is not venomous. The Dutch Besluit huis- en hobbydierenlijst (BWBR0049611) lists mammals only; a reptile positive list is not in force. Wet dieren still requires proper care. The Eublepharidae CITES listing covers Goniurosaurus, not Eublepharis. Wallonia’s positive list (arrêté of 10 December 2020) includes Eublepharis macularius. Flanders has its own positive list — check that list before you treat a Walloon entry as valid in Flanders. Check local rules before you keep, move, or rehome an animal. This record is not a permit and not legal advice.
Official sourceNot legal advice. Rules differ by country, and sometimes by region. Check the law that applies to you.
- Temperature
- 24–32°C
- Basking
- 30–32°C
- UVB
- Ferguson zone 1. About 0.5–0.7. Useful, and easy to overdo with a desert lamp.
- Humidity
- 30–40%
- Minimum enclosure
- About 90 × 45 × 45 cm for one adult
- Adult size
- About 18–25 cm including the tail.
- Lifespan
- Often 15–20 years with steady care.
- Difficulty
- beginner
Diet and feeding
Insects every other day for juveniles, every 2–3 days for adults. Gut-load and dust with calcium. Juveniles every 1–2 days. Adults every 2–3 days.
Substrate
Paper, slate, or a firm arid mix. Loose calcium sand is a poor choice.
Health
Cryptosporidiosis is a known wasting disease in this species. Also impaction, metabolic bone disease, and stuck shed.
Handling
Support the body. Never grab the tail.
Husbandry ranges are general guidance for captive care, not a veterinary prescription or a permit. Confirm the gradient with your own thermometers. UV zones follow Baines et al., Journal of Zoo and Aquarium Research 4(1), 2016, https://www.jzar.org/jzar/article/view/150. Legal fields use the source link on this species and stay empty when an annex was not verified.