Stunted Growth

I recently received the following question: “My leopard gecko doesn’t seem to be growing. I’m wondering if it’s because his tank is too small?” The keeper did not tell me what size tank the gecko was being kept in. However, in 2011, I raised Diego, my largest gecko, for the first few months of his life in an 18” faunarium, though I would never suggest this size tank now, this did not stunt his growth.

Poor husbandry and nutrition are common reasons a leopard gecko’s growth may be stunted. This may include providing low temperatures in the tank, which can result in a poor appetite and a slow growth rate. A leopard gecko’s basking area should be 32oC/90oF. If you are not providing the correct supplements to your leopard gecko, this will also have a significant impact on its growth.

I would highly recommend that this keeper does the following:
- Upgrade the tank, if they feel it is too small.
- Ensure their heating equipment is working and connected to a thermostat, with a digital or laser thermometer reading the temperature, so they know exactly what temperature their gecko is being exposed to.
- Make sure they are gut loading their feeder insects and providing a varied diet.
- Dust all feeder insects in the appropriate supplements.

If this keeper is using, or plans to use a UV lamp with their leopard gecko, I would recommend checking out my most up-to-date lighting and supplementing guide to ensure their gecko is receiving exactly what it needs.

It should also be noted that some leopard geckos are smaller than others. This can be due to genetics or sex. Females generally are smaller than males. Both my females range from 50-60 grams, whereas both my male leopard geckos range from 90-105 grams.