What temperature and humidity does a leopard gecko need?
This is the single most important number in leopard gecko care. Warm side 88–92°F (31–33°C), cool side 75–80°F (24–27°C), with humidity around 30–40% ambient, 70–80% inside the humid hide. Everything else — appetite, shedding, activity — follows from getting this right.
Target temperature
- Warm side / basking
- Warm side 88–92°F (31–33°C)
- Cool side
- cool side 75–80°F (24–27°C)
- Humidity
- 30–40% ambient, 70–80% inside the humid hide
- Lighting
- Low-level UVB beneficial; no bright lighting needed
Why a gradient matters more than one number
A leopard gecko cannot choose a temperature if you only give it one. Provide a warm end and a cool end so it can move between them — that behaviour is how it regulates its own body temperature. Measure both ends with a digital probe; the stick-on dial gauges sold in pet shops are unreliable.
How to control it
- Heat: use a thermostatically controlled heat source. An unregulated heat source is the single most common cause of burns in captive reptiles.
- Humidity: adjust substrate, water surface area and ventilation rather than just misting. Misting spikes humidity briefly and then drops it again.
- Measurement: digital probes at animal level, not on the wall above it.
- Night: most species tolerate a night drop. Check what your species needs rather than heating 24 hours a day.
Species target: Warm side 88–92°F (31–33°C), cool side 75–80°F (24–27°C), humidity 30–40% ambient, 70–80% inside the humid hide. Low-level UVB beneficial; no bright lighting needed.
Signs your numbers are off
- Too cold: a leopard gecko that stops eating, stays hidden and becomes lethargic.
- Too hot: an animal that permanently sits at the cool end, gapes or avoids the basking spot entirely.
- Humidity wrong: shedding problems, or a constantly damp enclosure that never dries out.
Related questions
Do leopard geckos need UVB?
They can survive without it if you dust food with D3, but low-level UVB is increasingly recommended and improves activity and appetite. If you use it, keep it low-output — this is a shade-dwelling species.
How often should I feed an adult leopard gecko?
Two to three times a week, offering as many correctly sized insects as it eats in 10–15 minutes. Feed in the evening.
Why is my leopard gecko not shedding properly?
Most often the humid hide has dried out or the humidity is too low. Keep a damp hide available at all times rather than only when you notice a shed starting.
Not veterinary advice. This guide covers husbandry. If your leopard gecko is injured, off food unusually long, or behaving abnormally, contact a veterinarian.