When you already have one leopard gecko, it’s easy to want to add another one. But can you house two leopard geckos together?
Leopard geckos can live together, but this is a bad idea in most cases. Some factors determining whether two or more leopard geckos can live together include their sex, health, body size, and tank size.
If you insist on putting more than one leopard gecko in the same tank, learn how to introduce them to each other here.
How do the different genders of leopard geckos react to living together?
Male leopard geckos living together
When two or more leopard geckos are housed in the same tank, they can easily end up fighting. This is because male leopard geckos are naturally territorial and aggressive, especially after they become adults.
Each one is likely to see the other as a threat and attack them. This can lead to tail loss and other injuries.
Female leopard geckos living together
While keeping more than one female leopard geckos together is safer than keeping more than one male one, it comes with its risks.
For one, if one of the female leopard geckos is substantially bigger than the other, they may try to dominate them.
If the tank is too small or doesn’t have enough hiding spaces, it’s easy for the geckos to get frustrated and end up fighting each other.
Male and female leopard geckos living together
Ideally, you should only place male and female leopard geckos together if you want to breed them. Otherwise, doing this will lead to the unnecessary laying of fertilized eggs.
Since this is a strenuous activity, regularly letting it happen with no plan can eventually reduce the lifespan of your female leopard gecko.
If you want to breed your leopard geckos, it’s best to house one male with several females.
This ensures you get more fertilized eggs and reduces the strain on each female leopard gecko.
Related: Do leopard geckos get lonely?
What is the ideal tank size to hold several leopard geckos?
While a 20-gallon tank is enough to accommodate one leopard gecko, it’s not enough for several of them. Forcing them to live in such as tank can cause problems like:
- Shedding problems
- Continuous pacing
- Aggression and behavior like hissing and barking
- Stunted growth
That’s why you must provide at least five additional gallons for every leopard gecko you add to the tank.
Don’t go overboard, though – your leopard geckos should not have more than two roommates. Going beyond this figure can make it difficult for your leopard gecko to find their alone space when they’re stressed out.
Another thing you have to keep in mind is that extra large tanks are also bad for leopard geckos. Such tanks make it hard for geckos to find their food, hides, and hiding spots. This will disorient them. Small tanks such as 10 gallon or even 5 gallon tanks are a definite no no.
How do your leopard gecko’s health and size affect how it lives with others?
When leopard geckos of different sizes are housed together, the bigger ones will likely dominate the smaller ones and even bully them.
This will stress the smaller ones and reduce their access to food, stunting their growth over time. This happens even among baby and juvenile geckos.
Another thing to keep in mind is that unhealthy leopard geckos should not be housed with other geckos. Those you suspect have pests or parasites should be kept separately.
This is because they can easily spread pests, parasites, and diseases to healthy geckos. Healthy leopard geckos can dominate the sick ones and ensure they don’t get food.
This will make it hard for the sick one to get well and can even kill them eventually.
What are the advantages of housing more than one leopard gecko together?
The main advantage of housing two or more leopard geckos together is that it keeps them active and provides them with social support. The major evidence to support this is that these reptiles usually live in colonies in the wild and can even share resting places.
What makes leopard geckos gather together in colonies in the wild?
There are several reasons why wild leopard geckos gather in colonies. These include:
Breeding season
During this season, male leopard geckos get more aggressive with other males but try to get closer to the females. Once hatchlings emerge from eggs, they are usually the dominant ones in the area.
An abundance of insects in the area
If one area of the wild has a lot of insects, leopard geckos will gather there, even if they usually don’t. Ultimately, an abundant food supply is at the top of any leopard gecko’s hierarchy of needs.
Overpopulation and shortage of shelter options
When a certain area has a high population of leopard geckos and few shelter options, it’s common for them to live together, even if they’d rather not.
Brumation preparation
As winter gets closer and closer, it’s common for leopard geckos to come together in preparation for brumation.
During this time, they enter burrows and lower their activity levels. This slow down of body processes allows them to survive low temperatures of even 50 degrees Fahrenheit.
Final thoughts
When it comes down to it, housing two or more leopard geckos together is a bad idea unless you want them to breed.
However, if you are forced to do so, it’s safer to place female geckos together, particularly those similar in size. But even then, understand that issues may arise, especially if one of the females is in heat.
Whichever leopard geckos you put together, ensure they are healthy and have enough tank space. Ultimately, this will contribute to peace between them and each one’s overall good health.
