Male leopard geckos tend to live longer than the female ones. The average lifespan of these beautiful creatures depends on the environment they live in as well as other factors such as diet.
Before you decide to keep one as a pet, it is very important to learn about how to take good care of leopard geckos to help them live a long and happy life. Here is a summary on their average lifespan;
Leopard geckos have an average lifespan of 15 years in the wild and 20 years in captivity
Female leopard geckos have an average lifespan of 10 to 15 years while males can live for 15 to 20 years.
About Leopard Geckos
Did you know that leopard geckos’ sex is determined by incubation temperatures? This means if one incubates pet leopard geckos you can determine the sex before they hatch. How cool is that?
These little creatures shed their skin to prevent their scent from being detected by predators.
They have a tail that can detach from the body if grabbed by a predator. Leopard geckos have can regenerate these tails lost when escaping predators.
What Is the Average Lifespan of a Leopard Gecko?
Leopard geckos have an average lifespan of 15 years in the wild and up to 20 years in captivity. Male leopard geckos live longer than female ones. The average lifespan of these beautiful creatures mainly depends on the environment they live in and other factor listed below:
- Low humidity – They need 60% humidity to shed their skin. If humidity is lower than this, they develop a skin condition that damages their tails and toes.
- Feeding leopard geckos the wrong diet – Their lifespan greatly decreases when they are fed fruits and vegetables. Leopard geckos need a diet of insects such as crickets and mealworms.
- Low Temperatures – They need a warm environment as lower temperatures cause respiratory and constipation issues.
- High-Stress Environment- They require places that are not noisy, too bright or, confined. Stressful environments cause health problems such as hyperparathyroidism.
How Long Do Leopard Geckos Live in Captivity?
Leopard geckos in captivity have an average lifespan of 20 years. With proper care and diet, they can live longer than this.
To increase their lifespans when kept as pets, it is very important to design a home that is similar to their natural habitat. Proper care involves the right diet, healthcare, and a conducive environment.
As compared to leopard geckos in the wild, those in captivity are safe from predators hence their longer lifespan. They do not compete for food with other animals and hardly get sick.
Related: How long do Axolotls live?
How Long Do Leopard Geckos Live in the Wild?
Leopard geckos can live for close to 15 years in the wild. They hardly hit the 15-year mark.
They face many threats in the wild such as predators, food shortages, cold weather, and diseases. Their predators are mainly snakes, birds, lizards, jackals, and scorpions.
Whilst leopard geckos are clever at hiding and camouflaging to evade predators, they face food shortages and overall stress in the process. Their main habitat is the desert, where they face long periods of drought with no food and water.
Leopard geckos store fat in their tails but when attacked by predators, they drop the tails and run away. [1] This means they lose even their backup food storage!
Why Do Male Leopard Geckos Live Longer than Females?
Female leopard geckos live for 10 to 15 years while males live for 15 to 20 years. Their lifespan is usually shorter than that of males because they undergo a lot of stress when laying eggs.
This takes a huge toll on them ultimately reducing their lifespan. Just like human mothers use a considerable amount of energy reproducing and giving birth, so does the female leopard gecko!
Non-breeding female geckos live longer because of the reduced stress of producing eggs.
Male leopard geckos do not endure the pressure and stress of laying eggs hence live longer. There are records of some male leopard geckos that lived up to 28 years! Most documented long-lived leopard geckos are males.
When kept as pets, males should not be kept together as they can fight even to death. They co-exist perfectly with one or two female leopard geckos.
How Long Can Leopard Geckos Live Without Food?
Leopard geckos in captivity can live without food for 10 to 14 days. In the wild, leopard geckos can go without food for 2 to 3 months.
This is because they store fat in their tails for emergencies. Naturally, in the wild these creatures can live for long periods without food. They can survive without eating daily.
Their metabolism is low in the cold season hence they can survive without food. Leopard geckos are cold-blooded animals that can survive for long without food. This is because they do not rely on food to generate body heat as mammals do.
How to Know If Your Leopard Gecko Is Dying
A dying leopard gecko will exhibit some symptoms such as:
- Lack of appetite
- Extreme weight loss
- Sunken eyes
- Lethargy
- Abnormal or lack of droppings
If your leopard gecko has any of the symptoms above consult a pet veterinarian, to give more insight into the leopard gecko’s health.
How to Prolong the Life of Your Leopard Gecko
To increase the lifespan of your gecko, you should:
- Provide the ideal home for their survival. Ensure the environment has conducive temperatures, moist moss, shallow water dishes, rocks, and low branches. Ensure they have hiding places as well.
- Feed them the proper diet they need of crickets, mealworms, and earthworms.
- Remove any stressors from their environment. Leopard geckos easily stress and shed their tails when stressed.
- Check any signs of illness and ensure they are checked regularly by the veterinarian.
- Clean their habitat daily to remove any waste and droppings to avoid bacterial buildup.
Conclusion
Leopard geckos make excellent pets as they are docile and very playful. Provide a stress-free environment to boost their lifespan.
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