We all know that leopard geckos are nocturnal animals. That means they become more active and do all the activities at night and they spend most of their daytime sleeping. So do they need light?
Leopard geckos in captivity do not require much light, however, the lighting systems also is necessary for leopard geckos health and happiness. Leopard gecko lighting is one of the most important things that you need to learn before getting a leopard gecko for your own.
Factors to consider when setup lighting for leopard geckos
In order to keep your leopard geckos stay healthy and happy, you should provide them lighting schedule that mimics their natural habitat. You can go for 3-element setup below.
#1 Temperature
Lighting also plays the role of heat source in the tank for leopard geckos. Leopard gecko requires heat to digest their foods.
In case if you are using a heating pad in the tank bottom, you will do not need the ceramic bulb for heating. Because of the heat pad, your leopard geckos are kept in an environment that warm enough to be healthy.
Whether you decide to use the best UVB bulb for leopard gecko or heat pad, you should purchase on a thermostat and a timer to control your setup, avoid overheating your pets.
#2 Nighttime
Day and night cycle is very important for leopard geckos since they are nocturnal. You should provide them enough time for lighting and also enough time for nighttime darkness, which will help them regulate their internal clocks.
If you want to observe your pets at night, do not use any white light. The best UVB light for leopard gecko is red or blue light. These lights will avoid wake your geckos up or disturb them.
#3 UVB lighting
Unlike the other animal, leopard geckos in captivity do not really need UVB light. There are some synthetic supplements that can provide vitamin D3 for leopard geckos. However, T5 or T8 5-6% UVB bulb is also highly recommended for leopard geckos.