Aquariums are commonly used by leopard gecko owners to house and display their geckos. While aquariums are technically designed for fish, manufacturers have been creating screen covers for the varying sizes that can simply be placed on top of the tank.

Other manufacturers have capitalized on the idea of using aquariums as reptile enclosures and have developed variations of them specifically designed for reptiles. The most notable design, based off of the screen resting on the top of an aquarium, are those that have slide channels built around the lip of the tank in which the screen slides in and out of the top of the enclosure. This design typically includes a lip on the front of the screen and tank that allows the owner the ability to lock the enclosure. This is ideal for keeping your children from opening the enclosure while also preventing the occupant within the enclosure from escaping.



The above leopard gecko enclosure is an example of the slide top cover I described above. This enclosure is referred to as a 40 gallon breeder.

Enclosure Size

The absolute smallest tank that can be used to house a single adult leopard gecko is a 10 gallon aquarium with a screen lid. This is the response you will receive from reading literature on leopard geckos anyways. In my opinion, a 10 gallon tank is simply inadequate for housing an adult leopard gecko. If the enclosure contains all of the required items that dictate an adequate setup, you will find that a 10 gallon tank simply does not offer enough room for the leopard gecko. In addition to the size constraints, properly creating and maintaining a heat gradient in such a confined space is nearly impossible.

It is my opinion that the smallest size any new owner should go with is a 15 gallon tank.

Length vs. Height

When determining the size of the enclosure you will use, you should opt for a tank that is longer than it is higher. Since leopard geckos are primarily terrestrial, the more floor space they have the happier they will be. This will also provide you with a larger workspace for arranging hides, bowls and tank decor.

Standard Tank Sizes

These measurements are accurate within .5 inches. Each manufacturer will slightly vary in size, but these measurements will give you a good idea as to what size floor space you will be offering your leopard gecko.