Can Leopard Geckos Live Together?

Can Leopard Geckos Live Together?

Leopard geckos can maybe live together. There are some things to take into account including their health, environment, behavior, gender, and size.

Before you jump the gun and try to get a second leopard gecko to live with your current one, slow down and make sure you take the right steps to avoid any possible fights.

So, can leopard geckos live together?

Some leopard geckos can get territorial if they cohabit, especially when it is two male geckos in one enclosure.

If you are having a great time with your current gecko and are considering adding a friend into the mix, you should make sure you know the ins and outs as well as what to expect.

If this is your first , check out the Leopard Gecko care sheet to know what all is needed for good care.

Quick Reference Section

How to Introduce Your Leopard Geckos

Let’s say you have your eye on another leopard gecko that you want to introduce to your current gecko. How do you initiate this situation safely?

You will need some information and skills before you attempt to do this. It’s important that you monitor them correctly and make sure you are ready to separate them.

First and foremost, make sure your geckos are healthy so that no diseases will be spread to the other. This will save you the issue of parasites later and you can proceed in a 3-month quarantine until it is safe to introduce them.

Owners get best results when they remove them from their old environment into their new, larger tank along with their new friend so that they can sniff around and get acquainted.

You will want to keep a close eye on them to make sure they are getting along well. Make sure they are situating in their hides and tank ok.

Take note on how they act around each other and look for signs of asserting dominance.

This might be shown through one following closely or “cuddling”. This may look cute, but it is actually a sign of aggression, so separate them if you start seeing these behaviors.

More obvious signs of aggression will include biting each other’s tails off. This is when they should be separated; possibly for good.

Frequently Asked Questions

You may be wondering whether it is even right to house two or more leopard geckos in the same enclosure in the first place.

You might also question whether or not it will affect their overall quality of life or whether or not you need to up your tank size to make room for the extra geckos.

There are many issues that come with this topic, as it can be controversial since many owners have varying opinions.

Not every leopard gecko is the same and it may take some trial and error, although you can avoid wasting time and money by better preparing yourself with some information from those who have been through this experience.

Does Age and Size Matter?

Yes! It is the first thing you need to consider.

If you want to put two or more leopard geckos together, they should be full grown adults before your attempts. You should also consider their size when choosing a tank to provide for both their individual needs.

If you are going to introduce your leopard geckos to one another, they should be healthy, full-grown geckos. They should be around the same size to reduce the likelihood of the larger one hurting the smaller one if they do fight.

Leopard gecko fights can lead to some serious, even fatal, injuries.

Can Male and Female Leopard Geckos Live Together?

In most cases, you will be able to house the male and female together for a short amount of time for breeding or only after they have matured into adults if they do get along.

If they grow up together as hatchlings, it is common for the male to steal the female’s food, stunting her growth.

A common issue with a male and female leopard gecko is that the male will want to breed all-year round and the off-season female might try to fight him off, which can lead to injuries.

You will need to give it some time to see if the opposite-sex geckos get along in the same enclosure, but they will most likely just answer their natural call to breed.

Housing a male and female leopard gecko will most likely just lead to excessive breeding, which can be a hassle at your end if you are only planning to own two geckos and not their offspring.

In the case of breeding, the female will need to be removed from the enclosure after she lays eggs since they do not have to care for their young anyway. You will actually have to remove both parents because the adults may even end up harming their own young.

This means they can’t even be in the same tank as their own babies!

Can Two Male Leopard Geckos Live Together Peacefully?

One thing that experienced owners are sure of and will warn you not to do is put two males together because they are territorial and will injure or could even kill one another. Do not put two male leopard geckos together!

How About Two Female Leopard Geckos?

There are some cases where two female leopard geckos will be able to get along, but it is best that you already have a setup ready for each individual gecko in case it doesn’t play out the way you planned. (See this guide for more on leopard gecko setups.)

Some owners say this is the best pairing for a larger enclosure since they are less likely to cause problems as long as they both have their individual space to themselves.

Do look out though, because a lot of the time one of the females will try to assert dominance over the other one, which can also stress your lizards out. So as their owner, you best keep an eye out for this.

Can My Leopard Gecko Live with Other Gecko Species?

Only keep your leopard gecko with other leopard geckos.

If you do decide to house two geckos together, do not mix species or put leopard geckos with other species of geckos. This is mostly due to their different environmental needs.

How Much Will I Have to Spend for My Geckos to Live Together?

A good rule of thumb is 15-20 gallons per gecko so that they can have space for their individual warm, cool, and humid hides. 

Trying to get leopard geckos to live together will be a challenge you will need to be prepared for beforehand in case it goes south. This means you should already have 15 to 20-gallon tanks set up for each animal.

Putting them together means giving them enough space so that they will not have to fight over space, food, and warmth. This will mean at least a 30 to 40-gallon tank for two leopard geckos.

If your two female or male and female leopard geckos happen to get along, this means already having the means to test this out in a tank large enough for the both of them to live in. Again, your separate tanks should also be ready just in case.

A whole other enclosure is an extra amount since you will most likely end up having them that way. It is hard to find a pair that will be able to live together so it is best to be prepared.

Is it Safe for my Leopard Geckos to Live Together?

The short answer is maybe, and only in some exceptional cases. Generally, it is not recommended since leopard geckos are solitary lizards that stress out in another gecko’s company.

While it is possible to find out whether or not two geckos will get along, going through the process and spending the money to prepare for it not to work out is a very likely outcome that might just not be worth it.

Putting your leopard gecko with another may also be stressful for them in the end, which can cause many health issues in the long run. These lizards are best when kept in their own single enclosure where they can live their lives happily and stress-free.

If you still have questions or are unsure about anything, YouTuber GoHerping created an easy-to-watch, informative video that could answer some of your questions. Check out his video below.

Conclusion

Summing you up can keep leopard geckos together, but they should be the same species. Generally keeping more than one male in the same enclosure will result in injuries or death.

Multiple females can be housed together, but from time to time they may have a different personality and may not get along.

Geckos should be of the same size and male and female leopard geckos should only be housed together if breeding is the goal and then just for that period of time.

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