Leopard geckos are durable reptiles that make great pets, even for beginners, as it doesn’t take all that much to care for them. But one thing that is essential is to get their habitat right, starting with temperature and humidity levels.
Set their terrarium up properly with these conditions and your leopard gecko will thrive with very little help from you. Get them wrong, and your reptile will soon start struggling.
How hot exactly should the temperature in the tank be, and how should temperature be distributed across the tank? Also, how humid should the tank be, and how do you monitor and change humidity levels?
Read on for our complete guide on leopard gecko temperature and humidity and how to get it right.
Keeping the humidity at the right level is crucial for a leopard gecko’s health. Leopard geckos are native to arid regions, so humidity that’s too high can cause major problems. If you notice your leopard gecko enclosure has humidity above 40%, it’s time to take action to bring it down. In this article, we’ll cover the signs of excessive humidity, the health risks it poses, ideal humidity ranges, causes, and proven solutions to fix high humidity in a leopard gecko habitat.
Recognizing the Signs Humidity is Too High
How can you tell if the humidity in your leopard gecko’s tank is higher than it should be? Here are some clear signs the moisture level needs to come down
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Condensation on the tank walls or lid – If you notice the glass is foggy or covered in water droplets, it indicates the air is saturated with moisture.
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Wet or darkened substrate – Spotting patches of damp, soggy bedding means humidity has gotten too high. Only the humid hide should be moist.
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Labored breathing – Open mouth breathing mucus wheezing, and whistling noises can signal a respiratory infection from excessive humidity.
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Frequent stuck sheds – Humidity over 50% causes old skin to stay stuck rather than shedding cleanly.
Pay close attention for these symptoms so you can address high humidity before it harms your leopard gecko’s health.
Dangers of Prolonged High Humidity
Letting moisture build up puts your leopard gecko at risk for
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Respiratory infections – Bacteria thrive in humid conditions, leading to pneumonia and other lung infections. These can be fatal if left untreated.
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Scale rot – Excess moisture allows fungus to infect your leo’s belly scales, causing irritation and shedding issues.
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Eye problems – Stuck shed can cause eye caps that obstruct vision and cause appetite loss.
Leopard geckos are adapted to dry desert climates. High humidity gives fungus, bacteria, and parasites the warm, moist environment they need to proliferate and cause disease. Bringing the humidity down quickly is crucial.
Ideal Humidity Range
So what’s the optimal humidity range for leopard geckos?
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30% to 40%: This is the ideal zone that mimics their native habitat. Lower than 30% can cause stuck sheds while higher than 40% enables illnesses.
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Above 50%: Considered too high. At 50%+ humidity, risks of fungal and bacterial infections rise sharply.
Use an accurate hygrometer inside your leo’s tank to monitor humidity. Make adjustments to keep it within 30% to 40%. This range gives your gecko the dry, arid conditions they thrive in.
Common Causes of High Tank Humidity
What factors commonly cause leopard gecko enclosures to become too humid?
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Lack of ventilation – Solid glass or plastic lids trap moisture inside. Switch to a mesh screen top to allow airflow.
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Moist substrates – Beddings like moss and eco earth hold moisture. Use plain paper towels instead.
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Dirty tank – Leftover food, gecko waste, and urates raise humidity as they decompose. Do spot cleans daily.
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Small tank size – Overcrowding a tank leaves no room for humidity to dissipate. Use appropriately sized enclosures.
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No dehumidifying – Without active moisture removal, humidity builds up over time. Use desiccant bags or dehumidifiers.
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Misting too much – Excess misting adds moisture faster than it can evaporate. Mist just 1-2 times per day or use a humid hide.
Be proactive in identifying and resolving any factors causing high humidity in your leopard gecko’s home.
9 Ways to Reduce High Humidity
If your leopard gecko’s tank humidity is above 40%, take these actions to lower it into the ideal 30% to 40% range:
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Switch to a mesh lid – Screen tops provide the best airflow and ventilation.
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Change bedding – Use plain paper towels instead of moist substrates.
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Spot clean daily – Remove all waste, leftovers, and urates to avoid decomposition.
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Add ventilation – Drill holes along the top edges of a glass tank for passive airflow.
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Use a hygrometer – Monitor humidity exact levels instead of guessing.
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Add a dehumidifier – Use electric or desiccant dehumidifiers made for terrariums.
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Use a ceramic heat emitter – Gently warm and dry the air without light disruption.
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Correct tank size – Upgrade to an appropriately large enclosure as your gecko grows.
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Air circulation – Place a fan near the tank to improve room airflow.
Persistently monitor humidity levels and make changes until the habitat stays consistently below 40%. Act quickly at the first signs of high humidity to prevent health issues.
When to Seek Veterinary Help
Even with humidity lowering efforts, respiratory infections can still develop. Seek exotic veterinary care immediately if your leopard gecko shows:
- Labored breathing for over 48 hours
- Open mouth breathing or wheezing
- Discharge from the mouth or nostrils
- Loss of appetite or lethargy
With timely medication and adjustments to their environment, most mild respiratory infections can be treated successfully. But delays can allow the infection to become severe and life threatening.
Don’t hesitate to get veterinary help if humidity remains high despite your best efforts. Your exotic vet can prescribe antibiotics while identifying additional ways to remedy the excess moisture.
Humidty above 40% puts leopard geckos at grave risk for fungal infections, respiratory disease, and eye problems. Check for signs like foggy glass, wet substrate, and open-mouth breathing. Ideally, maintain 30% to 40% humidity using mesh lids, paper towels, spot cleaning, dehumidifiers, proper tank size, and good airflow. Address high humidity quickly and see a qualified exotic vet for any lingering respiratory infection symptoms. With prompt action, you can restore healthy low humidity levels and avoid serious illnesses.
Leopard Gecko Natural Habitat
Leopard geckos come from semi-desert areas in the Middle East, specifically Pakistan, Afghanistan, Iran, and India. They live in sandy areas with some rocks and plant cover for them to hide from predators such as birds, snakes, and other lizards.
They manage to live in these hot and dry conditions thanks to their thick tails, which store both fat and moisture and keep them nourished when food is scarce. They also live on a crepuscular cycle, which means they are most active at the cooler hours of dawn and dusk and will also hunt at night.
In the summer, it can get as hot as 95 degrees Fahrenheit (35 degrees Celsius) in these deserts. Winters are short and temperatures remain hot, rarely falling below 62 degrees Fahrenheit (17 degrees Celsius).
Read our guide to how long leopard geckos live in captivity and in the wild.
Ideal Habitat Size For Leopard Geckos
While we’re talking about terrarium conditions, let’s briefly address the ideal size tank for leopard geckos.
A single adult leopard gecko should ideally be housed in a 30- to 40-gallon tank. The tank dimensions should prioritize footprint rather than height, as leopard geckos like to cover territory but aren’t big climbers. Twenty gallons should be considered the minimum appropriate size for a leopard gecko tank.
Some people say that smaller leopard geckos, such as growing juveniles, need smaller tanks because they can find large tanks overwhelming. While you can get away with a smaller tank with young leos, this isn’t necessary. They also don’t necessarily represent a cost savings since you’ll still need to upgrade as the gecko grows.
The reasoning behind this advice is that leopard geckos can become stressed if their tank is too large, but there is no good evidence for this. Rather, they don’t like a large, bare tank. But if you fill the tank with things for them to climb on and interact with, they will be happier in a larger tank.
You should only have one leopard gecko in a tank, as they can become very territorial and violence can break out between them when two or more are housed together.
Read our full guide to the ideal tank size for leopard geckos here.
Lowering Humidity for Reptiles
FAQ
What happens if the humidity is too high for a leopard gecko?
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Skin Problems:Leopard geckos are prone to developing skin infections like dermatitis or fungal infections in humid environments.
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Shedding Problems:High humidity can make it difficult for leopard geckos to shed their skin properly, leading to shedding difficulties and potential skin damage.
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Ideal Humidity:Leopard geckos thrive in a relatively dry environment, with humidity levels ideally ranging between 20% and 40%.
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While the overall enclosure should be dry, providing a humid hide (a small, enclosed area with a moist substrate) can help with shedding.
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Solutions:If humidity is too high, increase ventilation in the enclosure, use a dry substrate, and ensure the water dish is not placed where it can cause excessive moisture.
How to bring humidity down in a gecko tank?
Add a fan to the room to promote air circulation in the entire room. Only mist a small section of the enclosure and not the entire enclosure. Add a small light source such as a UVB and or full spectrum bulb to add a thermal gradient and promote evaporation.
Is 50% humidity ok for a leopard gecko?
Measure the humidity at the cool end with a hygrometer. It should normally be around 30–40 percent. If it’s too high, your vivarium will need more ventilation.
How to tell if a leopard gecko is stressed?
If a gecko is stressed they will sometimes avoid all food options given to them. Tail wagging, vocalization, rapid breathing and being incredibly skittish are also signs of stress as well. If your gecko is exhibiting these signs, something in their environment or their care may be causing them worry or discomfort.
What happens if humidity is too high for a leopard gecko?
High humidity levels in a leopard gecko enclosure for extended periods, resulting in a few days, can cause some serious health issues, including respiratory infections, pneumonia, and skin-related infections. What happens when the Humidity is too high for a Leopard Gecko?
Do leopard geckos need a humid hide?
Remember- leopard geckos only need high humidity levels for shedding- but can’t survive in such humid conditions for long. As such, humid hides are a great way of providing a high-humidity shedding spot within the pet’s habitat, without significantly raising the humidity of the rest of the enclosure.
How much humidity should a leopard gecko tank have?
The humidity in a leopard gecko tank should generally be around 30% to 40%, and up to 50% during shedding periods. How do you measure humidity in a leopard gecko tank? Use a hygrometer, placed at both ends of the tank, to measure the humidity. What happens if humidity is too high in a leopard gecko tank?
Do leopard geckos need a humidifier?
Humidity-related conditions include abnormal shedding, scale rot, and pneumonia. Leopard gecko owners can use a variety of items like water bowls, moist hides, soil substrates, live plants, and humidifiers to raise humidity. On the other hand, using heat lamps, dehumidifiers, and fans among other things can help lower humidity.
Why is my leopard gecko tank so humid?
Poor air circulation inside the leopard gecko’s tank facilitates the build-up of heat and condensation, making the enclosure more humid. The best way to ensure improved ventilation if your tank doesn’t have a screen top is to invest in a screen cover. Alternatively, you can install a USB fan inside the vivarium. Lower Room Humidity
Do leopard geckos need a hygrometer?
The right balance of temperature and humidity can make all the difference in your gecko’s health and happiness – it’s all part of creating your ideal leopard gecko enclosure design. So, keep your thermometers and hygrometers handy, and always be ready to make adjustments as needed. Also see our Leopard Gecko Habitat Essentials Checklist