Leopard geckos are a very popular pet reptile, they’re also one of the best pet reptiles for beginners and experienced keepers alike. What makes them so great is that they’re hardy, easy to care for and can be an active part of any family. They also come in a wide range of colours and patterns to always add interest. As such, there is a variety of prices for leopard geckos. So how much is a leopard gecko?

How Much is a Leopard Gecko: Factors Influencing the Cost

Numerous factors influence the price of a leopard gecko. Some factors that might that influence the price include:

• Morph – High demand morphs like black knights can be very expensive whereas other more common morphs can be priced much lower.
• The Breeder – Some breeders will charge more for the leopard geckos they breed than others do.
• Pedigree – Like with some breeders, some breeders will charge if the gecko has been bred from certain lines.
• Appearance – Some leopard geckos will fetch a higher price if they have what a breeder will consider a better look.
• Gender – Females can cost more than males in some cases.
• Location – Where you’re based can change the price of the leopard gecko.
• Breeding potential – Leopard geckos that are deemed more suitable for breeding often fetch a higher price.
• Medical issues – Some leopard geckos might be listed as ‘Pet Only’. This might be because someone in their breeding group has developed something like White & Yellow Syndrome. These are often cheaper.
• Age – Older leopard geckos are often cheaper, especially if they’re an ex-breeder.

Therefore, there is no set rule for how much you might be charged for your leopard gecko. However, supply and demand have a role to play. Those leopard geckos in more demand will fetch a higher price.

Generally, over time, new, popular morphs usually drop in price. Some morphs that cost £1,000 today might only cost £50-£100 tomorrow.

How Much Is a Leopard Gecko Altogether?

When you want to consider the cost of the leopard gecko, you should also consider the costs of setup and care of the leopard gecko. So we’ve broken it down for you.

Leopard Gecko Costs: Setup

The costs of the setup are hard to say for sure. You can create an adequate setup for your new family member for as little as £50 or, you can go all out and spend £1,000. Ideally, the leopard gecko setup will include at least:

• An enclosure (3 feet minimum) – A wooden vivarium is ideal for a home location. There are glass and plastic options available.
• A heat source – An overhead heat source or heat mat should cover about 1/3 of the enclosure.
• A thermostat – All heat sources should be attached to a thermostat.
• Three hides – One for the cool end, one for the warm end, and a moist hide.
• Substrate – This can be anything from paper towels to a Leo Life mix.

The above is a basic setup. But there are many additions you can add to improve aesthetics for you and enrichment for your leopard gecko.

• UVB Light – This is debatable and we have found that some leopard geckos shy away from the light. Be sure to have 6% UVB and not 10%. Leopard Geckos are crepuscular, this means they are active at dawn and dusk.
• Branches, rocks, plants – For aesthetics and enrichment.
• Temperature/Humidity gauges.
• A large vivarium.
• An additional heat source connected to a thermostat.

While you might be able to buy some equipment and enclosures second-hand, you’re better off, in most cases, buying new.

And there is always the option to start basic and build up. Going basic, can be a good idea for monitoring the health of your leopard gecko when you first bring them home. Being in a basic setup allows for better monitoring of eating and pooping.

There are also ways you can keep costs down by making decorations yourself. Ceramic flower pots can create hides and cricket boxes can be turned into moist hides. You might also be able to find good driftwood in a local beauty spot. Just remember to disinfect anything that you place into your leopard gecko’s enclosure.

Therefore, the cost can vary largely, but it can often fit your budget. The minimum you can pay is about £50, but you could spend about £150-200 for a good, well-designed setup.

How Much is a Leopard Gecko?

So the price of the leopard gecko can vary a lot. To illustrate, at the time of writing, the cheapest leopard gecko on MorphMarket was £30 and the most expensive was £450. Though we’ve seen leopard geckos for much more than that.

Despite this, the costs are relatively low in comparison to some other reptiles. A ball python, for example, has a range of £20 to £10,000. Yet the setup costs can be relatively the same.

It depends on your budget and preference. Certain traits are more in demand but lower in supply so have a higher price tag.

You might also find that you’re paying for the potential breeding aspects of the animal. If a leopard gecko has a lot of recessive genes that aren’t displaying, these can add to the price of the leopard gecko without changing the look. For instance, at the time of writing, one normal gecko with two hidden recessives was priced £50 compared to a normal with no recessive genes being £30.

If you’re looking for a normal leopard gecko and don’t want to breed leopard geckos, considering the least expensive options might be a good option for you. Price doesn’t always imply healthy animals. Some morphs, like White and Yellow and Enigma might carry higher prices, but some lines of these can carry neurological issues that might not display until later in life.

That being said, a good breeder should not be breeding from leopard geckos that have these genes which then display these symptoms later on.

So, costs for the leopard gecko can again fit into your budget. We would suggest that a reasonable price for a well bred leopard gecko would be between £50 to £70, this would give you plenty of options.

How Much is a Leopard Gecko for Maintenance?

Finally, there are the maintenance costs. This includes:

• Food (all live)
• Supplements
• New UVB bulbs
• Replacement equipment (in case it breaks)
• Substrate
• Electrical costs
• Vet bills

If you use UVB, these bulbs need to be replaced every six months. This can be the most expensive cost as a good UVB bulb can cost £20 to £30 each time.

And you should be replacing the substrate regularly with spot cleans every day. This makes substrate about £5 to £10 per month, depending on the size of the enclosure and the substrate you’re using.

Live food costs can be relatively cheap. One leopard gecko can be fed for about £1 or less a week. The importance is variety in their diet. We have a good guide on feeding your leopard gecko you can read for more information.

Supplements should be provided regularly. This can cost about £1 to £2 per month.

Electrical costs can be hard to calculate.

However, accounting for also a budget for vets and replacement equipment, you could spend about £10 to £15 per month on your leopard gecko. Though some owners will spend more than this.

In reality, compared to other animals, this isn’t that expensive.

Final Word: How Much is a Leopard Gecko?

The majority of the costs for a leopard gecko are with the setup and the purchase of the animal. However, the opportunities are there that the costs can fit within your budget without compromising the health of the leopard gecko. So when you ask how much is a leopard gecko, the answer is: how much can you spend and would you like to spend.