Leachie Gecko Care Sheet: Handling, Feeding, and Tank Setup

As the largest gecko in the world, the leachie gecko is an amazing potential pet. Its soft, wrinkled skin, giant eyes, and stubby tail give it an adorable appearance. They are also large enough to handle with ease. But are leachianus geckos good pet lizards for beginners?

What is the Leachie Gecko?

The leachie gecko is found on just a handful of small islands off the coast of Australia. The archipelago is called New Caledonia and is an overseas territory of France. 

A full size leachie gecko varies in length depending on the locality. Those from the Grande Terre region reach up to 17 inches in length. While others from the offshore Isle of Pines don’t exceed 10 inches.

Leachie geckos are very similar to their close relative the crested gecko. Crested geckos are one of the most popular pet lizards in the world and share several of the same care requirements. 

Leachie geckos grow twice as large, however. They are also a lot rarer in the trade. All leachie geckos are captive bred since they are prohibited from being exported out of the territory. But they don’t breed as easily or as often as crested geckos do.

A leachie gecko will cost 5 to 10 times more than a crested gecko. But if you enjoy large pet reptiles with a distinctive appearance, there are few lizards that compare.

• Common Names: Leachie Gecko, Leachianus Gecko, New Caledonian Giant Gecko, Leach’s Giant Gecko
• Scientific Name: Rhacodactylus leachianus
• Origin: New Caledonia
• Length: 10 to 17 inches
• Tank Size: 30+ gallons
• Leachie Gecko Lifespan: 15 to 25 years
• Ease of Care: Very Easy

Leachie Gecko Care

Despite how exotic they are, leachie geckos are not difficult to provide for. They are pricey, however. And they may never warm up to being handled by you.

Leachie Gecko Enclosure

30 gallons is the minimum leachie gecko tank size. Any smaller and the lizard won’t have enough climbing space. Larger enclosures are always appreciated and should be more vertical in orientation since they are arboreal lizards.

The best decorations are branches and plants. Small arboreal lizards are good additions to terrariums with live plants. But you will have trouble doing the same for an adult leachie gecko. 

The lizards are too heavy for most common terrarium plants. They will damage leaves and cause vines to break free from their holdfasts. Unless your leachie gecko enclosure is large enough for small trees and bushes, fake plants are your best option.

Leachie Gecko Lighting and Humidity

One reason that leachianus gecko care is so simple is because they are nocturnal animals. That means you don’t need advanced basking or ultraviolet lamps for thermoregulation or calcium uptake. 

You do need to provide them dietary vitamin D3, however. But most food formulas and reptile vitamin powder have this.

You do also need to provide them with a heat source. At night, the enclosure should be allowed to cool down to 64-72℉. During the day, the air temperature needs to remain at 74-78℉. Good heating solutions include overhead basking lamps, heat tape, or under tank heat pads.

Low humidity is fatal to these lizards, though. Humidity needs to be maintained at 60% to 75% at all times. Misting once or twice per day may be enough, depending on where you live. But an automatic mister is the best solution here.

Maintaining proper humidity is further complicated by the need for moderate air flow. At least one wall of the enclosure should be screen or mesh. Stagnant air leads to respiratory infections in leechie geckos. Too much humidity is also a problem and will cause fungal skin infections.

A small water bowl should also be provided. Leachie geckos do drink standing water as well as droplets that form from misting. A water bowl also helps maintain consistent humidity levels.

Substrate for a Leche Gecko

The substrate you go with should be chosen with humidity in mind. I recommend organic substrates like coco coir, sphagnum moss, peat moss, or soil. 

Blending these substrates together is a more attractive look. Plus it provides a base for plants to grow in, if you’ve decided to build a terrarium.

A blended composition is also important if you want a bioactive substrate. In a typical enclosure the hobbyist does all of the maintenance work. Lizard poop sits around until you remove it. 

In a bioactive substrate, waste products like poop and shed skin are broken down by isopods, springtails, bacteria, and other soil organisms. These components are reused by plants and mosses living inside of the enclosure. The concept is similar to live sand in a reef aquarium.

What Do Leachie Geckos Eat?

Feeding a leachie gecko is very easy to do. All of the New Caledonian geckos will eat the same prepared food powder that crested geckos eat. It’s nutritionally complete and all you need to do is mix it with water in a 1:1 or 1:2 ratio.

Even a great diet like crested gecko powder should still be supplemented with the occasional insect. Given their size, crickets, dubia roaches, and even larger silkworms and hornworms are food options. 

Baby pinkie mice are also acceptable. Soft ripe fruit like mango, papaya, and bananas add further variety. 

Leachie geckos may or may not want to eat these additions. Captive bred babies sometimes become imprinted on food formulas and won’t recognize whole foods for what they are. 

So if your gecko refuses whole foods, it’s safe for it to eat a good quality powder formula for life. Or you could make your own blends of fruit and insects to mix in. Feed your leachie gecko 3 times per week.

Handling a Leachie Gecko

The New Caledonian giant gecko is rated moderate in terms of how easy they are to handle. Nothing like a leopard gecko, bearded dragon, or other domesticated lizard species. 

Leachie geckos tend to have their own personality that determines how well they tolerate handling. They may be tame to the point of enjoying your company. Others will fight or run from you a little but tolerate being held. Others still are always aggressive and never warm up to you.

Their personalities seem set at birth as well. Consistent work may tame a lizard down. But most keepers find that a leachie gecko that starts out aggressive never grows out of it. 

So it’s best to choose a calm lizard from the beginning if handleability is important to you. If you can, handle your lizard before buying it. Since leachie geckos are so uncommon, however, you may have to take what’s on offer.

Leachie geckos have a semi-prehensile tail that they use to grasp branches. As well as your fingers when they climb. Leachianus geckos rarely drop their tails but they have the ability. So be careful with handling when their tail is wrapped around your fingers.

Leachie Gecko vs Other Types of Geckos

Leachie geckos measure up well when compared with other pet gecko choices. They grow even larger than a tokay gecko. Plus leachies have a longer lifespan and less of the aggressive nature. Also they are all captive-bred, taking pressure off wild animals and carrying few to no parasites.

Species	Leachie Gecko	(Albino) Leopard Gecko	Crested Gecko	Tokay Gecko
Full Size	10 to 17 inches	8 to 10 inches	7 to 9 inches	10 to 12 inches
Handleability	Moderate	Very Easy	Easy	Very Difficult
Ease of Care	Very Easy	Very Easy	Very Easy	Easy
Lifespan	15 to 25 years	15 to 20 years	15 to 20 years	10 years

Conclusion

Leachianus gecko care is almost identical to keeping a crested gecko. Just one that is twice as big and sometimes not as friendly. Other than their price, leachie geckos are beginner-friendly lizards. And will live for decades in the right conditions.

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