Buying a healthy Leopard Gecko can be difficult.
Leos are a very popular lizard and it is easy to buy one in many pet stores, that doesn’t mean that you are getting a high-quality gecko.
Some pet stores and hobbyists sell wild-caught individuals that have parasites. Others may sell injured or sick reptiles.
The best way to ensure that your Leopard Gecko is healthy and happy is to buy one from a credible breeder. However, even buying from a breeder can be challenging since there are so many!
Luckily, there are a few ways to sort the good from the bad. We share how to spot a reputable breeder and even list our top picks.
Article Contents
Leopard Gecko Breeder List
| Breeder | Species | Pros | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| BHB Reptiles | Albinos, Creamsicle, Tangerine, Snow Eclipse and more. | Affordable breeder | $70-$200 |
| CB Reptile | Blood Leopard, Leucistic, Sunglow, Inferno, Blizzard, Super Snow and many more. | Best breeder | $69-$1,000 |
| GeckoBoa Reptiles | Bolds, Eclipse, Super Giants, Snows and Blizards | Very reputable | $30-$700 |
| Gecko Daddy | Bolds Sunglows, LV Albino, Patternless, Jack O’Lanterns, Litebrites and more. | Rare morphs | $49-$800 |
| Geckos Etc | Black nights, Iranian leopard geckos, Blizzards, Gem Snows, Sykes Rainbows and White Knights. | Complex bloodlines | $85-$2,500 |
| LeopardGecko.com | Blue Amber Eye, Albinos, Bandits, Black Nights and Super Giants. | Most Experienced | $179-$399 |
Best Leopard Gecko Breeders
1. Captive Bred Reptile
CB Reptile is an extremely popular, family-owned reptile breeder that specializes in breeding and selling Leopard Geckos,though they also sell a wide variety of snakes, lizards, turtles and frogs.
This breeder has a wide variety of interesting Leopard Gecko morphs for sale such as black nights, blood leopard, Lavenders, Bolds, Bandits and many more.
We like that CB Reptile has photos of each morph they have for sale. You can even ask for pictures of specific individuals if you want to get a better idea of the exact gecko you are buying. Thankfully we found that CB Reptile is extremely responsive and very open to answering questions.
Not only does CB Reptile have quality morphs, they also offer a wide range of resources and guarantees.
Their resources are especially important for keepers who may be new to Leopard Gecko care and are unsure where to start. They have beginner care sheets on nearly every reptile they sell, as well as supplies like tank misters, terrariums and more.
CB Reptile offers overnight shipping for only $39.95, which is one of the cheapest shipping options of any we could find. They also guarantee your new gecko will arrive alive, and give a 7 day health guarantee.
Another thing we loved is that CB Reptile handles their leopard geckos daily. Because of this they say all of their baby, juvenile and young adult geckos are calm and docile. The promise of a docile Leopard Gecko makes CB Reptile stand out from the crowd and is perfect for beginner keepers.
Lastly, CB Reptile has an onsite biologist to ensure the health and safety of their reptiles.
If you want a low cost, guaranteed captive bred breeder, CB Reptile has our vote for best overall breeder:
- Low cost, $39.95 flat shipping rate.
- Onsite biologist to ensure reptiles are healthy.
- Large variety of well-priced morphs.
- Informative care sheets and supplies available.
- CB reptile handles their reptiles to make sure they are calm and docile.
- Guaranteed live delivery and 7 day health guarantee.
Contact CB Reptile
- Breeder: CB Reptile
- Address: 17021 South Dixie Hwy. Ste A Palmetto Bay, FL 33157
- Opening Times: Monday – Sunday, 10AM-6PM EST
- Phone: (609) 705-7787
- Email: support@cbreptile.com
2. BHB Reptiles
BHB Reptiles has been breeding reptiles since 1989 and sells a wide variety of species including Ball Pythons, Corn Snakes, King Snakes and Leopard Geckos.
While BHB Reptiles offers high quality geckos, if you are looking for a rare or unique morph, you won’t have as many options with this breeder. They do still offer a wide variety of wild-types and common morphs such as Albinos, Creamsicle, Tangerine and Snow Eclipse.
Like CB Reptile, they also offer the option of requesting more pictures of a particular individual.
We like that BHB Reptiles keeps detailed information about each of the Leopard Geckos they sell including when they were hatched, their gender, and what diet they are currently on. Having information like this is very helpful when it comes to setting up their habitat and establishing a feeding routine.
One of the most impressive things about BHB Reptiles is their low prices. Their Leopard Geckos are very reasonably priced and start at just $70.
Their shipping guarantees are a little hard to locate, but after you buy a Leopard Gecko, you will be contacted and a shipping date will be scheduled.
BHB Reptiles guarantee your gecko will arrive overnight, healthy and properly sexed. We found that they have great customer service for new and returning customers with a service call line that is available to answer any and all questions.
This breeder is perfect for those on a budget who still want a healthy and high quality Leopard Gecko:
- Their leopard geckos are very reasonably priced and start at $70.
- Guarantee live delivery, healthy and properly sexed individuals.
- Great customer service and support.
- Lots of detailed information available and extra pictures are available on request.
Contact BHB Reptiles
- Breeder: BHB Reptiles
- Opening Times: Monday – Friday, 8 AM – 4 PM EST
- Phone: (586) 884-6646
- Email: sales@bhbreptiles.com
3. LeopardGecko.com
If you want to buy a Leopard Gecko from a well-known, established breeder, then look no further than LeopardGecko.com’s owner Julie Bergman. Julie has over 30 years of experience breeding Leopard Geckos.
This breeder has many beautiful morphs available from her Blue Amber Eyes, to Super Giants and Albinos. She focuses entirely on breeding some of the most diverse and unique morphs that stand out from common Leopard Geckos.
Julie also offers some of the most comprehensive care sheets.
We were highly impressed with her beginner care sheets and she even has Leopard Gecko apps available for download that walk you through every aspect of care and husbandry.
Julie’s Leopard Geckos are shipped overnight and guaranteed live on arrival. However, her shipping is a little pricier than other breeders with a $60 flat rate and no refunds or returns offered.
The fact that Julie has a wealth of experience and in-depth care resources means that you can rest assured you are buying from a reputable breeder.
If you want to buy a rare Leopard Gecko from a well-known, established breeder with lots of experience, then LeopardGecko.com is perfect for you:
- Very well-known and experienced breeder with 30+ years of experience.
- Over 30 years of leopard gecko bloodlines and rare morphs.
- Beginner PDF care sheets.
- Focused almost entirely on Leopard Gecko breeding.
- 100% satisfaction guarantee.
Contact LeopardGecko.com
- Breeder: LeopardGecko.com
- Email: geckos@cal.net
4. Gecko Daddy
Gecko Daddy is a leopard gecko breeding company run by brothers that began their company as a passion project over 20 years ago. Since then, they have built a name for themselves breeding unique morphs that can’t be found anywhere else.
This breeder has extremely cool looking morphs they call Jack O’lanterns, Litebrites, LV Albino and Tango Crushes. These morphs are one of the coolest things about this breeder and why we gave them the title of best morph breeder.
Gecko Daddy started as a passion project and has grown into one of the best Leopard Gecko breeders.
One thing we liked about Gecko Daddy is they provide lots of pictures of the exact morph you are buying. This makes the buying experience much more personal and they guarantee the appearance your Leopard Gecko.
Their unique morphs attract a lot of customers and they also offer breeding pairs which is something you can’t get from any other breeders.
Gecko Daddy ships overnight for $50 and guarantee the health of their geckos.
Another thing we liked about Gecko Daddy is that they sell breeding pairs that are designed to help you start breeding your own leopard geckos. They are a great choice for new breeders looking to get started on their own project:
- One of the best, with over 20 years of experience.
- Unique morphs like Jack O’lanterns that are only available at Gecko Daddy.
- Breeding pairs offered for sale.
- Appearance of the Gecko is guaranteed to match their photos.
- Health and live delivery guarantees.
Contact Gecko Daddy
- Breeder: Gecko Daddy
- Phone: (801) 400-3298
- Email: geckodaddy@gmail.com
5. Geckos Etc
Geckos Etc is a family-owned breeding business focused on rare bloodlines of Leopard Geckos. However, they also breed other reptiles like Fat Tail Geckos, Blue-Tongued Skinks, Western Hognose Snakes, Corn Snakes and King Snakes.
Currently they have nearly 200 Leopard Geckos for sale.
Geckos Etc sell a variety of especially rare morphs such as the Black Night and Eclipse. These morphs are usually on the pricier side, but since they are hard to find anywhere else this breeder is perfect for keepers looking for something specific.
One downside we found is that they sell very few Leopard Geckos for under $200.
Their high price tags mean unfortunately this breeder can be a little pricey for beginners.
One thing we love about Geckos Etc is that they offer global shipping, which few others offer. For those living in the U.S there is a flat $50 shipping fee.
Geckos Etc guarantee live arrival and require a signature for all packages. This will help ensure your Leopard Gecko is not left out in the elements and arrives healthy and safe. They will replace all non-live arrivals and guarantee the health and genetics of their Leopard Geckos.
If you are looking for a specific rare morph, then you are likely to find it at Geckos Etc:
- Lots of rare morphs for sale like the red diamond line tangerine and black night.
- Ships globally with a live arrival guarantee.
- Guarantees the health and genetics of their leopard geckos.
- Currently they have nearly 200 individuals for sale.
Contact Geckos Etc
- Breeder: Geckos ETC. Herpetoculture
- Opening Times: Monday – Sunday, 8:00AM-4:30 PM PST
- Phone: (916) 624-3256
- Email: sales@geckosetc.com
6. GeckoBoa Reptiles
GeckoBoa Reptiles are specialized breeders who carry many high-quality and rare morphs. Their morphs are highly sought after and include Eclipses, Super Giants, Sows and Bolds. Unfortunately, it can be hard to get one as more often than not, they are sold out.
This high demand also means their prices are slightly higher than other breeders on this list.
Luckily they offer low cost, retired breeder “pet only” individuals for lower prices. These pet geckos are $30 and perfect for beginner keepers that are not looking to breed anytime soon.
GeckoBoa Reptiles was named breeder of the year in 2013 and that title was given for good reason.
They earned their reputation by offering some of the best guarantees of any breeder. In fact, they guarantee the health and quality of all Leopard Geckos they sell for up to 30 days after arrival! This is one of the longest guarantees of any breeder and indicates their geckos are very high quality.
GeckoBoa Reptiles are not shy about their testimonials and display all of their reviews on the front page of their website.
Shipping is relatively low at $40 and they also offer shipping to other countries, though you will have to take care of all import requirements and taxes.
GeckoBoa Reptiles have many stunning geckos and what is thought to be the most “diverse collection”. If you are looking for a reputable breeder they are a great place to start. You may find yourself stalking their website for the latest listing update, but the wait is definitely worth it:
- Named breeder of the year 2013.
- Sells pet-only individuals for as low as $30.
- Quality, healthy and highly sought-after reptiles.
- Offer some of the best guarantees of any breeder
- Geckos are health guaranteed up to 30 days after arrival.
- Stunning, most diverse collection including Eclipses, Super Giants, Sows and Bolds.
Contact GeckoBoa Reptiles
- Breeder: GeckoBoa Reptiles
- Email: geckoboa@yahoo.com
What Makes A Good Breeder?
Choosing a good breeder plays an important role in the health of your Leopard Gecko.
A sick Leopard Gecko can be very stressful, especially for beginner keepers. They will require lots of time, money and advanced husbandry skills to nurse back to health.
Buying an unhealthy individual from poor conditions can also result in a pet that will be difficult to handle, have behavioral issues and may not even survive in the long-term.
It is very important when buying a leopard gecko to choose a good breeder.
But the better question is how do you know who to choose?
Credible
Credible breeders are those that are well established in the breeding community.
All reputable breeders guarantee health and genetics as well as offer care and support services. For this reason breeders are preferred over pet stores as many pet stores keep their reptiles in poor conditions, do not stick to feeding schedules and don’t offer customer aftercare.
A credible breeder should provide testimonials from happy customers and guarantee the health and safe arrival of their animals.
They should gladly share their positive testimonials, but they should also not hide negative reviews. Generally, if the good vastly outweighs the bad, it is the mark of a good business.
Most will also be more than happy to give you a look into the innerworkings of their operation.
Their Leopard Geckos should look happy and healthy with proper tank setups and no signs of mistreatment. The staff should also be very knowledgeable and should have no problems going into detailed husbandry advice and bloodlines.
Birth Records
When looking for a credible breeder it is important to see lots of documentation.
You should see detailed explanations of the genetics and bloodlines that are part of their breeding operation. They should also have comprehensive information on the sex, genetics, birthdate, and diet of all their leopard geckos for sale.
A credible breeder will also have vet records for older individuals.
Most breeders will also have lots of photos and videos available.
Husbandry
A reputable breeder will be very straightforward about the personality and health of each individual. They will also be completely transparent about the care they provide.
When asked, they should be able to provide plenty of evidence that their care and husbandry is suitable. This evidence can be photos or videos of the enclosures, detailed feeding schedules, and in-depth knowledge of proper temperatures, humidity and enclosure set-up.
They should also be able to provide care sheets with detailed husbandry instructions that ensure you are able to care for your new Leopard Gecko properly.
If the breeder cares about the reptiles they are selling, it is their responsibility to ensure the client has every opportunity to provide a happy home for their new pet.
Knowledge
When you approach a breeder it is important to know which questions to ask and what answers to expect.
Your first question should be how long they have been breeding and why?
Breeders should have an obvious passion. Those who are more experienced also generally have higher quality reptiles for sale.
You should then ask them to tell you more about Leopard Geckos.
A reputable breeder should be able to give you an extensive history of the species, their husbandry needs and what kind of keeper is best suited to them. The greater the knowledge of the breeder, the more likely their animals are well cared for.
Finally ask about their health guarantees, if the breeder has dealt with any illness outbreaks and their policy on non-live arrivals.
Once you have picked a breeder, the next step is to pick out the perfect Leopard Gecko.
Buying Guide
Before you buy a Leopard Gecko you will need to decide on a few factors.
First, price.
Depending on the morph, age, sex, and genetics, a Leopard Gecko can cost anywhere from $30 to over $1,000.
The next step is learning to pick a healthy Leopard Gecko.
There are many signs and symptoms of an unhealthy gecko and being able to recognize them before you buy may save you some time and heartache in the long run.
For example, an unhealthy gecko suffering from metabolic bone disease may have its mouth askew or hanging open, with curves or bumps in its spine.
You should also avoid individuals with toes missing as this suggests incorrect husbandry and shedding issues. Injuries that result from incorrect husbandry often indicate a low-quality breeder.
A healthy Leopard Gecko should look round and full with a plump tail and no bones sticking out. They should also not be covered in excrement or have slimy, pale waste. These can indicate unclean conditions and parasites.
Finally, the gecko should be alert and awake with bright, clear eyes. When held it is normal for younger individuals to seem stressed.
Most beginners adopt common wild-type species and keep them alone.
Leopard Geckos are generally a solitary species and if you plan on buying more than one, you will need to have separate enclosures set up for them. Furthermore, if you plan on breeding geckos, you will need to have a breeding pair.
Summary
You have many options when deciding where to get a Leopard Gecko.
This is a popular pet lizard that can be found at any reptile expo, online breeders and most pet shops.
The world of Leopard Gecko breeding can be complicated and confusing, but choosing the right breeder is something that you must do with care and consideration. Getting a Leopard Gecko from a pet store or bad breeder can often lead to sick or unhealthy pets.
Knowing how to spot a reputable breeder is very important.
Reputable breeders will have no problem giving you detailed information about the Leopard Geckos they are selling and the conditions they are kept in. Their genetics, husbandry, price, diet and past history should all be readily available too.
Finally they should have a good reputation and give shipping, health and live arrival guarantees.
Are you looking to make sure your next Leopard Gecko is responsibly bred, or just want a few tips on what to look for the next time you meet with a breeder?
Hopefully our list of the best breeders and tips prove to be a great place to start.
