About Scaled School
How we check reptile care information
Scaled School is an independent care-guide project for three of the world’s most-kept pet reptiles: leopard geckos, crested geckos, and pet tortoises.
We started this site after spending time on reptile expo floors and in breeder communities, and running into the same problem everywhere: care advice that contradicts itself. One source says a leopard gecko needs a 20-gallon tank, another says 40. One keeper swears by heat lamps for crested geckos, the next says they’ll cook the animal. New owners are left guessing — and the animal pays for the guesswork.
So we built the reference we couldn’t find:
- Numbers first. Every guide on this site is built around a parameter table — temperatures, humidity, enclosure size, feeding schedules — cross-checked across breeder practice, expo and marketplace data, and published veterinary and herpetology literature. Where sources disagree, we say so and show the range.
- Gear tested against the animal, not the marketing. Our future enclosure and equipment guides will start from what each species actually needs, then match products to those requirements.
- Updated, not abandoned. Care standards change (UVB guidance for geckos has changed over time). We review our guides on a rolling basis and date every revision.
What we are — and aren’t
We’re keepers and researchers, not a veterinary practice. Our health guides are researched from veterinary literature and written to help you spot problems early and know when an animal needs a vet — they are not a substitute for one. If your reptile is sick, please see a qualified exotics veterinarian.
How we make money
Scaled School is reader-supported. Some guides may contain affiliate links to enclosures and equipment in future; if you buy through them then, we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. There are no affiliate links on this site at launch. A gear section may be added in future. Recommendations are made against the parameter requirements first — a product that doesn’t meet the animal’s needs doesn’t make the list, commission or not.
Contact
Questions, corrections, or data we should see? Reach us via the Contact page. Corrections backed by sources get fixed and noted.