Bearded dragons and leopard geckos are generally regarded as the most human-friendly lizard species and therefore tend to make good pets. As such, it really comes down to a personal preference about which species makes a better pet. Both species have quirky personalities, and many people enjoy watching their antics at feeding time.

In this article, we’ll discuss the similarities and differences between them, as well as what they eat and what animals would try to eat them. We’ll also look at who would win in a fight if they ever went head to head.

Bearded Dragon vs Leopard Gecko: Which One is Bigger?

When you’re choosing a breed of lizard to keep as a pet, size matters. The bearded dragon is much bigger than the leopard gecko. Getting a giant lizard may be impractical if you only have a small space to keep them in. On the other hand, if you have children that have a hard time being gentle with small animals, you might not want to bring a small lizard species into your home. 

Bearded dragons are about 16-24 inches long and weigh 380-510 grams. Since they're so big, they'll need a big habitat to be comfortable. A 50-gallon tank should keep them happy.

On the other hand, leopard geckos are only 8-11 inches long and only weigh 40-80 grams. Since they're relatively small, they will be comfortable in a 20-gallon tank. If you're tight on space, a leopard gecko might be a better fit for your space than the bearded dragon.

Although bearded dragons and leopard geckos are both lizards, their diets are surprisingly different.

Leopard geckos eat live insects exclusively, which makes them insectivores. Their diet usually consists of mealworms and crickets, but you can shake it up a little with waxworms, beetles, and cockroaches. It’s important to make sure you never feed geckos freeze-dried insects or any kind of vegetation because those types of food could make them sick. You can feed them insects you catch yourself; doing so can save a lot of money. Just make sure you never feed them lightning bugs because they are toxic to geckos and all other reptiles.

Young leopard geckos should eat once a day in the evening to mimic their natural hunting patterns. Adult geckos only need to eat every other day. If your gecko has a hard time eating from your hand, you may want to leave a few mealworms in a dish for them to eat later.

Bearded dragons eat plants and meat, which makes them omnivores. Their diet should be about 75% meat and 25% plants. They like to eat live animals like beetles, crickets, and mealworms. They will also eat pinkie mice if you choose to provide them, but it’s not vital to their survival. Like geckos, bearded dragons should never eat lightning bugs because they’re toxic.

As for vegetation, some of the bearded dragon’s favorite plants to eat include all sorts of fruit and vegetables, from grapes and watermelons to peas and butternut squash. Beardies should never eat avocados, onions, mushrooms, or citrus fruits, though, as these foods can make lizards sick.

Young bearded dragons should eat insects five days a week and have some vegetation every day. Adult lizards only need to eat insects two or three days a week, but they should still eat some vegetation every day.

Bearded Dragon vs Leopard Gecko: When Do They Sleep?

Bearded dragons are diurnal, which means they’re awake during the day. If you want to keep a lizard as a pet, it’s worth keeping in mind that you’ll have an easier time interacting with it if it’s awake when you are.

Leopard geckos are nocturnal, so they sleep most of the day away. If you don’t mind having a pet that isn’t very active, you may not mind that. These lizards also make good pets for night owls and people who work the graveyard shift.

Bearded Dragon vs Leopard Gecko: How Long Do They Live?

The average lifespan of a bearded dragon is seven to twelve years. There have been reports of these lizards living for as long as fifteen years, but the level of care and genetics play a major role in how long your beardie will live.

On the other hand, the lifespan of a leopard gecko varies greatly from seven to twenty years. Females tend to have shorter lifespans than males. Generally speaking, with proper care, you can expect your gecko to live for about ten years, but they could live a good bit longer depending on their genetics and how well you take care of them.

Bearded Dragon vs Leopard Gecko: Who Are Their Natural Predators?

We’ve focused a lot on keeping bearded dragons and leopard geckos as pets, but these lizards are also commonly found in the wild. When you find them in their natural habitats, they eat smaller creatures, but there are larger animals that might want to make a meal out of them too.

Some natural predators of the bearded dragon include wild cats, foxes, pythons, and birds of prey. Since some of the animals on this list have close cousins that are common household pets (i.e., cats, dogs, and large birds), you’ll want to keep an eye on your beardie to make sure they don’t end up as someone else’s snack.

Since leopard geckos are relatively small, they have quite a few natural predators, including snakes, frogs, birds, and even bigger lizards.

Bearded Dragon vs Leopard Gecko: Who Would Win in a Fight?

It might be hard to imagine the little guys getting into fights when you keep bearded dragons and leopard geckos as pets. However, if these lizards ever met up in the wild, there’s definitely a chance that a fight could break out. So, who would win in this reptilian throwdown?

Obviously, the bearded dragon is quite a bit bigger than the leopard gecko. Due to its sheer size alone, a beardie would have a distinct advantage against a gecko. Geckos are also ill-equipped for fighting as they don’t have big teeth or claws like some of their larger reptilian cousins. The best a leopard gecko could hope for in a fight against a bearded dragon is to distract them by dropping their tail (don’t worry, it will grow back) and running like mad.