How to Set Up a Leopard Gecko Enclosure
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Caring for Leopard Geckos
Leopard geckos are one of the most popular pet reptiles because they are relatively small and docile. Because of their size, they require small enclosures, but that doesn't mean that they can be neglected in terms of proper husbandry.
There are many different opinions about how a leopard gecko should be housed. Some are accurate, some semi- accurate, and some just plain wrong.
When I say wrong, I mean that in order to house a leopard gecko properly, there are just some things you can't do. Those things can shorten the lifespan of the leopard gecko and cause many health concerns while the gecko is in your care.
Below, I will give you the most accurate way to house your leopard gecko to ensure that he lives happy, healthy, and safely, in your care.
Do remember that leopard geckos can live for up to 20 years, and the most important key to that longevity is to have a properly set up enclosure, but there can always be unexpected occurrences that may cause a shorter lifespan. Just make sure that you do all that you can do to raise your leopard gecko to his longest year by provided a safe enclosure.
Enclosure Size
Because leopard geckos are relatively small reptiles, you can get away with a 10 gallon aquarium with a screen lid. A better option would be to purchase a 20 gallon long aquarium with a screen lid.
The reason I suggest a 20 gallon long versus the 10 gallon is because after you add the hides and bowls, there is very little room left for the leopard gecko to walk around, which can stress him out.
Too little walk around room can potentially stress out your leopard gecko, but too much extra room can, also, potentially stress out your gecko.
So, if you choose a larger sized enclosure, you'll want to add a few extra hides or decoration pieces, such as wood pieces, bridges, fake plants, etc.
Reptile Carpet
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Zoo Med Cage Carpet 10x20in for 10 Gallon Tank Assorted Colors
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Zoo Med Cage Carpet 12 x 24 in for 15 to 20 Gallon Tank Assorted Colors
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Zoo Med Cage Carpet 12x30in for 29 Gallon Tank Assorted Colors
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Proper Substrate
Ok, this is usually the biggest mistake that people make when decorating their leopard gecko enclosures. Many people assume that because leopard geckos are dessert reptiles, they should be housed on sand. Well, I hate to break it to you, but not all the dessert is composed of loose sand; leopard geckos are naturally found in dessert's composed of compacted sand and rocks.
You can house older geckos on very fine play sand, but you want to stay away from housing baby and juvenile geckos on sand because they tend to be clumsy when catching their prey and tend to catch mouthfuls of sand that can compact in their digestive system. This is still common with older geckos, just not as common.
Calci-sand, or any calcium- based sand, is another common mistake. Many pet store employees recommend that you purchase the digestible sand. I mean, it even says on the bag that it's good for reptiles... Well, again, I hate to break it to you, but when calcium- based sands get wet, they tend to clump, so in a reptile's digestive system, it tends to do the same. Plus, because it is calcium based, reptiles tend to lick at it, so they ingest the sand, which really isn't the purpose by any means. Overall, you want to avoid all calcium- based sands as though it were the plague.
Wood shaving and bark chips can 1) raise humidity slightly and 2) give hiding cover for crickets, making it hard for the gecko to find his food.
In general, you want to avoid any and all loose substrates. These can include:
- Playsand (often marketed as vita-sand in pet stores, otherwise regular playsand in any form)
- Calcium- based sand
- Potting soil
- Silica sand
- Wood shavings (cedar and pine especially)
- Cat litter
- Bark chips
- Crushed corn cob
- Walnut shells
What you want to remember is that loose substrates can cause impaction, which can be fatal if you don't notice the signs early on.
Substrates that you want to use in you leopard gecko's enclosure, include:
- Paper towels
- Reptile carpet
- Indoor/outdoor carpet
- Slate tiles
- Rollout liner
Digital Thermometer
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Fluker's Digital Thermometer / Hygrometer
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Thermometer Digital
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Under Tank Heater
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Zoo Med Repti Therm Under Tank Heater 4 x 5in for 5 Gallon Tank
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Zoo Med Small Repti-Therm UTH Under Tank Heater Small
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Zoo Med Repti Therm Under Tank Heater 8 x 12in for 30 to 40 Gallon Tank
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Proper Temperatures
Probably the most important aspect of a proper enclosure is to make sure that you have accurate temperatures within the enclosure.
Remember that leopard geckos need temperatures on the hot side of their enclosure around 88F to 90F during the day.
The best way to provide this temperature is to use an Under Tank Heater. UTH's are also great because leopard geckos are terrestrial and they absorb heat via their bellies. So by using an under tank heater, you leopard gecko will be able to get the best heat.
Use a digital thermometer with a probe to measure the temperatures in the tank. You can attach the meter on the outside of the tank and have the probe on the hot side of the tank on top of the substrate.
You do not want to use the stick- on thermometers of any size, shape, or brand because they do not read temperatures accurately by any means. When you use a stick- on thermometer, you are measuring the wall temperatures, anyway, which aren't the temperatures that are affecting your leopard gecko. Even if you place the thermometers on the surface of the tank, they are still not accurate.
The Zoo Med under tank heaters to the right are sized for 1 to 30 gallon enclosures, so make sure that you know which size equals to which enclosure:
Mini: 1-5 gallon
Small: 10-20 gallon
Medium 20-30 gallon
Lighting
Lighting is an optional feature for your leopard gecko's enclosure. Because they get their heat from the surface of the enclosure, the light really just raises the air temps a few degrees.
The one good reason to opt for a clamp light, is to create a day/night scenario. If you decide that you want to use a clamp light, you will want to the light and the under tank heater on the same side of the enclosure.
You do not need to use UV lighting. Leopard geckos are nocturnal, so they do not benefit from the UV rays.
How many hides?
This is probably the most simple aspect of a leopard gecko's enclosure. You want to have at least 3 hides in the cage- 2 dry hides and 1 humid hide.
You want to have 1 dry hide on the hot side of the enclosure, and 1 dry hide on the cool side of the enclosure. This allows your gecko to thermoregulate his body temperatures. If he gets too hot on the how side, he can seek refuge in his hide on the cool side, and vice versa.
Now, for the humid hide, you want to place it on the hot side of the enclosure. Humidity tends to be caused by moisture and heat. So, basically what you can do, is cut a hole in a Glad tupperware container.You can use peat moss, Bed-A-Beast, or vermiculite within the humid hide, or you can use paper towels or a small piece of a towel. If you use a loose substrate (moss, dirt, etc), you will probably want to cut the hole in the top of the container because the gecko may dig or kick out the bedding all over the tank. Otherwise, if you use paper towels or a piece of a towel, you can cut the hole on the side.
The humid hide aids in shedding, so when you gecko is going to shed, you'll want to make sure to mist the inside of the hide. You gecko will use the hide if he wants. Don't force him to use the humid hide. You don't need to mist the hide every day; usually your gecko will begin to dull a day or so before he turns the white-gray color.
Cage Placement
At this point, you should know:
- What size enclosure to use.
- Proper substrate.
- Proper heating and how to accurately read the temperatures.
- Lighting.
- How many, what kind, and where to put hides.
The only other thing I should mention is where you place the enclosure.
You want to make sure not to put your leopard gecko's enclosure in direct sunlight, which means that you shouldn't put the cage directly in front of a window. This can increase temperatures in warmer months and create a slight chill during cooler months.
In general, try to stick with placing the enclosure on interior walls, versus exterior ones.
Reptile Hammock
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Miscellaneous Notes & Suggestions
In regards to the:
Under Tank Heater:
- I find that not attaching it to the enclosure makes for easier cleaning. Because you do not have to worry about the UTH being attached to the enclosure, you do not have to worry about the cord getting wet.
- Make sure to prop the aquarium up on something, so that you give the UTH room to breathe. By blocking the heat from UTH underneath the cage, the heat can build up under the cage and cause stress cracks.
Decor:
- Make sure not to over decorate the enclosure. Remember too much can cause stress.
Calcium:
- Remember that you should add a small bowl of calcium in the enclosure, in addition to dusting feeder insects in calcium, because it allows the gecko to get the calcium that he needs at any time of the day.
- I like putting calcium bowls near the water bowl, but you can put it anywhere.
- Also, you may consider keeping the bottle cap to your milk or gatoraid because it's the perfect size to use as a calcium dish.
Setting up a leopard gecko enclosure
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Comments
I'd just like to mention that a larger space is fine, you don't have to use a small 10-20 gal tank. Its suitable, but with most animals, a larger enclosure is better. I have my 3 leos in a 38 squat, and they are very content with it. They do like to have some room to roam, and its good when they need to actually chase crickets, rather than waiting for them to wander in front of their faces. Also, some leos grow much larger than others, so they will need some extra space.
You must be an animal lover as over 90% of your writing is about animals
Danielle, you should not house more than 1 leopard gecko in the same enclosure. 10 gallon, as I mentioned is minimum. 20 gallon is preferred. You can go too big, sometimes the more space you have, stress can occur. 1 leopard gecko in a 20 gallon aquarium should not have any problems chasing crickets. The same goes for the giant and super giant leopard geckos. Becuase they tend to be around 11 inches long, give or take, they can live fine in a 20 gallon long. Also, remember that not all keepers use crickets but feed mealworms in a bowl, which would reduce any chasing.
fishskin, it's true, I love animals.
I know this is the same but I have a red rat snake and know that tank size is very important. This is where they are living so getting the right size and the right setting is extremely important. A change of scenary is nice to so they can get something different. As for placement I found that positioning the tank nearer a window makes the tank seem less gloomy (sometimes the lights just dont cut it) and allows to get a little more excitement. I think you have some great points but I am not sure about the under heating. Maybe I had a bad experience but I spent a lot of money on a heater (even though you can control the heat) I found it got way too hot on the area it is placed and my snake wouldnt go near it after it was on for a little. I am more partial to heat lamps for a duration. GREAT JOB! push that tank size I know the size tank I would want if I was in there.
You have peculier hobbies Witney; this article is quite detailed.
bspilner, the UTH is the best way to heat an enclosure for a terrestrial reptile, to include rat snakes. UTH's can be monitored with rheostats to dim the heat, but I find the thermostats work best. You can also purchase a smaller UTH to better suit the enclosure. Some brands are better than others. I've found the Zoo Med is the best UTH to purchase. I've used one other brand, but I forget the name, and was never satisfied with the heat output. The tank size is very important, but with most reptiles, if the tank is TOO large, it can stress them out.
You can't keep more than one male in a tank, they fight. You can't keep an agressive individual with a passive one, or a large female with a small female, for bullying reasons. You can house females together, or one male and a few females, as long as they are compatable individuals and have enough space that they can get away from eachother. I have one male and his two girls, with not terretory, bullying, or food hogging issues. No overbreeding, either, because the girls know how to say no, and the male doesn't push the issue. They haven't layed in a couple of months, but i have had two very successful clutches. Its better than introducing the male only for breeding, as no one feels their terretory is threatened by a stranger.
Danielle, it's true that you can house multiple geckos together, but it's not recommended.You are correct in no males or different sized females. And, you shouldn't house a male with any females unless for temporary purposes for breeding, but in general, it's not recommended to house multiple geckos together for long periods of time. I introduce males to ovulating females for one week before removing them into their own tub. I have had over 2 years worth of successful clutches this way.
By housing your male with your 2 femailes, you should have no problems with them laying fertile clutches regularly. I'd say there could possibly something else wrong as to why you've only had 2 successful clutches.
Very true. So I guess it really depends on the brand....I guess I should not associate a high price tag with quality. I guess my next question would if my snake is eight years old, over 3 feet long, what would you say it the right tank size. They get pretty small once you start to add some scenery? Thanks for the tips on the ZOO MED I will start surfin for one.
Typically, the minimum enclosure for a colubrid is 20 gallon long, but I find that can be a little cramps once you do add a sufficient sized water bowl and one hide. The 29 gallons are virtually the same surface area but taller. I'd go with a 40 gallon breeder. They're about 3 feet long, 18" wide, and 13" tall. That should give you sufficient room for a large water bowl, a hide and any decor. I personally, stick with simplistic enclosures, like the one seen above, but when you begin to add decor, you start taking up the surface area, so a larger enclosure is usually necessary. All depending on how much you add. The Zoo Med UTH's are sized per enclosure sizes 10-20, 20-30, etc. Sometimes, you can afford to get one sized smaller UTH to fit a larger enclosure to get the right temps; a lot depends on the temps in your house. My house tends to get pretty cold, so I am save with the 10-20 for and tank within that range, but if you like your house warmer, then a 1-5 may suffice for a 10 gallon tank. You can always exchange what doesn't work for your for another size. I'd give it a day to adjust, measuring the temps with a digital thermometer, and then decide what you want to do.
This is a great hub - I'll admit that I've never owned a reptile, but since you are obviously an expert, I thought I would check this out. I had no idea that leopard geckos live for 20 years! That is a serious commitment for people thinking of purchasing one for a pet. Whitney, great job! If you are going to have a pet, think about it and do it right!
Thanks Steph! Yes, their average lifespan ranges from 15 to 20 years, but of course that doesn't mean all leopard geckos live that long. I will say that proper husbandry is a great way to ensure longevity, but not always the means to an end. There are, or course, other factors that come into play.
Just thought I'd throw in, the only reason I've had just 2 clutches was because i was getting the water/vermiculite mix wrong in my incubator. After I fixed it, the next two clutches hatched.
Ah... So it's not the geckos. That makes sense. But, it's still not recommended to house multiple geckos like that, and you still have to watch out for too big of an enclosure.
So I just got a under tank heater and have been reading about them. I have not installed it yet, but have heard a couple different things about them. One thing is that they sometimes get too hot and you have to be careful that it does not burn your gecko. Any tips?! I was thinking maybe leaving it on during the day and then off during night or vice versa. I also have a lamp ontop my tank that I keep on during the day. I do not want to cause any overheating as well.
There shouldn't be a reason why you can't leave it on 24/7 your gecko needs this to digest his food properly. You can purchase a digital thermomter with a probe (which you need with or w/out the UTH), as this is the best way to monitor your temperatures on the surface of the tank, which is where the gecko gets his heat. If you purchased an appropriotely sized UTH, then you shouldn't have any problems, but if the digital thermometer reads that the temps are higher than 90F, then you can either add more paper towels to that side of the tank, raise the tank higher above the UTH, and/or lower the wattage of the lamp.
The lamp isn't going to doe anything beneficial for the gecko, as it raises air temps and not surface temps that the gecko needs. The UTH with or without the lamp is best. I don't use lamps in my tank; the only reason for one is to stimulate a day/night scenario.
I've never had problesm with zoo med UTH that are approrpriately sized for hte tank. Also, by not attaching the UTH to the actual tank, it makes cleaning easier and it leassens the heat as it's not directly on the glass. Just make sure to leave breathing room between the bottom of the tank and the surface that it's sitting on. The UTH can build up heat under the tank and cause stress cracks.
My room is roughly an 8' cube so is hardly massive, does that mean it's not wise to be playing my bass guitar in the day time (or at all) if he's nocturnal, or gets stressed by the sound?
The loud noise may affect him and stress him out but honestly, I'm not 100%. I would just keep an eye out on whether the gecko is eating and make sure that it's not lossing weight.
i have two leopard gecks I bought one on june 18th the other three or four days later different pet stores one of the geckos appears to be getting large looking healthy the other is still the same size when I purchased it and is missing his tail he was shedding for the first time next day or two tail was gone what do you think is going on. they are in the same cage together and I feed them crickets every day and have heat pad, light, cover, and termometer and everything what is going on and what to do to get him back on track
I would separate the two geckos; you don't know what parasite one could have had to introduce to the other.. I'm not sure what the problem is as you just told me the specs of the cage and when you purchased the geckos.
Thank you so much for the info
i was just wondering if u have too use light and heating.i have a friend who has an 11 year old leopard gecko and it has no light and no heat what so ever. will that eventually hurt it or is it perfectly okay?
You do not need a light but it is vital to have the under tank heater. without he heat the gecko can have major problems.
Thanks that is really good information. But my friend just got her 11 year old gecko from a friend.without heat or light it wont kill it will it? should i inform her it is vital to have light and maybe heat if possible? and could you maybe tell me how many watts a light bulb needs for a baby gecko leopard? i am thinking about getting one at Petco. And one more thing, could you give me a couple of tips?
Thanks a LOT!
It is vital for heat. I'm surprised that the gecko lived that long; it will be much healthier with heat. Rmemeber they are desert reptiles and need heat (just no sand). The watt will depend on the siaze of the enclosure and the UTH. You should have her purchase a digital thermometer with a probe so that you can measure the temps accurately. If you want to skimp on money, don't be skimpy when it comes to essentials.
hey whitney, i just got a leopard gecko and he is so sweet. I need to know what they would eat as a baby. I have been feading him the can-o-worms you would buy at petco, but i am afraid he cant swallow them he has never even tried to eat one.
You may want to try REAL crickets or worms. Most geckos don't like the can rickets and can worms. Make sure that they are sized appropriate. More than likely it's not that he can't swallow, it's that he doesn't know what it is bc it doesn't move.
thanks, but i have another problem. He wont drink anything
Is he not drinking or are you just not seeing him drink? They are nocturnal which means that they typically drink and roam at night.
actually whitney he has not drank a thing nothing has been licked out of his bowl since i got him PLEASE HELP IM WORRIED ABOUT HIM.
Have you sat in front of his cage 24/7 since you've got him? How can you 100% determine that he has not drank unless you have sat in front of the enclosure the entire time since you brought him home?
How long have you had the gecko? How old is it? Where did you get it? What are the temps? Can't help with your assumption that he hasn't drank alone.
ok whitney, he could possibly have drank but i am not very shure if he can even get up to his water bowl.
p.s. He is not much bigger than a hatchling only about 1 1/2. and about how tall does a babies water bowl need to be?
It sounds like you've got a hatchling. Sad, it should never have been sold that young or that small. I use 2.5" porcelain bowls with mine- hatchlings and adults. They're at least a half an inch probably 3/4" tall.
i know what you mean whitney, he is soooo tiny and i got him at petco for $17.oo.
I was thinking about getting one at another pet store called middle earth. Great name for a pet store huh. But actually it is not a very good pet store, they have dogs for sale and hardly TAKE CARE OFF THEM sell them for $300 while they are sick. so i definetly did not get a leopard gecko there. Can u give me some tips on having a baby leopard gecko, PLEASE!!!!!!!!!!! IT WILL MAKE ME SO SAD IF SOMETHING HAPPENS TO HIM
The care is going to be the same for a baby as an adult. Just make sure to have a digital thermometer with a probe to accurately measure the temps. Use an under tank heater. No sand or loose particle substrate. And you should be fine as long as the gecko is healthy, which is iffy with any pet store. I actually don't recommend buying anything smaller than 5-6 inches at a pet store ever. At at length you know whether it is healthy or not becuase of the tail, alertness, etc. Typically babies are really iffy, especially bc most pet stores house them on sand substrate, which is terrible.
thanks whitney and i am using paper towls i would never use sand.I never got a heat pad because i could never find any I have a heat lamp and it is always on 80 degrees. i dont have a digital thermomiter but mine works very well, is that ok?
p.s. is there anything else right now i could probobly use around the house to feed him instead of crickets? i have no store baught crickets right now but i still have those nasty dead mealworms he wont eat. And just to let you know i do have leopard gecko calcium but no leopard gecko vitamins.
Nope. Not enough 80F is no where near enough heat. You want the surface of the enclosure to be 90F. The heat lamps typically only heat the air, and that does nothing for your gecko. You need the under tank heater. And you need the digital thermometer to best measure the temps. The stick on thermometers only measure the wall temps, and aren't accurate even you put them on the ground.
And no to the second question. You need crickets or mealworms. Leopard geckos are insectivores so there's nothing around the house that will work other than insects, and not those from outside that wonder in ;-)
thanks but i really dont have the money for a heating pad and i dont know when i will even have the money. is there anything else i could possibly use. All i have for heat at this time is a 75 watt heat lamp there is really not anything i can think of around the house to use.
Well an under tank heater is the only proper method to heat the enclosure. Without it you will not be providing optimum temps or habitat. 75 watts is more than likely not heating the cage enough at all, but you will only know if you have the digital thermometer with the probe. But, not theres really nothing else that you can use to heat the cage besides the under tank heater, and measure the temps with the digital thermometer with a probe to make sure that it's accurate.
umm ya whitney can leopard geckos grow fast beccause after about 48 hours my leopard gecko is about 2 1/2. IS THAT POSSIBLE OR DO I HAVE A DIFFERENT LEOPARD GECKO , I CAN TELL YOU NOW I WAS PRETTY SURPRISED
Impossible. You must have measured wrong the first time.
ya possibly but i had another question. i think i may be able to get the undertank heater but while i was looking i realized that they have different temperatures what temperature do i need. i did see a pretty cheap one and it could go to 10 degrees farenhiet. is that a good temperature for my leopard gecko?
reptile under tank heaters don't have different temperatures, but different sizes. 10F is below freezing, so no that's not going to help your gecko one bit. It'll actually freeze him. You want a real reptile under tank heater, preferably the zoo med brand, as the others just plain suck. I've tried them all, and have only had good success with the zoo med ones. They last years before they need to be replaced. Please don't forget the digital thermometer with the prone. Human heating pads are not safe for your reptile, if that's what you're looking at.
hey whitney is a leopard gecko not going to eat anything thats dead?
not necessarily, but more than likely no.
k because this might be a good tip. i tied a dead mealworm from the can o worms to a piece of string. i wigled it around a bit and CHOMP! there he goes he wriped that meal worm off and chomped it down. That was the first time he ate since i got him.
p.s. i got him on friday so he did not go that long without eating, at least 24 hours
Friday until today has been 4 days, not 24 hours. Also, that's not really a trick. You can also use tweezers or your fingers. It's a common practice. But still remember that the can or dead worms are no where near as nutritious and healthy as live.
Also, have you figured out your heating situation? What are your temperatures? And how are you heating the enclosure?
im still using the heat lamp and he really seems good with it. I have been told all they need is a heatlamp because it will give them the rays they need
p.s. I have a fake plant and no mater where i put it in the cage he goes and lays in the shade of the leaves
Nope. Leopard geckos are nocturnal, which means they don't need the heat lamp. They actually don't need any light source whatsoever. The light is only good to create a day/night scenario, which is not really necessary. Now, are you using a heat lamp or a regular lamp? The heat lamps actually put off some heat, whereas the regular lamps do nothing except heat the air. You really need the under tank heating pad if you're using the regular zoo med clamp light. Now, if you're using a uv light, you don't need that either. That's the only type of "rays" that I can think that you're talking about. Remember that they are nocturnal and do not need the uv lighting, only diurnal reptiles need the uv light.
Leopard geckos don't get any "rays" from regular lighting or even heat lamps. They need the heat, not necessarily the light.
As for the plant. Stop moving it around. You want to make sure that you have 3 hides, one on the hot side, there the lamp AND/OR the under tank heater should be, one on the cool side, and a humid hide on the warm side or in-between. This should be ample place to hide.
You can't possibly know if he's good or not without being able to measure the temps properly. It really sounds like you're gipping your gecko of a healthy and proper tank enclosure without 100% knowing what the temps are and without the UTH. He may SEEM fine, but SEEM is the key word that you used. You don't KNOW if he's fine.
This is sort of the reason why you should have the enclosure set up before you get the gecko. This allows time for you to get proper funds to purchase all the necessary equipment before hand.
ok, i am using a heat lamp right now and as soon as possible i am getting a heat pad. but i had another question , do you think he should have a heat lamp and a heat pad or would that give off to much heat?
p.s. you dont have to keep downing me every time you think he needs more of this or less of that
I'm not downing you. I'm just stating a fact that everyone should know and understand, as to the importance of having everything before you get the pet. It makes the transition so much easier on the animal.
You will only know if the temps are too much or not enough if you use a digital thermometer with a probe. Do you have a link to the heat lamp that you're using? Not all heat lamps marketed as such truly are that. I would up the wattage until you have the under tank heater, unless you know that the 75 watts are getting the enclosure floor to 90F.
i am getting a leopard gecko in a couple months. i am sing carpet and some rock hides i got from a pet store. is there anything else i need. (besides food dish, water dish, and calcium dish. By the way it is a 20 gallon tank.
the word sing is supposed to be using. Sorry!
Under tank heater is a MUST, digital thermometer with a probe (like the ones feature on this page- the $5 one works great and you'll know your temps are accurate), humid hide, and that should be about it.
Thanks and actually i am getting the supplies tonight and the gecko tomarrow!! i am so exited! Thanks a lot!!
hey whitney its been awhile i just wanted you to know i got an under tank heater and all the things you said he would need so thanks for all the help hopefully now he can be very happy and healthy.
Jonah good luck
bob hopefully the gecko will be good to go. if you ahve any questions or concerns, just ask.
I am going to a retile expo on November 1st. i might get a Mack Snow leopard gecko. I havent the one i said i was going to yet but i do have the supllies. Thanks!!
Hey 1 question i have went to a pet store and they said that a leopard gecko eats 6 crickets a day is that true or do they eat less. When can they start eating mealworms?
That's great. Good luck finding a mack. If all else fails, I have a nice juvie available.
I wouldn't stick with 6 crickets a day. I have geckos that eat more and some that eat less. Plus, after they reach a certain age, they typically just start eating every other day, some even every few days. It will all depend on the gecko, so you'll just have to figure that out when you get the gecko. Start daily, and when you notice that the gecko isn't eating, try every other day. Just make sure to remove what's uneaten because crickets can munch on the gecko, while sleeping. You can actually start babies on mealworms. Just small mealworms. They don't have to eat crickets. Many people don't feed there's crickets just because they don't like crickets and caring for them. I personally think crickets cut down my feeding times, but I do make sure to provide mealworms or superworms for adults every now and then to add variety.
whitney do ya know how i said i got the heat pad, well i was wondering should i keep his heat lamp on while the heat pad is also on? and should i go ahead and buy a night light heatbulb for night time?
p.s. do you usually have any stuff in your tank that he doesnt need but he likes to have?
That will depend on what your temps are in the enclosure. If the temps are higher than 90F with the heating pad and the light, then either use a lower watt bulb or turn it off. If the temps are right around 90F, then leave it be. Using the digital thermometer with the probe, you'll be able to read the temps on the surface of the tank, which is what your gecko is feeling.
I don't use night lights, just because there's no need for it.
They don't necessarily like anything. They're not like dogs and cats who don't need balls and toys but like them. As long as the gecko has a hide on the hot and cool side, a humide hide, water bowl, and calcium dish, the gecko should be fine.
i got my leopard gecko a log to climb and he is sleeping under the base of it. it looks like he is stuck. should i get him out?
I'd leave him be. He's more than likely not stuck, but you can move the log and let him move around and put the log back.
What kind of juvie do u have
Some great help on here, nice to see :)
I will be getting a leo myself soon and am currently sorting everything out u have mentioned above, but 1 thing i have questioned is that before feeding crickets u must gut load them 24hours in advance to the feed.
What would u say is the best way to do this? I have read many other pieces of info online but they seem to vary.
Thanks in advance :D
Jonah, I have tremper albino, bell albino, super snow, macks, super hypo tangerine carrot tail baldies, normals, and various other juvies that I have hatched this year. As for personal breeder juvies, I've got SHTCTBs, enigmas, macks, etc.
Villetty, when gutloading crickets you just have to make sure that they've been eating a high quality grain and gutload mix. typically put them in a ventillated container with a grain and either commercial cubes or carrots. I buy fluker's cricket grain.
How much aew they?
the price varies from $15 and up.
Hey just got my gecko today he is a bell albino. He is not eating is that normal for the first day?
It's normal. Don't mess with the gecko for a few days and let it adjust to its new surroundings.
hey how many crickets should i feed my baby leopard gecko?
As many as it will eat in 10-15 minutes. Remove anything uneaten.
Great Hub Whitney! I've got 2 fish tanks and a baby snapping turtle tank. Now it is time for the Leopard Gecko tank! Thanks for the great resource!
I was wondering if you hvae a website or if you have any leopard geckos for sale?
Cicely, you can check out goreptiles.com that is my website, and I do have several geckos available.
I was wondering what do the temps. for the enclosure have to be at the cool end of the tank? Also i need to to know how often to feed a roughly 3mnth old leo with crickets and how many should i feed it?
Thanx.
You really jsut want to worry about the hot side of the tank. Make sure that it is 90F. You need to feed daily, until the gecko stops eating daily, and then start feeding every other day. Feed as many crickets as it will it in 15 minutes, and remove anything uneaten.
Hey whitney i have had my bell albino leopard gecko for about a month now. thanks for all the stuff u provided me!! You were a real help.
Hey, I have been doing a lot of reading about buying a leopard gecko and would like to purchase one real soon. I love all animals and hope to become a zoologist some day. I read that under the tank heaters(uth) are not the best, because they do not warm the air and the can burn the animals feet, what are you thoughts about that? And I purchased the calcium substrate sand, should I be worried about my leopard gecko eating it?
The air temperatures are not really a concern with leopard geckos. You want the surface of the enclosure to be heated, which cannot be done with a light. You want to use an under tank heater to heat the surface of the enclosure so that the gecko can get belly heat to digest its food. It can burn the feet and bellies, but only if the gecko is sitting on it and doesn't have anything to buffer the heat. IE if you use reptile carpet, you should be fine.
Calcium based sand, is the worst possible substrate that you can use for a leopard gecko. It will entice the gecko to lick and eat it, and in the body it will essentially sit. Calcium based substrates clump when wet, not dissolve, and that's what it will do within the body. You should consider changing to a solid substrate, such as reptile carpet, paper towels, tiles, etc.
Good luck becoming a zoologist. I considered it myself, but I particularly do not want to go through that much schooling. I would rather my reptiles be a hobby not a profession. I commend those who can do it.
Hey, thank you so much for the great advice. I am going to switch to reptile carpet so i can purchase a under the tank heater. I just want what is best for my soon to be gecko. But i also read that geckos can snag a toe or claw on reptile carpet causing pain and injury to the animal, any advice on that? And will does the gecko just eat the calcium next to the water dish? Or do you have to dust it on the worms you feed it? I guess I am a little confused about the whole calcium dish issue.
It's true that they can snag their toes on the reptile carpet. I don't really have any thoughts about it, as I've never had it happen. You can use the reptile carpet to create a heat buffer and put paper towels on top of that to prevent the gecko from snagging his toes.
You need to dust the mealworms, crickets, etc with calcium/vitamins, but you also need to have a dish of pure calcium in the cage.
If i purchase an under the tank heater do i leave it on all he time? and can i use just one thermometer to measure the heat? do i need to measure the humidity? how do i pick a good leopard gecko at a pet shop?
Yes, you'll need to leave it on at all times. You'll need a digital thermometer with a probe to measure the temps on the surface of the tank. This should be the only thermometer that you have.
Here's an article that I have about choosing a leopard gecko. Just remember that many pet store reptiles are sick and have parasites.
ok thanks. i also have a fluorescent light bulb above the tank, would that harm or injure my gecko, and would that be good enough to provide a night and day setting?
You don't need the flourescent lighting. It's not going to hurt or help the gecko, and it's a waste of energy.
If you're wanting to create a day/night scenario, then just use a regular clamp light.
alright, thanks a lot for the great advice. i really appreciate it.
If you have any other questions, just ask.
so i got my gecko yesterday, and all it has been doing is sleeping. i know they are nocturnal but should i be worried. and he hasn't eaten...i might just be over reacting, but i don't know what else i can do. i havent handled him yet because i read that you were suppose to wait a week till you do. is there anything else i can do for him?
They are nocturnal, so it's roaming while you're sleeping. It can sometimes take a gecko several days to get adjusted before it starts eating. Just make sure that the temperature is accurate, measuring with a digital thermometer with a probe, and you should be fine. Keep offering the crickets, mealworms, etc. but just remove what's not eaten after about 15 -20 minutes. You can probably find a bowl that will hold the mealworms from escaping, and you can leave those in there. It's just a matter of finding a bowl that will hold them in without being too tall for the gecko to see them. If you have an older gecko, that's not really a problem. If you're feeding mealworms, look for a ceramic bowl; kritterz makes a great one that I use.
i am using mealworms that are a small size so that he can eat them. they are in a ceramic bowl so they dont escape. but how do i know if he knows they are there?
He'll find them while he's roaming around at night. Also consider crickets as a good staple diet. Depending on how big the gecko it, you may want to even start it off on small crickets and wean him to mealworms, if that's what you want to feed as a staple. How tall is the bowl? The ones I use are about 3/4" tall or so. I started some hatchlings on mealworms, but they never used the bowl. I had to let them free crawl in the tank, and slowly had to adjust them to the bowl with a few crawling the tank and a few in the bowl, and then none crawling and all in the bowl. But I'm not sure how well this would do for a regular tank; I use a rack system with sterlite tubs. Also, this is not a good idea if you are using a sand substrate.
i use a one inch bowl. i guess i could try and let them worms crawl free because i am using reptile carpet for my substrate. my gecko is about 3 and a half inches. he looks healthy(his eyes are alret, no scratches, etc.). when i bought him the pet store clerk suggested small worms because i dont think she had any small enough crickets. she kept them in a fridge and thats what she told me to do. do you think i could stick to feeding him worms for his entire life?
You can feed worms throughout a geckos life, but it is always good to mix it up. I try to give my hatchlings, juvies, and adults, a mix of crickets and worms (I prefer superworms for ths older juvies and adults though). Mealworms are to be kept in the fridge for a longer shelf life, a this slows they're growth.
The reptile carpet could pose a problem letting them crawl around, as the worms can go under the carpet, where your gecko probably won't find them. I would stick with the bowl for now, and just keep an eye out. Definitely, don't let it wait too late, as a gecko that small really shouldn't have been sold, much less at a pet store. Geckos should not be offered for sale until at least 10-15 grams. At 3 inches, it sounds like you have a near hatchling, which isn't common for pet stores to sell. It's just unhealthy and not right on the breeder or wholesaler's part (whoever sold the geckos to the pet store). But anyway, at that age and size, you don't want the gecko to go without food for too long, but it's natural for it not to eat for a few days after a big change, especially at that young of an age.
Since it is such a small gecko, you should really wait longer than a week to try to hold it.
As for the food, just leave it as is in the bowl for now. If it a few days, and if you notice the gecko roaming towards evening time, you may want to drop a mealworm in front of it, but not too close that would scare it.
alright thanks so much. thats a BIG help.
If you have any other questions, just ask.
My under the tank heater doesnt seem to be giving off enough heat for my leopard gecko, which might explain why he sleeps all the time. I have tried 4 different themoters and the all read around 75 degrees. Would an incodenest lightbulb(regular lightbulb) provide more heat? And if I end up using one, should I still use my under the tank heater?
Have you tried using a digital thermometer with a probe, measuring the surface temps? Have you tried an infrared temp gun? What brand under tank heater are you using? The zoo med ones featured above should have no problems heating the tank properly. There are others though, that just plain suck. A regular light would more or less heat the air, not necessarily the surface of the tank. It wouldn't hurt to add the light if you have tried both the infrared temp gun and the digital thermometer with a probe. You will STILL need to use the undertank heater, as the light alone will never provide the proper temperatures.
No, I have not tried a digital thermometer with a probe, because I live in a small town and can't seem to find one anywhere. I am going to look again though. If nothing else I plan to order one of the Internet. The under tank heater brand I am using in Four Paws Nature's Heat. I can feel it working under the tank I just don't know if there is enough heat coming through my reptile carpet. I am going to try the light, and see if it helps.
You may want to purchase one online, otherwise check the fish section of the pet store, sometimes you can find the cheaper digital thermometers there.
I'm not sure if I've heard the brand, but I want to say that I have. It's not a brand that I've tried, though. The zoo med brand is going to be better. But, since you haven't been able to measure the temps with a digital thermometer, you don't really know if it's truly 75F or not. Definitely try to get one, so that you can make sure that the temps are accurate, as the stick on thermometers and whatnot aren't accurate at all.
Hi, I just got my leopard gecko, but I am not sure about how many small worms to feed it. I got him a couple days ago, and today I placed a worm right in front of him and he ate it. I fed him 9 small worms, should I give him more?
He is about 3 and a half inches.
At 3 and a half inches, I wouldn't feed anymore. You want to be careful as the gecko is near a hatchling, and should not have every been sold. They should not be available for sale until at least 15 grams. Also, be careful of overfeeding, as geckos who haven't eaten in a while, will overfeed and throw it all back up. Leave the gecko alone for now, and try feeding it again tomorrow.
my leopard gecko made a hissing noise and bit me when i help my hand for him to crawl on to! but i held him fine yesterday what did i do?
Just means that you need to work on taming it. Start slow.
i have kept my leos together since i bought them there have never ben any problems. and the 2 i got a few minths back had never been kept together i put them in the same tank and they was fine. they seem to like the company rather than being alone
They do better alone and solitary. In the wild they lived individually, bred, and continued to live individually. It is not a good idea to house so many in one tank, especially if they are not the same age and size. If you've only had them kept together, how do you know if they do better solitary or grouped?
Ello, wld just like to say its great info your giving out, its good to see that somone is actully giving facts that are true and right! i used to own a leopard gecko about 5 years back, it was 17 years old and was very tame and loved much, the only statement i wld say is a bit of target is sizes of the enclosure, i always had a 3ft by 1ft and i kno of people with even bigger! i look at it as, in the wild they have as much room as they want, they could walk a mile if they wanted to, not they they would to be honest but the room is always there, i havent in my years of knowing and owning leopard gecko's herd of stress cose of size aslong as they can get to the hot and cooler side they tend to have no problems, plus mine always loved to explore its great stimulastion and great exersize for them, with decor in there to it gives them great fun, going up and over objects, and then having gd ground space.
Stress on having too much space is more common on younger geckos than adults. In some cases, bigger is better but there is always a limit. It sounds like you had a 40 gallon breeder, which isn't that big in comparison of many tanks available. You are also correct that in the wild, they had much more room, but captive care is much different than wild care.
Hi, my leopard gecko is about 6 weeks old. I noticed he was molting this morning so I left him alone. I am currently feeding him small meal worms until he is big enough to eat crickets. When I fed him tonight he didn't snatch up his meal worms like he usually does. Could he just be tired from molting? And I can still see some of his un-shed skin on his toes, what should I do about that?
Sometimes after shedding, they will not eat, especially younger geckos. Because they eat their skin, it is possible that the juvenile is full, so to speak.
As for the un-shed skin on the toes, you want to remove it carefully. Soak the baby in lukewarm water and gently try to remove the skin.
Alright thanks, that helps a lot.
Today I found him in his water dish. That is the first time I saw him actually in his dish. Is that uncommon? He was just standing in it.
It's not uncommon. Could be trying to hydrate his feet. Do you have a humid hide? If not, you should consider adding one to aid in shedding.
Yes i do have one. It is just a tupperware container filled with sphagnum moss.
Hm... Just make sure htat it is moist when the gecko is going into shed. Also make sure that the gecko gets proper calcium and vitamin supplements, as sometimes that can cause problems with shedding, but since it's just a few of the toe tips I wouldn't worry too much.
Ok I have done lots of reading about the Leopard Geckos and always seem to come back to your page for more useful information. I've read the ENTIRE page and the only question I have is - I'd like to use a light for my Gecko, I am however confused to how many or which ones I should buy. If I gathered correctly, they don't "need" light - only heat, and they don't need the UVA/UVB rays from the expensive light bulbs. So can I simply use one "spot" light with a clamp lamp ??if I choose. Oh and I guess I have one more question, are the Leopard Geckos tummies too sensitive for heat rocks/basking stumps?? I've already purchased a UTH however not the recomended brand so I may return it. THANKS
You can purchase a regular reptile clamp light, but you don't have to purchase the "reptile bulbs." You can use a regular light bulb in the reptile clamp light. I wouldn't use a spotlight, though.
Heat rocks can burn a reptiles stomach, You don't want to use one in a leopard gecko enclosure. An under tank heater is fine though, as it is under the tank.
i want to breed lepored gegoes but bi dont no how to set up my tank and shoule i put a waterfall in there
Check out this article that I have about breeding leopard geckos.
Hello, couple things
1 - Are the little 3in baby geckos bitey and do they need to be handled WAY less?? If so when is a good time to start handling them more? The reptile shop only has the little guys availible though I know you said she should not be selling them at all. I don't want the fully grown ones and I refuse to go to the chain stores due to my own personal experiences. So I am stuck with the little ones (though they should be a little bigger by now).
2 - Also I bought the thermometer that you recommended with the probe. It was actually much cheaper than the one I took back to the store. I know what temps to follow and where to measure at, however, I do not know where to place the Hygrometer nor what to look for. I do believe I read no more that 40-45.
Just want to make sure everything it set up correctly before I purchase my first reptile.
Thanks for all the helpful, factual, information. Some of this stuff just isn't in the books.
Are you talking about 3-inch, young leopard geckos? If so they are nippy because they are so small and we are all so big in comparison. I would stick with leaving a gecko that small alone until it's a little bigger. May I ask what is wrong with an older gecko? They live up to 15 years on average, so a year old gecko isn't sacrificing that much time. Please remember that even small mom-and-pop pet stores can have stick geckos, hence them selling them so young.
If you're talking about the hygrometer probe, I would stick it around the middle of the tank. Even the stick ons should be around the middle, I'd say. I've never really spent too much time doting on the hygrometer though. To me the temperature is the most important, and as long as there isn't a huge water bowl and the tank isn't misted, the humidity is typically evened
ive read a lot of articles but this is the best. The only thing is in the other articles they all said you can house more than one in a big tank-10 gallons per gecko.
You can sometimes house multiple females in an enclosure, but even still you risk bullying and stress. Never house multiple males in an enclosure, and never house a male with multiple females unless the intent is to breed, and even still the male should not be in the enclosure year round.
Thanks. I actually prefer the bigger ones as they look more durable to me and there tails are a lot fatter however the two she had was not enough of a selection for me simply for aesthetics plus, she had over a dozen younger ones of all sorts and colors.
So I shouldn't have said I won't buy the adult ones just not either of the two she has.
I've shopped around and found no other place like hers so I may just have to wait it out for the little ones to get bigger. How big do you suggest or how many months is good for handling??
Over time you realize the younger ones will grow up to have fatter tails and will be bigger... Either way they should not be sold until at least 10-15 grams. Handling will vary per gecko.
Yes I know they grow up that way. lol.
Thank You for your help.
Are leopard gecko's easy to handle when they are about 3months old
Not typically. They need to be worked with slowly to get them to be handlable
Great info! I do have a question though... I just got a leopard gecko about a week ago, but he wont eat. I have read that they tend to take a bit to get adjusted to their new environment, but isn't a week a little long?
It can take anywhere from a few days to a week. Try feeding something different; if you're using crickets, try mealworms. Sometimes it will take juvenile and older geckos a little longer to adjust, but in other situations it will take babies longer to adjust. It really all depends on the gecko. Just try to leave it alone while it's adjusting and offer food daily, removing uneaten crickets.
Hey Whitney, I just got my leopard gecko yesterday and I have only one hide out, but he seems to like it and is always in it. I also have two lamps. One is a heat lamp and the other is a day light lamp. Do I need both? And what about a hygrometer to measure the humidity, do I need one?
You should not use multiple lamps as that is a fire hazard. Purchase an under tank heater to get optimal temperatures and heat for digestion. Also purchase a digital thermometer with a probe. I have never really worried about the humidity. If you can get the temperature at and around 90F, the humidity should be fine as long as you're nto spraying the cage, using a large water bowl, or using mulch or another loose substrate.
You should add 2 more hides, so that you have one dry hide on both the hot and cold sides of the tank, and one humid hide that you'll mist when the gecko is going into shed.
And, yes they like the hides because leopard geckos are nocturnal, and the hides provide security during the day.
Thanks for helping me out Whitney! Ill purchase an under tank heat lamp and digital thermometer as soon as possible. I had one more question though. My gecko is about two to three months old and his water bowl never seems to be empty. I heard that you can purchase an artifical plant and spray water on it and they lick the water off of that when there babies. Would they by any chance lick it off of moss?
There's no need for that. Leopard geckos are desert animals, and the misting sprays are more for jungle. Depending on the size of the bowl, the gecko may be drinking and there may be too much water to notice a difference.
There shouldn't be any moss in the enclosure for hte gecko to lick off, especially at 2-3 months old.
Ok. But should there be moss in there at all? I put it under his log snd he sleeps on it.
I wouldn't recommend it, especially at that age. You risk impaction if the gecko injest it. For the humid hide, it's recommended to use paper towels and mist it when the gecko is going in shed.
Ok thanks. At what age should I let him use the moss?
Generally, you shouldn't use moss. Loose substrate is potentially problematic at all ages. But if you think that it's a must, you should wait until at least 9+ months.
can you give a leopaed gecks too much calcium?
is a 33 gallon tank too big for a single gecko?
p.s. she is quite skinny and hasnt been eating very much, but i did recently change the decor, and how should i supply its calcium?
and i have another that is eating and has a plump tail and looks healthy, but it is quite lethargic even at night, i have watched him a little
Fred/Annie: They will eat as much calcium as they need. I'm not sure about an overdose. I'm not sure of the deminsions of a 33 gallon tank, but a 29/30 has the same floor deminsions as a 20 long, so I assume it's not much difference. The gecko wouldn't lose massave weight just because of a decor change; it would have had to have been a previous condition. Calcium should be supplied on crickets and in a small bowl to lick, such as in a bottle cap or something like that. As for the other gecko, you can't necessarily say it's lethargic at night, unless you're watching it throughout the course of the entire night. As long as it's eating and drinking and ha a plump tail, it's probably fine. The other one sounds like it needs a vet.
thank yoyu do much it was a great help, but how often should i give them calcium and/or vitamins
Dust all feeder insects with pure calcium. Also leave a bowl of caclium in the tank at all times, replacing as needed.Minerals about twice a week.
so that means dust everyday per feed and 2 times a week for minerals
For the most part, yes. Also include the calcium bowl in the enclosure at all times.
Hey! My Leopard Gecko has been catching his mouth on his substrate lately whenever he trys to eat a cricket. I have reptile carpet in his cage and hes never had a problem with getting caought on it when eating. But, I recently noticed that when he goes to catch his cricket he catches his mouth on the reptile carpet. Do they have teeth? If so, at what age do they get them?
That is a common problem with reptile carpet. You may want to consider changing to paper towels, roll out shelf liner, or tile. They ahve small teeth, yes.
I have a question about whether I should use an under the enclosure heater for my leopard gecko. Originally I was going to use a 20 gal aquarium I already had at home to house my new gecko, but the owner of the vivarium where I went to buy crickets talked me into spending big bucks ;-0 on an enclosure built specifically for reptiles. He said glass tanks would not keep in the heat well enough and that external heaters of all types were a fire hazard. However, everything I've read the past couple of days says that geckos require heat from below. (The enclosure which I bought has 2 built in light fixtures in the lid - a red one and a regular one. What I am wondering is whether it is safe or necessary for me to place an underneath heating pad as well. What concerns me is the material from which this enclosure is made - it is some kind of thick material, I think it is synthetic but not positive. The tank has this material on all sides, bottom and top and then the front side is glass. The material has been painted blue with little black and white speckles which vaguely resembles granite, if that helps you to recognize the type of enclosure Im talking about. The top opens with a hinge. So anyway, will the heat from the reptile heating pad even penetrate this material? Will the material burn or melt? I've only had our little gecko for 3 days but so far he/she is eating and excreting normally. (It is only about 3 weeks old - we picked it up at a Tarantula Society trade show). Thank you so much!
I'm not sure what enclosure you're talking about (although I want to say I vaguely remember seeing something like this), but if you think about it anything with electrical cords is going to be a fire hazard. I think you got talked into something you didn't need, especially if you say you spent a good bit more on the product.
Yes, you do need the under tank heater for belly heat, as leopard geckos are terrestrial and use belly heat to help digest their food. Under tank heaters are built for glass; they can be more of a fire hazard risk when used with plastic or any other materials.
The glass tanks are perfectly fine at keeping heat, especially when you have an under tank heater that is appropriately sized for the tank. I prefer the ZooMed ones, as they last longer and put off more heat.
all my leopard gecko does is claw at the glass and get up on her hind legs and does wat seems to me and escape effort. is she trying to get out is there anything wrong with the enclosure? she never ever wants to sit still.
How long have you had the gecko? Have you changed anything in the enclosure? What are the exact temperatures read by a proper thermometer?
umm i hsve had her for about 7 years or so, and i have changed something but it was a while ago, and the tempertures are at 80
I have a question about my leopard geckos stomach. He has a black spot inside his stomach. His stomach is see-through. I can;t figure out if its food hes not digesting or what. Would you have any idea of what it might be?
Hi everyone- I have had the same gecko for 5 years. I did not purchase him, my boyfriend did before I moved in, I have been the one caring for him though. I bought him a 20 gallon tank about 2 years ago which has sand in it. I am shocked to hear that it is not safe to do that. I feel horrible!! I have been thinking about getting him a friend. Is it safe to do so? He has been by himself for a long time. Im just not sure if that is a good idea. Please let me know. Thanks
John, your temps are WAY too low! You need them to be closer to 90F
Lauren, it's probably the liver. You can typically see the liver on younger geckos. They generally appear a shade of blue. Otherwise, if you're housing on sand or something of that nature, it could be impaction.
Tiffany, you should first remove the sand. Second if it is a boy you can only put a female in the enclosure, and in that case they will mate. Leopard geckos are better off housed solo in any case.
Hey Whitney,
I read your article and many comments from these users. I have a feeling I know a little more than most but still have my questions. So, I have owned many lizards but this Friday, I am set to receive a $550 super tangerine leopard gecko from a breeder in california. He is small, still unsexed and weighs around 8 grams, maybe a little more. He will be solid orange with 90% carrot tail. Anyway, I read your article but was wondering about the lighting, I understand it's not important but wouldn't a fluorescent light make more sense than a clamp light? Also, do the zoo med UTH's have the stick side? If so, how do you heat the bottom of the tank if it's not stuck on the tank? Weird question but I am going to get this stuff tomorrow and just want to understand what's best. Also, for this little guy, should I get a 10 gallon or 20? He is so small, that's why but I am leaning toward the 20 as I will have all the essentials you recommend. I am a little stressed too regarding this little guys trip. I live in AZ and the breeder will be shipping so it arrives first thing in the morning but what should I do the first 24 hours and 48 hours for it? Should I not turn on the light, should I feed it, touch it.... etc? I just want to make sure I take care of this investment right.
Thanks!
First off, I'm not sure who you purchased from, but under 15 grams and the gecko shouldn't have been shipped. It's also hard to tell the extent of the carrot tail from 8 grams, even if the parents were 100% carrot tail, it's not guaranteed. I've seen 90% carrot tails of high quality tangerine and overall appearance closer to $900.
Flourescent lighting doesn't do anything for the geckos. If you're going to use lighting, it's cheaper and more efficient to use a regular clamp light. The zoo meds under tank heaters do have the one side with sticky, but it's easier not to stick them to the tank because you still have to clean the tank and the wire will easily get in the way. When I used tanks, I propped them up on tile to vent the bottom and then had another tile under the UTH, propping it up to the glass.
Make sure that you have everything BEFORE the gecko arrives. 20 gallons is better, as it will provide optimum space for 2 dry hides, 1 humid hide, and water bowl.
Just leave the gecko alone for up to 5-7 days so that it can adjust. And being so small, I am really surprised anyone was willing to ship it. And, generally, they're n ot sold unsexed, since they can be temperature sexed. Generally breeders will tell you temp sexed male or female if the gecko isn't visibly sexed.
Just because you've purchased a $550 gecko, it doesn't necessarily mean that you have more knowledge than the others who have posted questions, as you've asked pretty simple questions of a beginner. You've also asked questions similar to others who have just purchased their first gecko from a pet store. No offense, just making an observation.
If you're planning on breeding, remember that you're probably not going to be able to sell offspring for $550 unless you already have a big reputation for yourself. Plus, the market for leopard geckos is going down. Too many breeders, so the price has been driven down.
Sheesh, you've got an attitude. I didn't bring an attitude but you sure did. Buh-bye!
There was no attititude intended with my reply. I was just trying to help, and I'm sorry you took it as though I was giving an attitude. I was trying to make that clear with the no offense and whatnot. I'm sorry if I offended you with what I said, like I was trying to say, I was just making an observation.
Another observation that the breeder you purchased from may not be qualified, is that he's shipping on a Thursday for a Friday delivery. If anything happens during shipment to cause the package to get lost, it'll be stuck somewhere on a weekend when most carriers do not work so the gecko can't be found and sent to you until Monday, which means the gecko may fry with high temps, of freeze during cooler months.
Hi Whitney, I hope you're still keeping up this information and answering questions. I read your website and have followed everything you suggested, with a few problems. I decided to go with the carpet over papertowels, just for appearances sake. My little gecko, Slowpoke, is very active. He's roughly 3" long. I haven't started handling him yet, though I am slowly introducing myself to him. I have a few questions I hope you can help me with.
1. I bought crickets (small) and have purchased Fluker's Cricket Quencher to gut pack them. I also dust them every other day with Fluker's Calcium Powder. I haven't been able to find anything to use as a Calcium bowl, can you help me that? I didn't find anything in the store (PetCo).
2. He's very active, which surprises me. He likes to rest on the warm side and runs all over the cool side. Do I need a humid hide all the time or just when shedding?
3. I'm having a trouble regulating the temperature. I am using ZooMed's UTH for the 10g tank I have him in. I can't get the temperature up to 90. It hovers in the mid 80's with 40-44% humidity in the tank. What can I do/use/buy to get the hot side up to 90 like it needs to be?
Thank you so much! My nephew and I are enjoying Slowpoke but want to make sure he gets everything he needs.
Any small container or bowl will work. It's not going to say calcium bowl. You can also use a cleansed bottle top. Humid hide all the time, but only moist when in shed. Are you measuring the temperatures on the surface of the tank with a digital thermometer with a probe?
I'll use the cap for the Calcium. Yes, I got a thermometer (Fluker's again!) and it's probe is sitting right at the surface of the glass, above the UTH. I'll get the humid hide (I'll use paper towels for it). Can you recommend a product for the Calcium bowl?
Are you in asking in reference to the brand of calcium? I'd just suggest a fluker's brand or any brand of pure calcium. I like the jurassical.
Yeah, I was asking the brand. I'll pick up some Flukers. Thanks again for all the great info!
Yep. Any other questions, and I'll be happy to try to answer them.
i absolutely loved your postWhitney.
i'm considering getting a Leopard Gecko. i'm trying to figure out what would be the best pet for us right now. leaning towards the leopard gecko the most at the moment.
in your post you say not to use potting soil, is this because of the risk of being injested like sand?
Hi Whitney!
I've been researching leo geckos for awhile now. In my enclosure i have a reptile carpet, a small hide with moist paper towel and a water dish on the cool side. A little cap with calcium is on the cool side aswell. On the hot side i have a UTH as well as a "Daylight Blue Reptile Bulb" 60 Watts by Zoo-Med shining over the hot side as well. The digital thermometer reads 88.2 and is rising. I'm not quite sure what side to have the light on? It's only on for 12 hours a day and i didn't really want it on the cool side cause it would warm up the water and make it evaporate. What should I do?
Tam any loose substrates, such as sand and soil, has a high risk of impaction.
Chris, you want the light to go on the same side as the under tank heater. If the temps are stable between 88-90F you should be fine, even with a few degrees above 90 will be ok, but definitely no more than 92F. If the surface temps start to reach higher than that, you'll want to lower the wattage of the bulb or opt for no lighting. Typically though light only heats the air and his little to no impact on the surface temperatures unless you're using a heat emitting bulb.
that makes sense.
i was considering having live plants and that's why i was asking about the potting soil.
i believe my tank is about 20 gallons. i can't find my measuring tape so i'm going to eyeball it. i believe it's about two feet long x one foot wide and one foot deep. would you say that's about 20 gallons?i need to clean it out and stuff.
i'm not sure what i want to put in it. i was considering getting a bearded dragon as i've wanted one for years, however i know it would out grow this tank and at this point in time i don't want to have to transfer it to a new tank.
also, i like that the leopard gecko doesn't require the UV lighting (also considering a crested gecko)or, just putting fish in it.
i read a little bit about snakes but quickly crossed out that idea. for the same reason as above, the need for a larger tank. most snakes i read about are at the very least three to five feet long. and i do have a young child so i don't feel comfortable with an animal that could be a risk to his safety. also, the thought of potentially needing to feed live rodents doesn't appeal too much to me. (had too many hampsters and various other fury little creatures growing up lol)
so yeah, that's kind of where i am right now.
i'm going to do some more research on what kind of pet would be fitting for our home and life style, i'm leaning most towards either the leopard or crested gecko or just fish (though i have to read up on what kind of fish i would want, i've had fish growing up but want to look at different kinds and stuff before i decide on what i get)so any recommendation would be great :)i'm hoping for something on the lower side of maintenance. (ie. i wouldn't want an animal that needs hours each day socialising, can be left a long for a couple days happily. obviously still being fed and cared for)something of low risk (ie. no snakes that could harm my son, nothing that has a dangerous bite like a scorpian or something along those lines)
if you don't mind me asking do you have msn or anything like that? i would love to be able to get your opinion on some of this stuff as i see you have a lot of experience. if not that's cool :)thanks so much, i appreciate it!
You really wouldn't want to use potting soil for a natural enclosure. I have an article about setting up natrual enclosures for leopard geckos. Basically, unless you're super experiences and willing to purchase a large enclosure, it's really not recommended. Here's the link: http://hubpages.com/_reptiles/hub/Natural-Habitat-
20 gallon longs are about 30"L x 12½"W x 13"T
neither leopard geckos or crested gecko require UV. You would need to turn the cage verticle in order to put a crested gecko in it. And, yes you would need to upgrade for a bearded dragon.
a 3 foot snake isn't going to risk the safety of your child. The main concern of children and reptiles is salmonella. Rosy boas, sand boas, cornsnakes, kingsnakes, milksnakes, etc. would be fine in a 20 gallon long.
Hi Whitney. Excellent site. I'm concerned about my baby leo. He's maybe 2.5" long and from reading your site, he shouldn't have been sold yet. I noticed that on the tip of his nose, it looks like he stubbed his nose on something and injured himself. Should I be concerned about that?
He also has been licking/biting his front left foot a lot, as if it were bothering him. I use ReptiCarpet. Should I switch? Could him getting caught on the carpet cause injuries?
Today when feeding him his crickets, he let out a strange noise. It sounded like a zipper being pulled quickly.
For his hides, I use wood. Should I switch to plastic rocks?
I really enjoy him. He's beautifully colored and I don't want to see him hurt.
I removed the ReptiCarpet and put papertowels down. I'd rather be safe than see him hurt his little foot.
I've had hatchlings hatch longer than 2.5" so I'd assume the gecko is really young. Be very careful of it, and minimize handling as much as possible. He could have bumped into something in the cage, had an altercation before you purchased it, or has been rubbing against the glass. Just watch it to make sure that it doesn't get any worse. He could be getting his foot caught in the carpet, so definitely watch that now that you've changed to paper towels.
As for the noise, that's just him making noises as you freightened him.
If you're refering to the half log hide, then that's fine. Just make sure that if it starts to flake off that you remove the flakes.
hey whitney, I have my gecko enclosure all set up and I use a normal household bulb that is on a timer during the day, and i purchased a infrared light for the nighttime so i can see him, but with the redlight on and the UTH it gets way to hot for what it should be at night. What should i do? i really wanna see him in action at night.
Use a smaller wattage red bulb or purchase a different night bulb.
Hey, well the lowest red bulb i can find is like 50 watts, i found one at the dollar store but it said for outdoor usage only, would that be ok?
Also, during the day one side of the tank is about 87 degrees and the cool side is 78 degrees? is that ok?
Sorry about all the questions, my leopard seems to be shedding now. I have a moist hide ( coconut with moist paper towel in it ) on the cool side. Should i move it over to the warm side? I keep moving stuff around i hate changing the environment cause it kind of screws him up
I've seen the red bulbs at 25watts. There are other night bulbs that I've seen at 10 and 25 watts; if you really want a night light (which it's unnecessary) I'd search for one of those. I don't tihnk an outdoor bulb would work, but I'm not sure. I know the regular indoor lightbulbs work perfect, not sure about outdoor ones. 87 is ok but don't let it get any cool on the hot side. As for shedding, the humid hide should be on the warm side of the tank. You shouldn't need to move it around all the time. There should be a hide on the hot side, cool side, and the humid hide.
Should i put the humid hide in the middle? Hes sleeping in it right now on the cool side so i dont wanna move it and disrupt him, i've found little peices of skin around the tank so he must be shedding.
How do you view your gecko? Just with the room light on? cause he hides whenever i try to watch him come out :(
Middle is fine, just as close to the hot side as possible. I don't use lighting, it's not necessary to have a healthy habitiat. I use ambient room light during the day, and the lights are off at night.
I have the majority of my leopard geckos housed in a rack system, but the 2 that are in tanks have a uth and that's it- no lighting. I haven't used lighting since probably the first 6 months or so of my first leopard gecko, which was about 6 years ago (that gecko now lives happily and healthy without a light and uth only).
In time the gecko will get used to you and not run away as much.
Thanks whitney! It can be really stressful as a first time pet owner, especially when your pet is scared of you!
He doesn't come out much at night, i tried waiting up for him to come out but then i just fell asleep. He is shedding though, and i see him in his little moist hide moving around lots, shedding. Do they eat less during this period? I definitely think he enjoys meal worms over crickets and to be honest i do too. I try to feed him crickets but they usually just go hide somewhere in the tank and he has trouble finding them.
Do they sleep more and eat less while they're shedding?
When is the best time to clean their tank? I'm going to say nighttime cause they're awake (sometimes) and i really don't wanna disturb him anymore but there is a couple poops around the tank and the reptile carpet is getting dirty.
He probably comes out after you're asleep. Typically when shedding, their appetite does lower, but I've never noticed any other behavioral changes; sometimes they can be a little grouchy.
If you're talking about just removing poop, you can remove that any time, if you're referring to an entire tank clean, it still doesn't really matter. Because you just got hte gecko, I'd stick with fecal removal for now. You really only need total cleanout once a month or so, but regular poop removal. As for hte carpet, I'd say just remove the feces for now, and wash it when you do a total cleanup. It shouldn't bother him when just removing the poo
Hey!
He came out plenty tonight! He ate 3 meal worms and 2 crickets, there is one cricket left in there too he might have for a late night snack! Do you think i'm feeding him a bit too much? He is only a baby but i think hes grown a bit in the last 4 days i've had him to be honest! Maybe the pet store didn't feed him properly.
That is good to hear. Just feed what it'll eat within a 10-15 minute period.
Can you overfeed a leo? I put about 6 dusted crickets in the tank to start. If he catches and eats them all quickly, I add 1 until the 15 minute mark is up or if he loses interest. He's getting big and a fat tail, which from the pictures of the adults is a good thing.
Whitney, all I've got to provide heat is a heat lamp. Should I get a heating pad and use that instead of the light? Also, I've got one hide and its on the cool side. Do I definitely need another one for the other side? I'd like her to be as comfortable as possible and I'm very new to this so any advice would be greatly appreciated.
tom, typically they'll stop eating when they're done. just feed what the gecko will eat whatever it will within a 10-15 minute period, removing the rest.
Robert, You NEED the under tank heater. You don't necessarily need the light but you absolutely need the under tank heater. You just need one, as it'll create the warm and cool side.
I have rock heater will that work just as well?
Hot rocks can cause serioud burns, so no it's not a substitute and should not be used at all within the tank
Is there any sand at all you could use to put in there with them?
No. no loose substrate is going to be safe. You will always run risk of impaction, which is fatal.
Ok thanks
Could I use a thin carpat instead?
Yes. An indoor carpet or a commercial reptile carpet is fine.
wow i REALLY want a gecko but to tell you the truth i knew NOTHING about them but this helped me out ALOT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
-Marly8000
I'm glad I could help. If you have any questions please ask.
Hey Whitney,
My baby leo is doing great, thanks to your advice! I still have a question on feeding, though. I give her 6 crickets to start, if she finishes all 6 and looks like she's looking for more I add 1 until the 15 minutes is up. Is this ok? I feel like she'd eat 20 if I let her! Should I give her more crickets to start? Or is what I'm doing sufficient?
Oh, she also prefers to hang out in her humid hide. It's a hallowed cave with moist paper towels, sitting between the warm and cool side. is that normal? Thanks!!
You can probably bump it up to at least 10 a day until you notice the gecko not eating as much. They will generally go through spurts of large appetite and low appetite. Just make sure that you're feeding small crickets that are sized appropriately for the gecko. Sometimes they do prefer the humid hide. It really only needs to be moist and humid during a shed.
Hi, I am planning on bringing my 10-year-old Leopard Gecko into my classroom as a class pet. do you have any handling tips? He is healthy and calm at home but i'm not sure if it will be the same at school.
Thak you.
I would let the gecko settle in for a few days to a week just to make sure that he's used the the classroom sounds. They you'll probably want to start handling. You'll want to take it easy with the gecko because a room of children could be stressful. Also remember that they sleep during the day and the excess noises may be stressful. Keep that in mind especially within the first few weeks.
hi. i have a young leopard gecko. i use a combination of the repti carpet and papertowels on the bottom. it helps me control temperature better. is this ok?
i also want to start holding my gecko. it is very young. maybe 4.5-5" long. the tail is not fat. i have been placing my hand, palm up, in the cage to get the gecko used to me. after about a week, while he was in the rock hide, i cleaned the cage. while on the counter, he crawled out and i was able to hold him in my hand. today, he hissed and struck at me. am i moving too fast? thank you.
oh, i have had the gecko for a month.
yes, it is fine to use the reptile carpet and paper towels in combination. The gecko is young, so as long as you continue feeding appropriately, the tail will fatten up. I'd just stick with handling within the cage, letting the gecko crawl onto your hand. It sounds like you're doing a good job.
I use just a heat lamp that keeps the tank around 95 degrees a lot of people say to use Uth or the other and some people say to use both a heat lamp and a uth but i had mine under heat lamp ever since i got him. I have had mine for 4 years now.. Its it ok for me to be doing that or should i get a uth with the heat lamp it does stay at 95 for 12 hours then turn off with a timer i but on it...
Is the surface of tank 95? or the air temps? Typically you have to have an undertank heater in order to provide proper temperatures. Leopard geckos are terrestrial which means they need surface heat to properly digest their food.If you're using a stick on thermometer, then those things are far from accurate and I'd recommend a digital thermometer with a probe.
Hey Whitney!
My Leopard gecko and I have been doing great, he's getting a nice big tail and started to move around lots more, exploring his surrondings. Currently I have a half log hide on the cool side, and a coconut house on the warm side for sleeping at night. I'm going to add a humid hide, I was wondering what do you recommend? What should I put inside the hide? Moss? Or should I stick with wet paper towel?
I'd stick with the wet paper towel.
my geckos r using cardboard for the bottom of there cage so Iwant to make there cage as close to there natural invironment so I wanted to know if it is okay to use dirt?
I was actually thinking of getting rid of the reptile carpet and throwing in some rock for the bottom of the cage. Even maybe half reptile carpet and half rock, I was thinking using slate or something? What would you recommend? I was using paper towels for a while but crickets started hiding in there and doing who knows what so i changed back to reptile carpet but id like a more natural look with rocks and possibly a little bit of sand.
Maddy, dirt is not an appropriate substrate for leopard geckos. It poses a high risk of impaction which can be fatal. Plus, leopard geckos are not native to dirt or sand. Desert does not haveto be dirt. They are native to areas of compacted dirt forming large rocks. For natural, try slate tiles.
Chris, slate is a good option. You can purchase slate tiles at a home department store.
Hey Whitney, thanks for the tip! I'll go check out my home depot asap, other than that is there any problem with using a plastic tubawear container for the moist hide? I've heard it's better to use glass but I don't have any glass containers with a lid.
You can use a glad tuperware container with lid as the moist hide. If you're referring to the enclosure, glass is better unless, as under tank heaters should not be used with plastic.
Hi Whitney,
My leo and I are doing great. I have a few more questions:
1. I use a rock cave for a humid hide. Temperature doesn't seem to penetrate it well. Is this a problem? If so, I'll switch to tuperware ASAP.
2. How do I know he is ready for a shed? I've had him over a month and I don't think he's shed yet. He has grown in size since I first got him by a lot. His color has appeared to dull, which leads me to my next question.
3. Is it normal for new colors to develop? When I got him, he was yellow w/ brown/black spots and a brown/black/white tail. Now he developed an orangey tinge to his feet and an orange ring on his tail.
4. Is it normal for him to lay on the ground, with his feet sprawled out? It's so hard to describe, but his feet don't touch the ground, his legs do.
5. His head used to be a solid brown. It appears blue'ish over his eyes, is that normal? To me, it looks like it's just his eyes, but I need to make sure!
Thank you! You are such a great help. Without you, I would have given him back to the pet store in fear of not knowing how to keep him.
1, the temps should be coming from the surface, so there shouldn't be a problem with temps penetrating the hide.
2. dull coloring and a new blue-gray color is signs of an upcoming shed.
3. new colors develop with sheds and age. they will generall stop gaining color by 1 year old or so.
4. he is getting surface heat. make sure you're providing an under tank heater.
5. if it's just his eyes then it sounds like he retained shed on his eyes. if it doesn't come off with the next shed, you'll have to gently pull it off. unless you're talking about the skin on top of the the head not the actual eye, then that's normal.
I do provide an UTH. It's a crisp 90 for him all the time. I'm afraid of the temp penetrating the humid hide because it is a solid rock with a cave carved into it. It has a solid bottom that I don't think penetrates, it's kind of more damp than humid.
And yeah, I was referring to the skin on his head. Thanks so much.
It shold be fine. The plastic would just let more heat in. If it's the reptile humid hide sold at stores, it shuold be fine. In a way rock and tile absorbs and is a great heat emitter, which is why slate tiles are wonder as substrate.
The skin on top of the head is normal to be blue. The blue will fade as the gecko ages.
It's the ZooMed 3-in-1 Shelter:
for a night time light can you use black lightbulb
Tom, that's what I figured you were talking about. It's not a real rock but more ceramic, it is fine for the purpose of the hide. Just make sure it's on the hot side of the tank. A plastic tuperware is just cheaper, but since you've already purchased this one, I'd just use it. If you want you could use it as a regular hide instead of the humid hide.
Patrick, for night bulbs, if you so opt to use one, you would want to purchase a red bulb or a reptile specific night bulb. If you're talking about a black light bulb, I wouldn't suggest it.
My leo really prefers the ceramic rock, humid or not. I put the moist papertowels in it since her color has seemed to dull a bit. Is it normal for them to prefer just one hide over the others? I use 2 half logs and this rock.
hi whitney, your page has great information and just want to say thnx for caring so much about these reptiles. i do have a few questions..i just got a baby leopard gecko three days ago and i have a 10 gall tank, carpet for substrate, 3 hides and going to make a humid hide tomorrow and i also just have a reguler lamp. where can i get a UTH? and how should i place it under the enclosure? how long should i leave the pad on? also, what temps should be on the cool side and do i need 2 thermostats-one for cool side and one for warm side? if you can help thank you very much. just want to take the best care of my lizard as this is my first reptile. thank you again! -mike
Tom, the gecko probably just prefers the temperatures that the humid hide gets.
Demeza, all pet stores sell UTH's. The UTh should just be placed under the tank propped up with something so that the UTH is against the glass but not stuck to it. When you stick it to the glass, it makes cleaning harder, as the UTH is hard to remove once it's stuck onto the cage. You'll also want to make sure to leave a gap between the tank and whatever the tank is stiting on because heat can build up and can ause stress cracks in the glass. The pad should be left on at all times. Just turn off any lighting at night. THe cool side isn't as important as the temps on the hot side. The temps for the hot side listed above.
thank you whitney, just got the exo-terra substrate heater and seems to be working good for leo! thnx for the advice
Sounds good. Hopefully it will help maintain your temps.
also whitney i have two more concerns, i got a thermomter with a probe and i keep the probe on the reptile carpet and the highest the temp it ever gets is 84-88, what can i do to heat it up a little more if necessary at all to do so? also, what is normal color for leopard gecko feces and how to tell if its diarhhea? and one more question, sorry to bother but just making sure, is reptocal a good source of calcium for a juvenile leo (would you recommend?)
Do you have it on the hot side? Do you have an under tank heater? UTH provide the most and best heat for leopard geckos as it is belly heat. The feces is brown with a white attachment which is the urate (essentially the urine). Reptocal is fine. Just make sure it's pure calcium. Also makesure to have a vitamin/mineral supplement that you offer 1-2 times a week. And leave a small bowl of pure calcium in the tank at all times, in addition to dusting food.
Whitney, I've seen on one of your blogs that you have like a tarp that just hangs in the corner of the tank where the gecko can just lay and relax on. Where did you find this?
It's a reptile hammock. I'll post a few of them above
Hey Whitney great advice, but if you have a wooden enclosure and the bottom is wooden, does the UTH work effectively and can it sit against the Wood?
Ino you have said it cant touch the glass, just wondering what happens with wood?
Also would you reccommend a Leo Gecko as a first pet? or a Bearded dragon?
Thanks
yes i hve the probe on the hot side and i have the uth on the hot side too. but its not the zoo med its just called a substrate heater and sticks to the glass. and thanks for the other info!
Dawson, Wooden enclosures are harder to properly heat. UTH's typically do not work as well. It can touch the glass; what I said was not to stick it to the glass, as it makes cleaning easier becuse you won't have to worry about the cord. UTH will discolor wood, and the wood will slowly break down. Leopard geckos have fewer caging requirements and a more simple diet in comparison to BDs.
Demeza, they all can stick to the glass, I just don't recommend sticking it to the glass. they're hard to remove and by not attaching it, it's easier to clean the enclosure thoroughly. It could be that the UTH just isn't getting hot enough.
you mention the digital thermometer probe a few times. Can i use a baby thermometer? and i got an older albano gecko they didnt know how old he was cuz it was brought in by a customer. Is there a way to tell or jut go with he/she is healthy :)
Can't estimate age once it's an adult; it's even hard to estimate the age for juveniles. Just go with it's healthy. I'm not sure what kind of thermometer a baby thermometer is. The reptile thermometers are like $5 usually. Some pet stores mark them up though. As long as it has a probe to monitor the temps on the ground, it should be fine.
Do you have any tips for keeping my crickets alive? Right now i use a small cricket cage and i seem to be losing more and more everyday.should i try to breed the crickets? Is it possible to breed meal worms?
Hey, Whitney. I bought 2 leo's a few days ago. They were all housed together and i bought one which is bigger than the other. They were living with probably 5 other leo's and i thought it was pretty horrible since they were housed in such a small tank. Since they were being housed together before(both female) i put them together now. I have a 30 gallon reptile tank and everything and more that i need in it. The largest of the two seems to be eating/drinking well. The smallest is eating fine, just not as much as i think it should be. Only about 2 crickets a day(not completely sure). All my temperatures seem to be fine(88-91) and the geckos spend time in all their hides. I was just wondering, since i just bought them a few days ago, do yuo think the smallest one is just stressed out? Thanks
jones, conser a tub. If you only have one or two geckos, breeding crickets will not be beneficial as you'll be swamped in crickets. You an breed mealworms, but again the same thing if you only have a few geckos, breeding mealworms won't benefit you. When keeping crickets alive, kritter keepers can hold in humidity at times. What are you feeding them? How are you providing water?
VeryElite, if one is visibily larger than the other, that means that you need to have them separate. The smaller one can easily be stressed and bullied by the larger one. Plus, pet store reptiles are not always the healthiest, so watch for health and how well they feed.
OKay, thanks. what should i do though, i have a 30g and a 10g. Won't the 30g be too big for just one?
i was told to put slices of potato in with them. i have a small critter cage but i have lots dieing. any thing you can recommend to keep the crickets alive would be great.Also my gecko seems not to be eating the crickets i put 3 smalls in but he dont bother to chase them or find them if a cricket bumps into him he jumps and moves away.he does like meal worms, eats about 5 1inch worms every nite
VeryElite the 30gallon should have the basic surface size of a 20 gallon, so it should be fine. 20 gallon long tanks are perfect for one gecko.
Jones potato and carrot slices are good. just make sure offer a grain diet and that the slices are smaller. he may just prefer the mealworms, which is not uncommon for some geckos to prefer one over the other.
Ok cool so its not a bad thing to just give him worms, he seems to eat them like candy. i tried the potato and some fruits but the fruit flys love that alittle too much :)
The worms are fine as a staple. You may want to throw in the crickets every now and then to mix it up though. But worms are perfectly fine. Fruit flies aren't a good feeder for leopard geckos.
Is it normal for the geckos to go from eating one day to barely eating the next? Two days ago, my gecko went from eating 8+ crickets a night to last night eating 3.
It is normal. They do not need to be fed daily. The older the gecko gets, you will notice that it may not want to eat daily. I feed every other day for my adults, some only eat every 2 days.
i have to really cool leopard geckos 30 gallon tank with a male and female in it i place a hideout by the water dish and one by the heat i use a light i also have some small branchs inside with leaves and they seem happy
Be careful, they will breed. Also use two dry hides- one on the hot side and one on the cool side- as well as a humid hide in the middle area. Include a calcium dish, too.
whitney, do you know if "Cricket Drink" that you get at pet stores is good for gut loading crickets?
Thanks for the tips hey where can i get calcium and is it ok if they mate is this bad or what thankyou
Demeza, I've never heard of it. Typically a slice of potato or carrot with a cricket grain is all you'll need.
Anthony, calcium is sold at all pet stores. If you want to incubate and have up to 10+ babies a year and you can afford to house and feed them much less incubate them, then let them breed. But, it will greatly stress out the female letting her live with the male year round. Leopard geckos fair better living solo.
Is it ok to use a black light at night
i'm concerned about my gecko. i've noticed the poop is a little less formed, more runny. i think that he is not getting enough heat. i use coconuts as my dry hides and a ceramic rock as the humid. the gecko spends all her time in the humid hide, which is around 75F inside.
i took the humid hide out to make him rest on the heat. since i did that, his poop has been normal again. what should i do?
jocelyn, you can use a night bulb if you want to. I wouldn't use a black light though. You can purchase red light and other reptile night lights.
dede84, what are you using for heat? How hot is the surface of the tank? You want the surface of the hot side to be at 90F or right around there. Try moving around the hides so that the dry hide is above the heat instead of the humid hide. With leopard geckos, the humid hide should only be moist during shed, so at all other times it should really be dry or relatively dry.
i use an uth. it's between 89 and 91 on the hot side, depending where i aim my heat gun. i keep the humid hide moist a lot because it makes his skin appear healthier. it gets dry and dull without it.
Dry as in does it seem to have white specks on it, or what? They really don't need the humidity at all times.
dry as in the color of the skin isn't as bright. kinda white all over, like a person gets dry skin in the winter.
Hello, I hope you can answer a few questions for me... My kids have two leopard gecko's which we've had 5 months; they are both more than 8 inches long.
1. Do you recommend feeding leopard geckos live pinkie mice? I've noticed our female gecko which ate one or maybe two has been extremely sluggish every since.
2. Our male has been dull for over a week, is there something wrong? We gave him a warm bath earlier today because he has a crystalized spot on the top of his tail which I assumed was old skin. Should we bathe him again tomorrow or wait until he sheds?
3. One of our geckos has started pooping in the water bowl, no matter where we move it inside of the tank, we aren't sleeping much so we can keep an eye on the tank to assure they don't drink the soiled water. Is this normal?
4.
dede, that is not normal. Typically those are the sides of a shed if the gecko has a whitish glaze over the body. They should not be a shiny color. They should have dry skin, but not with a whitish glaze over them.
GeckoGrandma.
1. I don't recommend feeding younger geckos pinkie mice, adults can eat 1 a month, but it's not necessary. Pinkie mice are very fatty, and leopard geckos don't require pinkie mice. A steady diet of crickets or mealworms will be fine.
2. You shouldn't bathe leopard geckos unless they have stuck shed on their body, typically on the toes. Don't assist a shedding unless they have completed the shed and have leftovers on the toes.
3. There's no reason to alter your sleeping habits. Most geckos don't poop in the water bowl unless it's empty. Stop moving it around. Leave in one spot and see if anything changes.
Make sure the geckos are housed separately, especially being you have a male. You don't want them to breed too early especially if they aren't of proper weights (length does not determine breeding size), as it can stress out the female and cause shorter lifespan.
Whitney, great info! What type of calcium do you suggest using, I see there are some with Vitaman D and some without Vitamin D. Do you have a recommendation for a good supplement dust for crickets & mealworms or should I just use the calcium dust on the food?
I prefer jurassical with NO D3. But rep-cal is good as well, and they make a good brand of vitamins that would can use in accompaniment to the calcium when dusting. (Not recommended to use any brand of calcium or vitamins at the same time).
Calcium should be left in a small bowl in the tank at all times, replacing and refreshing as needed. You should dust insects with calcium most feedings, but you should also offer a vitamin occassionally.
hey whitney its mike again, i notice that my leo will be shedding soon and i just want to know if the humid hide i have is okay. i have only a ten gallon tank and i dont really have room in the tank to put a gladware container in the tank for a humid hide. but i do have a rainbow shaped log that is in between the hot and cool side which he lovess ( the log is just like the one you have on the far left of the terrarium in your pictures above), butthere is an opening on both ends of the log, can i use that as a humid hide if i put damp paper towels inside the log?? also what side does the humid hode have to be on again? thank you
- mike
10 gallons are really too small for adult leopard geckos, although they have been the recommended minimum tank size for years. They really need two hides- one on each side of the tank and the humid hide. A regular hide may work, but depending on the substrate that you use, wetting paper towels and placing them under a current hide may cause the rest of the substrate to dampen, if using paper towels as a main substrate. Typically the humid hide is on the warm side of the tank, as mentioned above. (There is an opening on both ends of the log above, as well.)
my leo is about two months old and as he matures to an adult i am graduating to a 20 gallon. but my main substrate is reptile carpet so do you think it would be alright to use damp paper towels in the log? i dont want to put a humid hide in the tank cause there will be very little room for him to roam and i dont wanna stress him out by moving his other hide.
It will still cause the reptile carpet to get damp, but not as bad as if you were using paper towels as the main substrate. You can try it. You may consider getting a tupperware lid and placing the damp paper towels on that and putting that underneath an existing hide
i got a baby leopard gecko yesterday its been sleeping all the time, ive only seen him out once. should i feed it evry day or evry other day. do they like mealworms as much as crickets?
hes a week old
At one week old, you should not have been able to purchase the gecko. At 1 week, there is no guarantee that the gecko is eating properly or healthy. Leopard geckos should not be sold or purchased unless 10-15 grams at minimum.
Leopard geckos are nocturnal, so expect them to sleep all day long. Babies should be fed daily at first, and as they gain weight every other day, and then as they continue to grow, every few days.
Some prefer mealworms, but at 1 week, it's recommended that you stick with small crickets because mealworms have a hard exoskeleton that young geckos can't always digest properly.
oops o well i just fed him and he seemed happy
is it normal for them to poop in one spot?and is their poop supposed to be white?what does it mean when they try to climb on the walls?
Yes, the go to the bathroom in the same spot. It's supposed to be brown with a white end. It doesn't mean anything when they try to climb the walls.
okay whitney that sounds good, thanks for your help again. -mike
Is the shedding process quick? Thursday she seemed ready to shed, Friday (yesterday) she was definitely in shed mode and Saturday (today) she looks normal.
Yes, for the most part it is pretty quick.
my heating lamp burnt my leo on his leg and limps now hes also getting skinnier and eating little food i can see his skin in wrinkles what should i do?:(
How did the lamp burn the gecko? It should be at least 6 inches away from the gecko. Then generally do not need heat bulbs, but under tank heaters, so an actual heat emitting bulb is not necessary, as they need belly heat from the UTH.
The only thing I can recommend is that you see a vet ASAP. You need the burn taken care of. Try using neosporin cream until you can get to the vet, but there may be other problems. Clean the wound with saline and then apply the cream in a small amount, rubbing it in as much as you can.
The tank temps should definitely had been monitored to prevent any issues like these, especially if using an actual heat emitting bulb.
thanks and the lamp was going over 90 degrees and we had to turn it off alot then we went to get a new bulb at a different pet store a was told it was way to hot so we got a new one thanksagain
definitely consider the under tank heater for best heating results. Also buy the digital thermometer so you can ensure the temps are accurate, and if they're not then you can figure out how to fix them by upping or lowering the wattage or by getting a new UTH.
Thank you for all of your great advice. My leo is healthy, happy and well socialized thanks to all of your advice! He's friendly and will play with me.
I feed him a fix of mealworms and crickets (depending if my local pet store can keep crickets in stock, lol). I let the mealworms crawl around in a dish with the calcium. Is that wise? I dust the crickets with a vitamin powder too. So they get both. I have a calcium dish.
Thank you so much Whitney!
I'm glad that I could help.
Is linolium something that is good at the bottom of the leopard gecko's tank? I am still trying to get the best tank for him set up as I can.
Thanks
Hi Whitney,
I've just spent the last hour or so reading through ALL of the previous questions, and now, believe it or not, I have a couple questions of my own.
1) We purchased 2 young Leopard Geckos (not sure of age, but they are approx. 5" in length) at our local reptile store 3 days ago. We have ended up with a male and a female (not ideal, I know). My plan is to separate them at some point, a few months down the road. My question is, they sleep together a lot - they actually seem to be okay/happy with each other...so when it's time to separate them (I don't want to breed them!), will they go through any depressed state at all?? Would they 'miss' each other's company, causing stress?
The male looks exactly like the Hypo Snow Leopard Gecko on the back cover of the 'Leopard Geckos in Captivity' book; the female is a tangerine something-or-other. She's a little smaller than the male, so even though I see absolutely no bullying now, I also don't want to see it in the future.
2) The reptile store gave me a container of 'Rep-Cal Phosphorous Free Calcium with Vit.D3 Ultrafine Powder'. I'm guessing this isn't the 'pure calcium' you're referring to above? Should I get a separate container of 'pure calcium' and also another container of vitamin stuff?? I have been dusting the crickets with what they gave me, and also have a small bowl with some in it in their tank. Please let me know if this is sufficient or if I need to either ADD another vitamin a couple times a week, or switch to two new powders (calcium only daily and separate vitamin powder).
Thank you so much!
1. It’s ideal that you separate them now, as the male will become sexually active before she should be bred. It is best that you do not wait. You cannot guarantee no bullying bc you can’t watch the 24/7,
2. No that is not pure calcium. You want to use a bowl of calcium only, no D3 to have in the tank at all times. You do not want to regularly use that stuff to dust. You want to use it once a week with a mineral supplement once a week and regular calcium the other times. I typically just use a vitamin/mineral supplement as it will have D3 in it. You don’t need all three. I use calcium regularly with the mineral/vitamin supplement once a week or so.
Thank you for your quick response. I can't believe, after visiting the local reptile shop many times to gather information prior to actually buying the geckos - that I pretty much have to change EVERYTHING they advised me to do. I wish I had come across your site before I purchased them. I now have to get a second tank, change out the sand, change the heat lamp for UTHs, change the calcium/vitamin, etc...they didn't even MENTION how hot the surface should be or that I should get a thermometer. Ugh. I thought that since they were a reptile store, they'd know what is best. Guess not :(
Last question: We're feeding crickets and an occasional waxworm or two for a treat. The crickets are doing fine - losing one every 2 days or so (they're not dying off quickly); however, I was only given the green cubes to feed them. I read that I should be giving them 'grain'??? Where on earth do I obtain cricket 'grain' and is it absolutely necessary???
That's why you do research before you get a pet, not after. pet store employees don't always give good info. You'll find more do not know what they're talking about. It's your responsibility to do the research.
If the green cube is a gut load, you'll be fine. Many of the cubes are just for moisture, not nutrients. The grain is the best gutload though.
Well, I thought I HAD done the research. I didn't state so, but I read online, also - and we have a book. There is so much varying information. I'm 36 years old and well educated. I did research. I took what I had heard and read and went with what I thought was best. Sometimes you come across information that is even better after the fact. Most likely, no matter HOW much you research, once you get the pet, you end up with more questions. Hence, the reason for my continued research online and finding your site. So thank you - I realize it's MY responsibility to do the research.
It is always good to do more research. Just continue it. I'm just surprised there's still places that recommend sand. Try more than one book. It's best to have at least 2 because sometimes one book will focus on one topic and the other will give you more info on another topic. You'll get more info with more than one book. Books are great references, but online sources and reptile communities are great as well.
Whitney,
Is linolium something that is good at the bottom of the leopard gecko's tank? I am still trying to get the best tank for him set up as I can.
Thanks
I don't see why you couldn't. Generally slate tiles or the rollout shelf liner is cheaper though
Hey whitney my geckos tank is really starting to stink! Should i wash it out with warm water and change the reptile carpet? That stuff is hard to wash because it basically wrinkles up afterwards and shrinks.
It's highly suggested if you're not willing to clean the tank when you know that it needs it, that you find a new home for your gecko.
Clean the tank with diluted cholorox, and let it fully dry and air before putting the reptile back in. Wash the reptile carpet, lie it flat to dry. The packs come with two, so while one is drying, use the other in the tank
My leopard gecko isn't going anywhere! Hehe, I can definitely take care of the responsibility of cleaning his tank. After I cleaned his tank for some reason he has been sleeping outside of his hides, not sure why.
I'm not sure how you can say you can take care of the gecko, when you know the tank needs cleaning but you did not do it. It took your gecko to look odd before you did t. Responsibility is a must when it comes to caring for animals.
What are the temps? Has anything changes? How long have you had the gecko?
Hi Whitney, its nice to know that there is someone out there with consistent advice. In the UK, our 'experts' always contradict themselves. I've just had to take my boy to the vets cos of a huge leaky lump under his tail. The vet is draining the gunk off as we speak, a cyst the nice man said, more common than people think and is easily treated, non infectious and not down to husbandry (which is a huge relief cos i was scared it was my fault). Any advice on how to give antibiotics to him?
I have 3 hides, one cold, one middle of the 3ft viv and one moist/ humid hide, heat mad with theromostat and two thermometers at both end of the tank at substrate level, I do use a red lamp, purely to be able to see them (i have 2) at night, there is minimal heat given off. They are both fed mealworms in a dish with bug grub and bug gel, dusted with multi vits and abowl of calcium available. water is fresh daily (after leaving it to stand for 24 hours) Is there anything i can do to make the tank more intersting for the gecko's (i have plants and a climby rockt hing) or is it not really essential?
Sounds like you've done a good job. Just make sure paper towels as substrate while the wound is healing, then you can switch to something else. Reptile carpet and tile works well as well, but paper towels are just easier to throw out and replace to make sure that nothing can infect the area.
As for antibiotics, it'll probably be a fight. Just try to get the syringe (if the vet recommended to give meds by mouth instead of water bowl) in the back corner of the mouth and gently push it through to administer the meds.
Got him back. Poor mite looks like death warmed up. hope they have sedated him cos if not he aint doing to well :-( it is via syringe, was half hoping it would be a poeder os similar so i could roll some wax worms in it, but not to be, first dose tomorrow night. should bbe an experience if nothing else!!! thnaks for the help, this site is fab!!!
I'm sure he was sedated. Good luck with him.
Sad day, he didnt make it through the night. Poor guy was in his hide with his little friend keeping him company (was told not to seperate as not infectious) :-(
Still should have been separated as they are solitary reptiles and if housing a sick gecko with a healthy one, generally the healthy one will harass the sick one. Especially since the one had surgery, it should have been solitary as soon as you noticed something was funky about him.
Either way, I'm sorry for the loss. You tried.
hi whitney my leopard gecko is a few months old and he is about 7 inches. Sometimes he has been laying in the middle of the tank during the day. The temperature in the tank is about 92.5. He eats about 6-7 crickets a day which are dusted but I also notice him licking his lips sometimes. If there are any precautions i should take let me know! :) thanks
The gecko is much older than just a few months if it's 7 inches long. I'm not sure what precautions you're asking about. If the tank is 92 on the surface of the tank, measured by a digital thermometer then that is fine. If he's laying in the middle then, he's just regulating his temperature.
All the information you have provided so far is very helpful! I have set up my tank and cage and everything is going great thanks to your advice. I have one quick question though, earlier you commented to someone that you can just wash the retile carpet and use the 2nd while drying. How often do you recommend cleaning the carpet? When I was at the pet store, a man told me to replace the carpet every month so I would have to buy a new box of carpet every 2 to 3 months. Is this true? Thanks again!
There is no reason to need to buy more carpet. It is washable. Unless the old ones just really get worn out. If you replace every 2 months, you're using each for one month. That doesn't make any sense. When I used reptile carpet, I never had to buy any new ones, but I'm sure if you used it for the entire 15-20 year lifespan, it'll need to be replaced. I'd say purchase just the one pack of 2, and see how long it lasts, you. You want to remove any urate and fecal matter at least weekly, if not daily. Once a month washing should be good as long as you make sure to remove any fecal matter during the month.
Ya I thought that sounded a little odd. Thank you so much! Now I am questioning everything that man told me. I have been feeding him live crickets for the last week and dusting them with the calcium I bought. You mentioned having a calcium dish. I looked at Pet Smart today but I did not know what to buy for calcium. Is there a certain kind you recommend? And what is the easiest way to feed them? I have difficulties getting the crickets out when there are only like ten or so left. One of my friends used a meal worm dish and just fed the meal worms and once the meal worms would get out of the dish, his gecko would eat them. Do you think I should just stick to the live crickets or what is your advice when it comes to feeding him?
You can use a plastic bottle cap as a calcium dish. Just clean it out before you use it. I like jurassical, but zoomed reptile calcium is good as is repcal. Just make sure it does not have phosphorus or D3. You can use that every now and then, but it's not what you want ot put in the calcium bowl.
Crickets are great staple, but a varied diet is good. You could use a worm dish for mealworms. Many geckos will actually eat straight from the bowl instead of waiting until the worms climb out. It's actually best that you don't let them climb out, as they can nibble on the gecko just as crickets can. Both make great staples, but it's still good to supplement the other every now and then. If you want to use mealworms as a main staple, maybe once a week offer crickets, or vice versa.
Some geckos will prefer one feeder over another. You may find that your gecko won't even eat the worms. That's just something you'd have to test out.
Okay right now I feed the crickets gut loader and high protein fish food, that is what the guy at the store told me to do. Do you have to feed the mealworms and if so, what?
Yea, mealworms need to be gutloaded as well. Depending on where you buy them and how many, most of them already come in a mix. But, it's actually best if you add the cricket grain to the mealworm bedding, as the mix is mostly just a bedding with no food. If you keep them in the fridge, just add the grain, if you opt to leave them out, you can give them a small slice of potatoe or carrot for moisture, just don't leave the lid on the container, if it has a lid (it'll grow mold).
You should feed a grain mix to the crickets. Fish food is actually not the best idea. Yuo can add that to the grain and give it in addition to a good cricket gutload, but not as a staple. I really wouldn't worry about the fish food, as long as you have a good grain gutload.
Hi Whitney,
I cannot find some of my old questions and your answers to them here. This was a month ago. I wonder what happened to those? BTW, they were very helpful.
My gecko is doing great - he is about 6 inches long now, eats well and looks happy. Easier to handle than before, but still tries to squirm out of my hand. Some more questions if you don't mind:
1) Should I use soap to wash the carpet? Hand wash I presume?
2) The mealworms I use are sold at Petsmart - they come in a blue plastic container and are from a company called TIMBERLINE. Several of the worms seem dead on arrival... is that normal? I assume I should not feed him dead worms lest they are diseased? To gut load, I will make a bed of cricket food grain, and add a carrot slice, assuming the worms will find the carrot if they need it - is that correct? 24 hrs in this mix enough before I feed them to the gecko?
3) My gecko also happily eats the dead crickets (ZOO MED's Can O' Crickets) sold by Petsmart. Is that a nutritious enough diet? Can I use them almost exclusively?
4) My gecko is now 6 inches long, (had him for two months and he started at about 4.5 inches). I am feeding him daily. At what length can I start feeding him less frequently? I have read that adults (what length or how many months more would that be?) should be fed only once or twice a week.
Thanks
Whitney I noticed you said not to have any D3 or Phosphorus in the calcium dish? I have flukers calcium and rep-cal multiviatmin (contains D3 and phosphorus) as well and i usually just mix it and put it in the cricket bag to dust them as well as the dish in his tank. Should I instead just put a seperate dish for multi-vitamins in his tank?
cristomonte, I'm not sure where the comments are. Could you have left them on another article? I haven't deleted any comments. 1) you should wash the reptile carpet. either hand wash or washing machine. 2) they should not be dead, and do not feed the gecko dead worms. Yes, feed cricket grain and carrots are fine. just don't put the lid on the container with the carrot in it, as it can cause mold. 3) the canned crickets are not as nutritious as live ones, and really shouldn't be a staple. 4) when he doesn't eat what you offer, then he's not hungry. You shouldn't ever feed just once a week on a regular basis. Every other day. If he's eating daily, then that's fine. You don't have to cut back if he's still feeding daily. Every other day isn't a must.
aaron, pure calcium in the dish. there's no need for a dish for vitamins. The vitamins should be used as a supplement just once or twice a week. The calcium is most important.
if i dont have a laying box where well she lay her eggs
She'll lay them whereever she feels is safest which could be anywhere and your odds of dehydration are MUCH higher.
Love your page here. It has tons of helpful info on leopard geckos. I'm going to be purchasing one pretty soon but am trying to gather the last few items I need to make sure the gecko is happy and comfortable.
I was wondering could you give me a brand name of the good kind of thermometer you recommended that would keep good ground temps? Just wondering what you use. I just haven't seen one in the store but might just not realize what it looks like compared to the sticky thermometers that aren't useful for geckos.
Also, what kind of tiles do you mean to use to prop up the tank? Just something from a hardware store that keeps the tank even? I just didn't know if it matters because its touching the UTH. Thanks if you can help! :)
I just use the zoomed digital thermometers with a probe. you can get them online for $5-$10 bucks, usually closer to $5. Usually the cheaper ones like I'm referring to are in the aquatic section. The reptile section will have better ones that give you humidity as well, but they're more expensive. It's all in what you want to spend. Humidity isn't a big concern as long as your heat is accurate, so that's why I prefer the cheap ones for leopard geckos. The sticky ones only measure and/or glass temps; they're not giving you the temperature on the surface where you're gecko is feeling, even if put on the ground they're just not accurate.
You don't necessarily have to use tile to prop the tank up. Just anything that can prop it up so that the UTH can let out some of the heat. You can cause cracks in the tank if the heat builds up underneath. I just slate just because that's what I've used in the tanks, and I have a few extra pieces.
Hi, I wonder if you can help me, my sister has kept leopard geckos for quite a long time and is doing everything you have suggested for keeping a healthy leopard gecko, but recently the urine part of the waste from one of her adult geckos has developed a green colour. She has changed nothing in the tank or the food she feeds it, and we were not sure whether it could have a parasite or something?
So the part that is normally white (the urate) is now green? Generally, they don't get parasites unless introduced to another reptile who has parasites, or if you handled a reptile with parasites and didn't wash your hands before handling yours. I haven't heard of parasites causing green urate though.
How long as the urate been green? If not for a very long time, you may want to just watch and see if it goes back to white.
i wrote a couple months ago and my leo hasnt got any better he drags his foot it is almost as big as a plastic bead it looks dead wat schould i do? p.s it was burnt
Sorry it's not doing any better. You should see a reptile vet.
Hey Whitney,
I moved about three weeks ago and because heat isn't included my our rent I have been keeping the temp in my apartment at 62-64. The temp in my leos cage on the hot side isn't getting much higher than 84-86 and on the cool side not more than 74. Just last night I started using the red light for nighttime to help give off heat for her. Her tank is not against an exterior wall and not near any windows. I have her in a 20g tank and only have a small UTH. I plan to get a bigger UTH very soon along with purchasing a digital thermometer. Will getting the bigger UTH help raise the heat in her tank at all?
It's possible, but if the UTH is too big you can run into too high temps, which can be very detrimental as well. As long as the UTH is sized appropriately for the tank, consider adding a light bulb. Lights aren't a good main source of heat, but they can sometimes help out the temperature. You can use heat emitting bulbs, but they're more expensive, and you'll have to get a small watt since your temps are close, just not quite high enough.
I am pretty sure the size of the UTH is like 3 by 6 inches. I do have a heat emitting light on during the day as well. I am not sure what watt it is. So you think going with a UTH is the best source of heat?
You just want to make sure that the UTH is no larger than 1/4-1/2 the enclosure. What brand heat emitting bulb? What type? I'd more or less consider a higher watt bulb before you bought another UTH. The brand of UTh could be another concern, not all of them work the best. You may also consider the age of the UTH, as they don't last forever.
I am not sure of anything that you asked about. But I will take everything you have said into great consideration. The UTH is almost two years old. Time for a new one? And what brand of UTH do you recommed? What brand do you recommed for a heat emmitting bulb?
I prefer the Zoomed UTHs. If you opt to purchase a new one stick with the 10-20 gallon size. Not all bulbs are heat emitting. The basking bulbs are really not heat emitting, but they are fine if your UTH is providing most of the surface temperatures. You are measuring the surface temperatures with a proper thermometer and not a stick on one, right?
Haha, no, that's why I mentioned I was going to be a digital one because I have gathered a lot of info from previous postings. Should I wait on getting a new UTH or bulb and see what the digital thermometer says to make sure what the temps are now?
I would get the digital thermometer first to see what the temperatures are.
Thanks a lot Whitney!
I got a digital thermometer and her hot spot stays around 86-91 and the colder spot is around 80. If it's warmer in general her temps will go up as well. Should I get the bigger UTH and get rid of her basking light?
The temps are fine as is. There's no reason to change anything, if you ask me. As long as the surface temps stay in that range, you should be fine. Although, it is odd of such a wide range. Generally, the UTH isn't going to fluctuate that much.
Whitney, I just wanted to ask what you think of this idea...but let me give you some background info so you know where I am coming from. I am getting ready to take 2 leopard gecko "pet store rescues" (as in they were sick, the pet store took them to a local vet where a good friend of mine works and specializes in reptiles, she nursed them back to health and they did not want to pay the vet tab so she has had them for several years now)Anyhow, her health is on the decline and she can no longer care for all of the rescues she has adopted over the years and wanted them to go to GOOD homes. (she has dozens of reptiles she cares for every single day) Knowing how dedicated I am with my other pets, she asked me if I would take the pair and I agreed. I do not have them yet, as I am spending my days (and nights, lol) doing all the proper research so that I can give them the best and know what I am doing BEFORE they come into my home. That said, my concern is going to be with the heating. The temps in my house swing wildly from summer to "winter." (I live in Florida, but my location gets much colder than most of the state and I have heating issues) So for the UTH I am concerned that what I need for summer vs. what I need for winter are two different things. I know I could just buy 2 sizes and use accordingly but really I would have to buy 4 because 2 geckos, 2 seperate enclosures. So I was wondering, what do you think of the idea of placing slate on top of sand? I was thinking that in the summer I could build up a thicker layer of sand under the slate so the surface temps stay in the proper range and in the winter I can remove some if needed to bring the slate closer to the UTH. What do you think? I know I can get the answer from my friend, but I like to check out multiple credible sources and see what the "general consensus" is before I make decisions like this on a topic I still have much to learn about. I know this was long, so thank you for taking the time...
Oh, and I forgot to mention, I will probably be using a clamp lamp as well to regulate temps and provide that nice cozy warm side...but I want to make sure I get the temps right for the UTH considering how important that is to digestion, etc.
I think you need to set up the enclosures and see what the temperatures will be. There's no way to plan it until you see what the temperatures will be. Measure with a digital thermometer with a probe. You could always use a lower wattage bulb during the summer and a higher watt bulb in the winter.
The light is going to mostly heat the air, which the geckos really aren't going to feel, but it can raise the overall enclosure temperature.
The problem with purchasing a larger UTH, is that it's going to be too big. For example, if you purchase the 10-20 gallon zoomed for summer (which is perfect) and then purchase a 30-40 gallon for winter, that's just going to hang from under the 20 gallon enclosure and be way too big.
Until you know what the temperatures are it's going to be hard to figure out the best way to alter the lighting, heating, etc.
thanks Whitney...I have the two 10-20 gallon zoomeds on the way for the two enclosures (I ordered online because it cost me less than half the price to buy them at the local pet store...giving me more money to splurge on them in other ways, lol) I guess what I will do is try to get everything set up and monitor it with the probe style digital thermometer for a bit before I bring them home so I know I have it all in the proper ranges. This way if they are not in the right temps, I have more time to research and fix it without having to worry that they are suffering in the interim.
I think that's the best idea. It's going to be hard to prepare when you don't have the temps and everything set up. I'd set it up and let it sit running for a few days so that it's fully acclimated, and then figure out what you need to do. I think the best thing is to just raise the wattage during winter and lower the bulb watt during the summer, but that's without knowing anything.
Hi Whitney,
The other night I had my leo out with me and she started going to the bathroom (I can tell when she's about to go) so I put her back in her cage and she continued her business. She wasn't able to get it all out and it was stuck right about where it would break off. Well she then proceeded to start licking her poop. I was wondering if that was normal because she wasn't licking around her bumhole but was licking the actual poop itself. She continued to do that and then started dragging her bum and she got all of it out minus a small piece. She then reached around with her mouth and tried biting it off and when she did a long piece came out. She has never had weird looking poops or had trouble getting it to all come out. I was just wondering if that's normal and why would it be a long skinny piece?
She sounds a little constipated. Make sure there's water at all times and that she's drinking. Keep an eye on it.
What are you using as substrate?
I use the felt stuff. There is always water and it's changed daily. I will continue to watch her though.
Reptile carpet is good. Just keep an eye on her and make sure that she has water daily, still eating, and the temps are still about 90F. If you've had her for a while and she's not had any other problems, it's probably something simple and basic.
Oh she eats! I have had her for three years and this if the first time I've seen this. But still, I will keep a watch on her.
For now, I wouldn't stress about it. She was probably just a little constipated. Just make sure she's still eating, has fresh water, and her temps are about 90F on the surface (best measured by a digital thermometer with a probe and best heat provided by an under tank heater).
What's the max that the temp on the hot side of the tank can get?
I did get a digital therm with a probe and she has a UTH. She eats about 4-5 oat and carrot fed crickets every other day and the occasional wax worm with a mix of meal worms.
92F is good. An average of 90F is ideal. I would cute out the wax worms. You may be able to offer more crickets, but if she's fine and plump with that then that's fine.
Angela Harris says:
2 years ago
These creatures fascinate me, but I admit I know next to nothing about them. You've provided excellent info for anyone that needs to know how to care for them.