Getting a Leopard Gecko

Importskyline22

Importskyline22

www.fraganoob.com
Oct 2, 2006
439
0
0
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Cary, NC
Hey guys. I havnt been very active in awhile. But to catch you up on some things....

my guppies had babies without me knowing and 1 actualyl survived and is doing great!!!

That has ntohing to do with this but thought i would share!

Moving on to our topic....

I am currently setting up for a Future purchase of a Leopard Gecko. Buying it a peice at a time.

So far i have this....

The thermometers are in there just for a reference of were my Temps are at...i will be purchasing the right ones soon...
Gecko.jpg


Its actually alot brighter than it appears.

Ok so things i know i need to get...
-Bedding
-Thermometer
-Hydrometer
-Peat Moss
-A branch so it can get up and bask.

Anything else you guys could suggest?

Thanks!
 
Importskyline22 said:
-A branch so it can get up and bask.

Anything else you guys could suggest?

Thanks!
Click to expand...

Everything so far looks good but leopard geckos are nocturnal and they do not bask. Your pet will hide until night fall.
Are you planning on buying an adult or young one? If you are planning on getting a very young gecko, please go with paper towels as your substrate.
 
tricksterpup said:
Everything so far looks good but leopard geckos are nocturnal and they do not bask. Your pet will hide until night fall.
Are you planning on buying an adult or young one? If you are planning on getting a very young gecko, please go with paper towels as your substrate.
Click to expand...

they will bask.

they do come out in day.

put old newspaper and then sand on top, way easier to clean then just sand

:silly:
 
Don't use sand, especially if you get a baby, as often they will eat it. You need a heat mat. Geckos do not get their heat from above, they get it from the ground. They need warmth on their stomachs in order to digest food. Get a heat mat. A control should also be used to get the heat mat around 90F. Personally I use ceramic tiles in my tank. It's just a wipe and go, so it's even easier.

Don't waste money on the hydrometer, humidity isn't even needed for a leopard gecko.

You need two hides, one on the 'hot side' and one on the 'cold side', a dish for water (which you have) and another dish for calcium. This must be pure calcium (does not contain D3), and be left in the cage at all times. Geckos will eat the calcium out of the dish even if you don't see them doing it. This gives them the opportunity to eat it if they want it, and not if they don't want it. Get calcium with D3 as well to dust the crickets or mealworms 2-3 times a week with. Dust them with pure calcium the other days.

Leopard Geckos don't bask, they do not need light, they are nocturnal. I've had 5 different leopard geckos and they are night creatures. Yes you will see them up in the day only because they can adjust to your schedule, but they do not need to bask. Don't put things too high up as a gecko can fall off. They do not have sticky feet like other types of geckos do.

You need a thermometer to measure the temperature on the surface. I recommend joining a reptile forum (thegeckospot, kingsnake, etc) and using it as another way to reference people. If you go into the 'gecko section' you can get a lot of people that know a lot about leopard geckos.

Also, a moist hide. You can put moss in here. This will give the gecko an area to help aid in shedding. It should be located on the 'hot side' of the tank and be kept moist by spraying it.

Just some suggestions I've learned over the years of having these geckos. I currently have 3 living together, with some babies on the way (one is going to hatch any day), so if you have any other questions I can most likely help you. Crested Geckos are fun as well, as they will climb the glass and enjoy vines/leaves in the tank. They use heat from above, but nothing greater than 80F if you consider them as well.
 
Last edited:
^ he knows what he is talking about

but where he said, geckos dont need to bask is correct but some like to.

he geckos i looked after had a hammock thing under the light which they often laid on.
 
Aaron89 said:
^ he knows what he is talking about

but where he said, geckos dont need to bask is correct but some like to.

he geckos i looked after had a hammock thing under the light which they often laid on.
Click to expand...


she.

If they don't have heat for their stomach then they will bask, as a way to try and get heat.

Seriously though, under tank heater, with a controller. I have one and it goes almost to 100F, as I just checked it this morning. Be careful with things that go high as well. Some geckos aren't coordinated enough and will fall off. I had people get on my case for having a foot high tree, but mine love climbing. Just have to watch and make sure, that way they don't get hurt.

When you do go to get your gecko, make sure you pick a nice, healthy one, fat tail, lively, and even ask if you can see them eat. Depending on where you get it (Petco for example), some are so young they haven't had their first shed yet, which then they won't eat them.

awesome.jpg


That's one of my females, she's a little monster :)
 
darkcirca said:
Don't use sand, especially if you get a baby, as often they will eat it. You need a heat mat. Geckos do not get their heat from above, they get it from the ground. They need warmth on their stomachs in order to digest food. Get a heat mat. A control should also be used to get the heat mat around 90F. Personally I use ceramic tiles in my tank. It's just a wipe and go, so it's even easier.

Don't waste money on the hydrometer, humidity isn't even needed for a leopard gecko.

You need two hides, one on the 'hot side' and one on the 'cold side', a dish for water (which you have) and another dish for calcium. This must be pure calcium (does not contain D3), and be left in the cage at all times. Geckos will eat the calcium out of the dish even if you don't see them doing it. This gives them the opportunity to eat it if they want it, and not if they don't want it. Get calcium with D3 as well to dust the crickets or mealworms 2-3 times a week with. Dust them with pure calcium the other days.

Leopard Geckos don't bask, they do not need light, they are nocturnal. I've had 5 different leopard geckos and they are night creatures. Yes you will see them up in the day only because they can adjust to your schedule, but they do not need to bask. Don't put things too high up as a gecko can fall off. They do not have sticky feet like other types of geckos do.

You need a thermometer to measure the temperature on the surface. I recommend joining a reptile forum (thegeckospot, kingsnake, etc) and using it as another way to reference people. If you go into the 'gecko section' you can get a lot of people that know a lot about leopard geckos.

Also, a moist hide. You can put moss in here. This will give the gecko an area to help aid in shedding. It should be located on the 'hot side' of the tank and be kept moist by spraying it.

Just some suggestions I've learned over the years of having these geckos. I currently have 3 living together, with some babies on the way (one is going to hatch any day), so if you have any other questions I can most likely help you. Crested Geckos are fun as well, as they will climb the glass and enjoy vines/leaves in the tank. They use heat from above, but nothing greater than 80F if you consider them as well.
Click to expand...


EXCELLENT information. i would be happy to support this information.

further above someone suggested sand. NO!!! your gecko will poop bricks and if its less lucky, die from sand in the belly. trust me, i had sand in with my first leo gecko, and it pooped almost pure sand. i switched this gecko to layers of slate and everything was fine within two months.

currently i have a juvi leopard gecko (albino) which i keep in a plastic pool (empy of course) with a pile of driftwood in the center to hide in. i also have a water dish and calcium dusted towards the edge. i have a ceramic bowl for meal worms and i add crickets a few times per week. i also have a water dish. other than the sun from the window, the setup gets no additional heat. the gecko remains within a hollow long all day but is out walking all night.

i hope my imput has helped, leopard geckos are great pets and very easy to keep as long as a few things are kept in mind.
 
tricksterpup said:
actually adults can be kept on sand.. Its the young ones that can not. Its even better to do a mixture of both sand and slate tiles.
Click to expand...

It really depends. Adults can die from impaction too. I didn't know better years ago and put my adult on it and she got impaction and soon died. I just don't trust sand, period, anymore. If you feed with crickets or drop food on the sand, they are going to pick it up, and they are going to swallow it. Unlike it says, it is not fully digestible. I refuse to recommend sand at work to people looking to purchase a leopard gecko. Repti-Carpet, Slate Tiles or Paper Towels, thats it. Surprisingly I am allowed to do that.

I love my slate tile, it looks nice and is 10 times easier to clean than anything. Next step is siliconing them in.
 
darkcirca said:
Repti-Carpet, Slate Tiles or Paper Towels, thats it. Surprisingly I am allowed to do that.

I love my slate tile, it looks nice and is 10 times easier to clean than anything. Next step is siliconing them in.
Click to expand...
I totally understand your reasoning. I have had a gecko die of impaction as well., it was a young gecko I purchased from a petco. She came to me that way.
i am very cautious with them. Slate is a good substrate, i personally do not like Repti Carpet I have seen problems with that in the past as well.
I have seen a soil, sand mixture that someone used with live plants. it looked really nice. After having geckos after awhile, I found they like to dig around in their substrate. Some have made their own hides underneath a piece of drift wood in the tank.
 
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