Advice Needed for Soon-To-Be Owner

[Animal Mother]

Hello, I’m about to be a new leopard gecko owner, and this will be my first reptile as well. My new pet will be arriving on May 26, and I would just like make sure I have everything out of the way before she arrives. The Gecko is relatively small, but an adult that was born in 2009 with a healthy weight for her size of 52 grams.

I’m currently using a 15 gallon glass reptile terrarium by All Living Things (24 long, by 12 inches wide, and 12 inches tall) with Zoomed Eco Carpet. I bought a rock hide that I will be using and will be sanding any uncomfortable edges or burrs from on the inside and outside so that the gecko doesn’t harm herself on it. I will also be using an empty plastic mozzarella cheese container for the humid hide. I have glazed crescent-shaped reptile bowls from petco for water and calcium. Everything will either be facing the back wall and the tank's walls will be covered with Fluker's English Ivy so the gecko doesn't feel "watched." Don't know where she might get that idea from

I have bought a Zoomed Repti Therm UTH and had some questions about heating. I was told by Bean Farm to use the ‘feet’ the pad comes with and that I can just lay the pad on the wood furniture without sticking it to the tank. This way the heat can just travel upward and heat the hot side enough without a problem. I have yet to buy thermostats, tempguns or thermometers, but I am leaning on Alife 1000 and a Taylor indoor/outdoor thermometer, but if it means a more reliable product, I am willing to spend a little more for a thermostat to regulate the temp, as long as it’s under $100.
I work and go to school and I don't want to be worried about anything while I'm gone or in general. Any suggestions would be appreciated on heating

As far as feeders go, I have 30-something superworms in a big tall Sterrilite tub with oats ( pile of about a foot by a foot and around an inch deep) as a substrate and carrot pieces for hydration/food. Is this enough for gutloading the superworms, or do you have a better, practical idea that doesn't involve dampness, mites, mold, mites or perhaps mites. I'm in close quarters with these guys- they're about two feet away from my bed at all times and I don't want any surprises (that involve mites). She was raised on mealworms so I'll be sure to get those as well. Other ideas for staple feeders would be appreciated. Opinions on phoenix worms? I'm really not comfortable with crickets in my room. They smell and they're loud and they escape. I need to sleep too. Any and all advice and personal experience on feeders and their substrate/food/whatever needs would be greatly appreciated :main_yes:

As for Calcium, I have Repashy Calcium Plus. I’ve heard that ALL you need as far calcium goes- just dusting the feeders and that’s it. But I’m not sure about that. Is it possible to overdose them on calicium or anything else? I also want to ask how often do I dust feeders and feed the gecko? This is another subject I could use guidance on.

Also, cleaning is kind of a hazy subject for me. It's so basic, but I really only know that it involves water, soap and bleach-three things I have. As stated above, I have a rock hide and eco carpet, things I've never washed before. But how is it done and how often?

As far as handling goes I was told to wait a month to let the gecko settle. I can wait but is a month really necessary? Is feeding by hand encouraged during this period? Explanation regarding interaction or even just how and when I pick things up like a water bowl without stressing her out would be great.


Sorry for the text-wall but I just want to be thorough and to have a happy gecko! My main issues I think are heating, feeding, supplement and cleaning the enclosure. So...everything. :main_laugh: I have done a lot of research but I want more opinions. Thank you in advance :main_lipsrsealed:

 

[im faster]

Well this is all my person opinion

well i wound consider 52 grams small.. lol

Get rid of the reptile carpet (leos get toes and teeth stuck and may loose teeth or toe nails)

Depending on feeders you use the ivy may be an issue.. crickets and roaches will hide in it

I always stick UTH to the bottom of the tank. just make sure your tank isnt sitting flat on the surface its on.. i put the round "feet" on all 4 corners of the tank.

thats fine for gutloading and hydration.. but you dont need to big of a tub youll have a hard time finding them. i usually have a few hundred in a shoebox 6qt tub

If you can handle them Dubia cockroaches are one of the best no smell no noise and very healthy

as for crickets i keep them in the laundry room when i use them.. they like cool dark dry and warm

dust feeders every other feeding and keep a small soda cap full of calcium in tank

wash hides in dishwasher.
i dont use the carpet so i dunno on care for it.
I strongly suggest switching to some small tiles or slate.
leos OFTEN find a "poop corner" and stick to that area so you can put some paper towel down for that. for easy clean up

as for handling EVERY leo is different..

i have some that HATE IT no matter what.. and i have some that are completly impartial to it.. (honestly no leo LIKES to be held)
i dont see a reason though after she starts eating regularly to handle her(this can take a day or a month)

Its obvious you have done your research you will do just fine.

feel free to ask questions though if any arise

 

[Wowoklol]

Looks like you've done your homework. Refreshing! I've seen a few comments about the zoomed carpet snagging toes but nothing major. If you want to get it Super clean, you might have to scrub it a bit since it has a bit of a nap. In general, as far as cleaning goes, leos are super easy since they do a defecatorium. Essentially a little "bathroom spot". So they don't defecate all over everything. Nice eh? I'm using paper towels as a substrate at the moment, and I tear a decent sized square and put where mine like to go, so all I have to do is remove that piece with the feces on it and replace. They track their calcium around a bit but not real bad.

If it were me, I'd use mealworms or Blaptica Dubia roaches. I don't care how many people come in here and say "i feed 1 million super worms a day and never had an issue", there have been several seemingly legitimate reports of deaths and injuries from superworms. If you insist on supers, I'd crush or pluck the heads. I'd rather not deal with em heh. There is a guy in the classifieds section here almost GIVING AWAY mealworms.. Can be refrigerated. Same substrate as your supers. I make my own high protein gutload for my roaches. I use high quality dog food(Taste of the Wild) since I'm already feeding it to my two pooches. I crush mine into a powdery state and add some "secret ingredients" Muahahahaaha. I use wheat germ, whole wheat cereal and a few other things. The cricket food they sell in the stores seems pretty overpriced. Put the gutload in a feeder cup maybe so it doesn't get all over and mold. I also found the roaches and mealworms LOVE orange slices. Plumped them up real nice as well. I went through 500 mealies while setting up my roach colony but other than that, have little personal experience with them. I highly recommend the Blaptica Dubia roaches especially if you have a few animals that eat them. A breeding colony can explode if conditions are right and give you many different sizes for different sized animals. You can sell or freeze extras you produce. With only 1 lizard and a breeding colony of roaches, you WILL have extras.. They themselves have no perceivable odor, breed well and are very nutritious. They also have a very high protein to chitin ratio. http://www.theroachranch.com/ Has some really nice videos on how he keeps his roaches. If he would have had what I wanted in stock, I would have bought from him. There was a run on roaches early this year due to a massive cricket die-off? Something about a virus I dunno. I ended up getting most of my roaches from Philly Feeders. Was a great deal and exactly as advertised. http://www.phillyfeeders.com/welcome-to-philly-feeders

Phoenix worms/Repti-worms or whatever the sellers are calling them, seemed very expensive in the long run. Also a bit gimmicky with the whole Calcium thing. You are supplementing calcium anyway, do you really need your feeders loaded with it naturally? Thats up to you. I didn't think they were worth it.

I think I hit everything I wanted to! Sorry for the wall of text. I hope I answered some questions. If I created any new ones, don't hesitate to ask. Good luck!!

Thought I'd add the ingredient list of the dog food I feed.. Its ridiculous and the animals LOVE it!!

http://www.tasteofthewildpetfood.com/products/dogs/dry_food/wetlands_canine_formula/

Ingredients
Duck, duck meal, chicken meal, egg product, sweet potatoes, peas, chicken fat (preserved with mixed tocopherols), potatoes, roasted quail, roasted duck, smoked turkey, natural flavor, tomato pomace, ocean fish meal, salt, choline chloride, dried chicory root, tomatoes, blueberries, raspberries, yucca schidigera extract, dried fermentation products of Enterococcus faecium, Lactobacillus acidophilus, Lactobacillus casei and Lactobacillus plantarum, dried Trichoderma longibrachiatum fermentation extract, vitamin E supplement, iron proteinate, zinc proteinate, copper proteinate, ferrous sulfate, zinc sulfate, copper sulfate, potassium iodide, thiamine mononitrate (vitamin B1), manganese proteinate, manganous oxide, ascorbic acid, vitamin A supplement, biotin, niacin, calcium pantothenate, manganese sulfate, sodium selenite, pyridoxine hydrochloride (vitamin B6), vitamin B12 supplement, riboflavin (vitamin B2), vitamin D supplement, folic acid.

 

[Animal Mother]

Thanks a lot for your quick replies. As far as substrate goes, I was actually at Home Depot before I went to the Pet Smart for reptile carpet and did look at tiles, but I really didn't know what to look for at the time. I'm assuming I need ceramic, but I don't know about the thickness of the tile. However I'm really leaning towards tile so any all advice with that would be great. As far as feeders go, I can handle roaches but my mom can't. We used to live in a climate where there were big roaches in the house and my mom is REALLY afraid of them. Even the health benefits of the dubias still just make them a MAYBE. I don't know what to believe on the supers' danger to leos so better safe than sorry. I don't mind squeezing their heads while I have them. Any easy secret superworm chow recipes would be awesome. but thank you so much for all the information about the dubias! It's just I'd end up with way too many extras....I was considering even getting a pixie frog and/or a pacman frog to thin the herd....but right now I need to worry about heating my leo.

My most important questions are about heat management. Like I've said I have a head pad, but no way to regulate the temps. My deadline is coming up soon (May 26) and I've already stretched it two weeks. If I act now I can still have a week to test the temperatures beforehand. I've just ordered an Alife 1000, but I need a thermometer. Would analog or digital be more accurate and reliable?


Thanks again for the quick help! :main_thumbsup:

 

[Jayme]

In my opinion, thermostats are definitely the way to go in terms of heat regulation. I used a simple lamp dimmer for a year before I got a thermostat, and it was really difficult to get the temperatures in the proper range and keep them there. So, good choice in ordering the thermostat.

For a thermometer, you'll definitely want a digital one with a probe to measure surface temperatures. It will need to plug into your thermostat in order for the set up to regulate the temps, something I don't think analogs can do. I use one from the Zilla brand, but any thermometer fitting the description should work.

As for cleaning, I change out the humid hide paper towels and clean the water bowl daily. And on cleaning days, I clean all the cage stuff by misting them with a 10% bleach, 90% water mixture, scrub it with a brush, and rinse off until it doesn't smell like bleach anymore. When the cage is empty, I use the glass cleaner listed on this page to clean the inside of the tank: http://www.anapsid.org/cleaning.html (make sure you air out the tank a bit before putting everything back in). I think with reptile carpet you can scrub off any poop and hang up to dry, or some people might throw it in the washing machine for a short while and then hang it up to dry.

 

[fl_orchidslave]

Definitely get a digital probe, analogs are useless for measuring surface temps. The most accurate is a temp gun, but unless you have several reptiles to monitor, it's an unnecessary expense.

 

[PaladinGirl]

I'm glad to see you did your homework, it seems you're on the right track. I did the same thing before I got my leo, though I'm still learning as well. Here are some of my opinions and thoughts on what you've said.

I'd definitely stay away from reptile carpet. Toon's little toes were always getting stuck in it, making her hesitant to move around. I actually use brown paper lawn bags from Lowe's or Home Depot because I like paper but don't like the way newspaper and paper towel look. I keep a strip of it where she poops and change it daily.

I'd also watch it with the plants. I used to use them for Toon but when she got a little bigger she developed the fantastic idea of trying to climb them. She'd get a few inches up then fall. If you're looking to help your leo feel secure, just place her hides so the opening faces the wall away from any light source or room activity. I use the brown Exo Terra caves because they're roomy but with a small opening.

I also use the Zoo Med thermostat. I take the probe, along with the thermometer probe and tape them to the bottom under the warm hide. For my fat tail gecko, I only use a lamp dimmer, which has to be monitored closer than the Zoo Med but it works.

I tried Phoenix worms with Toon once and she hated them. Her favorite are dubia roaches and crickets, but she'll eat mealworms every few days too.

I wash the tank once/month with a 100:1 water:bleach solution. I'm pretty sure that's what I read to use, but I may be wrong. I change the paper every 2 weeks. I wipe hides and messes (like calcium tracked around the tank, lol) as needed with sensitive formula Pampers baby wipes.

Wait a few days to handle her if she seems stressed.

 

[Pinky81]

Well I second all that above:

Substrate...once you got paper towel you never go back LOL so cheap so flippin easy! And select a size is priceless for the potty corner!!!

I recommend you read my post called "OMG DUBIAs" http://geckoforums.net/showthread.php?t=74826

THis was my first experience with these guys and my fear of roaches!! I am glad to say its gotten better since then...today I had to go into the bin and grab a dead adult out and I only did a very subdued "hee bee gee bee" dance...I would say it was more of a "gee bee quiver" LOL They are in a sterilite bin that isn't see through so your mom honestly would never know they are in there!! That helps!!

And a HUGE good on ya for doing your research and prep for your baby!!!! Post pics when she arrives!!! And welcome!!

 

[Animal Mother]

Thanks everyone for your input. I've already ordered two exo-terra digital thermometers probes that should come in just a day or so with an Alife1000 thermostat so I finally get this all set up. As far as the doing my homework comments I appreciate those as well. I remember I was getting cocky near my first week of sticking with all this research but one week isn't nearly enough to cover everything x_x . I currently have a Repashy Leopard Gecko Calcium plus bottle next to me with a yellow cap. I've searched high and low for whether or not this will work by itself. I have read that a repashy multi-vitamin is all i need to use and that it's much more convenient that buy multiple products and getting calicum spilled and tracked all over the place.....but nothing about this yellow version. And yes I have read that comment that was posted about the same product with a link to repashy himself talking about how it's a used by both leos and bearded dragons but this container says nothing about icb/icp (insane clown posse? o_o...don't know the correct abbreviation) althought it does have vitamin a and d3 and all that good stuff, but no icb. Can I still use it as a stand alone? I have time so i can I can still buy the better one or whatever...

I know they're easy but I don't really like the look of paper towels...I found an opened plastic bag of about 100 brown paper bags would they be sanitary/okay? I have repticarpet but even if the gecko doesn't get caught in the carpet, I'm already dreading cleaning the repticarpet....

Pinky, I read your omg dubias post and laughed pretty hard. I could just relocate my supers to a plastic shoebox or two and then smuggle a pair of dubias into their big sterrilite (which i use less than half of anyway) but my problem is this: I have one leopard gecko, and a fairly small one at that, and I think I read just one clutch of babies is 30. I have an adult that would MAYBE eat 2 every other day or less considering I'll be using mealies and supers too. So even if hid them, or tricked my mom or even just showed her a female and called it a dubia "beatle" I'd just have way too many for my one tiny gecko. I also don't know for sure if she'll even appreiciate how active they are, since she's been brought up on mealworms for all her life.....but I did just get off the phone with my mom and might score a free glass tank from my cousin so mmmaaaaaayybeee I wonder how well a sterilite 25 gallon tote could take a heating pad for these ' dubia beatles? '

edit: no free tank....but still a maybe on the dubias...

 

[PaladinGirl]

I found an opened plastic bag of about 100 brown paper bags would they be sanitary/okay?

What kind of brown paper bags are they? What you describe sounds like maybe the little brown lunch baggies in a plastic package. I guess it depends on where you found them. But I doubt these would be as sturdy as lawn bags.

Home Depot, Lowe's or any major dept store like Meijer will have them, usually in a big bin by themselves. I wouldn't buy any that are stocked on the same shelf as say, lawn fertilizer or insecticides. I get mine at Lowe's, they're in a huge bin all by themselves. I doubt they're any less sanitary than the other paper substrates. Go with what works for you, there's so many good substrates. I know a lot of people like tiles, and Home Depot or Lowe's will cut them for you.

 

[Animal Mother]

Yea I guess I'll just stick to what I have for now (repticarpet) but I don't look forward to cleaning it. I just hooked up my Alife1000 thermostat and my heat pad but I just wanted to ask what you thought of these carrot pieces I must of missed when I switched in new ones for the supers. Is that darkspot mold? They took some nice chunks out of them too and they look like they happened today (they're bright orange on the inside) What do you think?
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v216/Atticus_Bass/Photo32.jpg

That flakey white stuff that looks like mold in the picture seems to just be dried-out skin, (I'm sure anyone who feeds carrots to their feeders knows what I'm talking about) but I've never seen darkness on the carrots like that. I've been keeping superworms for a couple of weeks now, and I generally change out their carrots ever 5-7 days.

Also, I'm finding a lot of shed skin in the supers' bin, do I throw that out or leave it? thanks

 

[Pinky81]

Thanks everyone for your input. I've already ordered two exo-terra digital thermometers probes that should come in just a day or so with an Alife1000 thermostat so I finally get this all set up. As far as the doing my homework comments I appreciate those as well. I remember I was getting cocky near my first week of sticking with all this research but one week isn't nearly enough to cover everything x_x . I currently have a Repashy Leopard Gecko Calcium plus bottle next to me with a yellow cap. I've searched high and low for whether or not this will work by itself. I have read that a repashy multi-vitamin is all i need to use and that it's much more convenient that buy multiple products and getting calicum spilled and tracked all over the place.....but nothing about this yellow version. And yes I have read that comment that was posted about the same product with a link to repashy himself talking about how it's a used by both leos and bearded dragons but this container says nothing about icb/icp (insane clown posse? o_o...don't know the correct abbreviation) althought it does have vitamin a and d3 and all that good stuff, but no icb. Can I still use it as a stand alone? I have time so i can I can still buy the better one or whatever...

I know they're easy but I don't really like the look of paper towels...I found an opened plastic bag of about 100 brown paper bags would they be sanitary/okay? I have repticarpet but even if the gecko doesn't get caught in the carpet, I'm already dreading cleaning the repticarpet....

Pinky, I read your omg dubias post and laughed pretty hard. I could just relocate my supers to a plastic shoebox or two and then smuggle a pair of dubias into their big sterrilite (which i use less than half of anyway) but my problem is this: I have one leopard gecko, and a fairly small one at that, and I think I read just one clutch of babies is 30. I have an adult that would MAYBE eat 2 every other day or less considering I'll be using mealies and supers too. So even if hid them, or tricked my mom or even just showed her a female and called it a dubia "beatle" I'd just have way too many for my one tiny gecko. I also don't know for sure if she'll even appreiciate how active they are, since she's been brought up on mealworms for all her life.....but I did just get off the phone with my mom and might score a free glass tank from my cousin so mmmaaaaaayybeee I wonder how well a sterilite 25 gallon tote could take a heating pad for these ' dubia beatles? '

edit: no free tank....but still a maybe on the dubias...

I would go with the 66qt and make sure it is a solid color as roaches dislike light. But here is the thing don't worry about having too many thats call extra income!!! Check your local Craigslist and type in dubia roaches in the search option I bet you don't come up with anything....there is your buying base...there aren't many herpers who don't regular CL!!! As well as many pet stores. My local pet shop is really interested in buy up some dubia's to add to their beardies and leos!!! and that means $$$ for you!!! :main_thumbsup:

As for the calcium thing...I have reptical (cal +d) in a dish in the tank at all times...my guys lap it up. I use the repashy Leo multi vit to dust. I have NO issues at all. No calcium pockets behind arms..no signs of d+ toxcicity. I guess I see it as since our leo;s are outside like NEVER and only get filtered light through windows that it would be REALLY difficult to over do the D3. So I think D3 toxcicity is a bigger issues with lizards like beardies or ones with UVA/UVB bulbs YES because they are getting suppliment and natural. I am actually more concerned about over doing the Multi Vitamins...seeing as if you are gutloading your feeders like a rock star then they are getting vits. from there and then the dusting. I dust every other feeding or even every 3rd. feeding.

 

[rickmoss95]

i am getting a group of leos from craig at the urban gecko, and i dont know if he feeds the dubai roaches...anyways is it usually easy to get most leos to eat them? i think they would be a ton better to feed and keep than crickets...and honestly the whole insect thing is the main reason i have not bred many geckos and other lizards, it is just easier to pull a bunch of rodents out of the freezer! but i cant stand it any more and i am going into leopards head first! i think i got a really nice group to start and im excited about working with leos! i was also curious about the meal worm debate, and how are they different from superworms? thanks in advance