Am I doing this Right? First Leopard Gecko

[Notlad]

Hello I was just hoping to check with more experienced Gecko owners if my setup is okay.

My Gecko is a juvenile bought from a pet smart and I made sure to pick a healthy active one.

-The tank is large and takes up my entire dresser, about 18 inches wide, maybe 2 feet tall, and probably a little more than 4 feet long. The substrate is just paper towels for now

The warm side of the tank has an under the tank heater (UTH) with a cave on top appropriate to the gecko's size. At the moment that is the only thing on the warm side. I use a stranded 75 watt heating lamp to get the warm side to around 92 degrees. The lamp also provides light to simulate daytime and is attached to a timer. The UTH never turns off so the gecko can having warmth at night and get a warm belly after he/she eats.

The coolside is much more cluttered. I have a large and small log, two fake plants, and a fake vine to add shade. There are two water bowls, one big that the gecko has completely ignored and one much smaller that is about eye level. The large log has some terrarium moss from zoo-med that I moisten every morning along with changing the water bowls water. The cool side is about 77 Degrees which worries me, as I think it should be slightly cooler.

So far the Gecko has eaten its meal worms with calcium supplements and crickets with herptitivite with out any issues. I have only had him/her for about 5 days and I have gotten 3 poops which makes me very happy (and worried that im actually happy for poo).

My main concerns is that
-the gecko is still very frightened of me and wont allow me to pick him/her up
-the gecko still hides a lot and I do not know if I need more shade for him/her to get proper sleep during the day
-the cool side is not that cool
-proper feeding times, as the gecko does not like to eat when I wake up and the light goes on

Here is a picture, the gecko is in the heated area hiding in the rock. Ignore the dolphin wallpaper we all make mistakes as children.

 

[LepoInc]

Try getting a lower wattage bulb, it may be stressing him out. Everything else sounds perfect

Sent via Tapatalk whilst caring for Eublepharis macularis'

 

[OnlineGeckos]

Is the tank in a totally dark room? Because if you have ambient light through windows, even with blinds closed, that's more than enough day/night cycle for them. Bright lights shining on them causes stress. They are after all, crepuscular. Their most active hours are during dusk & dawn....at fading light when sun isn't bright.

As for feeding, try feeding your gecko in the evenings, then leave a dish of mealworms for your gecko to snack on overnight.

77 for the cool side is fine, the air will cool down even more as we move into Fall & Winter. It'll cool down more naturally.

Leopard geckos are generally more skittish when they are young. So don't be worried that your gecko doesn't like to be held yet, or still hides away. Your gecko will grow out of it eventually, and get used to you as the food person. You just need to be patient, it'll come.

As for what to add:

1. You need to provide a moist hide. You can buy a hide, or just use a tupperware container, cut a hole on the side, and stuff moist paper towels or coco fiber in there. Sit the moist hide somewhere between warm & cool side, it's better to have the moist hide be a tad warm but not too hot.

2. Optional but highly recommend, you should look into getting a thermostat to hook your UTH up to. Something like Hydrofarm will do great for you, it's affordable, has digital readings, and it's highly rated among hobbyists. With a thermostat you won't have to worry about the UTH overheating or malfunctioning.

 

[Notlad]

Thanks so much! I guess the damp moss in the log isnt enough. The Tupperware containers are a bit, well, ugly is there anything else I could use? Perhaps just some type of structure or hide with a closed bottom?

 

[OnlineGeckos]

Yeah the log won't be able to keep moisture well, so it'll dry out rather quickly. Plus your gecko will feel more safe and comfortable in a hide that's enclosed with 1 opening. It's the whole security thing, it's part of what will make your gecko acclimate to you and the new tank faster.

If you want something that looks good, you can definitely buy something. The tupperware container is just a cheap/quick way of getting a nice moist hide setup. But for what you can buy, I like these:

Zoo Med Reptile Shelter

and Fluker's Castle Crib water/hide combo.

 

[tomcatguy74]

Yeah the log won't be able to keep moisture well, so it'll dry out rather quickly. Plus your gecko will feel more safe and comfortable in a hide that's enclosed with 1 opening. It's the whole security thing, it's part of what will make your gecko acclimate to you and the new tank faster.

If you want something that looks good, you can definitely buy something. The tupperware container is just a cheap/quick way of getting a nice moist hide setup. But for what you can buy, I like these:

Zoo Med Reptile Shelter

and Fluker's Castle Crib water/hide combo.

Hello Notlad and Welcome!

I had a Tupperware container for a little while in my Leo's home, it was not pretty but it did the job. Finally I bought the 3 in 1 Repti Shelter Like the one OnlineGeckos linked for you. Get the Medium one. The large one must be HUGE because my Medium is pretty big. My Leo loves it. I keep it filled with Sphagnum Moss and keep it 20-40% moist, it is sitting in my warm side and stays about 88-90 degrees, and I have a Zoo Med digital thermometer inside that is routed through a notch I made at all times to watch the temps. I still need to get another thermometer for the cool side. I am also seeking out an infrared temp gun to check surface temps in the home.




Rob

 

[dolfun55]

Lighting question:
Hey folks!

I need some serious advice from some experienced peeps.
There is so much conflicting information out there on lighting for leopard geckos.
Its make it nearly impossible for me to decide what is best.

Many say they need 12 hours of light and 12 hours of dark and say to use a low wattage household plain ol' bulb for during the day.
Then they say they are really sensitive to light. So why use a light if its hurts their eyes?

Some say use a red heated bulb to add a little heat to the tank in conjunction with UTH.
I am so confused at this point.

Right now I am using a UTH and a red heat bulb bulb in a lamp that sits on top of the screen.
I also have my old light fixture from when I was using the tank for fish. It has a plain white fluorescent bulb. I could use that as well.

I just need some experienced guidance please!!

 

[Notlad]

UPDATE

So I took your advice and I re-arranged the setup of my Gecko's home a little bit

The humid hide is a glade container with a hole cut (and sanded down to make sure no rough edges) in the front with a little tan duct tape to keep it shady while still letting it warm up. Then I just got a cave for the cool side that is very dark and perfect for hiding and cooling off. The log still has the tiny water dish at the tip in case the gecko decided to take a drink.
I also managed to snag a picture! I will name the lil guy/girl after its old enough to get a gender.

Thank you everyone for your help im looking forward to this gecko adventure as a new companion.