Behavior evaluation

[Serf]

hi,
i got some leos around a months ago now, both adults.

they seem to poop every 3-4 days, some days they eat 4-5 meal worms, some days nothing. the male spends a lot of time in his moist hide, and both seem to avoid the hots spots, the temperature in the room is usually 78, sometimes gets as low as 74. I'm using zoo meds UTH if that matters.

is this typical? I'm a little concerned that they don't like the warm side of the tank, and that the male likes his moist hide so much, i seen the female lay (not eggs) in hers some nights but not to often, the male pretty much lives in his.

 

[gothra]

First off, I suggest you keep the 2 geckos separate. They are going to breed if you keep them in the same enclosure. Since you just got them a month ago, spend more time on them, learn their needs and gain more experience before you go into breeding.

As to why they're staying away from the warm areas, you need to provide more information. How is your tank setup? What is the floor temperature of the warmest spot? Sounds like they're eating very little if they're only eating 4-5 mealworms some days. It is also possible that one gecko is bullying the other. Geckos are solitary animals, they do better living separately.

 

[Serf]

First off, I suggest you keep the 2 geckos separate. They are going to breed if you keep them in the same enclosure. Since you just got them a month ago, spend more time on them, learn their needs and gain more experience before you go into breeding.

As to why they're staying away from the warm areas, you need to provide more information. How is your tank setup? What is the floor temperature of the warmest spot? Sounds like they're eating very little if they're only eating 4-5 mealworms some days. It is also possible that one gecko is bullying the other. Geckos are solitary animals, they do better living separately.

they are in different enclosures already. sorry, I didn't mean to imply that they were in the same cage.

as for the housing, i have them in 10 gallon glass tanks with shelf liner as a substrate, i have a few layers over the heat mat area, and i have an appropriate sized uth for both enclosures. they both have a humid hide, and both have a hide on the cool side and the warm side. both have a worm dish, and a petstore rock water bowl. as for the floor temperature, i used the ***** thermometer and it read 89.

 

[Dog Shrink]

Is it a probe thermometer? It should be directly on top of the heat mat on the floor of the tank. IMO 89 is a lil low. It should be more like 93. Also keep a dish of pure calcium in their enclosures 24/7 in like a gatoraide lid so they can lap it as needed. Are you using a multi vit. at least once a week to dust your feeders?

 

[Jordan]

also, dont forget they are nocturnal, so when your asleep they are awake and so they could possibly spend the entire night on the hot side without you knowing. So it may be that your just not seeing them on the hotside, but doesnt mean they arent using it.
also i agree that 89 is a little low, at low temps they have a bit more trouble digesting stuff and so could be the reason why they arent eating as much as they should be.
Well actually how old are they? Because if they are adults they could really do with eating more.
Also what Kel said about calcium and dusting.

but its fine if you dont see them on the hot side. as long as its not too cold or too hot over there then they will use it when they need to

 

[Serf]

Is it a probe thermometer? It should be directly on top of the heat mat on the floor of the tank. IMO 89 is a lil low. It should be more like 93. Also keep a dish of pure calcium in their enclosures 24/7 in like a gatoraide lid so they can lap it as needed. Are you using a multi vit. at least once a week to dust your feeders?

this is what i have been giving them;
http://www.*****.com/product/108874...D3-Reptile-Vitamins.aspx?CoreCat=OnSiteSearch
I just got some with d3 recently. i have a dish with this supplement available all the time.

on another note, does red light bother leos? i don't use it, I'm curious though.

 

[Dog Shrink]

It is generally not recommended to use teh calcium with D3 in the bowl you keep in teh tank 24/7. Something about too much D3 causing issues. It is recommended to use just the plain calcium for the dish in teh tank. Your link isn't working because if it is from pet smart or pet co the forum automatically sensors that combination of words hence the **** in your link and the net doesn't know how to redirect that so you get a server can't be found warning insted of the web page.

There was a thread posted about a member that did an experiment with red lights and leos and he found that in some it did bother them, others not so much (I believe, I read it a while ago so plz don't quote me on this) but if you search it I'm sure you can find it or maybe another member recalls the thread I'm talking about. So are you using a good multi vit designed for leos and dusting their food at least once a week with it? Here's a couple examples of leo multi vit.

I use this one:

 

[Serf]

It is generally not recommended to use teh calcium with D3 in the bowl you keep in teh tank 24/7. Something about too much D3 causing issues. It is recommended to use just the plain calcium for the dish in teh tank. Your link isn't working because if it is from pet smart or pet co the forum automatically sensors that combination of words hence the **** in your link and the net doesn't know how to redirect that so you get a server can't be found warning insted of the web page.

There was a thread posted about a member that did an experiment with red lights and leos and he found that in some it did bother them, others not so much (I believe, I read it a while ago so plz don't quote me on this) but if you search it I'm sure you can find it or maybe another member recalls the thread I'm talking about. So are you using a good multi vit designed for leos and dusting their food at least once a week with it? Here's a couple examples of leo multi vit.

I use this one:

i use the second one. i haven't yet started with the d3, i have only used the one supplement so far, i been gutloading the meal and super worms with potatoes, and the roaches with dog food and potatoes.

 

[Dog Shrink]

I think you're lacking a little on the gutload honestly. It's not really the best gutload I've heard of. I keep an apple wedge, a carrot slice and a potato in my wormies box to gut load as well as rolled oats and crushed high quality dog kibbles. Also I hear the supers go BONKERS for those orange cube cricket suppliment.

Since you went with a multi vit that doesn't have D3 you will need to suppliment that. Have you opened the container yet? If not you might want to exchange it for a multi vit with D3 so that you can have just the plain calcium to keep in the tank 24/7. I know the Repasy that I use does have the D3, can't say for the T-Rexx I haven't used or evaluated it personally.