So, I'm really new - and talking about educating others makes me laugh a bit, because I've been researching leopard geckos for about 2 weeks now, and so I'm really a newbie myself. But, I have the basics down. Cool/warm/moist hide. Warm side temp 93 or so, cool side about 75, etc... feeding, gutloading, dusting, tile substrate, 20 gallons tank, etc...
The reason we have a gecko in the first place is because our neighbor has two and my kids fell in love with them. And the more I researched geckos, the more I sadly realized that she wasn't keeping hers properly. I didn't say anything though, until today - when she came over, saw my setup and started asking questions. THEN, I proceeded to educate her about what I've learned. I knew that's how I wanted to do it. No one wants to be preached at, but if they are genuinely interested the info will be retained (and hopefully implemented!)
Her setup is 2 leopard geckos in a 10 gallon (larger one always draped over the smaller) with no substrate, one hide, no moist hide, and they are fed crickets and mealworms (no clue how many) with no gutloading or dusting. There is also no heat. The tank is room temp which ranges from 70 in the winter to probably really warm in the summer as they don't run their AC (Nampa, ID temps can get up in the high 90's regularly). They keep the tank in the bathroom for the extra humidity (which is short and fleeting). She says they pick off the shedding skin in pieces and feed it back to the geckos.
She's the sweetest gal - from Russia, so we have some very interesting conversations, but I was glad to talk to her about my setup and how the heat helps digestions and the moist hide helps shedding. We didn't talk about everything, but it was a start.
Have any of you had any similar situations with friends/acquaintances/family and how did you handle it?
Cheers!
The reason we have a gecko in the first place is because our neighbor has two and my kids fell in love with them. And the more I researched geckos, the more I sadly realized that she wasn't keeping hers properly. I didn't say anything though, until today - when she came over, saw my setup and started asking questions. THEN, I proceeded to educate her about what I've learned. I knew that's how I wanted to do it. No one wants to be preached at, but if they are genuinely interested the info will be retained (and hopefully implemented!)
Her setup is 2 leopard geckos in a 10 gallon (larger one always draped over the smaller) with no substrate, one hide, no moist hide, and they are fed crickets and mealworms (no clue how many) with no gutloading or dusting. There is also no heat. The tank is room temp which ranges from 70 in the winter to probably really warm in the summer as they don't run their AC (Nampa, ID temps can get up in the high 90's regularly). They keep the tank in the bathroom for the extra humidity (which is short and fleeting). She says they pick off the shedding skin in pieces and feed it back to the geckos.
She's the sweetest gal - from Russia, so we have some very interesting conversations, but I was glad to talk to her about my setup and how the heat helps digestions and the moist hide helps shedding. We didn't talk about everything, but it was a start.
Have any of you had any similar situations with friends/acquaintances/family and how did you handle it?
Cheers!
