Everything there is to know...

[PanTech]

So I'm new to the forum. Experienced tree frog breeder, and owner of a whole lot of newts/salamanders taking the next step into Herping. Leopard Geckos are a whole new ball game for me. I've been reading about caring for Leopard geckos all over the web but I have little faith in the contradictory advice different sites provide. So here I am, with a few questions:


1. What are humidity requirements for leopard geckos?

2. How well can Leopard Geckos climb?

3. Is coconut fiber a suitable bedding for juvenile leopard Geckos?

4. How much room(gallons/square feet) is recommended for 2 Leopard Geckos

5. Will Leopard Geckos only breed when certain criteria are met?

6. If i want to house 2 leopard geckos together (male & female) but don't wish to breed them, what measures should i take to ensure no breeding occurs.

I plan to build a custom tank with dimensions to better suit the terrestrial lifestyle of the leopard geckos.

Making it a square terrarium approx. 2 feet long x 2 feet wide
12-15 inches high with 3-5 inches overhang to prevent escape.

any advice,ideas,criticism welcome
will post pictures of construction once I have a finalized plan.:main_thumbsup:

 

[leonewbie]

1) They are native to dessert type areas (afganistan, etc) so low humidity, a moist hide is recommended to aid in shedding
2) They can climb, but not like frogs or cresties.
3) Juvies should ideally be placed on a solid substrate like paper towels, tile or shelf liner. I know some people use coco fiber as a substrate, but i never recommend it other than maybe for a humid hide or dig box.
4)The general "rule" is at LEAST 10 gallons per gecko
5) They will pretty much breed if you let them be, but....they should be at least a year old and at least 50 grams.
6) If you dont want them to breed, don't house a male and a female together. They don't really need companionship and mine are perfectly happy (more happy, i think) by themselves.

Hope this helps.

 

[ajveachster]

Amanda pretty much summed it up well for you. If you are going to build a home don't forget to be sure it can handle an under tank heater. Geckos need belly heat to help digest food, and don't need the UV lights required by many other reptiles. If you are looking for something naturalistic use tile for the substrate. If not, paper towels are cheap and easy. Reptile carpet isn't bad either. There are quite a few pictures in the housing section of different setups to give you inspiration.

 

[Krow]

1) They are native to dessert type areas (afganistan, etc) so low humidity, a moist hide is recommended to aid in shedding
2) They can climb, but not like frogs or cresties.
3) Juvies should ideally be placed on a solid substrate like paper towels, tile or shelf liner. I know some people use coco fiber as a substrate, but i never recommend it other than maybe for a humid hide or dig box.
4)The general "rule" is at LEAST 10 gallons per gecko
5) They will pretty much breed if you let them be, but....they should be at least a year old and at least 50 grams.
6) If you dont want them to breed, don't house a male and a female together. They don't really need companionship and mine are perfectly happy (more happy, i think) by themselves.

Hope this helps.

:main_thumbsup:Good advice!!:main_thumbsup:

 

[PanTech]

thanks for the help so far!
It sounds like I'm going for a single gecko rather than a pair.

but I am curious...when does the male become sexually mature?

and what differences might I see between male and female behaviour? To decide which one to go with

 

[cyndi0502]

there's not much difference between a male and female, only that females ovulate and sometimes go off food more frequently than males do. also, females sometimes lay eggs even if there's no male present.

 

[Hopefull Monster Geckos]

if you get two males then they will usually fight and eventualy kill each other so if you get two males you will need two tanks if you get a male and a female you will need two tanks as they will most likely breed no matter what you do but to females can almost in all cases be kept together in one tank.

 

[PanTech]

Overhang

So I've decided to go with a couple young females in a tank thats 4 square feet (24 inches wide, 24 inches long) and 12" tall. Anyway the idea is to have no top. Just a small overhang along the top of it. So I'm curious as to how big the overhang should be? I'm thinking 2 & 1/2 inches should be enough of a overhang but I would love to hear your opinions. Am i underestimating leopard Geckos climbing ability?

 

[PanTech]

Still inquiring as to how big the overhang on the top of tank should be... : (
Anyone care to give me their 2 cents?
Anyway I plan on starting construction of the tank tomorow.

The next thing I need to figure out are the hides and temperatures...

How many hides are needed for 2 leopard geckos?
What kinds of hides are needed?
What are the highs and lows required in the tank?