Feeding my baby leopard gecko

[Jscotti]

I just got a baby leopard gecko in mail about 2 days ago, i am wondering how long i should wait till i can feed and handle him/her. since i put him/her in the new enclosure it's been in the hot side and doesn't do anything but sleep even at night( this is my first leopard gecko ever ) he/she's never walk's around really to check it out or anything..

 

[Embrace Calamity]

You can try feeding whenever, though it might be a while before they actually accept. Two weeks is standard waiting period for handling.

What are the hot and cold temps of the enclosure? What kind of heating are you using? How many hides? He might just be recovering from the trip, or he could be feeling insecure because of something in the enclosure.

~Maggot

 

[Jscotti]

Hot is 90-88 and the cool spot is 78-80 ish

 

[Embrace Calamity]

What kind of heating are you using? How many hides?

~Maggot

 

[Jscotti]

I am using a 6.5 qt tub i have one humid hide and i am using heat cable on a thermostat.

 

[Embrace Calamity]

Do you not have any other hides? Leopard geckos need lots of hiding places to feel safe. The minimum number of hides per gecko is three - one on the hot side, one on the cool side, and a humid hide. Too much open area, especially with a new gecko, will likely mean a very insecure and skittish gecko that doesn't want to come out. I'm not sure what the dimensions of the tub are, but add at least two more hides. I use a 20 long (30"x12") and have 4 hides.

~Maggot

 

[Jscotti]

its in a 6 qt tub with one humid hide and water bowl and food bowl there isnt any open space

 

[Embrace Calamity]

Well a leo can't be forced to be in a humid hide 24/7. It's not good for their respiratory systems, but they will choose security over proper temperatures or humidity almost every time. Plus they need hides on the warm and cool side so they can feel safe while regulating their body temperatures, so you'll need a larger enclosure. What are the dimensions of the tub? And what kind of thermometer are you using to check the temperatures?

~Maggot

 

[Jscotti]

It's 13" L X 7" W X 4 3/4 T

 

[DrCarrotTail]

I would recommend getting a smaller humid hide and adding at least one dry hide for him. You can even get s shorter moist hide and put it on top of the dry hide. I know some big breeders keep adult groups without dry hides in enclosed rack systems but I haven't seen anyone not keep one in a hatchling's enclosure which makes me think they definitely need one. If your rack is enclosed and dark I guess there's a possibility it might be okay but if the tub is out in the open IMO it is definitely not. Either way I think a hide (two if you can pull it) would be best. I made a few out of cardboard spaghetti boxes. They were only a couple inches wide so they would fit next to my moist hide in small bins. However, they're only good for about 4-6 weeks or until they get pooped on a few times since they absorb stuff.

 

[Jscotti]

This is what the tub looks like, i just couldnt find anything smaller then this to make a hide out of

 

[Embrace Calamity]

That's just not big enough. Like the good doc said, some big breeders keep geckos in tubs in rack systems without 3 hides, but that's because being inside the rack is dark and serves as one big hide so they feel safe, like being in a cave. Your gecko has no option but to be in that humid hide to feel safe. (Plus, let's not forget they deal with hundreds of geckos, so their options are limited.) I personally don't think one adult or semi-adult leo should be kept in anything smaller than a 20 long, but at least a 10 gallon is a huge improvement on what you're using now (and should work fine since yours is still a baby). Pet Co is currently having a $1/gallon sale (ends tomorrow), so now would be a perfect time to go get a nice big enclosure. You get a properly sized enclosure with plenty of hides, and I guarantee you that you will see your gecko out and about and he will thrive.

~Maggot

 

[DrCarrotTail]

I have my babies in 6 qt tubs. I put two hides in, put their food bowls on top of them and keep a paper towel under the warm one. I mist the warm hide 1-2x a day to give them the humidity they need to shed. Once they're up to about 15g I plan to switch them to 12 qt tubs with a moist hide. And a bigger hide over the warm area - basically the same way I keep my adults. They are all, however, in an enclosed rack system so they're less exposed than they would be in a more open system. I would probably get a hide and spray a paper towel under it rather than the moist hide until you get a bigger enclosure. Healthy babies grow super fast so you'll probably need a bigger enclosure in a couple weeks, depending on how big your guy is already.

They seem to really appreciate small hides that they feel protected in. I've heard they even like to feel the top on their back - I'm testing out some new meat packing tray hides with my adults and so far that seems true - they're cramming themselves under the new 1 inch tall hides more than they ever used the 2 inch tall hides i had in there before....haha.

 

[Jscotti]

I have my babies in 6 qt tubs. I put two hides in, put their food bowls on top of them and keep a paper towel under the warm one. I mist the warm hide 1-2x a day to give them the humidity they need to shed. Once they're up to about 15g I plan to switch them to 12 qt tubs with a moist hide. And a bigger hide over the warm area - basically the same way I keep my adults. They are all, however, in an enclosed rack system so they're less exposed than they would be in a more open system. I would probably get a hide and spray a paper towel under it rather than the moist hide until you get a bigger enclosure. Healthy babies grow super fast so you'll probably need a bigger enclosure in a couple weeks, depending on how big your guy is already.

They seem to really appreciate small hides that they feel protected in. I've heard they even like to feel the top on their back - I'm testing out some new meat packing tray hides with my adults and so far that seems true - they're cramming themselves under the new 1 inch tall hides more than they ever used the 2 inch tall hides i had in there before....haha.

where did you get the meat packing trays? also could you take a pic of one of your baby tubs? i need to figure something out. also my gecko is only 8 grams hes/shes small baby

 

[Jscotti]

No?

 

[DrCarrotTail]

Sorry I had a super busy weekend and took pictures but found little time to log on. Here's a picture of my 6qt and 12qt tub set ups for hatchlings. I have a hide on the cool side but haven't seen babies go near it other than to poop in it so I might do away with it. I've been spraying the paper towel with water 2x a day and put the water bowl in once they're about a week old on the warm end so it keeps the humidity up. The hides are Genpak 1 meat packing trays. I got them off webstaurant store for about $12 including shipping.

 

[Jscotti]

Thanks a lot that help are those trays 5 1/4 x 5 1/4 x 1?

 

[DrCarrotTail]

Yup! That's the size I got 125 of them for those $12. Hopefully they'll last a while but these baby geckos are super eating and pooping machines!