First time owner

[bman123]

I'm in the market to get a Leo for my daughter but I need some help. I have been reading and see alot of different info so please help out.

I want to get either 1or2 leos not sure yet but I will get a 20 gallon long tank.
My problem is heat, my apt is always warm 78 degrees yearly and I cannot afford a thermostat. I wonder if it's fine to use a low wattage basking bulb for a heat source?

I don't like uth because you constantly have to adjust the dimmer if room temps change, you have to mess with substrate depth and it's a big headache. Do you think it is fine to use a 50 wattt basking bulb on one side of the tank? That way I would have a hot side and the cool side would never go below 78.

I like sand as the substrate but I hear so many mixed reviews. The tank will be a display in the living room so paper towels and newspaper are not gonna happen. I don't like repti carpet as it gets stinky and is a pain to clean. Plus I hear of leos toes getting stuck in it.

I have spagnum moss already and glad ware tub for a humid hide. I can make my own hides also. Please chime in

 

[bman123]

I have read care sheets so I understand dusting the food and gut loading them with fruit/veggies. I can get a little plastic critter keeper to keep the crickets in before they are fed to the Leo. I have a pet store close by that has the multivitamin and calcium on hand as well as the crickets and mealworms.

I just don't wanna mess up as this is a pet for my 5yr old daughter and I plan on buying a decent priced Leo. I won't buy a Leo from the pet store even tho they are only $25 i'd rather buy a bell albino or a raptor. I just want something that looks cool and maybe get into breeding

 

[Khrysty]

First of all, the basking temp on the FLOOR of the cage needs to be around 89-95 (some people say higher, no one goes lower) degrees fahrenheit. This means you need a digital thermometer with a probe (we generally use digital as that's the most accurate), placed on top of the substrate (whichever you choose) to provide the most accurate temp readings. Usually a lamp does not provide proper heat. A ceramic heat emitter may, but it's doubtful as well. Both types of lamp heaters are capable of being too hot if the wattage is too high or too cool if it's too low. It's recommended you use a thermostat or at least a dimmer on ANY heat source.

That being said, a small (size 1-5 gallon) under tank heater usually stays consistently around 95 degrees and I've been using them unregulated for a year or so.

As for substrate:
Look into slate or ceramic tile. It looks sleek, is extremely easy to clean, and there's no risk of ingestion. You can also use rubber/foam shelf liner. If you MUST use sand, choose a fine-grain play sand. NOT calcium or vitamin sand from a pet store. These, if accidentally ingested, can clog up the gecko's digestive system and act like an extreme antacid (think, eating an entire bottle of Tums all at once!) preventing the gecko from absorbing proper nutrition.

Finally, if you get two leos, be absolutely sure of their sex. Females can live together safely (provided they get along and they're roughly the same size). Males and females can live together but they will eventually breed. And if they're not of the proper weight, it's not worth the risk housing them together as a young or underweight female can die from becoming gravid too soon. And two males will fight as they reach sexual maturity. Sometimes to the death. If you're housing any two together, be sure to check for signs of bullying. If you notice one is growing faster than the other it could be because the bigger one is hogging all the food.

And please, if you have any more questions, let us know

 

[bman123]

I would think a 5gallon uth heater would be too small in a 20long that's why I said use a basking lamp for a heat source. I can monitor temps with a dimmer easily with a bulb compared to a uth. Plus it's always dark inside the house so the bulb would actually help to see the gecko.

I want to find a female first around 50grams in size then get a male later.
The sand I understand about impaction but alot of people say it's fine. Could I use something like Eco earth for bedding?
If I have to use the repti carpet I can I just prefer not to. I want to stay as cheap as posiible on my setup and avoid wasting any money on useless stuff lol..

 

[bman123]

I had a Savannah monitor before and used a basking bulb for his heat source and he was fine. I just figured since I done it for him I could use it for a Leo. I had the monitor for 6years and sold him when I moved and he was healthy but I don't know how big a. Difference it is between the monitor and the Leo...

 

[Khrysty]

There's a BIG difference between a savannah monitor and a leo. For instance: Savs are diurnal. They need a basking light. Leos are nocturnal, and don't.

 

[mindgamer8907]

well here you go buddy let me help you out here and clarify some things:

1

I would think a 5gallon uth heater would be too small in a 20long that's why I said use a basking lamp for a heat source. I can monitor temps with a dimmer easily with a bulb compared to a uth. ..

The point of the uth isn't necessarily to cover the entire bottom width of the floor space, as long as it's heated in a roughly gecko sized spot (preferably with a hide above it) If you really want the dimmer (which is far from necessary with the UTH, but highly necessary with any kind of lamps) then I suggest you try one of the ten gallon sized ones w/ a built in dimmer. However, UTH only heat up to (and around) human body temp and are easily monitored with a $5 -$7 digital thermometer w/ probe (this beats the pants off of buying a thermostat or dimmer that is essentially not needed). However, to cover my butt I will say this, the 5 gallon UTH will give you the best bet at safest temps provided you use a thin substrate....

moral one: Buy a UTH (5-10 gal= $20- $25) and a cheap thermometer (in reptile section of most chains for aprox. $7)

2

Could I use something like Eco earth for bedding?
If I have to use the repti carpet I can I just prefer not to. I want to stay as cheap as possible on my setup and avoid wasting any money on useless stuff lol..

As far as substrates go I'm sure you've read up on the substrate debate sand vs... not.. sand (?) but as far as eco-earth goes it's just like sand you could theoretically recycle it and only buy more when you need to but that's tedious as all get out and almost nobody does it (so much so that I have only conceived of it and never heard of it in a leo enclosure) and you would ultimately just buy more and more ecoearth... why bother when you can make that cost shrivel to what you would pay for maybe one bag of eco earth or sand. Foam rubber shelf-liner (it kinda looks like chain-link fence made for place-mats and such) doesn't catch on nails, is ludicrously easy to clean and lasts anywhere from 1-2 years without need for replacement.
You could also use tile (which will last forever assuming you do it correctly and which transfers UTH heat just fine). These options are also very easy to clean, needing only running water and a sponge or paper towel respectively.

PS. Shelf liner needs to be cleaned about every every two weeks... not bad...

As far as other options and their expensiveness here's a link that lists more options. http://khrystys-kritters.webs.com/leopardgeckocaresheet.htm#515752344

PPS. I refuse to get into the rest of the sand battle so... I guess I'll just say that the debate rages on and for both sides we can agree that calci-sand and vita-sand are not options... and that correlation is not causation (that goes for both sides).

Moral two: I highly suggest using the shelf liner as it's maybe another $5 annually as opposed to the same monthly.... A simple choice no?



Summation: Your best bet for a cheap set-up is a UTH, and Shelf-liner (cut to roughly the tank size... that's simple) With just that your highest final cost is probably $30 for the next two years for those two items as opposed to paying for bulbs, fresh substrate etc, which is maybe (and I'm trying to guess low here) 24 months @ 5 dollars a month (for sand alone) so that's roughly $120 for sand? Yuck... still I'm only guessing

 

[Lpac]

you dont need to worry about the uth getting to hot and stuff and even if it did get too hot the gecko would just move to the cold side. but in reality you do need a uth

 

[bman123]

I just don't want to get a Leo and have it get burnt by the uth being way to hot. So I will get a small 5-10gal size uth. This shelf liner tho has me confused lol. Where do you get it? Im sure I sound like a dummy but I've never seen the shelf liner.

I'm sure the Savannah monitor and Leo are different I was just saying I used the bulb instead of a uth for heat. I don't know what this shelf liner looks like, this is gonna be a display so I want it to look nice.

I just want to make sure I have all the basics covered since this is my first Leo

 

[Khrysty]

I just don't want to get a Leo and have it get burnt by the uth being way to hot. So I will get a small 5-10gal size uth. This shelf liner tho has me confused lol. Where do you get it? Im sure I sound like a dummy but I've never seen the shelf liner.

I'm sure the Savannah monitor and Leo are different I was just saying I used the bulb instead of a uth for heat. I don't know what this shelf liner looks like, this is gonna be a display so I want it to look nice.

I just want to make sure I have all the basics covered since this is my first Leo

Shelf liner looks like this. It comes in all colors and amounts. The cheapest is about 2.99 and you can find it at Walmart, Kmart, etc. I have it in white. Here's a bad example of it lol: my tank at school. It's cut because the tank was originally divided into two, and it's wrinkled because it'd just been washed. But you get the point I hope.

 

[bman123]

Ok thanks for the help with that shelf liner. Glad that I can get everything for cheap. If I only get one Leo would a 10 gallon tank be fine?
Is there a site that lists all the Leo morphs with pictures?

I don't know what I want to get yet. There are so many choices I just need to find something that I like.

 

[bman123]

I found that shelf liner in a 4ft long by 12 inch wide roll for $2 at the dollar store. I found someone on craigslist with a 10gallon tank, small uth, repti carpet, ballast and night time bulb with lid for $20.

I'm debating wether or not to get that 10gal or get a 30gal tank. I found a 30gal for $10 but I need to buy everything for it still. I know once I get one gecko I'm gonna want more.

 

[Khrysty]

I'd go ahead and get the 10 gallon for now. That's enough room for one gecko and it's your cheapest option (you did say you wanted to go cheaply, right?).

Get accustomed to your new gecko and let it get accustomed to you. Learn about him/her inside and out. Figure out the best way to care for it, feed it, etc, and enjoy it for what it is as an individual. All geckos have distinct personalities and sometimes it's hard to learn them when you have a lot of animals.

Then after a couple months you can upgrade to a larger tank and get another gecko. You'll need the 10gal to quarantine the new one for a month or so, anyway, so it wouldn't be a waste in the long run.

 

[bman123]

Do you think I should get that 30gal tank also? I mean it's only $10 and I would have it when I need it ya know. I played with the Leo I'm getting yesterday, he was pretty cool and laid back..

 

[Khrysty]

Yeah, I don't see why not. You don't really come across $10 30 gallon tanks very often

 

[bman123]

It's just the tank no lid but I can just put it in the basement until I need it. Plus I can just buy stuff for it as I go so I'm not spending alot at one time. I'm real excited to get the gecko. He looks real cool with his red eye and orange body..

 

[bman123]

I'm going to get the 10gal tank now be back soon lol

 

[bman123]

Well no go on the 10gal it was a 5.5 gal lol. Now I gotta get the 30gal but I talked to the guy I'm gettig the gecko from and he said he will give me a free uth and some hides so that's cool.

The 30gal comes with a hood and lamp like a fish tank. Do they make heat bulbs that fit into hoods but are a red light not a basking bulb?

 

[bman123]

It should work out with the 30gal tank ok. I mean a free uth, free hides and dishes I can get that shelf liner for $2 so there is substrate. I just hope that uth heats up the tank enough.
When using the shelf liner do you put anything under it like sand or no?

 

[bman123]

The tank is a 30gal tall which I don't like but it does have decent floor space. I believe it's the same size as a 20long just like 8 inches taller.

I think the uth is for a 10gal tank. I will try it, hopefully it works. The uth isn't big so I think I'm gonna have temp problems unless I buy a bigger uth or I can get some kind of screen lid and run a lamp and bulb.

What wattage bulb do you think I will need in a 30gal tall tank? I'm gonna run A red light heat bulb. I'm thinking a 75 watt bulb, I'd hate to use it all the time as it's gonna effect the electric bill. The bulb and lamp will cost about the same as a bigger uth. So do you think I should get a bigger uth or get a screen lid and run a bulb?

It's Thursday now and I'm hoping to get the gecko on Saturday or Sunday. I just wanna have the tank all set up and running to make sure I keep stable temps.

The room temp stay at 76 or higher year round so it's warm that's another reason why I think that the small uth will work. The room temp is at the safe low spot temp for the gecko. Lol I'm just worrying too much lol, that's why I have to take Xanax...