Future leo owner looking for some tips...

[MyLizzyIsSexy]

Hello gecko forums! i know i shoulda probably introduced myself properly in the introduction section but i couldnt wait to put this thread up seeing as how ive been waiting for 3 days to get approval to be able to post! anywho as the topic suggests, im planning on getting a leo in the future and i want to get prepared and gather up all the info i can so i can be able to properly take care of the little fellow and raise him (or most likely her) right ive read tons of caresheets and ive pretty much got most of the info down with just a few questions that seem to very with each caresheet. 1. how exactly should i be feeding them? like what types of bugs and such. keep in mind the geckos i might be getting are about 4-5 months old from the pet store.... 2. would i be able to house 2 females of roughly the same size in a 20g long tank? 3. shoulda probably went with 1 but how often should i feed these guys? 4. now im not sure some of you would know this but its good to ask anyway, i have a crested gecko and i have heard that leos can have a disease in their poo that doesnt really affect the leo much but can have very bad effects against my crested, and i plan on keeping my crestie and my leo in the same room, anyone have any info on that? and 5! just gonna throw up a quick pic of what my setup should basically look like let me know if there are any essentials missing from it or if theres anything i should take out. Thanks in advance for all your guys' tips and advice, and feel free to go ahead and give me any additional info on leos, cuz it never hurts to know a little extra
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[efx*]

Welcome to Geckoforums!! There is a search button on the top right of the screen. It is very helpful and can answer many questions. I really suggest you buy a gecko from a breeder. You get a high quality healthy gecko vs a gecko with problems and has health issues. I wish you the best of luck

 

[MyLizzyIsSexy]

these past 3 days ive been waiting to be able to post on the forums ive been searching up and down these forums and other forums for that matter, couldnt find everything tho which is why im asking for advice and thanks for welcome! 2 things that are swaying me from a breeder is cuz in the pet store i feel so bad for the poor leos, they keep em all bunched up in a little 20g tank with no heat source or anything, they just look like they all dieing or dead, i wanna do my part to help these little critters, besides some of them look gorgeous, and also i know of no breeders that i really feel comfortable buying from, and yes ive seen all the banners and all the sponsers of the site i guess im just paranoid

 

[rubym]

Welcome. I think it is great that you want to give the little guys a good home. Just make sure that you are prepared IF you go with a pet store and the little guy is ill. Herp vets can be hard to locate ( depending on where you live) and they can get expensive. We rescued 4 in the past 3 months and I have spent out a little over $300 to get them well. Most people recommend a reputable breeder to avoid these problems. There are some GREAT breeders on here. I am very over cautious when it comes to my "babies" and I would not hesitate to buy from these people. As for your set up do you have a humid hide ( I can't really tell from pic, sorry) and do you have a under tank heater?

 

[moosassah]

My herp vet charges something like $59 for a visit. That's per leo. Nevermind the medicine to clear them of any parasites or other issues that they most likely have from the pet store.

Keeping them in the same room as your crestie isn't an issue. Do not let them share any food (ex. if you feed your crestie crickets). Wash your hands religiously before & after handling them.

I can't see, so do you have a UTH (under the tank heater)? They like it warmer than your crestie. If you can't keep temps high enough a red or blue heat light on top will help out (leos don't like bright light & don't need it).

Food: go mealie worms! They don't smell, last long & you can breed 'em.

Housing together: it's your call, but you don't really know what sex you are getting from the pet store & TRUST ME, they don't know either, no matter what they tell you.

Good luck & keep reading the forums. You might want to spend some time reading the horror stories in the health forum so you will have a heads up to some of the things that come with pet store rescues. It's your choice. I have 1 from a breeder, 1 from a pet store & 2 that are adoptees. I'm still nursing the adoptees into what I consider health. It's a long road.

 

[Ccrashca069]

The only leopard that I have not had any probs at all with are leopards I got from breeders. There are alot of breeder here from Florida. I am sure if you emailed or left messages to them, they would let you come over and look at their geckos. I been looking at their sites and the leopards they have listed are all very nice and healthy.
Rushing geckos too the vet can get expensive. I get 50% off but thats because my wife works at a vets office.

 

[MyLizzyIsSexy]

to answer a few of you guys' questions, yes i have a UTH, its not in the pic prolly shoulda mentioned that and i do have a humid hide...although i havent decided which hide is gonna be humid hide yet >.> im also debated on which side to stick the UTH under, i was initially thinking under the area with the big rock hide, but im afraid it would get too hot in that little dark space but i could be just paranoid.

 

[MyLizzyIsSexy]

oh and something else, ive read some interesting things about mealworms...is it true that you cannot truly "gutload" a mealworm? if this is the case does that mean i dont have to be feedin em anything fancy? just as long as they get sum food in their belly?

 

[moosassah]

oh and something else, ive read some interesting things about mealworms...is it true that you cannot truly "gutload" a mealworm? if this is the case does that mean i dont have to be feedin em anything fancy? just as long as they get sum food in their belly?

I'd bet that many people here will recommend Cody's progutload. You can also keep them in Flukers cricket feed & toss in potato or carrot pieces for moisture.

 

[rubym]

I buy a bran gutload from a breeder at one of the local shows. It must work ok because all my "babies" are big and healthy, LOL.I also put in some potatoe, carrot and collard greens.

 

[Mel&Keith]

Your set up looks good and it's nice to hear that you're doing your research before you get your Leo.
As others have mentioned, look in to buying a Leo from a breeder rather than a pet shop. There are plenty of great breeders in FL and they probably have many Leo available that are not listed on their websites so don't be afraid to ask.
I would definitely start with one Leo so you don't have to worry about food bullying or fighting.
A tip for the humid hide - If you're planning on using one of those stone hides, put a plastic lid underneath it so the reptile carpet doesn't absorb all of the moisture.
I don't know if supplementation was mentioned but you'll need a small dish for plain calcium (without D3) to have in the tank all the time and then you'll dust their food with a multi-vitamin powder and Calcium with D3 alternating one a week. (If you search through the supplementation topic, there are many posts about this)
If you end getting a young Leo I would feed it every other day, an adult can be fed every 3 days.
With any new reptile you get, you'll need to keep it in quarantine for at least 60 days (especially if it's from a pet store!!) and it's best to keep it in a separate room from other herps.

 

[MyLizzyIsSexy]

quick question, are leopard geckos supposed to be super ultra jumpy? like as soon as you pick them up they start going insane and trying to run away? if not, then i think there really is something wrong with pet store geckos :main_lipsrsealed:

 

[Ccrashca069]

Alot of pet store leopard geckos are that way. Most Breeders geckos are not. Every leopard I bought from a breeder have always let me hold them from the moment I looked at them and when I get them home. I wish you would still look into buying from a breeder close to you.

 

[Nigel4less]

I would always recommend getting a gecko from a breeder, and in Florida it shouldn't be hard to find one at all, and with pet stores they really can't give you the exact age of an animal like a breeder can. It might cost extra money but it will definitely save you a lot of aches and pains in the end. And you have to remember that Pet Stores treat every animal like inventory and don't give animals the individual attention they deserve. And like someone said before you EVEN think about getting two start with one, it will save you from bullying, competition for food,etc. Anyways hope you take our advice to mind.

 

[MyLizzyIsSexy]

i will ive decided on only 1 leo to start with, and someone informed me of something in daytona called breeders expo or something or other that sounds very interesting. might get my leo from there

 

[Ccrashca069]

that would be a cool place to buy your leopard gecko from. I would advice you to first look and price at first then go back and look at the geckos you liked again. You can usually find awesome bargins there. A lot of the breeders here will be there also. So if you check out their sites and email them about the gecko you want they would bring it to the expo and you could pick it up there.

 

[Inland Geckos]

wow alot of pet store haters here lol. i bought 4 geckos that i own from pet shops. (perk is no shipping costs) you do have to be cautious though and look at their surroundings to make sure they are cared for properly. i also disagree that pet store lizards are more skiddish. that all depends on who handles them. i have 15 stores i visit pretty often within a few cities and id say 1/3 of them are a good place to buy 1.

breeder leos can be skiddish too especially if they were a rack system gecko whos sole purpose was to be bred. some breeders dont handle all their geckos individually but do provide proper housing. it all boils down to the individual and who cared for them so both sides shouldnt be stereo typed. if the leo is a young leo he will more than likely be scared of you and somewhat skiddish until he is handled on a regular basis. i hope you can find a healthy leo and if you decide on one who looks in poor health be prepared for vet visits like stated above. good luck!

 

[Grossman14]

Welcome! I dont feed my worms gut load i just give them potatos, oat meal and vegitables the meal worms like it withch makes them nice and fat 4 my leo.

 

[Grossman14]

1 moor thing i live in florida also and there are tuns of breeders that will be in daytona that is a good idea to get your leo there there is a huge selection and looks like lots of fun. I have never been there but i have heard a whole lot about it and i hope to go this year. P.S i cant spell.

 

[LizMarie]

I'm glad your thinking of a Leopard Gecko, I find them to be awesome. I've seen and had one that had a great goofy personality. Your set-up seems fine and a little thing I like to add is one or two hanging plants in the corner close the the ground. When I had my Petunia I saw that she used them like extra hides. She'd lay under them or climb inbetween the them as if she was a Crestie, lmao..