Help and advice, Please!

[ohlalaliz]

Hi, I'm brand new to this website. I found it while browsing for some gecko facts.

My father was given a Leopard Gecko by his friend. My father ended up not being able to take the greatest care of this gecko, So I took things into my own hands. I feel like I'm doing everything wrong, and would love some advice.

First of all, I have no idea how old this gecko actually is. Is there a better way to tell? I'm also not 100% sure that he is actually a boy. Ive researched this, and I now believe that he is actually a she. Any advice to resolve this?

A few days after he was given to me, I changed his cage, and while I was doing that he bit me. I believe this was due to simply stress, and that fact that I was constantly moving him. He's doing better now, but still slightly timid. Any advice to resolve this also?

While the gecko belonged to my father he was in a stressful environment, and spent alot of time under his log. The log is a fake log, I think it might be ceramic. Since he has moved in with me, he's hardly ever under there, and spends alot of time basking on top of it or laying in his sand. And yes, i've heard that the sand is bad and I need to invest in a Reptile Carpet

He stays in my bedroom, which is in my basement. That means no natural light. Will this effect his life? Or any of his habits? It worries me. I leave a lamp on during the day so it isn't pitch black in there.

He is a very picky eater, and he typically will only eat Meal Worms. When he was first given to my father, he had to be fed by hand. They say it ceased, but since I've had him the worms don't seem to be disappearing. Will I have to hand feed him again?

His setup is simple, but I think that is isn't good for him. He has a fake tree, for shade on the left side under his heat lamp. He has a small piece of .. what I think is some type of wood toward the front middle. The kind they typically sell in pet stores. In the right front he has a water dish, fairly large. He seems to like it but I've never actually seen him in it. Then in the back right he has his ceramic log. On the outside back right of the tank, there is a heating pad. I believe these are not keeping him warm enough. The bulb in the heat lamp is not red, and I'm not even 100% positive it is a real heat lamp. Can anyone PLEASE advise me to good brands for a better set up? Even personally advise how to make his environment better?

Last, and sadly, recently after I got him he developed a pinkish lump under his left eye. It doesn't seen to to hurt him, seeing as I've genty ran my finger over it. I've read that it could be a cricket bite, sand, or due to shedding! This really worries me seeing as I'm not sure as to which is causing it.

Also on shedding, some on the old skin remains around his toes. Is this bad? It doesn't effect him from what I've seen, and he's too feisty lately to let me remove it.

If anyone could please answer any questions it would be a giant help. I'm new to this and I really just want this poor little animal to have a better life. I'd love to own a more cheerful gecko, By the way! I forget to mention, his name is Robert, which may have to change seeing as he might not even be a male!

Please and Thank you everyone! I look forward to hearing from you.

 

[HaaStyle]

I dont know the answer to all your questions but I know the answer to some of them.

The stuck shed is bad and could cut off circulation causing lost toes. There are some posts on here about how to make a "sauna" to help with the shed, basically a box with water in it directly over the heat source that the gecko can soak in.

Leo's are nocturnal so a lack of natural light is not a problem so long as there is some sort of light during the day so that they can set that circadian rythm.

With regards to heat Leopard gecks are best with belly heat, so an undertank heater is best. You can simply use paper towel as the substrate instead of sand.

In addition you should make ure there is a heat gradient around 90 - 93 on end and 79 to 82 on the other end of the cage.

They do like to have hiding spots and at least one should be a humid hide, I use sterlite 2.5 qt containers with a hole cut in the side and spaghnum moss that I mist every other day or as needed.

 

[Keith N]

1. You could post a pic so we could tell you if its male or female
2. Just start by putting your hands in the tank and don't pick it up that way it gets used to your hand first. Then leave it in until he/she comes to investigate and it will progress from there to being able to handle
3. Leopards are nocturnal but you should simulate an natural day and having a desk light on during the day if there is no way to get natural light to light the room.
4.You really need a under the tank heater as leopards need the belly heat more.
5.You should provide a humid hide to aid in shedding if its still a problem then you may have to soak in warm water to help. The old skin on its toes cannot remain on there and needs to be removed by soaking

 

[ohlalaliz]

Thank you HaaStyle and Keith!

HaaStyle; can you please better explain what a Humid Hide is?

 

[HaaStyle]

Sure a humid hide is just an area that the gecko can go where there is moisture. They like to have hiding places, and one of them should be humid.

I fill that up with spaghnum moss and position it at the edge of the heated area so that it its slightly warm on one side and cool on the other...

Some put it completely on the cool side. There are other materials you can use for the hide as well.

 

[WingedWolfPsion]

One very simple hide is to take a butter tub, and cut a round hole in the lid. Put damp sphagnum moss inside. Make sure it's one of the low tubs, not a tall one. The gecko will climb in and out through the top, but can't scatter the moss.

 

[Keith N]

Humid hides are box with a hole cut out for the leopard to go in to aid in shedding. It can have moist paper towel, coco husk, spaghnum moss in it. I like to do what Haastyle does and position so a little is on the undertank heater.

 

[RampantReptiles]

If you could post pictures of your gecko, vent area for sexing and that lump so we can help identify it and the set up then it would make things a lot easier.

I would recommend gently peeling off the heat pad on the outside of the tank and putting it on the underside of the tank. You may need some tape to keep it in place if the stickiness has worn off.... id recommend foil tape which you can find at a hardware store.

Once you have done that you need to use a terrarium thermometer(not a fish tank one) and put it on the ground of the tank above where the under tank heater is to see how hot it gets. You want it to get around 90F. If it is not getting hot enough then try putting the heat lamp over the same side as the UTH(Under Tank Heater). DO NOT use the heat lamp unless you need it with the UTH.

You dont want to have both sides of the tank heated. The general idea is there is a hot side and a cool side. This allows the gecko to thermoregulate its own body temperature... so if it gets cold it goes over to the hot side and vice versa.

It is better to get the temperature situation resolved before you try to feed him. It is very bad if he does not have proper heat then he wont be able to digest his food. Once temperature is resolved then I would try hand feeding him to see if he will eat. You should be able to eventually ween him off hand feeding.

As far as the sand situation. For right now you might just wanna ditch the sand and put down paper towel or newspaper. This will be much safer for him and is better when you have a new gecko. Eventually you can either get reptile carpet(there are some risks to using this, carpet threads can get wrapped around toes/nails and cutoff circulation so they fall off) or some people use tile.

The lump Im not sure about... is there any kind of sore or scab? Otherwise maybe some kind of cyst?

When you do try to get the shed off... which you should do as soon as possible, I might recommend after soaking that you use a moist cue tip and gently rub the stuck shed off. Leaving the skin can cause problems the next time he sheds and after a few sheds can cause the nails/toes to become constricted and fall off.

A moist hide can be made fairly easily. Just take a small tupperware container that the gecko could fit in. Cut a hole in the side or top and put a piece of paper towel or some coconut fiber in the hide and keep that moist. Make sure it is wet when he is getting ready to shed.

I hope I answered most of your questions... there were so many to answer I think I lost track >_<
If you have anymore questions feel free to send me a private message and I will try to answer as best as I can

Good luck with your new gecko!

 

[ohlalaliz]

RampantReptiles, Thank you very much for all of your help. I just soaked him in some warm water as recommended for the shedding, in hopes that loosening it will help it to fall off.

Tomorrow I will move his heating pad to the bottom, and buy him a red heat bulb asap.

My laptop is currently being fixed, but as soon as I get it back I'd love to post photos so I could have some questions answered.

The lump under his eye is just pinkish. He CAN open his eye, he just seems to choose not to. There seems to be no scab, so I'm assuming the worst. Can anybody give me an estimate on a reptile vet appointment? I think I absolutely need to finance one.

Please and Thankyou! I appriciate all the help.

 

[ohlalaliz]

Well, I don't know if anybody will look at this again, but just in case!

My gecko now has a tank larger than he can imagine! I got the red bulb, and a brand new heat pad. I've upgraded him to Reptile Carpet, and now he has a large water dish. I've heard they prefer larger ones, so they can bathe themselves. Is this true? Or should I switch back to his smaller dish? Well, figured I'd give an update

 

[RampantReptiles]

You will probably have to take a more proactive role in getting the stuck shed off. It wont just fall off without some effort. Soaking or making the skin wet makes it softer and easier to manipulate. Gently rubbing with your fingers and/or with a moist cue tip should get it off.

Ive never seen a leo bathe in a water dish but I dont use very big water dishes... I know animals like bearded dragons like to bathe sometimes because Ive seen it. I would skip the big water dish and stick with the small water dish and humid hide. That should be enough moisture for him(aside from drinking out of the water dish).

Thats great that things are coming along with your leo. Most vet visits they want minimum $50 just for walking in to see them. Depending on what they do it could be a lot more than that.

I might try posting about this eye thing in the health and med section.. you might get some hits there. I am sorry I cant help more and I hope that things turn out alright. Its great that you have taken it upon yourself to improve that little geckos quality of life.

Good luck!

 

[STUTFL]

I've seen my leo in his (small) water dish, but he doesn't seem to notice that he's in the water. Usually he sits in there when it's nearly empty - tends to just mean his humid hide's dried out and he's mad about it. :tongue3:
He definitely doesn't like deep water though, he doesn't go in it willingly and always drinks from the edges of the dish.