HELP! Heating!

[fl_orchidslave]

We pick up extra human heating pads at goodwill thrift shops for just a few bucks. Mostly used to thaw snake feeders, but occasionally to heat a reptile that's in a temporary setup.

 

[Kelkiie]

I'm thinking about ordering a few 72 hour heat packs for now until I can actually find a heat pad.

 

[im faster]

just get a heat pad.. the heat packs will cost as much as you can find a heat pad for..

belly heat is important.. risk of her getting impacted and sick is high with out it..
you need to get it asap!

 

[roger]

I have a normal light for now, but honestly she seem fine for the time being. I'm looking online everywhere for cheap reliable heat pads I've found plenty, but shipping costs make it out of wack. My grandmother bought me one of those visa gift cards ($25) today so I could find something cheap enough. They are quite convenient.



She has around 7-10 gut loaded crickets daily since she's underweight, clean water daily, a cave, a ledge and moist hide since she's soon going to shed, she just doesn't have belly heat.

Thanks for the craigslist, I've never used it so I didn't think about it!

Im sorry I just cant let u off the hook here.Go to your local drug store and buy a heat pad!!Go to home depot and get an infrared light for $5 and a extension cord for another $10!!.if u cant afford this you do have no right to own this leo.You are depriving him of a neccesity to digest his food and cause later digestion problems..If u cant afford to give your leo heat,what are u going to do about food,calcium,vitamins,calcium with D3 ,vet bills.Get yourself to where ever u have to go to get your leo some warmth.Its that simple !!

 

[Kelkiie]

So I ordered a heat pad from ebay, the only one thing that doesn't have over $20 for shipping.
I don't know how long it'll take to arrive but I hope soon enough.

I supplement her with calcium with D3 covered gutloaded crickets. I'm thinking of getting her wax worms sometime just to treat her.

 

[roger]

So I ordered a heat pad from ebay, the only one thing that doesn't have over $20 for shipping.
I don't know how long it'll take to arrive but I hope soon enough.

I supplement her with calcium with D3 covered gutloaded crickets. I'm thinking of getting her wax worms sometime just to treat her.

Why would u order it from ebay and pay the shipping cost and wait days to get it when your drug store has them ? Your shipping costs more than the actaul heat pad u can get tomorrow.

 

[Kelkiie]

Why would u order it from ebay and pay the shipping cost and wait days to get it when your drug store has them ? U dont make sense.You say u cant afford a heat pad but u have calcium with D3 handy ????

The person who had her before me gave me everything but the heat pad because they needed it for their snake and they never cared for the gecko but they did save it from being starved to death even though they ended up doing the exact same thing before I took her.

 

[Kelkiie]

Also I just found out that my grandmother has a human heat pad she can lend me for the time being. So there, is everyone happy?

 

[roger]

Also I just found out that my grandmother has a human heat pad she can lend me for the time being. So there, is everyone happy?

Yes I am happy that u have finally given your leo the basic necessity of digestion and future health.Do yourself a favor and dont get another leo until u researched it completely and can afford to give your leo proper care.better yet give your present leo away to someone that will take care of it

 

[Kelkiie]

I do not plan on getting another one until I have the proper funds. I plan on when I can, but right now Cleo is my top priority.
I came here expecting to get positive help (which I have and I thank those people who have) so I could temporarily give her safe heat but you've just made me feel like a terrible owner which I'm not.

 

[fl_orchidslave]

That's great Kelsey. Grandmas always have stuff like that, lol. You'd be surprised how many household items can be used for reptiles.

 

[roger]

I do not plan on getting another one until I have the proper funds. I plan on when I can, but right now Cleo is my top priority.
I came here expecting to get positive help (which I have and I thank those people who have) so I could temporarily give her safe heat but you've just made me feel like a terrible owner which I'm not.

Again Please do your research before u get a leo.As long as you got it done thats what counts

 

[M_surinamensis]

I came here expecting to get positive help (which I have and I thank those people who have) so I could temporarily give her safe heat but you've just made me feel like a terrible owner which I'm not.

Objectively, you kinda are. It sounds like don't want to be, which is a positive thing, but ultimately doesn't mean much unless it is backed by practical steps.

A good owner is one that provides everything their animal needs to live. A good owner is one that knows everything they can know about the animal they are keeping. That's it; the knowledge of what to do combined with the act of doing it.

There are no good intentions that can make up for the physical requirements the animal needs in order to be alive and healthy. Cuddling isn't a substitute for a properly heated enclosure. Love can't fix a medical condition.

The reason people are responding so strongly to your posts is because you are failing to provide one of the most basic needs of the animal you now own. This isn't some tricky thing that only experts know, this isn't some rare circumstance that few people will ever experience. This is Leopard Gecko Keeping 101 and you're failing. Failure doesn't really harm you, it just leaves an animal dead when it didn't have to be. Often slowly and painfully dead, which doesn't help to build sympathy for your feelings over its needs.

You aren't helping matters much by presenting your money problems as an excuse either. Not many people in this world have as much of it as they want or need... but good owners, who care about their pets, do not assume financial responsibilities that they are incapable of meeting. That is to say; people who cannot afford a heat pad do not try to rescue leopard geckos. The very last thing a neglected, malnourished, dehydrated, poorly cared for animal needs is a new owner that cannot provide basic requirements. It needs someone that can give it an ideal enclosure, proper nutrition and regular veterinary care.

What Roger is suggesting is that you take a good hard look at your ability to provide what this animal needs. Because objectively, you're not doing a very good job so far. Sometimes the most caring act you can perform is to find someone else better equipped to keep an animal.

Either that or find a few hundred dollars for immediate necessities, with a few hundred more set aside for ongoing and emergency care and give yourself a crash course in leopard gecko biology and medicine that generally takes hobbyists a couple years to feel comfortable with. No excuses. No delays. Just doing what is required.

 

[Kelkiie]

The only thing I don't have for her is an actual heat pad, I have other heat sources, I just wanted to know a safe one for temporary use. I wasn't ever expecting to take on such a complex creature that needs so many things to survive. But I'm getting them. maybe not all at once but I'd rather be trying, rather than let her perish like she was going to do.
I have good intentions, so I really don't think that I need people telling me everything I'm doing wrong when I know I don't have 100% everything just yet but I will. I've been saying this over and over. I may be a bit jumbled but I'm doing the best.

I'm new at this so please.. you can be a little more gentle on me, I do not believe I'm being a bad owner, I am trying and you can't say I'm not.
I came here because I wasn't getting the greatest information from google searching, and I thought "well hey, a forum all about geckos, great it must be more reliable"

I got answers that I wanted and I'd close this thread if I knew how. Or I might just not come back here for any further questions since I'm only going to be hounded about everything.

 

[panthergecko]

this is sad your going yo drive her away i think your doing fine you made a mistake but your showing intrest in fixing so thats fine
advice careful with human heat pads they tend to be 2 hot. and go with zoo meds heat pad not zilla im have trouble with adhesive

 

[im faster]

kelsey, its not hath your not trying.. but its the fact that your keep insinuating that the heat is not a big deal. it however is VERY important. especially for a sick leo.

I think that the leo is in better shape now then it was before.
we gave you options on how to quickly get a heat pad. but you still insist on ordering and it taking weeks.

at the pet store a heat pad is cheaper than what you paid.

its not that we dont want to help.. its you just dont listen to us when we tried

 

[Kelkiie]

I do realize that heat is very important. I am not stupid. Honestly I'm just going to ignore everyone who's telling me that she's better off without me. I've got the answers I was looking for and I purchased a heat pad, one that is much cheaper than buying one from around where I live. I'm listening to the people that give me advice I can actually use. Like fl_orchidslave said, household things can be used for my gecko, and I'm doing just that for the time being. As long as Cleo is eating, pooping, and running around, I'm happy and I think she is too. My Cleo is a trooper that has been though a shit ton worse before I got her. Want her background, I'll give it to you.

 

[fl_orchidslave]

Kelsey, I'm glad you came to this forum and asked for help. Many have come and been so far off on care it made us want to pull our hair out. Leopard geckos are really quite simple once their basic needs are met. You aren't far from that. I'm sure you will have the heat resolved in a very short time (thanks Grandma). Use the lowest setting on the heating pad. When you order the mat, ZooMed does make a good one. You'll need a digital probe thermometer to monitor temps, and are fairly cheap. I think LLLreptile ships to your area. Maybe beanfarm.com may also. If you are not able to find a place, try emailing The Urban Gecko (google them) and ask where you can buy supplies.

To all you meanieheads- stop being poopies!

 

[Kelkiie]

I will have a temperature probe available once I get the heat pad. I've been to both those websites I'll most definitely be ordering from them at some point.

Bonus pictures my boyfriend just sent me! She's sitting outside her moist cave sleeping, I think she's enjoying a hot water bottle just fine!:main_thumbsup:

 

[fl_orchidslave]

Very cute