I'm getting a leopard gecko, what now?

[Best Friend]

Hi! I just found out that I'm getting a leopard gecko! I'm so excited! I thought that I should tell you guys what I plan on doing and you guys could tell me if this is an okay tank.
First off I'll tell you what the supplies are.

• UTH, (Under tank heater.)
• Reptile mat.
• 10G tank, (10 gallon.)
• Heating lamps.
• Humidity/heat gauges
• Screen lid.

Well thats the tank plus I'll get, two-three huts, some decor, (plants, etc.) Now lets talk food. My dad does not want live insects in the house. He saw this freeze dried, dead, worms, mixed in with dead crickets, etc. (etc. means more bugs, it is all bugs. nothing added.) Would this be okay, I would add calcium powder, plus a extra bowl of calcium. Thanks so much for your help, bye!

 

[acpart]

Congratulations on your new gecko that 's coming. Here are a couple of comments:
--a 10 gallon could be OK, but many people feel these days that a 20 gallon long (30"x12"x12") is best. I feel that a 10 gallon can work, but not everyone agrees. If you have a lot of decor you'll find that it won't really fit in a 10 gallon
--as long as your house is kept at a temperature that's comfortable for humans, in my opinion all your gecko needs is the under tank heater and not a heating light. THey are nocturnal, so they won't come out to bask like, say, a bearded dragon.
--the heat and humidity guages are not worth it. The best way to measure the heat is to get a digital thermometer with a probe that costs around $9. It's more important to get a thermostat or rheostat for the under tank heater so you can keep the temperature from going above the low 90's on the floor
--as I mentioned in my other post, most likely a leopard gecko will not eat freeze dried food. If your dad is uncomfortable with live food, consider mealworms or superworms instead of crickets because they are less likely than the crickets to get out and run around the house.

Aliza

 

[Sprogog]

I find roaches are the best food for Leos. They are really chilled, no springing around causing havoc and they pick up nutrient dust really well. Also they are more nutritious in themselves and dont smell! But my parents are the same, I keep all my insects in the garage and fetch in a days supply every morning.

 

[Best Friend]

My mom, (who has had a fear of bugs longer then my dad,) says it's okay. She understands that the health and diet of them is whether limited. Thank you guys!

 

[tov_13]

I wouldn't use heat lamps or any overhead light. they are nocturnal animals so they don't need direct light and don't bask in it and it can stress them out. the UTH would work best because it helps with digestion (having heat on their stomach) and that is what their natural habitat is like. they would come out at night and the ground would be warm from being heated by the sun all day.

 

[tov_13]

they usually wont eat dead insects, and mealworms are the best. they just sit in your fridge (at room temp. they turn into beetles) and you just gut load them with carrots 12 hrs before feeding. if you don't gut load, they get no nutritional value from them, which is also why dried insects are bad. and make sure you dust them with calcium powder when you feed too.

 

[indyana]

Cloud, you may want to check the dates in the orange bar on posts. This one hadn't been posted in since September 2013.