So I just received two female adult geckos! I am so excited but have a few questions first! Here is my set up: 20 gallon tank, two caves, one empty on heated side, other on cool side with moss. I have a water dish and a plant. I plan on feeding them 3-4 crickets a day dipped in reptile calcium. I am using a basic heating pad under the tank with the cave with nothing in it. The substrate is a soft tile I got from menerads. I have a question about the lamp though. I put a lamp on the heating side with 75 watt bulb and noticed the temp almost went up to 100! So I immediately took that out and switched the bulb to a 13 watt. Is a lamp neccassry? Will a heating pad under the tank do just fine? It feels warm, but not extremely hot. I ordered a reptile temp gun so I cant tell you what the temp of the heated side is yet. Also it is safe to keep the 13 watt bulb on during the day? Anything im missing or advice would be appreciated! Any important details you think I need to know would help too! Thank you guys!
Just got two female leopard geckos! Need advice
- Thread starter sidman24
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Phoenix1115
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Heat lamps are not necessary. The ambient temp doesn't matter as much as with, say, a bearded dragon. As long as they have belly heat at about 90F they'll be all set. Now, you definitely need more hides if you have two Leos. Generally rule of thumb is 3 hiding spots per gecko so that means you 4 more. This can be achieved by purchasing 4 more actual hides, or by arranging tank decor so that other hiding spots are created. (For example, one of my geckos likes wedging himself between the wall of his tank and a tall cave that's in there, even though he lives alone and has 4 legit hides, he found a 5th!) I also have a store bought hide on top of my homemade humid hide to conserve floor space and both levels are used.
Another piece of advice I'd give is to watch them during meal time to make sure they're both getting their fair share. Sometimes one can take a dominance role and eat all the food before the other gets any. This can also be avoided if you separate them during meal time.
Another piece of advice I'd give is to watch them during meal time to make sure they're both getting their fair share. Sometimes one can take a dominance role and eat all the food before the other gets any. This can also be avoided if you separate them during meal time.
Phoenix1115
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Yeah, they often go off feed for a few days while the settle in. If she still doesn't eat in a week or two there might be something else going on
okay so she is still not eating.. It has been 2 days.. but I guess that is normal. I also noticed I never see my geckos go to the warm side. One of them stays in the middle cave all day and sleeps, while the one who doesn't eat stays where the moss is and its damp. Is this also normal? I just don't want my geckos dying so soon after I got them ):
indyana
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Hmm, does the one that's not eating look grayish or ghostly? If she's hanging out in the humid area, maybe she is getting ready to shed. My lizards get a bit weird before they shed, not eating/pooping regularly.
no. she looks pretty fine to me. last time I checked... I don't want to stress her out. She has a plump tail so I think she is okay.. I'll just keep waiting :/
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