Leopard Gecko Help

[levinjos]

I have a female 4 inch leopard gecko I purchased from Petco I don't know why but she looks skinny to me maybe I'm just stressing all she's eaten so far is one cricket. I have had her for two days.

 

[levinjos]

Habitat

 

[Embrace Calamity]

1) She's not skinny. She's fine.
2) If you just bought her, she's stressed from the change. It's to be expected that they won't eat a lot right away. Also, you shouldn't handle her for the first several days.
3) Her tank is way too bare. She needs a humid hide to help her shed and a hide on the cold side and one on the warm side.
4) What are the temperatures Temps being too low will also decrease her appetite significantly.

~Maggot

 

[DrCarrotTail]

That little gal looks quite healthy. Hatchlings tend to look a bit skinnier than adults since they use their extra calories more for growing than storing in their tails.

My littlest ones seem to like the hides that are only a couple times bigger than they are and dark I like using granola-bar boxes or making little teepees out of cardboard. That sandwich box might be a bit too big and bright on the inside. I can't tell from the picture but is one of the hides at the far end of the tank a moist hide? If not Embrace is right and you should cut a Tupperware into one.

What are your temperatures? How are you measuring them?

Nice start!

 

[levinjos]

Yes that container is a humid box the humid box is on the heated side which is at 88 degrees. I am measuring them with a regular thermometer I found lying around I am going to the pet store to get a new one and some calcium supplements and two hides and some decorations.

 

[levinjos]

Oh and is it to young to tell what morph it is being from petco they don't tell you much

 

[Embrace Calamity]

Yes that container is a humid box the humid box is on the heated side which is at 88 degrees. I am measuring them with a regular thermometer I found lying around I am going to the pet store to get a new one and some calcium supplements and two hides and some decorations.

Make sure you get a digital thermometer. They're a bit more expensive, but analogs and the stick-on ones can be way off, which could be really harmful to your gecko. Wouldn't hurt to raise temps a bit either. I guess you don't have a light? Basking temps should be about 100, with air temps between 85 and 95.

Oh and is it to young to tell what morph it is being from petco they don't tell you much

You can tell what morph a gecko is as soon as it's born. They don't change. Yours looks like a regular though. I don't think PetCo sells morphs.

~Maggot

 

[Ozy]

For supplements I would HIGHLY recommend Repashy Superfoods Calcium Plus. You just dust every insect they eat with it and that's it. No need for additional supplements. Also, be sure you are gut loading your insects (basically feeding them nutritious stuff, so they pass the good stuff on to the leo when they get eaten) some good ones are Fluker's High Calcium Cricket Diet, Repashy Bug Burger, Repashy Super Load and Repashy Hydro Load. You also need to hydrate your insects, just get the Fluker's gel water to hydrate the crickets and mealworms. This is the thermometer I use http://www.petco.com/product/115362...epti Temp Digital Infrared Thermometer-115362 also what form of heating are you using? You should be using an under tank heater and no lights. They just need to know day from night.

Basking temps should be about 100, with air temps between 85 and 95.

Leopard Geckos don't "bask" and 100 is WAY too hot. Your hot side should be 90-94 on the FLOOR, don't measure the air temp. My leo's cool side is just room temp unless it gets TOO cold. I have a red bulb hooked up to a dimmer for extra heat if she needs it. You should also hook your UTH up to a dimmer. I just use Lutron Lamp Dimmers which can be bought at Lowe's or Home Depot for around $10. And Petco does sell Morphs because I got my Blizzard leopard gecko there. They just sell them all as regular leo's.

 

[levinjos]

Thanks do you recommend any types of hides or decorations?

 

[levinjos]

I'm using a zoo med under the tank heater i have been gut loading them with wheat bread and potatoes and carrots.

 

[Ozy]

Well leopard geckos come from packed, rocky, arid deserts. So I have a desert theme in my tank. Here are a couple of pics of my set up. She's in a 20 gallon long. The first pic is the cool side with her water dish/hide combo, second pic is the hot side and middle, third is the whole thing (minus the repti-hammock which hangs over the cool side because I hadn't gotten it when I took these pics). And I threw in a pic of Ozy lounging in her repti-hammock just because it's cute. hehehe. That rock that is right next to the moist hide is her FAVORITE thing to hide under. She has loved it ever since I got her. It's just a rock I found outside... Of course now I have to keep it elevated with other rocks because she's gotten too big to fit under it otherwise.

 

[Embrace Calamity]

Leopard Geckos don't "bask" and 100 is WAY too hot. Your hot side should be 90-94 on the FLOOR, don't measure the air temp. My leo's cool side is just room temp unless it gets TOO cold. I have a red bulb hooked up to a dimmer for extra heat if she needs it. You should also hook your UTH up to a dimmer. I just use Lutron Lamp Dimmers which can be bought at Lowe's or Home Depot for around $10. And Petco does sell Morphs because I got my Blizzard leopard gecko there. They just sell them all as regular leo's.

They don't normally bask, but on occasion they may. When I say "basking temp" I don't mean on the floor. What I consider my "basking temp" is the top of the rock shelter I built for him, which is about halfway up the tank. Keeping that at 100 allows the rest of the warm side of the tank to stick between 85 and 92. So I guess I'll admit defeat on that one.

~Maggot

 

[DrCarrotTail]

Your gecko looks like a normal or maybe a Mack Snow. Would need a better picture to try to tell for sure but grown up snows can look a lot like normals. I think Petco gets its leos from some of the leftovers from big breeders so there can be rare morphs mixed in. However you never know what the genetics of them are so best not to breed them.

 

[Embrace Calamity]

Your gecko looks like a normal or maybe a Mack Snow. Would need a better picture to try to tell for sure but grown up snows can look a lot like normals. I think Petco gets its leos from some of the leftovers from big breeders so there can be rare morphs mixed in. However you never know what the genetics of them are so best not to breed them.

Yeah, I've seen a few labeled "mack snow" (which I love) and they look just like my normal - except they're three times the price, of course. XD

~Maggot

 

[levinjos]

Thank you all!! I have a 75 dollar budget for this weekend so I will see what I can buy

 

[levinjos]

My gecko is really white does that mean it is in shed because it has been a few hours.

 

[levinjos]

It did shed here is a more hd picture.

 

[lonestar]

Hey guys.. I need help too... My high yellow also is not eating much.. Always ate around 2 to cricket and stops already.. Its tail is skinny.. Unlike my SHTCT leo..

 

[Embrace Calamity]

Hey guys.. I need help too... My high yellow also is not eating much.. Always ate around 2 to cricket and stops already.. Its tail is skinny.. Unlike my SHTCT leo..

Make your own thread and include all of this (or as much as you can):


About your leo:
- Sex
- Age & Weight
- How long have you owned your leo
- Where was he/she obtained (ex. Pet store, breeder, wild caught, friend)

A) Health/History
- How often do you handle your leo
- Is your leo acting any different today? If so how does he/she normally act which differs from now.
- Has he/she had any problems in the past, if so please describe.
B) Fecals
- Describe (look any different than normal)
- When was the last time he/she went
C) Problem
- Please briefly describe the problem and how long it has been going on

Housing:
A) Enclosure
- Size
- Type (ex. glass tank)
- Type of substrate
- Hides, how many, what kind
B) Heating
- Heat source
- Cage temps (hot side, cool side)
- Method of regulating heat source
- What are you using to measure your temps
- Do you have any lights (describe)
C) Cage mates
- How many (males, females)
- Describe health, or previous problems

Describe Diet:
A) Typical diet
- What you're feeding (how often, how much)
- How are you feeding (hand fed, left in dish, ect)
B) Supplements (describe how often)
- What vitamin/minerals are you using (list brands)
- What are you gut loading food with

Some pics of your setup would be helpful too.

~Maggot

 

[levinjos]

A little status update. Eco is eating one cricket a day. I tested if she would eat more today and she ate two but I don't want to over feed. I have been dusting the crickets every two days is this good or should I dust every day. I also got some real hides.