New Gecko owner with a few questions . .

[Latlaw]

I have a 6 mos old male gecko I've had about a month. He has been eating well (several mealworms or crickets every other day) pooping normally and has had one shed so far. I have him in a 20 gal long terrarium heated on one side by a lamp with a 50 watt ZooMed basking bulb. (Heat method was recommended by the breeder I got him from) I turn it off at night. The temp on the carpet under the bulb is usually around 90+ and in his warm hide about 88 or so. (I use an infared temp gage) He stays in his warm hide most of the day.

Should I be heating with an UTH I keep reading about? Does anyone not use one? My house temp is 73 now but will go in the 60's in the winter. Should I plan on using a UTH in the winter? Or up the wattage of the heat lamp? If I go with an UTH, would I still use the lamp but a lower wattage and not the basking bulb?

How often do gecko's shed? Henry had his first shed a week or so with no problem. But I never saw him go in his shed box. Today he has been in it all day for the first time since I got him. The shed box in in the middle between the warm and the cool side. Should I be concerned? Is it normal to use the shed box while not shedding? Could he be shedding again so soon?

Also, he normally stays in his warm hide under the heat lamp all day, then ventures out at night to eat and explore. If I had a UTH, would he be more active during the day or is he exhibiting normal nocturnal behaviour for a gecko?

Sorry for all the questions . just want to do it right.

 

[watspoppin25a]

Leopard Geckos are nocturnal lizards, they require zero light but it can be used ALONG with a UTH. Since they use the "belly heat" to digest their food they do more or less need a UTH. Especially since you turn off the lamp at night.

 

[Olimpia]

Yea, you might want to use an UTH istead. They're nice because you don't need to turn them off ever lol And in winter if it gets too cold just use the bulb to warm up the general air temperature.

I don't know how often they shed actually lol. Maybe once every few weeks. It's fine that he goes into the humid hide, he just feels like it is all. I have one gecko that lives on the roof of a hide, for no aparent reason. He just really likes being up in the air. You'll learn the preferences of your guy and learn not to get worried as much by things that seem weird

Yep, they're nocturnal so he will always be more active when it gets dark outside.

 

[Latlaw]

Yea, you might want to use an UTH istead. They're nice because you don't need to turn them off ever lol And in winter if it gets too cold just use the bulb to warm up the general air temperature.

I don't know how often they shed actually lol. Maybe once every few weeks. It's fine that he goes into the humid hide, he just feels like it is all. I have one gecko that lives on the roof of a hide, for no aparent reason. He just really likes being up in the air. You'll learn the preferences of your guy and learn not to get worried as much by things that seem weird

Yep, they're nocturnal so he will always be more active when it gets dark outside.

Thanks! I seem to worry about every little thing. lol

 

[Olimpia]

It's ok, I think we've all been through that You'll get used to just relying on your gut and common sense when you have questions. Just remember that they're tougher than we give them credit for!

 

[Misstasha]

It's ok, I think we've all been through that You'll get used to just relying on your gut and common sense when you have questions. Just remember that they're tougher than we give them credit for!

"tougher than we give them credit for!" I can vouch for that ... I had an escapee (freak accident really, he had a roof and everything, I think someone tried to touch him while i was gone and he jumped off their hand and they jus didn't tell me.. regardless after 3 months of not finding my leopard gecko and it was now January I figured he was a goner.. We went into the crawl space in the basement to fix the hot water tank and low and behold there was my lil man, extremely skinny, cold and had a REALLY bad shed... Wen we first found him, he looked dead.. When my bf went to grab him he jumped off the concrete block and into the water ! Long story short he is doing great, no problems only took me a month to get him back to health!

 

[Olimpia]

I know, and then people get worried about their geckos spending a few days without a heat pad in mid-70* house temp. I think they would love it if their native Afghanistan stayed that pleasant lol. There they have to deal with -15* winter nights!