New in Az...and our new gecko might need a lil help

[ssantac]

Hi everyone,

A little over a week ago I bought a Leopard gecko from someone on craigslist for my 8yr old daughter. Her class has a Beardie, and they all take turns weekly taking care of it. She wanted one, but since they get kind of big, and were all beginners, we decided on a Leo.

We were told it was from a petshop, and is approx 8mo. old. It came with a 10gal, sand substrate, light and bowls. We bought a rock structure for the 'hot' side, along with a heating pad. The 'cool side' has just a small wood hide. We have the light on a 12hr. timer, and keep fresh water in the tank.

We left it alone for about a week, fed it about 3 days after getting it. It ate 2 mealworms, and we have been feeding about every other day. 3 days ago I was able to reach in and hold it, although its pretty untamed. My daughter was even able to hold it for a while. I sexed it has a female. Today I tried to pick her up again and when I had her in my hand, she bit me!

I'm wondering if I'm not feeding her enough. I think she is too wild to weigh, but does look kind of skinny. So I guess after a long winded intro, my question is...does everyone think I'm feeding enough. I just read about gut loading mealworms, so I think I'm going to try that...maybe some crickets too.

My other question is: Is the only way to tame them just to hold them until they get used to you?

Thanks...and sorry for the long read!!!

 

[LeopardShade]

Welcome to Geckoforums! Good for you seeking help to ensure better health for your gecko.

Honestly, Craigslist isn't the best place to purchase geckos, or any animal for that matter. Just saying that as a precautionary statement in case you plan on getting more. You're much better off buying from a reputable leopard gecko breeder (like many of the ones on here), where you can guarantee better health, care, and genetics for the animal.

There are two problems with the enclosure I can pick out already.

First, the sand substrate. You should get rid of it ASAP, as sand, along with any other type of loose substrate, can cause a potentially fatal medical condition called impaction in the animal. This is caused by the accidental ingestion of the material over a prolonged period of time. Sand cannot be digested ,so a blockage will form in the gecko's lower intestinal tract. Over time, the gecko will develop detrimental symptoms and will essentially waste away if not immediately treated by a vet. You should replace it with a solid substrate, preferably paper towels or slate tiles.

Second, the overhead lights. Kudos to you for getting a heat pad, as that is the best and most recommended heat source for leopard geckos because they absorb the majority of heat through their bellies. Overhead lights are essentially superfluous, you do not need one when it comes to leopard geckos. In fact, bright light can actually be a contributor to stress for the animal. I recommend purchasing a digital thermometer so you can monitor the temperatures. The hot side should be around 90-95 F at all times to ensure proper immunity, respiratory health, and digestion.

A picture of the gecko would be great. She could definitely benefit from eating more.

Both my geckos have gotten quite tame with daily, stress-free handling. They all have personalities, some tolerate it better than others. A short handling session of around 5-10 minutes a day is fine, however if you feel the lizard is too stressed, it's best to put it back and leave it alone for a day and try again the following.

 

[ssantac]

Thanks for the response and welcome!

I read about the sand being a potential problem. I was thinking of changing it out soon. I kind of used the gecko as a learning tool for my 8yr old. She wanted it, so I made her save up for it. She was a little short, so she still owes me a little money...to be worked off in chores. But she's almost paid up and then we'll probably find a nice tile.

I also read the light is more for us then them, so thats why I got the heating pad. I dont think the tank is anywhere near the ambient temps you mentioned, but I noticed that maybe the hot side might be too hot none the less. Ive been seeing the gecko more often than not on the cold side. Maybe thats just whats its been used to. When I touch the sand around the heating pad/lamp its not really hot to the touch. I'm going to buy another thermometer this weekend also. There is one of the stick on tape kind on the cool side, and it typically reads ~80 with the light on.

My brother came over, and he has some experience with reptiles, he was able to pull her right out of the cage last night with very little issue. Maybe I was just too rough or something. We'll keep trying.

 

[ssantac]

Ok...here is the link to my other thread about feeding that has a pic of her...

http://geckoforums.net/showthread.php?t=85300