New Leo Owner

[prof.comet]

Hello Forum

I recently bought a Leopard Gecko at the Pamona Reptile Super Show. Here is a picture. View attachment 37112

I have some questions. Here is her current set up: View attachment 37111

What am I missing?/What is wrong with the picture?

If I powder her food, do I still need to leave a dish of calcium out?

Do I need to use calcium powder AND vitamin powder?

Calcium powder comes with D3 and without. Are both necessary?

Would a diet of mostly mealworms with the occasional silkworm/roach/other
do the trick? Right now I use crickets, and I do not like them; and I don't think my gecko particularly likes them either. We would prefer a worm diet.

However, I still have some crickets left, so how do you all feed crickets to your gecko? Mine end up hiding under the paper towels, or don't conveniently walk up to the gecko and do a little dance so they can be eaten.

Thank you for your help.

p.s. It's almost been a week, and its eaten 1 silkworm, 4 mealworms, and 2 crickets (that I've seen).

 

[lovelovelove135]

I don't have a gecko yet, but I've done a TON of research and have asked so many questions on here and Yahoo Answers haha I can answer the majority of your questions

1. You should have 3 hides. 1 hot hide, 1 cool hide, and 1 humid hide that goes on the hot side of the tank. I think you're missing a humid hide. It helps them when they shed I think you're also missing a calcium dish inside the tank. There should be a pure calcium supplement (no phosphorous or D3) inside the tank at all times. Your leo will lick it up when they feel they need to.

2. ^^Yes, but remember it has to be pure

3. Yes, they're 2 different things. You should have 3 different supplements: pure calcium, calcium with D3, and a multivitamin without D3. I think the multivitamin with D3 would be too much D3.

4. Yes, both are necessary. D3 helps them absorb the calcium, but too much is toxic to them. I would say dust the feeders with calcium w/ D3 one day, the next time you feed dust with a multivitamin, the next day dust with pure calcium, and then repeat. I heard calcium with D3 every other feed is still too much. Although I might have remembered wrong. I'm still a little unsure about when to dust with what. I'm sure someone else can help you out with that though haha

5. No one likes crickets. They make noise, smell, can escape, can start nibbling at your gecko if left in the tank, hide and they just become such a pain from what I heard. When I get my gecko, I'll be feeding mealworms (if it's a juvie because superworms are too big, but superworms if it's an adult because they're easier to digest) with occasional crickets. Some well-known breeders feed only mealworms to their geckos, so your gecko should be fine.

6. I can't exactly answer this question since I don't have one yet xD but I can give you advice that I got from other people If you're okay with doing so, you can take off the back legs of the crickets so they don't hop around so much.

Hope I helped! Good luck!

 

[fl_orchidslave]

What a pretty gecko Welcome to GF and potential leopard gecko addiction!

Your setup would be great for a snake, but leos need a few different things. Most folks make a moist hide out of a plastic sandwich box by cutting a hole (smoothing ALL rough edges with a nail file) and either dampened paper towel or spaghnum moss. Some get more creative and hide it under something pretty. Also an undertank heat mat and digital probe thermometer to measure floor temp 91-94 on the warm end, nothing is needed to regulate the cool side. A smaller water dish is fine and would stay cleaner. As far as calcium and feeders, there's a lot of threads in those forum sections that go thru pros, cons, brands, and frequencies that would enlighten you sufficently on those matters.

It sounds like your new friend is doing well with eating and that's a big plus!

 

[prof.comet]

You can't see it in the picture, but there is a heat mat which is attached to the Repti500R which keeps it ~90F. There is a digital probe-thermometer inside.

 

[roger]

You can't see it in the picture, but there is a heat mat which is attached to the Repti500R which keeps it ~90F. There is a digital probe-thermometer inside.

great !

 

[fl_orchidslave]

You can't see it in the picture, but there is a heat mat which is attached to the Repti500R which keeps it ~90F. There is a digital probe-thermometer inside.

Fantastic!!