New to leopard geckos!

[gummyvites]

Hey everyone! My name is Phoebe and i'm extremely new to reptile keeping but not new to pet keeping. I actually don't even have my leo yet but i decide to join you all and do a bunch of research before i even buy the supplies for my soon to be baby! I just want to make sure i do everything correctly and know what i'm doing before i go ahead and get my leo. I joined another forum before this one about leopard gecko's but everyone was so rude about answering me questions, i AM new so i do have a lot of questions that probably sound a little stupid to all of the experienced gecko keepers but isn't part of the point of this website to help people who have questions? If i bug anyone with my questions i'm so sorry i'm just trying to learn to be the best gecko mommy i can be before i make the commitment!

I plan to get my 20L tank any day now with an under tank heater and also a heat lamp (if recommended, and also what wattage would be good?). I'm going to provide 3 hides (warm, cool, and moist) a water and food bowl (even though i'll try hand feeding most of the time), i WAS considering repticarpet for my substrate but i was advised against it (if anyone has any input on the matter that would be great) so now i think i'm going to go with something simple like paper towel untill i can get something like tile (that's what was recommended on the other forum).

So if anyone has any advice or comments that would be awesome!
Like i said im new to all of this but i've been doing all my research everyday like crazy and im SO excited to get my gecko (in august).

Also i would really appreciate if you guys would post some pictures of your geckos and there cages to give me some ideas for my own cage (i also love looking at the little guys).

Thanks everyone! :daisy:

 

[lisa127]

Hi and welcome! Whether you need a heat bulb in addition to a heating pad will depend on what the ambient temps of your house are. The wattage of the heat bulb will also depend on that. With it being summer I doubt you will need both, but in the winter you may. I suggest buying an infrared temperature gun for test temperatures. I've been keeping reptiles I'd say probably close to 20 years now and I would never be without one. As for substrate, I use both paper towels and slate tiles. I have paper towels covering the whole floor of the cage with slate tiles on the heated end as well. I don't have a pic of his cage right now, but my avatar is a pic of my male leopard gecko.

 

[gummyvites]

Hi and welcome! Whether you need a heat bulb in addition to a heating pad will depend on what the ambient temps of your house are. The wattage of the heat bulb will also depend on that. With it being summer I doubt you will need both, but in the winter you may. I suggest buying an infrared temperature gun for test temperatures. I've been keeping reptiles I'd say probably close to 20 years now and I would never be without one. As for substrate, I use both paper towels and slate tiles. I have paper towels covering the whole floor of the cage with slate tiles on the heated end as well. I don't have a pic of his cage right now, but my avatar is a pic of my male leopard gecko.

Okay thank you so much! I'll probably just go ahead and buy the lamp ahead of time so i'm prepared for when it does start to get cold outside. Your boy is so handsome! My only concern with paper towel is i'm worried that the paper towel wont be enough to keep the UTH from burning to leo, do you think this would be a problem?

 

[lisa127]

People who use under tank heaters typically use thermostats with them. Or at the very least a rheostat set on low. As I said though, I have slate tiles on the warm side. If you don't want to get tiles yet, you could always put a few layers of old newspaper on the floor and then cover that with paper towels (just because I think the newspaper is kind of ugly by itself).

 

[gummyvites]

Okay! would it be an issue if i taped it down aswell? i dont want the leo climbing under it

 

[gummyvites]

People who use under tank heaters typically use thermostats with them. Or at the very least a rheostat set on low. As I said though, I have slate tiles on the warm side. If you don't want to get tiles yet, you could always put a few layers of old newspaper on the floor and then cover that with paper towels (just because I think the newspaper is kind of ugly by itself).

Where is a good place to get a thermostat

 

[lisa127]

I wouldn't use tape in case some got stuck to the leo. Personally, I never have had a problem with them getting under it.

 

[gummyvites]

I wouldn't use tape in case some got stuck to the leo. Personally, I never have had a problem with them getting under it.

Okay also where could i get a good priced thermostat

 

[lisa127]

Try amazon.