wburkel
New Member
- Messages
- 19
- Location
- Gilbertsville, PA
Hello everyone, my name is Bill Burkel. I live in Gilbertsville, PA. I am 40 years old and just recently fell head over heals with Leopard Geckos. When I say "Fell" I mean Fell Hard.
I live in a single home with me beautiful wife, my four kids, one dog three cats and now my 25+ Leopard Geckos.
About the first week of March this year we got my oldest son two Leopard Geckos from Pet Smart for his 15th birthday. Of course we already had them home and had no real idea of how to take care of them, other than the care sheet they gave us with the purchase. So we went on-line and searched to fine out what to do with these things. Once I saw the crazy colors and patterns that were out there I new I had to have some of my own. The very next day I went back to the same Pet Smart we got the first two and got two more. Now we had four juveniles.
I started looking hard on the Internet to see what was out there. I stumbled onto Gary Uno's web site www.westcoastleopardgeckos.com. I called Gary and started talking to him and decided to get a trio of one year old Mack Snows (1m 100% Het Raptor, 1F 100% Het Raptor and 1F 50% Het for Raptor).
When they arrived I opened the box and I new right away I had to have more. So I called Gary again and said we need to put another package together. Not knowing anything I asked him to put something together and send me pics. He came up with a trio of Tangerines. But I knew that three more was not going to be enough. Long story short that shipment grew to 15 animals. So now I was up to 22. When this shipment came I was even more hooked. I needed more but wanted them fast. So I searched for local shows and found the Hamburg PA show. Which was on the 24th of April(Last Weekend). I was like a kid in a candy story. All the colors and flavors, my head was spinning. I meet Jeff Jr from JMG and got a couple of strips from them. I left Saturday with 9 more animals. I met pat Kline on Saturday but by the time I got to his table I was out of cash. Pat and I only live about 45 minutes from each other so on Sunday the 25th I called him to see if we could meet up during the week so I could pick-up a few females from him. He brought me about 8 females to choose from and man it was hard to choose they were all great, but I settled on four. So now I have 35 total.
I built my own rack. I use Sterilite (18) 28 quart tubs and (6) 12 quart tubs. The design is very close to the one shown in Ron Tremper's book. I heat with flex watt heat tape.
I have two incubators, but only one is in use at the moment. I have 6 eggs set to 82 degs as of today.
I owe a lot of thanks to a bunch of people, most of them don't even know me, but the information on your sites or things that you have said on Late Night Leos has been invaluable. People like Brittney Gougeon & Nigel Kinley your show is great I have downloaded all your shows. Of course people like MOGL, Kelly and all the other guest that have been on the show. The knowledge that you have put out there has been great. I also have to thank Gary Uno and Pat Kline your animals are now my animals and they are all great. I did start a web site called www.geckospot.com. I have started to put pictures of all my animals up there. Hopefully by Sunday May 2nd I will have every animal listed.
I am looking forward to things to come. I know that I will have my ups and downs but I am ready for the ride.
I live in a single home with me beautiful wife, my four kids, one dog three cats and now my 25+ Leopard Geckos.
About the first week of March this year we got my oldest son two Leopard Geckos from Pet Smart for his 15th birthday. Of course we already had them home and had no real idea of how to take care of them, other than the care sheet they gave us with the purchase. So we went on-line and searched to fine out what to do with these things. Once I saw the crazy colors and patterns that were out there I new I had to have some of my own. The very next day I went back to the same Pet Smart we got the first two and got two more. Now we had four juveniles.
I started looking hard on the Internet to see what was out there. I stumbled onto Gary Uno's web site www.westcoastleopardgeckos.com. I called Gary and started talking to him and decided to get a trio of one year old Mack Snows (1m 100% Het Raptor, 1F 100% Het Raptor and 1F 50% Het for Raptor).
When they arrived I opened the box and I new right away I had to have more. So I called Gary again and said we need to put another package together. Not knowing anything I asked him to put something together and send me pics. He came up with a trio of Tangerines. But I knew that three more was not going to be enough. Long story short that shipment grew to 15 animals. So now I was up to 22. When this shipment came I was even more hooked. I needed more but wanted them fast. So I searched for local shows and found the Hamburg PA show. Which was on the 24th of April(Last Weekend). I was like a kid in a candy story. All the colors and flavors, my head was spinning. I meet Jeff Jr from JMG and got a couple of strips from them. I left Saturday with 9 more animals. I met pat Kline on Saturday but by the time I got to his table I was out of cash. Pat and I only live about 45 minutes from each other so on Sunday the 25th I called him to see if we could meet up during the week so I could pick-up a few females from him. He brought me about 8 females to choose from and man it was hard to choose they were all great, but I settled on four. So now I have 35 total.
I built my own rack. I use Sterilite (18) 28 quart tubs and (6) 12 quart tubs. The design is very close to the one shown in Ron Tremper's book. I heat with flex watt heat tape.
I have two incubators, but only one is in use at the moment. I have 6 eggs set to 82 degs as of today.
I owe a lot of thanks to a bunch of people, most of them don't even know me, but the information on your sites or things that you have said on Late Night Leos has been invaluable. People like Brittney Gougeon & Nigel Kinley your show is great I have downloaded all your shows. Of course people like MOGL, Kelly and all the other guest that have been on the show. The knowledge that you have put out there has been great. I also have to thank Gary Uno and Pat Kline your animals are now my animals and they are all great. I did start a web site called www.geckospot.com. I have started to put pictures of all my animals up there. Hopefully by Sunday May 2nd I will have every animal listed.
I am looking forward to things to come. I know that I will have my ups and downs but I am ready for the ride.
