Questions before buying a leopard gecko

[fishingman1]

For substrate I was either going to use tile, eco-earth, or play sand.
What is the best choice?

I have an 8 watt eko-terra heating pad now. Will that be enough?

How often do I need to change the cage?
Some say every other day and some say once a month.

Can I place a dish of the calcium/vitamins in the tank instead of powdering the crickets? Also if I purchase a smaller gecko how much will it eat a day and how often do I feed it?

Thanks.

 

[Daidra]

Tile,paper towel or butcher paper would be best as if you use loose substrate the gecko will become impacted and it could lead to death.You should use a 24watt heat pad as 8watt will need get warm enough,spot clean everyday(clean poop out or calcium if it is everywhere) and clean the whole cage,furniture and bowls once a week.You will need to have a bowl of calcium in the cage at all times and dust the crickets as well.Younger geckos will eat about 6 crickets or more a night unless it is a baby,then they will eat less.

 

[fishingman1]

thanks for the quick reply. Where can I purchase a 24watt heating pad? A lot of the pet stores only have 8watt.

 

[Daidra]

*****,******** and some other petstores or you can order one from a reptile store.

 

[JordanAng420]

Woah... Wait a minute. A 24 watt UTH is big enough to heat a 50 gallon tank! How big is this tank you're heating? If you have a 10 gallon, that 8 watt should be FINE.

Use tile as this is much easier to spot clean, and you end up having to dis-assemble the cage less often.

You still need to dust the crickets with a calcium and vitamin supplement, in addition to leaving a dish in his or her cage. Switch off between the calcium powder and the vitamin powder at every feeding.

 

[fishingman1]

will heat pads from Walmart or CVS work? Or do they have to be reptile ones?

edit: the tank is a 20 long

 

[Daidra]

no you need a reptile heat pad and as ar as heat pads go they sell a 24 watt heat pad that is great for leos and provides them with the warmth they need and they are not big at all.

 

[adam&nikki]

Tile,paper towel or butcher paper would be best as if you use loose substrate the gecko will become impacted and it could lead to death.You should use a 24watt heat pad as 8watt will need get warm enough,spot clean everyday(clean poop out or calcium if it is everywhere) and clean the whole cage,furniture and bowls once a week.You will need to have a bowl of calcium in the cage at all times and dust the crickets as well.Younger geckos will eat about 6 crickets or more a night unless it is a baby,then they will eat less.

i hate it when every one says this "best as if you use loose substrate the gecko will become impacted and it could lead to death." i see it every where it it makes me kinda upset i dnt mean to hijack your thread but its totaly up to you on the substrate yes as a hatchling or juvie yes tile paper towle and other solid substrates are much better but as an adult you can have them have them on anythinghard packd eco earth would be ok also hard packd clay as long as your leo is hydrated and the temps are fine they will not get impacted in 4 years of keeping leos on loose substrate ive never lost a leo to impaction!!!!!!!

 

[JordanAng420]

No no, don't use those. Those get too hot.

If it's a 20 gallon long, you COULD upgrade to the 16 watt. Realistically, you should have a thermostat attached to it so it doesn't go above 95 on that hot side.

 

[JordanAng420]

Bottom line....THERMOSTAT. You don't want to cook that gecko.

 

[fishingman1]

thanks for the responses. adam&nikki you didn't hijack the thread. your opinion helps.

 

[Daidra]

you can do whatever you like I am just saying what I have done in the past but I now breed leopard geckos and raise over hundreds of them using rack systems,I hope you find what you need to raise a happy healthy leopard gecko.

 

[fishingman1]

if i were to put tiles in my tank, would i seal the tiles in there with grout and all? Or just push then together?