Want to make sure I'm doing this right...

[stellascura420]

Hi!
I just got a new female leo today. She's about three years old and looks to be very healthy and alert. I've got her tank set up pretty good I think, I followed all the info I've gotten the past two-three weeks. I would just like to double check with you guys to make sure I'm not missing anything and everything is good for her.

I have a 20 long tank with sliding screen top and an UTH on one side and ceramic tile for substrate. 2 hide houses and one moist/humid hide and a water dish. I got RepCal Calcium w/ D3 to dust her food with, but I'm going to wait a day or two before I try to feed her so she has time to get settled in. I have a digital thermometer/hygrometer coming to me in the mail it should be here in a few days. In the meantime, I checked the temp of the warm end with 2 different home thermometers (one digital, one mercury) and they both read 91.4-92.1*F. Is anything over 90* too hot? The room temperature is pretty constant between 75-80* so I assume the cool end is about the same?

I'm adding a picture of the setup. I know I'm missing a dish of calcium powder but I'm still a little bit confused as to whether or not I need one if I'm using the RepCal? I've heard some mention of D3 toxicity, so is it okay to use RepCal w/ D3 for every feeding? Any advice would be greatly appreciated, thanks!

 

[JordanAng420]

Hey Heather,
Welcome to GF! Nice setup you got there...I love the gecko artwork near the wall, that's really neat! Anways, to answer some of your questions
~91-92 is fine...I wouldn't let it get too much over 95 though. The cool end should be fine like it is.
~You're going to get mixed views about the D3, but I can tell you from personal experience, I dust at EVERY feeding as well as leave a dish of Calcium D3 in each of my geckos cages. I've never personally had a problem, and neither do any of the reptile clients my doctor and I sell the stuff to. D3 toxicity isn't something seen too often in leopard geckos, i've seen it a lot in chameleons and iguanas, but I have yet to treat a leo. I would go ahead and leave a small amount for her in a dish. Most of my girls will just eat it!

Pretty setup, btw. Now where's the pretty girl?

 

[bluedog]

I like your tank. I am new myself. I really enjoy seeing how other people set up. Looking forward to seeing your leo!

 

[stellascura420]

Well there has been a new breaking development... "she" is a "he"! The lady I got him from had him for about 3 years and told me he was a girl. I really can't believe they never noticed before, it's kind of obvious, lol. Here are some pics I just took.

 

[bluedog]

Uh-oh LOL. Well HE is very striking!

 

[Krow]

Calcium dish yet? & I like his stubby snout, its very cute!!

 

[stellascura420]

Yup, I put some in a gatorade bottle lid. I don't know if he's eaten any of it but I know he's atleast stepped in it because theres a nice little paw print left lol. BTW, I had his moist hide on the warm end of the tank but the paper towel kept drying up within an hour or two. Should I double or triple up the paper towels (they did come from the dollar store after all) or just move the hide more toward the middle of the tank?

 

[daleo]

nice setup! i use paper towels and i use one sometimes two folded up so they fit the gladcontainer. i have to mist mine every day because i keep it on the hot side. if you dont want to keep misting everyday move it closer to the middle.

dale

 

[stellascura420]

Well I said I was going to wait a day or two to feed him till he got settled in, but I bought some crickets today at a bait shop (about 50 for $2) and I wanted to test out the best way to catch and dust them, so I tried to see if he would eat one and he ended up eating five! So I guess that means he's pretty comfortable in his new home since his appetite is good right?

I have the crickets set up in a 10 gallon tank with some toilet paper tubes, egg cartons, romaine lettuce, watermelon and a mix of ground up dry cat food and tropical fish flakes (which is already almost devoured). I used the long tube from an aquarium siphon to scoop them up 1-2 at a time, then sprinkled a little dust on them, gave it a gentle shake and dumped them in, which is good for me since I don't have to touch them lol. It's so fun to watch him eat!

 

[GeckoNub]

Love your tank and your gecko is a real cutie

I only had mine since Feb but i remember how exciting it was I still love to watch them eat and im fascinated by how they shed their skin

Hope you have a lot of fun with ur little guy :main_thumbsup: