What Affects Growth in Baby Leos?

[Mystick]

I'm planning on getting these two baby leos at the pet store today with a little bit of the store credit I have. I first saw them on Monday, when they were bought there from someone's home, so I'd been sitting on it for a while. They are cheap, about 20 each, since they are from someone's home, and they are babies. I just didn't get them right away, because the person who bought them in bought their enclosure in with them, and it had play sand, and I wasn't sure if they were even healthy or gonna eat. Wednesday, the store owner put them in the store cage, with newspaper, and I fed them, and they chased the crickets around. He claims that one is a bit dehydrated, due to skin hanging from his chin. So these reasons are why I am sitting on these geckos. I don't want to buy nothing, so I can deal with them possibly dying, but these are doing fine...but still idk.

One, I believe is a mack snow, and one is a normal or jungle. It's been a while since I raised a baby leo, since mine are all grown, and been grown for years.

I want these to grow up really good, what factors besides genetics affect the growth of leos?

Like, do you think heat affects the growth, like the temperture of their cage, or a heat mat under their cage that will help them digest better?

I already know the food affects their growth, and how often you feed them.
Mines eat about twice a week, filling up on all the crickets they can. The superworm eating ones get offered food every day.

But with some animal species, the environment that they are raised in also affects their overall growth and health like cleanliness, etc.

I already have the proper set up for them, but you know, I want to improve.

 

[Saphira]

We are pretty new to this. Our Leo is 18 months. When we first brought her home she ate about 10 crickets every night....it slowed the bigger she got. Now fully grown she eats about 4 worms every two days or so. We have the over the head red light as well as the under the tank heater.

 

[snowgyre]

There are three major factors in the growth of leopard geckos: food, heat, and calcium. Leopard geckos will grow fast if allowed to feed until they're full, although in adulthood this isn't a good thing because it can lead to obesity. Heat is essential because of what you said; it allows the enzymes in the digestive system of the gecko to become active. Calcium is essential because most feeder insects are very low in calcium, and rapid growth can lead to bone malformations (ie. metabolic bone disease).