What to do when a gecko is first brought home

[bry12345]

My girlfriend decided a leopard gecko is going to be our anniversary gift (yay!) but I have a few questions for when we have everything and finally bring it home.


1) I know when they're brought home, you aren't supposed to handle them so they can get used to their new home. How long do you guys wait before you try to handle them?


2) When should I first try feeding? When they first go in? And how long do you typically leave food in the enclosure? I'll be using mealworms with occasional crickets, roaches, etc as treats.


3) What is your vitamin schedule? I plan on buying Rep Cal Calcium with D3, their Herptivite multivitamin, and Calcium without D3 for the tank.

 

[stager]

1. I don't handle for 1 week if it was shipped 2 weeks. 2. I offer food the next day though some won't eat for a while. 3. I dust food with calcium plus every meal but some do weekly. I would still dust even if you leave calcium in tank as I had a gecko that would not luck up calcium. Good luck

 

[Russellm0704]

1. I would handle him as little as possible the first day. Just see how comfortable he is with handling after that and give him time to adjust if he does not seem to like it at first.

2. I would try feeding the first night. They do not always eat at first when they get a new home. If feeding mealworms just leave them in an escape proof dish.

3. I recommend Repashy Plus for calcium and vitamin needs. It is an all in one and is to be used with every feeding.

 

[bry12345]

3. I recommend Repashy Plus for calcium and vitamin needs. It is an all in one and is to be used with every feeding.

I've seen this thrown around here in my (short) time but never paid much mind to it. How long does a standard bottle tend to last you?

 

[indyana]

I have a handful of geckos, and I usually have to replace the bottle because it's old rather than running out. (I tend to replace all my supplements every year or so because they don't stay good forever.)