Who's right

[Palmersheim]

As newbie the thing that's most confusing is how so many breeders disagree with the "right" way of doing things. Whether talking about feeders, substrates or even morph identification... there are so many "experts" that you wonder who you should listen to? I've spent hours on the internet and reading different forums, and the more I read... the more I realize that there are many options with no "absolutes" in raising leopard geckos?

If you have a morph named after you... does that make you one of the experts to listen to? We know those breeders can get top dollar for their hatchlings and that has to represent a recognition from other breeders.

Or... try to google images for a particular morph. It's somewhat unbelievable how different the same morph can look! I appreciate the forum, and find it a great place to find help and to discover that others go through the same thing... but just how do you determine who to listen to?

 

[Bodon]

I know, it can be very hard and the right answer is, probably no one person is right. Ron Tremper, probably the best known breeder of leopard geckos co wrote a book that says you can have your leos on sand and lists a few species of other lizard that you can house with your leopard gecko. Ask the people on this site if you should mix species or use sand!

So i see where you are coming from, many of the people on this site learned the hard way and they know what they're talking about. Doesn't mean its correct though. But the best advice i can give would be to check many sources and try to go with what makes the most sense and what is the most common answer to your question.

And as for the morph thing, believe me, we all know how confusing that can be! Its hard because there can be several names for the exact same morph, such as Las Vegas Albino and the Rainwater Albino....its the same thing, two names. All you can do is just try to learn all the names and even then it can be tough.

 

[Foreverandever]

What it comes down to is personal choice. Once you have a general idea on how to care for a leo then the size of the tank, the substrate, what you feed, how often you feed, etc is all up to you. No one can really claim to be an expert as everyone has differing opinions. If person A claims to be an expert and says dont use sand, and person B claims to be an expert but says use sand...who is the true expert?. It's personal choice. Hope that made sense

 

[Gregg M]

What it comes down to is personal choice.

This is true for the most part... However there are people on this site who have been keeping reptiles in general for many years with great success...
Some are truely experts in the feild of captive husbandry... It can be hard to weed through the bad info at times... My suggestion is to not put too much stock in internet care sheets...

Ron Tremper is an expert in the captive husbandry of leopard geckos... He has been working with leos for longer than most and he is very successful... His word is not gospel by any means, but he does know what he is talking about for certain... His book is worth the money you spend on it and is a great source of info to be used in conjunction with other peoples husbandry tips and your own drawn conclusions...

 

[sam260677]

I have had the same problem with being a newbie and who to listen to for advice. I had my baby gecko 3 weeks ago and was told by the pet shop to put him on sand and give him a temp of 70f on the hot side. I did this but then went on this forum and was told no sand and temp of 92f at least,so this is what I did.
Unfortunately my gecko did not eat for 18 days,so I phoned up the pet shop where the lady reduced me to tears by basically saying that it was my fault he wouldnt eat and to bring him back to the shop where they will look after him and give him some stuff to get him eat.
So that is where my little man is now, in the pet shop having some vitamins etc to get him back on his feet. She also had a go at me for keeping him in a 2ft viv,when I should have started him off in a little plastic tank as he is only a baby. They didnt tell me this at the time, and I thought I was doing my best by having all the proper stuff.
I really miss him,and Im so upset to think that I may have done something wrong,the pet shop said he was too hot to eat. But Im worried now about when he comes home, do i put him on sand,like he had at the shop and have his uth on 70f, obviously what I was doing was wrong as he wouldnt eat. The petshop lady had great delight in telling me that he ate really well at the shop!I got him crickets, mealworms (which I shouldnt have done because they can eat from the inside!), waxworms and baby locusts,and I read so much info I cant believe she treated me like that.
Im hoping to pick him up on Monday if he is well enough to come home. I just wanted to tell this story to show how conflicting advice can be dangerous as well as confusing!

 

[gators0204]

I have had the same problem with being a newbie and who to listen to for advice. I had my baby gecko 3 weeks ago and was told by the pet shop to put him on sand and give him a temp of 70f on the hot side. I did this but then went on this forum and was told no sand and temp of 92f at least,so this is what I did.
Unfortunately my gecko did not eat for 18 days,so I phoned up the pet shop where the lady reduced me to tears by basically saying that it was my fault he wouldnt eat and to bring him back to the shop where they will look after him and give him some stuff to get him eat.
So that is where my little man is now, in the pet shop having some vitamins etc to get him back on his feet. She also had a go at me for keeping him in a 2ft viv,when I should have started him off in a little plastic tank as he is only a baby. They didnt tell me this at the time, and I thought I was doing my best by having all the proper stuff.
I really miss him,and Im so upset to think that I may have done something wrong,the pet shop said he was too hot to eat. But Im worried now about when he comes home, do i put him on sand,like he had at the shop and have his uth on 70f, obviously what I was doing was wrong as he wouldnt eat. The petshop lady had great delight in telling me that he ate really well at the shop!I got him crickets, mealworms (which I shouldnt have done because they can eat from the inside!), waxworms and baby locusts,and I read so much info I cant believe she treated me like that.
Im hoping to pick him up on Monday if he is well enough to come home. I just wanted to tell this story to show how conflicting advice can be dangerous as well as confusing!

There could be a few reasons as to why it wasn't eating, most likely it was the size of the enclosure. As far as temps, keep at the minimum 92f on the hot side. Read gregg m's post on why it is beneficial and correct to keep at high temps. 9 times outta 10 the associates at the big chain pet stores haven't a clue as to the correct husbandry of any reptile they keep.

 

[Golden Gate Geckos]

There is a LOT of confusing and ambiguous information out there, but I believe there is always more than one 'correct' way of doing things. For the most part, the information is based on the experience of what works for the individual breeder. I know I do things differently than practically every other breeder, but I think you will find that in regard to the most important basic care, husbandry, and breeding of leopard geckos the majority of us are on the same page.

It's GREAT that you are doing your research, but I know that it can make your head explode trying to wade through all the conflicting information and even debates. But it will be the collective information you have along with experience that will help you determine your own 'right' way to do things.

 

[Sunrise Reptile]

For the most part, the information is based on the experience of what works for the individual breeder.

I would absolutely agree with this statement, and I think this fact is being misconstrued as some sort of disagreement. In certain aspects, different folks use what works for them.

So is any one person's method of, for example, where they put their humid hide or use of paper towel over newspaper right or wrong? Certainly not. I'm actually really glad that this isn't a community of "cookie cutter" breeders. :main_yes:

 

[shawn119]

Mostly what people post is there way of doing it. Other people have there own ways because there is not just 1 right way. Of course on specific questions there will usually be just the same answer but take a question like this. What substrate do you use? There are many different answers like paper towels, repti carpet, sand, and tile. People just post their way of doing it. It dosen't mean someone is an "expert" because they post logical answers. People have there own way of doing and experimenting different ways to take care of a young or adult leo.