# Leopard Geckos Care?



## Cody (Dec 22, 2007)

My 10G Reef tank is going to be emptied in December (For a bigger tank, no worries), and I want to add something I have never had before: A reptile. I narrowed it down between a Green Anole and Leopard Gecko, and I have decided to go with a Leopard Gecko. Every site I read says that a 10G is perfect to house one. I already have a screen hood, too.

For the aquarium itself, I will be purchasing the following. Let me know what is good and what should be changed.
Substrate=Green Reptile Carpet Terrarium Carpets for Reptiles: Turtle Turf and Repti Cage Carpet at Drs. Foster and Smith
Heat Source=Under substrate heating pad* Reptile Temperature Control: Repti Therm Under Tank Heaters at Drs. Foster and Smith (8W)

*Would it be better to use a lamp setup? IE, ESU Reptile Clamp Lamp at Drs. Foster and Smith: Portable lighting for pet reptiles

Driftwood: Terrarium Decorations for Reptiles: Mopani Wood at Drs. Foster and Smith

And then a water bowl, food bowl, regular cave, and moisture cave. 

Would those work?

Now, the one thing I am still confused on is feeding. I know they need insects (I can supply Crickets, Mealworms and Worms), but would I keep these in like a Critter Keeper for a day while I feed them? Also, do I offer like Pellets or Fruit as well?

Thanks everybody.


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## willow (Sep 9, 2006)

hi cody
for a baby a 10 is perfect,you may want to go bigger as he grows,
the drift wood wil be fine,gives the gecko something to climb on.
have you had a look at Kates setup about her gecko charlie ??
a heat pad is fine,no need for UV light as they are nocturnerl.
you can put a night blub in if you wish to observe them of a night. 
the crickets can be housed in a critter keeper for ease of feeding
to gut load them before feeding,you can give them an opened
orange with the supplement sprinkled on the night before you wish
to feed your gecko.
one gecko on his own is adviseable as two males will fight,if you want
females that;s fine,i don't want to shovel loads of info on you,
do you know how to sex a male and female ?
oh yeah and i have to tell you i'm now insainly jealous of you.:twisted: ;-)


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## Amphitrite (Sep 8, 2006)

With the correct setup a leopard gecko is an awesome pet to keep. 

*Housing*
As long as the tank is two feet in length it should be okay - height isn't a real issue since they're not great climbers. I started out with my leo in a spare 15 gallon fish tank and that was fine. I changed to a terrarium after a while though as I didn't like only having access through the top of the tank, it's much easier with sliding glass doors at the front.
*
Heating and Lighting*
In terms of heat and lighting, I started out with a heat mat covering just over a third of the tank, a heat lamp and a UV lamp. You'll get conflicing information as to whether a UV lamp is necessary - I think I've used mine twice since getting my leo (he hides as soon as it's switched on). I think it's too bright for him. As for the heat lamp, I haven't found it necessary to use - the heat mat is adequate. The only thing the light is good for is taking photographs of him.

Be sure to get a temperature regulator (you don't want to fry the little guy) - I use Habistat which has a sensor just above the floor.
*
Substrate*
As for substrate, I started out with the repile carpet but felt it was a little rough on the leos little feet so I took it out and now use thick paper instead. Using paper means it can be discarded and replaced on a regular basis. Don't use anything like sand as this can be ingested and cause the leo to become impacted.

*Feeding*
As for feeding, the best choice of food is either crickets or mealworms (crickets are better if he'll take them). There are different things you can use to gutload the insects - I use a mixture of fruit, veg and also gut-loading dry food which I get from a reptile store.

*Supplements*
There are a couple of different supplements I give to my leo. Firstly is cricket dust which I coat the food with on each feeding. Secondly , I keep a shallow dish of calcium powder in his tank at all times. I see him eating it fairly reguarly. I also use a product called Leopard Gecko Dust which contains a variety of nutrients, but I only use this once per week and give it by lightly dusting his food with it.

A water dish with daily fresh water is essential.

*Shedding*
As for housing, you'll need to have a moist box in the tank to aid with shedding of his skin. Make sure it's fully enclosed to retain moisture. I used an old icecream tub with a hole cut out for a door. It has a couple of centimeters of spagnum moss on the bottom which is kept damp at all times. It needs replacing fairly regularly, and I've started buying blocks of dried moss which can be broken off as required - it's great stuff.

He'll usually shed his skin every couple of weeks or so. He'll eat his skin as he sheds so you don't need to worry about removing it. What you do need to watch out for is that he sheds properly - sometimes skin can be left behind on their little toes which you would need to remove. As long as he has the moistbox it shouldn't be too much of a problem though.

He'll also need a cave or some sort of enclosure to hide in. The moist box I keep on the warm end of the tank, the cave on the cooler end.

*Toilet*
Leos are quite good with their toilet habits and tend to go in one chosen place which they'll stick to. One you know where that place is, you can put down a piece of kitchen towel and replace it every day.

*Leopard Gecko Morphs*
There are loads of different morphs of leopard gecko available, so you should have a look around and see what kind you prefer. They change dramatically in appearance when they start to mature - you can see a dramatic change in Charlie in my Leopard Gecko thread 

http://www.fishforum.com/vivarium-pond-pictures-videos/leopard-gecko-7348/

If I think of anything I've missed out I'll let you know and keep asking loads of questions. 

Hope this helped


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## Cody (Dec 22, 2007)

Thank you guys.

I probably wont use the Carpet from what I have been reading.
I will most likely give Mealworms as a staple. How often do I offer them?
I know how to make a DIY Moisture box with like a tupperware container turned upside-down. Could I keep moist paper towels in there, or would moss be better?
Regular Cave and Driftwood will be in. 
I will get a Heat pad, and maybe a light just to see him.

If I have anything else to ask, I will put it here. Thanks again.


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## Amphitrite (Sep 8, 2006)

Moist paper towels can be used, but I don't feel they're as effective and dry up a lot more quickly. 

Mealworms should be offered daily. I put in a small see-through dish to prevent them from running off before they're eaten.


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## Cody (Dec 22, 2007)

Ok. So I will try to find some moss.

I will keep some Mealworms in like a Critter Keeper before I feed him, so I can gut load them.


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## Cody (Dec 22, 2007)

Well, I have been looking around on forums that specialize in reptiles, and then looking at member's vivariums for their Leo's, and it has opened up a lot to me.

I guess Leo's like marble/granite/slate for substrate. Also, I read that two levels can increase room for them (and look nice). This is my plan:

Slate tiles on the whole bottom (already have)
Second level will be on the whole back wall, coming out 5". This will have the repti-carpet. 
Heat pad will be on the bottom level, along with a Humid Hide and a Warm hide. I may also add some driftwood to the bottom. The bowls will all be down here.
The second level will have the cool hide, and just some fake plants for looks. I will have two ladders with cardboard underneath (like what birds use) to get up to the top. The floor will be made of plywood with the carpet on top.
I will also have one light on top of the screen. The main color will just be clear or blue, and I will switch out the bulb for a red one when I want to view nighttime activities.

Does this make sense? How does everything sound?


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## Cody (Dec 22, 2007)

Oops, forgot to add...

For a heat mat, how many watts should it be? 8, 10, 16?


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## Cody (Dec 22, 2007)

Sorry for having 4 straight posts, but little update...

I am trying to get a 20 gallon long for the Leo instead of a 10. Today, I purchased a Water Bowl (nice and sturdy), a 8.5" Lamp (not for heat; for my personal viewing preferences as I plan to use a red bulb at night, and either a blue/white light during the day sometimes), and a log hide (will be one of two cool hides; still need a dry hide). I will be making the moist hide soon.

I am buying things in bits and pieces here.


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## willow (Sep 9, 2006)

looks like you're getting there,where are you going to get
the tank from ?


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## Cody (Dec 22, 2007)

I posted an ad on Craigslist a few hours ago, and someone emailed me back saying they have a ton of leftover Reptile and thankfully, Leo supplies. She doesnt have a 20L, but she has UTH's, bulbs, caves, tiles, etc (She kept her Leo in a 10G). Hopefully, I can get a few things for a decent price. 

I'm getting pretty excited... Even though its not happening untill December!


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## Cody (Dec 22, 2007)

Today was a good day...

-I picked up a 20L with a sliding, locking screen door (that will come in handy)
-A few pieces of Driftwood
-A nice cave (thats 2 of my 3 caves done; dry and cool),
-A small (16"?) light fixture for UVA/UVB purposes (I know Leos dont need it, but hey, it came with)
-A light fixture (same as the one I bought, so I have two now). I will still use one for a red bulb, and maybe the other as a blue/black one.
-Brown Repticarpet. Will be good for a second level if I decide to do so.
-Two food dishes. I will use one for Mealies, and the other one I probably wont use, since it would be pretty big for a calcium powder.

I just now need the two bulbs, a UTH, some plant decor (for the walls, above caves, and just cactus decor), and Calcium Powder.


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## willow (Sep 9, 2006)

looking good. 
have you bought one of these ? the thermostate for the heat pad.








what dusting powder for the crickets do you have,along with
the calcium powder ?


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## Cody (Dec 22, 2007)

I plan to use ReptoCal for the Calcium Dish: Reptile Vitamins & Supplements: ReptoCal Reptile Supplement at Drs. Foster and Smith
And use this Vitamins and Minerals for dusting Mealworms: Vitamins for Reptiles: Zoo Med's Reptivite Reptile Vitamins at Drs. Foster & Smith

And as for the thermostat, I haven't even bought a UTH yet. But I plan to get one with a thermostat.


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## Cody (Dec 22, 2007)

Well, guys, I have decided to not go with a Leo, but instead get a Crested Gecko. I have the 20L on its side, so the 30" is upwards. I will be making a DIY rockwall that will have a few flower boxes and a food/water shelf built in. I will most likely be using fake plants as well. A lot of Driftwood for climbing spaces, hanging leaves...I can't wait to set it up. It will be a bit more expensive, but I think it will be worth it.


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## willow (Sep 9, 2006)

that sounds awsome cody,my sister did that for a couple of her 
tree frogs.
i can't wait to see it either,i'll have to look them up,
i don't know anything about them.


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## Cody (Dec 22, 2007)

Here is a picture if anyone is interested of a Crestie:


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## willow (Sep 9, 2006)

wow!! cody,that is n absolute sweetie. 
do they take more care than the ?leos ?


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## Amphitrite (Sep 8, 2006)

He has really gorgeous eyes!


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## Cody (Dec 22, 2007)

They are a little more sensitive, but IMO are east to care for (just expensive setting up a rainforest habitat).

You don't have to feed them any insects, because they can live off of Crested Gecko Diet (CGD) entirely. They are also much more active IMO and the enclosures can look nicer. They also have a wide humidity range (50-80%)

However if their tail falls off, it can never grow back, so you need to be very careful while handling them. The humidity will be a slight problem for me because of living in Colorado (almost no humidity here for you over-the-pond-ers), but having Coco-fiber and spraying the glass a few times daily will help keep that up. Temperatures also cannot go above 85F, with 80F being high, but can go as low as 60-65F.

So nice pros and cons.


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## willow (Sep 9, 2006)

interesting cody,thanks for the insite about them. 
humid.......well i can't remember the last time we had humid weather either.it snowed here yesterday evening. !!


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## Cody (Dec 22, 2007)

Ahh, I can't wait for it to snow here.

another Pro is that they dont need a UTH. 

And, I have yet again switched my idea on something; the background. I will be having a very natural background that had wood and coco-fiber in it. Here are some DIY links (I will make a thread too when I do it):
My New Setup Questions/Comments/Concerns - The Pangea Forums - Crested Geckos & More
Front-Opening Showcase Vivarium How-To
Naturalistic Vivarium- Great Stuff "How To"... LOTS of pics - The Pangea Forums - Crested Geckos & More

I already have the wood going on the wall (which means I need to buy wood for climbing), the spray foam (great stuff), and some flowerpots. I just need some black 100% silicone and coco-fiber, and I am ready to make it.
I am going to Petco tomorrow for some wood, and possibly the coco.


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## willow (Sep 9, 2006)

great links cody,very good ideas,i like them a lot.
i bekive that not only will you have fun,but you will do a very good job.
i can't wait to see your progress,
please can we have pictures all the way.


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## Cody (Dec 22, 2007)

Pictures every step of the way.


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## willow (Sep 9, 2006)

great stuff,thanks cody 
it always makes it more "real" when someone is doing it
rather than just seeing the end result.


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## Cody (Dec 22, 2007)

I am almost done with my DIY background. I just siliconed the coco fiber to the foam today, and the main part should be dry in 1-2 days. I will have a full DIY post on it, so no worries, with the final here.


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## willow (Sep 9, 2006)

look forward to the pics.


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## Cody (Dec 22, 2007)

Here is a picture of what the background and the planned setup will look like. Please not that I will be adding a lot of plants, both real and fake (hanging, in the ground, in the pots), siliconing a glass plate for a fiber level, and many other things. I just ordered a red bulb, blue bulb, a digital thermometer/hygrometer, and "Bamboo Bars" (climbing things) from Drs. FAS.

*Sorry for the shakiness for the pic, and the size. 
I think once everything is done, it will look much better.


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## willow (Sep 9, 2006)

hay cody,you're doing a pretty fine job so far.
looks great.


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## Cody (Dec 22, 2007)

Well, forgot to mention...

A few days ago I got in my package from Drs. Foster and Smith with a few things. I got a red bulb (looks very cool), a blue bulb (don't know if I will use it), two Bamboo bars which are basically ledges, and a digital hygrometer/hydrometer. I also picked up two fake hanging plants. It is really starting to come together. 

I just need the food, a custom feeding ledge, and more plants. I'm still debating between paper towel and coco fiber bedding for the substrate (heard towels are much easier to clean).

I have the pics, but I'm gone from my house untill Saturday. So they will be up then.


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## willow (Sep 9, 2006)

sounds nice.
look forwar tothe pics then


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## Cody (Dec 22, 2007)

Red light FTS:

Regular FTS:

Top part:

Bottom Part:


I'll be making my own thread for this soon.


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## aunt kymmie (Jun 2, 2008)

Another amazing project! Nice work :-D


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## Cody (Dec 22, 2007)

Thanks, again! 

I plan to get the Crestie in there around Christmas time... That all depends on how much money I get in between here and then. Lol. 

Still need:
-Hanging Food Bowl
-2 or 4 more hanging plants (fake)
-1 large real plant
-2 Small plants (most likely, fake)
-Crested Gecko Diet (which is the food)
-The gecko

I plan to make my mod to put in my coco fiber in tomorrow.


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## willow (Sep 9, 2006)

wow cody looks great 
i hope your crestie is going to like his home,
are you getting a pair or just one ?


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## swankycat (Mar 31, 2009)

Hey, I think you made a good choice with the leo because its one of the two most popular first reptiles. Most people agree. Good thing you didn't go with a chameleon because those have a tough rep. As for leos being nocturnal, yes thats true they don't need light. However a lot of people have UV lights on them as well as giving them plenty of hiding space. I have my leo on a UV light. You said you wanted to get an ESU light? I'm not sure if they still make those. I think they turned to Zilla. And those are the ones I have, well their desert series 50 t5 lights. They're pretty good. I hope your leo is in good shape and in better conditions now!


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