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NeeNee

NeeNee

Junior Member
Joined
Feb 16, 2014
Messages
298
Location
Toronto, ON
I already have a dog (Golden Retriever) and a DSH kitty, along with the 6 ratties. Saturday I brought home our newest addition, a leopard gecko. She was my cousin's sons' gecko, whom they have had for about 6 years or so and she was becoming neglected, what with her son either in school, then at sports or such, and now in summer at camps or in Newfoundland, so the care went down to her. She owns and runs her own business so her time was quite limited as well, so although the gecko was cared for in all the necessities of living, she wasn't getting any actual attention beyond feeding and tank cleaning. My cousin wanted a better life for her. So knowing the sucker I am for animals and the like, she asked me to take her, at no cost, she would even pay for all future food and stuff, just wanted a place where she'd be interacted with. :)

So introducing the beautiful, Gertie :)

Gertie.jpg

Gertie1.jpg

Is there any gecko owners here that can provide any advice or information on the care of geckos? I have done some research before bringing her home, but want to give Gertie the best of the life :)
 
I have a leo too ��
Is that sand in the tank? I would personally take it out as it's an impaction risk. What are you feeding her/supplementing with? She should have 3 hides, a warm hide, humid hide and cool hide. The best way to heat is via a heatmat hooked up to a thermostat.
Congrats on your new little one!
 
Thanks!

I did some research and many said that the sand substrate is ok for adult geckos, even someone who has been breeding them for over 30 years. I may consider getting the terraium carpet thing (my cousin has them for his bearded dragon)...

How do I create the humid hide?? She has a under the tank heating pad :) She gets crickets - they eat that Fluker's cricket stuff (looks like orange jello) and I have calcium powder. I have read some put it in a small dish (the powder) and place it in the terrarium, others said they lightly dust the crickets with it...suggestions?

Also - she's at least 6 years old - do geckos like to live in pairs?
 
Sand substrate is okay for adult geckos, but is always a risk of impaction no matter the size. If you are going to continue using sand, use sifted play sand, NOT calcium sand. I wouldn't do a terrarium carpet, they are hard to wash and harbour bacteria, plus their claws have a tendency to get caught in them. I use plain papertowel in mine.
I use repashy all in one to dust with, but I'm pretty sure if you're using calcium powder you have to do it in a calcium reptivite rotation. Always dust your feeders, the dish with calcium is optional.

To make a cheap easy humid hide, just get a small tupperware container and cut a door in it. (make sure its not sharp) And place damp papertowels or moss in it, and put it in the middle of the tank (half warm to keep it humid, half cool so it doesn't evaporate as fast)

Do you have your heatmat hooked up to a thermostat/rheostat? They have a bad reputation of getting too hot and burning your gecko if not hooked up to a controller.

Geckos are solitary and don't really have a use for living in pairs. However depending on your tank size you could house females of the same size together, but have to have separate tanks in case there are bullying problems. Many people do house females together though, I hope to get another for my tank when I get mine's eating issues under wraps. :)
 
Have you ever had issues with the crickets disappearing under the paper towel? A bunch of people on a gecko forum said they did - although they also said that it happened with the small crickets.

Is there an easy way to dust the bloody crickets? they move so bloody fast...grrr...

I will have to get a thermostat for the heating mat for sure. I think for now I will just leave her as a singleton, no need to cause any stress on her.

Is there anything you have to do to maintain the moss, so it doesn't die or go bad? :)
 
I feed superworms so I don't have many tips with crickets, other than you could feed in another bin. I've been told using one of the tall delicups put powder in and shake it up. I think they sell shaker cups at the petstore but I'm not sure how well they work.
I just use damp papertowels in mine, but I don't think so, just have to keep it damp.
 
You feed exclusively superworms? The forums said that they are not good for constant food, too high in phosphorus or something? Or am I confusing them with a different type of worm?

Also my cousin has a client whose gecko nearly died and needed hospitalization because it was bit from the inside on its neck when it ate the worm...true story :( so she suggested cutting off the head??? I dunno
 
Some people say its not good, others say its fine, feeders are a pretty controversial topic in the reptile world lol. They are a bit higher in chitin, but are better than mealworms in meat to shell ratio. Many people feed mealworms and supers as staple, and the large breeders of leopard geckos. The ones you wouldn't want as a staple would be wax worms and butter worms as they're really fattening.

All of the stories of worms eating the gecko etc are all myths. They crunch them pretty well, if it's still kicking that much there is probably something up with the gecko before hand.
 
Yes you have to powder everything, I use repashy all in one. I keep them in a kritter keeper in non instant oatmeal. They eat the oatmeal, and I throw in carrot or potato slices for hydration (though if you forget they wont die, I'm bad with remembering to throw them in) I buy about 50 at once, and they last a few months for me because my girls stubborn with eating and only eats a few a week.

Good feeders are crickets, mealworms, superworms, hornworms, silk worms, phoenix worms and dubia roaches(but roaches are illegal in Canada, they can occasionally be found being bred on Kijiji)
Edit- If you like reptile forums, I like theleopardgeckoforum.com
 
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Where do you get your repashy from? Pet smart? I'll check to see what brand calcium powder I have when I get home. I think I might give the worms a shot...definitely easier to keep track of than bloody crickets! Lol
 

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