Leopard Gecko

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I just found a Leopard Gecko listed online at a local shelter... and am very tempted. I have never owned one before, so I was wondering if anybody had any advice if I were to adopt him?

I already have a tank, food and water dishes, and a log hide (might need to get a bigger one). Per Leopard Gecko care sheets online, I only need to buy another heat bulb and heat lamp.... and of course food (crickets, mealworms, etc.). Substrate recommended is paper/paper towels, or the like... not sand.

Anything else I am missing?

Thanks!

Also, have you found it true that the will only eat and/or prefer live food only?
 

pizza guy

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They need a humid hide.For babies you can use moist paper towels.For adults you can use spaghnum moss or vermiculite.They need they humidity to shed.
 

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Thanks for the info.

The Gecko mentioned above did not work out, but I got another Leopard Gecko from somebody off of CL a few weeks ago. She is an approx. 2-3 yr old Tangerine Leopard Gecko.

She has a humid hide, warm hide, and a cool hide... and is currently eating Mealworms.-- She did not touch her Crickets, but I will try them again later. She is a bit shy, but is doing so much better. She was caged with another Leo in her old home and that Leo picked on her, hogged the food, etc.

okncsg.jpg
 

pizza guy

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For a toy you can use paper towel rolls wrapped in twine for them to climb on and crawl in.You can potty train them because they usually poop in one spot and remember to gutload the meal worms and give them supplements once a week.
 

ChiKat

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Aww she looks very sweet :)
I have two leopard geckos. I have had them for almost 10 years now. I googled care sheets a few months ago and it looks like the recommended care has changed from when I researched them 10 years ago...oops...should probably modify how I care for the poor things :p

eta: My leos prefer mealworms over crickets...slash they just really struggle to catch crickets :p
 

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Yup, they are gut-loaded, and I am trying to see if I can breed them, or if I will just continue to get them from the pet store.
I finally have 1 beetle! Ugly litttle thing. :p

ChiKat, that is great you have had them for 10 yrs! I read that in captivity they usually only last a few years due to lack of proper care, etc. (not talking about you, but people in general, as they have been labeled as "starter pets").

Just curious, what is difference now on the care sheets than it was when you checked years ago?
 

pizza guy

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If the crickets are hard to catch you can rip off their hind legs.
 

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pizza guy said:
If the crickets are hard to catch you can rip off their hind legs.

Thanks for the suggestion, but I would not want to injure them prior to their death. I gave her a Cricket that she didn't eat, but it became accidently smashed and injured, but still alive. Since she wasn't eating it, I fed it to one of my RES to stop it's misery. :)
 

Angi

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Red Wigglers are easy to breed. I feed them to my boxie.
 

ChiKat

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I think the main difference in care is that now they seem to recommend under tank heaters. I still use a 75 watt black light :p
I can't believe I've had them since I was 13 :p To be honest I don't know why they're doing so well...I don't even gutload their mealworms.

pizza guy said:
If the crickets are hard to catch you can rip off their hind legs.

I have pinched off their hind legs before (seems somewhat less painful than "ripping" them off...if you pinch them they fall off) but I would not feel comfortable doing that anymore.

Here's Echo (...Echo the Gecko, I thought I was a genius at age 13 ;))
IMG_1853.jpg


Little Miss Clemmy (Clementine)
she is SO friendly!
IMG_1831.jpg
 

dmarcus

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ChiKat said:
I think the main difference in care is that now they seem to recommend under tank heaters. I still use a 75 watt black light :p
I can't believe I've had them since I was 13 :p To be honest I don't know why they're doing so well...I don't even gutload their mealworms.

pizza guy said:
If the crickets are hard to catch you can rip off their hind legs.

I have pinched off their hind legs before (seems somewhat less painful than "ripping" them off...if you pinch them they fall off) but I would not feel comfortable doing that anymore.

Here's Echo (...Echo the Gecko, I thought I was a genius at age 13 ;))
IMG_1853.jpg


Little Miss Clemmy (Clementine)
she is SO friendly!
IMG_1831.jpg

You have some very nice Gecko's...
 
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