New and looking for advice :)

Hey guys, I'm so glad I found this forum! My name's Lindsey, and i'm 16 years old. (17 on the 16th) I currently have 1 veiled chameleon, Rango. 2 crested geckos, Kannon and Diamond. 2 dogs, 3 cats, 2 guinea pigs, an african dwarf frog, and tons of fish. I'm a huge animal lover. haha. But the reptiles seem to be my favorite.



For my birthday i'm wanting to buy a female Leopard gecko as a present to myself. So far from what I have researched they are fairly easy to take care of. My only confusion is their heating and how to provide it. Heating pad or light? What kind of heating pad? Many of my friends have leos and they use the light, but i've read that the light can hurt their eyes because they are nocturnal?? Also, calcium powder. Do i provide this in a food dish? (i know to dust their food)



Also, I want some tank ideas. Could you guys post some pics of your setups? I'm about to go through the husbandry section right now.



Thanks so much!!

Hi Lindsey and welcome to the forum. There are several threads already started that you might find extremely helpful in your decision to add a leo to your family. First I would suggest checking out the "how to build a proper leo housing thread" [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]

Also in the housing section we do have a "show off your set up thread" [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]

In addition you may want to do a little reading in our feeding section (Health and nutrition) there are some great stickieson nutritional needs. As far as the suppliments goyour leo will need a multivitamin as well as a calcium suppliment. Personally I prefer the all in 1 suppliments such as Repashy calcium plus icb or T-Rex complete leopard dust by sandfire foods. Both are all in 1 suppliments and all you need to do is dust every feeding for leos under 6 months old or every other feeding for leos over 6 months old. Obviously leos in ill health or laying females would likely need supplimented every feeding. There is no need to leave a calcium dish in the viv if you use an all in 1 suppliment.

As far as the heat mat goes, they are pretty much all the same... there are some reviews in our review section on viv equipment that might be worth a read, but personally I prefer the Cobra heat mats. IN the US it is more likely to find the T-Rex bran cobra heat mats... I use a 6x11 7 watt on a 20 gallon long tank and it works beautifully. The ultratherm cobra heat mat is a bit better because for the same sized mat you get 12 watts of output rather than 7 but the company has been doping business for many years, they use all copper banding for the heating element insted of copper or wire filament like most other heat mats, they heat to a consistant constant 100*F and they are non adhesive so you can put them anywhere ane move them with out problems as well as them being water resistant so if you use a wooden viv they can be placed inside the viv with otu worry of shocking or meltdown from water getting onto them. I have some sites bookmarked that you could order the ultratherm cobra heat mat from that I can give you if you decide to go that route, just ask Even with shipping, the mat should cost you under $30 American. Your friends using the heat bulbs for their leos aren't doing them any favors, they do stress out the leos and it is BELLY heat that is most omportant for leos for proper digestion of food. Absolutely NO lights are needed if you get a properly sized UTH, and just a slight correction, leos are actually crepuscular, meaning awake mostly at dawn and dusk, unlike a true noctournal species which doesn't come out forseveral hours after sunset .

Lastly... be sure of the gender you want when getting a leo... as you know from owning chams that females do tend to have some difficulties males won't such as egg binding. Leos produce eggs even if not bred so that is a very real factor to keep in mind, males obviously won't have that problem and with proper husbandry neither should a female but I find that for newbies in the leo fancying community generally find males a little easier to start with, then once they garner the experience are brave enough to try a female But again the choice is all yours, there is seldome a difference in personality between the genders and size is pretty similar as well between the genders.

So hope some of this helps... check out those links those will be VERY helpful in finding the rest of the info you need on set ups. If you still have questions feel free to post away or start another thread if the subject differs or feel free to PM me or another staff member, we're always happy to help

Peace

I've got several threads linked in my signature, that I think you'll find useful.

Welcome to the forum! How long have you had your cham?

Kermit- Wow thank you so much! I didn't know there was such a thing as crepuscular!? haha. I will probabley be going to UTH route as majority of what i'm reading say they work the best. I do want a female because in the VERY VERY VERY FAR furture I want to breed her with my friends male. I am aware that they can lay infertile clutches. Do they use laying bins? If so, what kind? I have a laying bin for my female crested gecko which is a tup-a-ware box with peat moss and eco earth for her. Would the lay bin be like that or rather sand because it's a desert animal?



Kodieh - Thanks! I'll check those out. Well, I've had my current cham since January. He's amazing and I love him to death. I had a Jacksons before him but he past when he was young. (He was sick when I got him and I didn't know it till it was too late)

Oh! I have another question. Is there a supplement schedule for leos? Ex. For my chameleon I dust his feeders with calcium without D3 everyday, dust with calcium with D3 twice a month, an dust with multi vitamins twice a month

I personally just use Reptivite without D3 and have no problems.

Sweet. At every feeding?

I dust every feeding, and leave a bottle cap full of calcium in the tank as well.

Awesome. That's easy!

Hi Lindsey, welcome to LGF! I am sure that you will be very happy here as I am. It is a great forum (the best IMO) with tons of useful info.



Wow, you have loads of pets! And you are only 16 - very lucky girl!!! You must have awersome parents.



I also have a veiled chameleon and I know how hard it is looking after them. So, if you can do that then leo's will be real easy for you. Just make sure you have a UTH mat no matter what anyone else tells you. Leo's need heat under their bellies to digest their food and there is NO question about this. Heat from above as in a basking bulb or overhead lighting does nothing for them except stress them out.



Look forward to chatting with you on the forum and seeing pics of all your creatures.

Welcome to the forum!!!

I can't wait to see some photos of all your pets!! I'm a major animal lover too!! as is everyone on this forum lol

Hello and welcome to the forum. It seems like everyone has everything under control for you. Welcome and I look forward to chatting with you and seeing pictures of all your little critters

Cheers

Hello and welcome to the forum. I'm 17 and have loads of animals too My name is Charlie. Nice to meet you and you will settle in this forum just well. Looking forward to seeing some pictures of your animals

Good choice. Leopard geckos come in a large range of different colours and something to suit everyone. And if you have looked after a crested gecko I'm sure you will be fine with a leo. They are super easy to look after and their care. They need under floor heating (e.g a heat mat) this should cover no more than 1/3 on the vivarium floor. Leopard geckos obtain their heat through their belly rather than basking and gaining through their back - Like bearded dragons. And the heat which is obtained through their belly helps them get warm to become active, and helps them digest their food correctly. Not quite nocturnal - They come out at dusk rather than when it become really dark. But I don't use a light in any of my leopard geckos - they personally don't need it - and a standard light bulb wouldn't give out enough heat. You can supply calcium with D3 on their food and pure calcium (without D3) in a small bowl within their vivarium.

Hiya & welcome to the forum

look forward to seeing pics of all your pets

Kodieh wrote:I personally just use Reptivite without D3 and have no problems.

Kodie this could cause problems in the long run. Herps can not absorb calcium with out D3 supplimenting which can lead to psudo-gout (calcium deposits in the joints) so a D3 suppliment is imperative for your leos well being.

For the op, using an all in 1 dusting powder (which colntains your calcium, D3, and multivit) is highly recommended, easy to use and provides your leo with proper levels of all proper needed suppliments. Repashy calcium plus icb and T-rex complete leopard dust icb by sandfire foods are great suppliments. You do not need a calcium dish in the viv if you use an all in 1 suppliment. You simply dust every feeding for leos under 6 months that are in good condition, and every other feeding for leos over 6 mos old. Obviously ill or laying females may need more frequent dusting.

Joneil - Thanks! My whole family loves animals. It's funny because we always say we aren't gonna get anymore and then we do. I had my veiled before my cresteds and the cresteds are a piece of cake compared to my veield! Have you been [link removed]?



Thanks for all the welcomes guys! I will post pics of all my pets later today. Looks like I will definitly get a UTH. I really like the jungle morph. There's 2 reptile expos coming up in my area so I will be getting her at one of those, but probabley the one in November. I'm wanting to get the tank setup perfectly before I get her and not have to rush to do anything.



Here's a pic of my veiled, Rango. (My baby)

[You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]



And my Crested Geckos.

Kannon (fired up)

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Diamond (not fired up)

[You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]

Hello and welcome to the forum! I'm Kathryn, and everyone here is really nice and friendly!
I'm a huge animal lover, and I'm 16 too! :P You have a lot of pets! Holy smokes! Can't wait to see pictures of them all (everyone loves pictures here!).
I'm looking forward to talking to you further, and hope to see you posting all around the site soon!
And remember to post pictures of your leo when you get her!

When buying a leopard gecko, they can't be sexed until around 6 months of age, unless temperature sexed when they are eggs, and even then temperature isn't guaranteed. If you really want a female, I would buy an older, female sexed leo. If you are wanting a juvie to watch grow, be prepared for disappointment as the gender can be different than originally thought. From my experience, pet stores like petsmart and petco don't sex their reptiles. If you are wanting a TSF juvie (temperature sexed female) I would suggest finding a local leo breeder who has a good amount of knowledge in leos.

Heating pad all the way. Leos get their heat from their bellies, which aids in their digestion. I would let your friends know that they should switch to under tank heater, as it is healthier for your leo. If you want to add a light for viewing, you should get a blue light bulb (you can get them at the petstore) which is easy on the leo's eyes. Albino morphs seem to be more sensitive to light than the other morphs, so keep that in mind if you plan on getting a light. I use this heater: [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]
which does a good job and keeps my tank in the right temp. range. With certain heaters you may need a thermostat, to adjust the heaters temperature (which is useful if you are treating a sick leo as well, as higher temps for a sick leo can be helpful).
I leave in calcium/vitamin powder in my leos tank in a little terra cotta dish (its very shallow) and dust my leos food twice a week.

When you mentioned the laying box you mentioned sand. Sand is NOT good for leos. Leos can accidently scoop a mouthful, especially when hunting for food. This can cause impaction and make the leo VERY sick. The ideal substrate/flooring is ceramic,slate or peel-and-stick tiling. Repticarpet is OK, but can harbour bacteria. You can also use paper towels. IMO tiling is the best. It looks GREAT, and is really easy to clean!

If your leo lays an infertile egg, you can just discard of it. I have a female leo, and she has never laid an infertile egg, but I know it has happened before. I believe a laying box for a leo is a tuperware container with peat moss in it. You then have to move the eggs into an incubator though. If you eventually breed, keep in mind you should breed leos morphs that would work together. Do LOTS of research, especially on genetics and morphs before starting to breed!

Check out this section of the forum for pictures of leo set-ups. [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]
Check out the DIY section as well for some cool creations people have made: [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]

Have you decided what you plan to feed your leo yet?

Kathstew - Thank you!!! Males have pores, correct? Can you sex the gecko by pore checking? I will let my friends know about the heating pad and have them check out this site. I will also have a temp gauge in the cage. No humidity, right? This will be my first desert reptile so the temps are completely different than what i'm use too. Do you know how big of a tuperware container to use? Can their laybox just be their moist hide?



We are remodeling our bathroom so I am planning on takeing the extra tile for the cage!



I plan on feeding her gut loaded crickets, mealworms, and small super worms. So far I haven't read anywhere that they eat dubia roaches or wax worms? Any other type of feeders they can eat? We have a variety in my house because my chameleon is so freakin picky.

You are definiatley on the right track all around. They can also eat dubia roaches(although illegal in my country ) and wax worms are just for treats. They can get addicted to waxworms and then turn down their "good" for them food. I usually treat mine every couple weeks to a couple of them . Your cham is just gorgeous. I love them but I also like to handle all my reptiles and I know that they prefer not to be touched so, I admire other peoples

The temperatures should be kept between 90 and 98. I find most of mine like a mid range of these temperatures. They do not require humidity, in fact too much humidity can cause respiratory infections, so there is no need for misting with these guys.

Most leos will use their moist hide as a lay box as well.

Keep asking, we like answering

Ha ha Lindsey, I know what you mean about chams being picky. I don't know if you get silkworms in the states but my boy just loves them! BTW, Rango is really handsome and his casque is impressive! If you look under the Lizards forum you will see a chameleon section. There is a picture of my veiled there. Feel free to post questions or info under this section as it is still very new and if we don't use it, Jordan may remove it. Lol Jordan. What was the link you put in your post cos it didn't show?



You can feed leo's crickets, roaches, mealworms, silkworms, superworms, morioworms, waxworms and butterworms. It is good to offer them a variety of feeders so they get a balanced diet and all nutritional needs are met. Look under the foods and feeding section there is a sticky regarding the nutriional value of feeders.



Impressed that you are doing your research first and getting everything setup BEFORE you go out and buy your leo. Well done!

Hey and welcome Nice to have another crested gecko owner about xx

smararars2 - Thank you for the compliment on my cham. He use to be a huge grouch when he was in his "teenage" stage. Ha. We built him a free range area in my room that takes up a wall and 1/2 which he just loves. He became alot more friendlier after we started to put him on it. He now loves to come out of his cage but is still hesitant when it comes to handleing. We joke at my house that the wax worms are "chameleon candy" because Rango loves them so much. I guess most reptiles love them. haha.

Joniel- I have to order silkworms. We've got them once and they went moldy and got all disgusting after a couple days. I think it was the way we were keeping them. My cham loved them so much! I felt bad because we had to throw them out and Rango was literally upset the next time we fed him. I will forsure post in the chameleon section! I was asking if you have ever visited the website chameleon forums . com? It's such an amazing website with TONS and TONS of information. And thank you, I love to spoil my animals. I want to know the best enclosure/food/accesories I can provide for them before I get them. I'm always adding or changing a stick or flower in the cages because I always find something better.

Karagain- Thanks. I am a new crested gecko owner. I just got Diamond in June and Kannon in August. They are so adorable.

There is going to be the Tuscon Reptile Expo the 24th-25th that i'm planning to go to. I'm planning on spending most of my birthday money there on cages and stuff. Also new feeders. I'm going to get the dubias which will be my first time feeding them to my guys. My dad will be the one feeding them cus I can't handle the roaches. haha.

Oh! Don't forget phoenix worms! Leos LOVE phoenix worms. They are actually really healthy for your leo, but they are expensive, so I prefer to use they as a treat (but they can be used for a staple diet). I belive you can also feed leos locusts. As mentioned by Jolene (Smararas2) and Jenni (Joniel) they have a wide variety of food options. Its best to give them a mixture in their diet, as its more exciting for them (you wouldn't want to eat the same things all the time!).

Males do have pores, check out this thread: [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.] It has some good male pore pics from Kodie.

I use a sandwich tuperware container for a moist box.

Good idea! I wish we could have been remodeling the bathroom so I wouldn't have had to buy the tiling myself XD

Rango is GORGEOUS. I'd love a cham, but like Jolene, I like handling my reptiles. :P WHich is a shame because they are so beautiful!

I'm going to my first reptile expo this weekend (on the 17th!) so excited!
I hope you find the morph of leo you are looking for!

Alright, so they eat just like chameleons. Do they eat any fruits or greens?

This will be my first expo too, i'm beyond excited.

No need for fruit or greens. Leo's are insectivores (eat insects) so basically anything that crawls or hops.



Regarding the silkworms. Mine also went mouldy once and then I tried leaving the lid off the container and voila, no more mould! They need lots of air, not like other worms that can be kept in closed containers. Don't worry they won't climb out and escape so long as you have leaves in there for them to eat. BTW, you can feed silkworms to your leo's as well and they are great cos they have lots of protein, calcium and water content. Also, silkworms are soft-bodied (easy to digest) and don't have the chitinous shell like mealies and supers which makes them harder to digest. I can't get wax worms or butterworms here in SA so thank goodness for silkworms!



Yes, I am a member on chameleonforums.com and I love that forum, just like I love this one but for different reasons of course.