Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I'm seeking advice in several fora on the net, so apologies if you've already read this in another reptile forum!
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We're brand-new proud owners of a pair of adult female Leopard Geckos, whom we adopted yesterday. These are our first reptile pets, and I am trying to make sure we are giving them the care they need. Here's the set-up they have been living in for about 2 years, which we purchased when we adopted the "Gecko Girls" (as we are calling them until we are inspired by the right names):

--20-gallon glass tank with sliding screen lid
--liner of Repti Cage Carpet
--reptile heating pad on one end of the tank, underneath the carpet
--lamp on the same end, resting on the screen lid, with a 75-W "Night Glo" moonlight bulb
--food dish (they've been fed mealworms only, and ate some last night). I was told to put this on the "warm" side to encourage the worms to wriggle.
--water dish (to be changed daily)
--calcium powder dish
--4 different hides. 2 small plastic cave hides that were set up side-by side with a half-log stacked on top (these were on the cool side, and they seem to prefer to sleep in them most of the time; I have seen one climb under the log as well). One plastic "tree stump" type hide, with various holes in it, which was on the warm side.

So in addition to seeking any advice you may wish to give, here are my questions:

-- Shouldn't I get a thermometer? I think I'm supposed to try to keep the warm side of the tank at about 90 F? What kind of thermometer do you recommend -- are those simple ones from the pet store OK, or should I get a digital one, or...
-- Should they have a light other than the moonlight bulb? I was told to keep that on all the time as a heat source. They are in a room where they will get indirect daylight, but generally not much artificial light.
-- Can I use our well water (no chlorine or anything -- our freshwater fish swim in it right out of the tap with no treatment) or do I need to use the bottled spring water they've been given for a couple of years?
-- Should I start giving them some crickets or other foods in addition to the mealworms? They look healthy enough, not skinny, but it seems like some variety would be good if they're interested. (The former owner's mom didn't want crickets in the house, lol, and tolerated mealworms only in a separate fridge. I am not squeamish at all.)
-- Should I use any kind of nutritional powder on their food or treatment/vitamins in their water?
-- Should I change the substrate? They seem to have done well on this carpet so far, and it's easy enough for me to manage. I will try to see if I can get them to eliminate on a paper towel that I can change easily, once I see what corner/area they like to use as a bathroom.
-- Should I provide them with some kind of nesting-type material in one of the hides? I read that a "moist hide" is good for when they shed. What is that exactly, and how can I set it up, if you think it's a good idea. The former owner tells me they only shed once every month or two, which doesn't seem very often to me -- is this OK?

Thanks for any help you can give!

Amy in Virginia

Congratulations!!

Well, my humid hide is just a container from chocolate covered almonds from Superfresh cleaned out with a warm paper towel, damp... and put over the under tank heater.

Variety in food is good. Mine ate only mealworms, now they get waxworms rarely, and crickets all they can eat..lol ..... they love em more than the mealworms.

I use bottled springwater for all my reptiles because our water is heavily chlorinated. That is bad for them.

Post some pics if u can!!!!!! Good Luck!!

Thanks for your advice. I made a moist hide out of a washed plastic lunchmeat box. They haven't used it yet -- we'll see. I put the opening in the side -- is it supposed to be in the top?

Dunno how to post a picture here... Hmm. I'll try... I got a photobucket account, and here (if it works) is a pic of my 7-yo son with one of our girls...

--Amy

I don't use Repticage carpet in my cages. I find that carpet is too hard to keep clean and germ-free. I use a washed sand=box sand that I have found goes through the system when ingested.

I have light on my cages during the day to provide heat and let the leos know that it is daytime because they are in a room with the curtains closed. The lights are out at night.

I feed my leos gutloaded, dusted crickets, superworms, waxworms, silkworms, etc. I feel that variety is good for them. We might survive eating only potatoes...but we might not be as healthy as we could. The insects are free in the cage. I dust with calcium at almost every feeding, and with calcium/D3 powder lightly twice a month and with a vitamin powder twice a month.

I have a thermometer strip in the cage that is able to be moved if I want to see the temperatures in other areas of the cage.

I don't have a well, and have used tap water that has been left out overnight because we have chlorine in the system. I've had one of my groups of geckos for over 11 years and they don't seem to have suffered from it. There is quite a bit of calcium in hard water and quite a few other useful minerals too.

I know that many people have provided some type of nesting material in the hides, but I never have. I have had no problems with the shedding as long as they have something to rub against to take the shed off.

Hope this helps!

Thanks very much for your advice! I appreciate it. The girls are doing well. We fed them crickets (the first they've had in a long time, as the previous owner just fed them mealies) last night and they just loved 'em!