Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I have just received two adult Leopard Geckos, and have a few questions. They are not in the greatest of health. There is some dry skin that will not come off of thier toes and head and are a little skinny. Anyway here are my questions.
1. What should I use for a substrate. They have medium size rocks in there now. Is this OK or should I use something else like sand.
2. It is also suggested that you use peat moss or vermiculite in their hide box. What works best and how moist should I keep it.
3. For their dry skin will something like VitaSpray work to help eccelerate thier health
4. Is it necessary to keep vitamin mineral powder in the lizards cage. And if so is this vitamin powder the same stuff that I use to powder the crickets.
5. I have also heard that you can use low watt normal household light bulb to maintain the temp. in the tank. Is this true and if so what watt should i use.
Thank you for any replies, and if you have any suggestions for a new gecko owner please let me know.
Thank you

>> 1. What should I use for a substrate. They have medium size rocks in there now. Is this OK or should I use something else like sand.

sand = bad
paper towels = good
tiles/slate = good, but not quite as easy to clean as paper towels

>> 2. It is also suggested that you use peat moss or vermiculite in their hide box. What works best and how moist should I keep it.

you're looking for damp, but not soaked. peat moss, vermiculite, or paper towels will all work fine for this.

>> 3. For their dry skin will something like VitaSpray work to help eccelerate thier health

never really tried that stuff, on the rare occasion my gecko has had stuck shed, i've carefully and gently annoyed her with a warm (not hot), wet q-tip. if it's more serious than that will work with, you can try wetting down some paper towels and putting them in a box with said paper towels to get some humidity into the dry skin for them.

>> 4. Is it necessary to keep vitamin mineral powder in the lizards cage. And if so is this vitamin powder the same stuff that I use to powder the crickets.

it is helpful for their health to keep a dish of pure calcium in there for them. (make sure it's pure calcium, no phosphorus or D3.)

>> 5. I have also heard that you can use low watt normal household light bulb to maintain the temp. in the tank. Is this true and if so what watt should i use.

I prefer an under tank heater for night time and a full-spectrum bulb for day time. strictly speaking, they don't *need* UV light, but my observations lead me to believe that it is beneficial.
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0.1 Albino Leopard Gecko - Tigger
0.1 Crested Gecko - Pooh-Bear

Thank you for the quick reply.
I'm sure that I will be back with many more questions.

If the skin is tough to get off still with q-tips and warm water, use tweezers to gently pull it off. They won't like it but it was the only way for me that I could make sure I'd gotten all the dry skin off.
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0.1 ball python (Kilimanjaro)
1.0 amel corn snake (Houdini)
0.0.1 leopard gecko (Charlie)
1.1 cats (Kitty & Milo)
0.1 mouse (Creepers)

Yes you should not use sand it is a very horrible and misunderstood substrate for leos and beardies.

I use papertowels. I have 20l which houses 1 leo only. It is good to house seperately. Especially if male and female they may try to mate too early. It also stresses them out very much so to be in with another. If you want to house 2 or more i would suggest 30-50 gal. tank.

Pure calcuim dish is a must. They will supply themself as needed with calcuim. You are to dust the crix, mealies, or silkworms 2 times a week if that with vitamins and calcuim with d3 too much d3 is toxic to a leo.

A red bulb and a UTH is asufficient lighting and heating. They need more belly heat then anything. Temps are to be 85-90 hot side 70-75 cool side.

You should have 2 suffiecient hides one a humid hide and the other a cool hide. So therefore one on each side. I use KFC mashpotatoe bowls, cool whip constainers, chinese food containers....so on for hides. I put the papertowel in and most several times. Moss can tend to mold if not cleaned and kept properly.

Congrats and good luck! Hope all pans out well!