Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hello all!
well I've been having some trouble with my leo that I'm fixing by working closely with a reptile vet, but I've got a few questions that I forgot to ask the vet about and won't be able to ask until our next meeting (which may not be until an annual check-up if the meds he gave me make my leo better). first off one thing I'm wondering about is the temperature of my leo's tank. I always though his tank was kept near 85 degrees but today I bought a new thermometer which says that on the floor of the tank it is 95 degrees, is that okay or should I switch to a a 50 watt bulb and bring the temp down? he tends to spend the day on the cool side anyways, but I don't want to turn it down if its good for him to have a good basking heat.
my second question pertains to parasitic infections. how on earth can you prevent them short of raising your own feeders? this is the second time that my leo has gotten a parasitic infecting after brumation and quite frankly it has me really upset. I keep his tank clean I make sure he's healthy by vet check-ups and I gutload his feeders and do all that good stuff, yet I can't seem to prevent these infections. basically I just want to know what more I can do to keep my gecko healthy and happy.
thanks much!

>>Hello all!
>>well I've been having some trouble with my leo that I'm fixing by working closely with a reptile vet, but I've got a few questions that I forgot to ask the vet about and won't be able to ask until our next meeting (which may not be until an annual check-up if the meds he gave me make my leo better). first off one thing I'm wondering about is the temperature of my leo's tank. I always though his tank was kept near 85 degrees but today I bought a new thermometer which says that on the floor of the tank it is 95 degrees, is that okay or should I switch to a a 50 watt bulb and bring the temp down? he tends to spend the day on the cool side anyways, but I don't want to turn it down if its good for him to have a good basking heat.

95 is okay. One thing you may want to change is from a overhead light to an under tank heater. Under tank heaters help Leopard Geckos with digestion better than overhead lights. Since Leopard Geckos are nocturnal, they receive their heat through the ground from rocks that have been sitting in the sun all day. Under tank heaters simulate just that.

>>my second question pertains to parasitic infections. how on earth can you prevent them short of raising your own feeders? this is the second time that my leo has gotten a parasitic infecting after brumation and quite frankly it has me really upset. I keep his tank clean I make sure he's healthy by vet check-ups and I gutload his feeders and do all that good stuff, yet I can't seem to prevent these infections. basically I just want to know what more I can do to keep my gecko healthy and happy.
>>thanks much!

For the infections, it seems like you are taking all of the correct per cations. Where did you obtain the Leopard Gecko from? It might have been preexisting...
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MK Geckos
Your Source for Leopard Geckos!
MK Geckos Forums

I forgot to mention I use a ten watt under tank heater along with the 60 watt light bulb. with just one or the other it wasn't warm enough since we keep our house pretty cool most of the time.
as for the second question, I recieved him from a pet store almost three and a half years ago. he was fine the first full year. he was very inquisitive, always checking out his surrounding and eating. then after his second brumation period with me he kind of just didn't come out of brumation so by april I figured something was wrong and got him checked out and it was hook worm. same thing happened this year but we don't know what it is. this makes me think that it was most likely he had parasites before I got him, especially considering I was a dumb high school kid wanting a cool pet even though I didn't have the money for it so I didn't take him to the vet until the first parasite incident. now that i've got a job and I understand how important vet visits are for all pets I take him for his annual check ups just like my other pets.
on the positive side I gave him his second does of meds and he's already acting much better. I washed his cage an huor ago and when I put him back he was running around checking every inch of his tank to see what had happened.

>>I forgot to mention I use a ten watt under tank heater along with the 60 watt light bulb. with just one or the other it wasn't warm enough since we keep our house pretty cool most of the time.
>>as for the second question, I recieved him from a pet store almost three and a half years ago. he was fine the first full year. he was very inquisitive, always checking out his surrounding and eating. then after his second brumation period with me he kind of just didn't come out of brumation so by april I figured something was wrong and got him checked out and it was hook worm. same thing happened this year but we don't know what it is. this makes me think that it was most likely he had parasites before I got him, especially considering I was a dumb high school kid wanting a cool pet even though I didn't have the money for it so I didn't take him to the vet until the first parasite incident. now that i've got a job and I understand how important vet visits are for all pets I take him for his annual check ups just like my other pets.
>>on the positive side I gave him his second does of meds and he's already acting much better. I washed his cage an huor ago and when I put him back he was running around checking every inch of his tank to see what had happened.

That's good to hear. I'm happy your Leo is doing better!
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MK Geckos
Your Source for Leopard Geckos!
MK Geckos Forums