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Need Help with my New Leopard Gecko

dARkrai Jul 06, 2008 07:44 PM

Hi. I'm a new female leopard gecko owner, and I have a question or two about their habits and feeding. My leopard Gecko, Tilly, usually stays in her Log ( Well, the FAQ called it a hide hole or something, but, you get the point,) all day and hardly ever comes out except for some crickets. Is this normal, or is there something wrong with the habitat that she is in? Im not sure what the tempature in her cage, but, I have a red light shining over her at all times. I can say its atleast 80 in there, for sure. My second question also concerns her log situation I guess you could call it. We have a drinking rock that has a water bottle that leaks out water to this little pond thing, and thats where she drinks. The problem is, I hardly ever see her drink! I fear that she's going to drop dead out of de-hydration. Also, because she stays in her log all day, I dont think she eats the Zoo Meds Leopard Gecko food, so I gave her about nine crickets today! After I read the FAQ, I was like, shoot! Will she be alright? And to be sure, I should give her four crickets a day, right? I have the diamond dust stuff for her vitamins aswell. Haha, shake and bake. Fun.

Anyway, please, help me with those issues. I really want Tilly to live a long and healthy life, and I want to help her anyway I can. Thank you if you can answer my questions.

Replies (3)

Darkrai Jul 06, 2008 08:15 PM

Oh, and by the way, this is Tilly
Link

sport72186 Jul 06, 2008 11:20 PM

The gecko hiding all day is normal. they are nocturnal and are more active at night. the temperature of the substrate in the cage should be 88-92 degrees. i keep mine about 90. you should get a thermometer and an under tank heater and make sure you get the temps you need. As for the water, your gecko does drink. you probably just haven't seen it. Again, they are more active at night so it probably gets water then. geckos dont need water every day, but they will get it when they need it so keep it offered to her. as for the zoo med leopard gecko food, you are right, she hasnt been eating it and zoo med should take this product off the market because leos eat live food. continue to feed dusted crickets and mealworms. hope this helps..
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1.1 Western Painted Turtle (Mougly, Scooter)
1.1 Albino Leopard Gecko (Daphne, Guy)
1.0 High Yellow Leopard Gecko (Sunshine)
1.1 HTCT Leopard Gecko (Rocket, Dot)
0.1 SHTCT Leopard Gecko (Tequila)

coheed196 Jul 06, 2008 11:24 PM

Wow, you really need to get a thermometer, if she's not eating the temperature could be a very good reason. It needs to be at 88-90 degrees on one side of the tank, she also needs more than one hiding place, she needs one on the warm side and one on the cool side, also she needs a moist hide, thats a hiding place that has moist moss in it, it helps them to shed. And if its a half log that you have in there thats not probably not the best choice, leos like to feel very secure, the best hiding places are like small butter tubs or little tupperware containers with a hole cut either on the side or top. The pelleted leo food hardly ever works, leos dont recognize it as food unless it moves. They also probably wont eat every day unless she is a young one. Also what do you use for a substrate? If its sand then she could also be impacted which is another reason she wouldnt eat and yes that will kill her. On a last note being from the desert leos dont drink alot of water on their own, they get most of the moisture from the food, not saying dont keep water in the cage cause you definately need to and you may not see her drink but i assure you she more than likely is. And during the day yes she will probably stay in her house all day because they are nocturnal. You really need to read the caresheets at www.geckosetc.com or www.crestedgecko.com
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coheed196
1.1 raptor leos (dorito, sunshine)
0.1 beardie (scarlet)
1.1 veiled chameleon (cricket,penny)
1.1 panther chameleon (apollo, athena)
0.1 albino burmese (peaches)
1.0 pit bull (ajax)
0.1 pyrenees mix

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