Reptile & Amphibian Forums

hey everyone,

i've been out of town for about 7-8 days, spending new years in las vegas! my leo ended up staying home by herself, so i left her a full reptile waterer and a full food bowl of about 50 different sized mealworms (i put a thin layer of trex sandfire cricket gutload at the bottom of the dish and i also put small, thin slices of carrots on top of them, and one bigger carrot cut near the cool hide for any escapees). i also kept the shades open so the sun can come in during the day, i had the UTH going strong, and i had the red bulb on 24hrs on high (using the thermostat).

right when i got home, i ran up and checked on marlene as i suspected, there were a few escaped mealworms (some hidden in the log and between paper towel sheets), a few pupated mealworms, and dead TINY mealworms hidden in the gutload in the dish.

she doesn't seem to have lost any weight... pretty much the same as when i left. i know she didn't eat too much because there were a lot of left over mealies also, she only had 2 poops in a span of 7 days. i cleaned the mess of the escaped mealworms and fed marlene about 15-20 mealworms (she stopped eating on her own). 2morrow, i'm heading out to the pet store for some waxies, just in case.

questions...
1) do you think she has been effected negatively?
2) should i keep the day light bulb on a little longer tomorrow?

i know i had another question, i just forgot what it was...
anyway... if you have any comments or advice, don't hesitate to leave them! thanks! take care all & happy new year

[aimEe]
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0.1.0 Albino Leopard Gecko (Marlene)
0.0.2 Fire Bellied Toads (Norman & Forman)
0.2.0 African Dwarf Frogs (Hobo & Bobo)
1.0.0 Fighting Fish (Blue Balls)
0.0.2 Hermit Crabs (Kirby & Furby)
1.0.0 Black Lab / Pit Bull (Mikey)
aimee.i8.com

Whenever I first got my leopard geckos I used to be the worst keeper ever. I'd feed them like once (maybe if that) a week, with like 12 crickets. Yeah, I was bad. But they're still going strong, and have even laid 2 clutches now, lol...

Anyway, what I'm getting at is. If my leos can live for 6 months (before I knew of Kingsnake and read everything and realized I was a complete asshole for doing that) with little food, your's will not be affected at all.

That's my opinion, anyways.
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4.7.1 Leopard Geckos
2.1.0 Chihuahuas
2.1.0 Rottweiler Mix
1.0.0 Siamese Cat
1.0.0 Dwarf Hamsters

Josh
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Thanks Josh

i'm glad to know she'll be doing fine! how long ago did you start getting leos? i'm glad you found kingsnake to help your little guys out..and now you have 12! also, thanks for the previous help that you've given before - i appreciate it

[aimEe]
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0.1.0 Albino Leopard Gecko (Marlene)
0.0.2 Fire Bellied Toads (Norman & Forman)
0.2.0 African Dwarf Frogs (Hobo & Bobo)
1.0.0 Fighting Fish (Blue Balls)
0.0.2 Hermit Crabs (Kirby & Furby)
1.0.0 Black Lab / Pit Bull (Mikey)
aimee.i8.com

Aimee,

I got my first 1.1 pair a year ago this Christmas. And in the past (I'd say 2 months) I've aquired 10 more. And, today, I'm going to Kelli Hammacks to bug her and get some Panacure for two of my leo's who are...finnicky? They start after a cricket, miss it, and wont eat anything else so we have to force feed them with Chicken Baby food, that Emergency Reptile Aid, Calcium, and TRex's Cricket dust.

Also, You're very welcome for the advice, I like to think that you'd do the same for me, lol. About the beetles, I'd say throw them out of a kritter keeper down the street and run away, hahahaha. But that's just me...

Best Wishes
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4.7.1 Leopard Geckos
2.1.0 Chihuahuas
2.1.0 Rottweiler Mix
1.0.0 Siamese Cat
1.0.0 Dwarf Hamsters

Josh
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oOo wow, congrats on your leos! good luck on the two that are ... finnicky

and of course, if i knew the answers to your questions, i'd be helping! but you're more experienced than i am, so you probably wouldn't need my help - lol i'll be thinkin bout those mealworm beetles though - lol... i need 2 get rid of em... would they stink if i straight up put em in a pile of leaves and burned em? *shrugs* hehe thanks again josh

[aimEe]
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0.1.0 Albino Leopard Gecko (Marlene)
0.0.2 Fire Bellied Toads (Norman & Forman)
0.2.0 African Dwarf Frogs (Hobo & Bobo)
1.0.0 Fighting Fish (Blue Balls)
0.0.2 Hermit Crabs (Kirby & Furby)
1.0.0 Black Lab / Pit Bull (Mikey)
aimee.i8.com

I'd say flush'em down the toilet. Burning would be kind of....Morbid...and.......cruel.....Lol
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4.7.1 Leopard Geckos
2.1.0 Chihuahuas
2.1.0 Rottweiler Mix
1.0.0 Siamese Cat
1.0.0 Dwarf Hamsters

Josh
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how is flushing them down the toilet any less morbid or cruel?...that way they drown as opposed to burning...I really don't think that's any less cruel...lol

Yeah..That's why I said set them free first. Hahaha...
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4.7.1 Leopard Geckos
2.1.0 Chihuahuas
2.1.0 Rottweiler Mix
1.0.0 Siamese Cat
1.0.0 Dwarf Hamsters

Josh
----------------------------------

How was Las Vegas? Did you stay in a hotel? I went there a few years ago for a business convention, but my friend and I ended up playing hookie most of the time just to see the town. Bad Olivia, I know. I was too young to do any gambling though.

I think Marlene will be fine. From what you posted before, it sounded like she was already starting to eat less before you went on your trip. My adults are finally beginning to eat normal again, but that's because we started having 60 degree weather. Rosie went for almost two months without eating, but she didn't lose any weight at all during that time.

You didn't miss much on the forum. Same questions as usual, and there were a lot of really nice pictures. I hope you had fun. I was sick with a mild case of the flu and didn't start to get better until a few days ago.
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chickabowwow

3.2.3 leopard geckos (Rosie, Locke, Lisa, Caesar, Tommy)

las vegas was FUN - and yeah we stayed in a hotel ...it was crazy on new years though..my uncle almost fought someone in the street, people were flashing everyone, a guy got stabbed across the street from me, random fights, random touching from strangers.... u know how new years gets on the strip everyone was drunk (except me!) - i'm ONE year off for gambling at the casinos there ... the end of this year i'll do it though my bro did the 75 foot rock climb at gameworks and rang the bell... pretty hard, he slipped a couple times. we also went to the grand canyon and one of my friends that hitch-hiked there couldn't get a ride home.. so he's stuck there for another 2 weeks until his friend drives back to the bay area... hehe~ you'll find out more stuff when you see my LIVEJOURNAL later on today... hehehee i'll be uploading pix too (linked from LJ) -- if u want to see

ya, i wonder why marlene's eating less? late last night she pooped again - and everything seems pretty fine. all solid and nothing broken. she's still pretty active coz after she ate more mealies than usual, she wanted to climb up and be handled (but i had 2 go 2 a party so she just wandered about her tank). she confuses me sometimes my cousin said it's been pretty gray, cloudy, and rainy here, so i'm assuming that may have been the case... because with gray skies and a red bulb, there's not much day light and the temp stays between 82F-84F. this morning, i woke up to a bright sun shining on my tanks and the tank temps are at 86F so hopefully it'll be okay. i'll be cleaning her tank again today and i hope to plop in a few fatty waxies in

OH!!! and i can finally see beetle babies!!! there's a lot of brown dots all over the bottom of the container and some on the lower end of the sides. i also spotted a VERY TINY mealworm wiggling against the wall of the container. i don't want the beetles anymore (they kinda scare me now...but not as much as they scare sotik hehe jk) coz i don't need them anymore (there's about 120 beetles and 40 aliens in the container). what's the best way to dispose of them? i'm not sure if mealworms are common in the backyards of houses in san francisco - i actually don't know where mealworms are from... lol - so if anyone has any advice, please help me out i'm planning to release or kill them sometime this week *shivers*

i was browsing through what i missed i liked a lot of the pictures, especially chad's (LeoGeoKing) i also noticed a few arguments down the forum... it's fun reading through those then WHAM! they're gone xelda, i hope you're feeling a lot better today and i'm glad you're healing up! it sucks to have the flu i have it a lot coz i can't get flu shots they said if you're allergic to eggs, you can't have them... and i'm allergic to eggs (i eat them all the time though hehe - are you geared up and ready to go for your overseas trip? we'll be missing you over here! don't forget to take that microscope that sotik gave you (aww how sweet) take care!

[aimEe]
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0.1.0 Albino Leopard Gecko (Marlene)
0.0.2 Fire Bellied Toads (Norman & Forman)
0.2.0 African Dwarf Frogs (Hobo & Bobo)
1.0.0 Fighting Fish (Blue Balls)
0.0.2 Hermit Crabs (Kirby & Furby)
1.0.0 Black Lab / Pit Bull (Mikey)
aimee.i8.com

Which hotel did you stay in? I don't remember the name of the one I stayed at. It was the one with the King Arthur theme. I wanted to stay at Mandalay Bay so I could play in that wave pool.

I'm not really sure what you can do with all the beetles. I tried to give all of mine to sotik, but then I figured by the time I leave, they would have all died and I could save the next mealworm generation as a back-up food source. Of course, I didn't realize this until I was already driving over with my shoebox of beetles, and then I had to carry them in with me because I couldn't just leave them in my car. lol

I can't believe how quickly time is flying. I'll be leaving in just two more weeks. I should be stressing about vaccinations, flight plans, packing what I need, but nope. I'm only worried about my geckos. How are they going to be while I'm gone?! I've tried to give my babies the best start I could so they'd be in top shape by the time I leave. They're the ones I worry about the most, but it's amazing how well they're doing in their new tank. I couldn't ask for better babies. They're just as cute and sweet as their mom. I'm even handling them regularly now. It seems like just yesterday they were screaming at me.

Anyway, I definitely look forward to seeing your LJ post about your trip. It's neat that you got your new year started off with so much excitement.
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chickabowwow

3.2.3 leopard geckos (Rosie, Locke, Lisa, Caesar, Tommy)