Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hello. I got a leopard gecko yesterday. I figured that since I keep alot of large fish tanks and am able to successfully handle them, that this little gecko would be no problem. Just I have found from reading around on the internet that every site I goto for information on the leos, has different and contradicting information!

So here are my questions and concerns.

Yesterday I got a 20L tank, some forest substrate (crushed coconut), 12 crickets, a water dish, a hiding spot, 100 watt basking light and reflector lamp and a UTH.

So I setup the tank, put the light on with a thermometer. The thermometer in near the hot side and it went up to like 110 degrees, I used a digital thermometer and it read 100 degrees. So I took out the 100 watt basking light and put in a standard 60 watt light bulb (it was late) and the tank was like 75 degrees that night. So after deciding that the substrate I was using would kill my gecko, today I ripped apart the tank, and put down a regular towel, and a few layers of paper towel. I used the regular towel underneath cause I feared that the UTH would burn the gecko if he got under the papertowel. I replaced the light bulb with a 60 watt day time light. Now I felt the temperate wasnt high enough (only 80) so I went back and got a red heat bulb (75 watt). Right now that is on and has been on for a while and the thermometer on the glass is reading 80 degrees on the hot side and like 75 on the cooler side (i have 2 thermometers). I also constructed a humid hideout out of a plastic container and lined it with paper towels as suggested on this site. I also got some meal worms (which he hasnt touched) and I put some calcium powder in a dish incase he wants to use it. So here are my questions

1) What wattage light should I be using on the 20L tank? I figure that I will just turn on the regular 60 watt bulb via desk lamp (pointed at tank) in the morning (attach to a timer) to simulate daytime, or should I use the "day time lightbulb" that i got?

2) How many crickets should I be feeding him? He is a baby. I fed him 4 tonight. It is so confusing with the mixed messages out there. I have read to feed 4 once a day, 10 once a day, 5 twice a day, a few every other day, as many as he can eat in 10 mins. what exactly is the correct amount?

3) Should I just put a bunch of meal worms in the bowl and let him eat it as he wants, or should I only put a couple in there around regular feeding time? again this is something that I have read different opinions on...

4) I figured I would use fish food to gutload the crickets from now on. is it correct to let the crickets eat it (which they gobbled it up) and then wait 24 hours till you feed them to the gecko (so i figure have 2 sets of crickets going, to alternate).

5) how often should i shake and bake crickets with calcium? I have read once a week some places, and every day other places...

6) Is there something extremely better then fish flake food to gut load the crickets that would be worth doing extra work (aka making something from a recipe)

-- next day --

I woke up and found my gecko underneath the towel... I put him back on top of the paper towels, and then watched go over to the corner of the cage, lift up both the paper towels and hand towel, and slide underneath. Is this normal/safe, what should i do?

1) What wattage light should I be....
This depends on the weather. I normally use a 60watt in the winter and 20watt during the summer. But my viv is wood so that retains heat better than glass. To be honest you just have to play about with it.

2) How many crickets should ...
As many as he will take. If you have enough hides or a big tank you can just leave a few in there with him.

3) Should I just put a bunch of meal worms in the bowl and let him eat it as he wants....
Leave a few in a bowl with some calcium powder is always good.

4) I figured I would use fish food to gutload the crickets from now on. is it correct....
I'm sure that would be fine. Might want to check the food your using I've never used it but just as long as the Crix are feed and healthy they are always good to feed them.

5) how often should I shake and bake crickets with calcium?
I do this now and then. I leave a very small dish of calcium powder in there so they can regulate their own. But I also add it to the crix food and dust worms with it.

6) Is there something extremely better then fish flake food to gut load the crickets.
I use a wheat food called bug grub. Its just wheat flakes with calcium and a few other vitamins.

This is my setup.

Its a large 67 gallon tank the UHT is under the rocks on the right. I don't think I would use a towl as this if to thick would stop some of the heat getting through. I have two lights one day and one night. I only use the night light in the winter if its very cold. The hot end is about 85 but the rocks are pretty warm always and the cool end is about 75. At night it drops down to 80-75 with the rocks remaining quite warm. I use coral sand as a substrate.

With the viv being so big with quite a few hides I normally just throw a box of crix in there and a bit of potato for them to munch. Both of my Gex are adults.

http://www.geocities.com/jilazynecro/Geckos/

Well hope I helped alittle bit.

Jil.

thanks!

hello i also have a 20L tank . i use a 60 watt daylight bulb.i have a dry hide and a moist hide a bowl of calcium with mealworms available at all times.and of course a water bowl. the substate i use 3 layers of papertowels . as for feeding for a baby you should feed as much as it will eat.and i dust every cricket every day.this is just what i do. i hope i was some help. good luck!!!
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I also have a 20 gallon long, but I have 2 adults in there, and my baby will be added when she is big enough. I think that a 20 gallon long might be to big for just one baby. My baby is in a 10 gallon. My baby will eat 15 crix a night, it's incredible, just feed them until they stop eating. I have a 75 watt buld on the 20 gallon long, and it keeps the warm side 90 and the cool side 82.

here is a picture of my setup.

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