Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hi guys,

I want to get a leopard gecko. Can someone please tell me everything I should get for it (ie: tank size and more I should know). Im just planning to get one.

This is just a general run down of stuff you need, but some of it is has biases toward my opinion and different people will tell you different things, but I think my way is the easiest way to go for beginners.

You will need the following:

1 10 gal minimum tank (more is better)

2 hides

1 undertank heater (try to avoid the stick on types, I recommend this type: Ultratherm Heatpad

1 thermostat (I recommend: Reptitemp 500R thermostat

1 electronic thermometer (can buy at radioshack for ~$20)

3 bowls (one for mealworms, one for water, one for calcium powder)

1 roll of paper towels (use this to line the bottom of the tank, change out every time your gecko poops)

1 bottle of T-rex ICB gecko dust (this contains all the vitamins and calcium your gecko needs to stay healthy, dust all food and leave a small amount in a dish at all times in the tank)

1 margarine tub/tupperware/gladware container (cut a hole into the side, fill it with damp paper towels and leave on the warm side of the tank, this will be the gecko's humid hide)

TANK SETUP:

Place the undertank heater underneath one end of the tank, and place the probes of the thermometer and thermostat in the same spot on this end of the tank.

Tweak the thermostat so that the thermometer reads somewhere between 85-90 deg F, leave this overnight and check the thermometer's memory in the morning to see if the temperature was held between these two temperatures.

Line the bottom of the tank with paper towel, put one hide on the warm end and the other on the cool end. Put the water bowl, food bowl, and vitamin bown on the cool end. Place the humid hide on the warm end.

Now, you can go purchase a gecko. Add the gecko into this enclosure and simply leave him alone for a few days (I like to leave them alone for three), make sure the area is quiet and out of direct sunlight.

What you feed is up to your, you can feed crickets, mealworms, superworms (if your gecko is big enough), silkworms, and roaches. Crickets and mealworms are the easiest to obtain, but mealworms don't chirp and don't run around and eat your gecko's poop (can pass disease this way). Mealworms can also be held in "stasis" if refridgerated. Remember to gutload your mealworms prior to feeding by feeding them carrots, potatoes, collard greens, and yams for moisture, and you can purchase gutload at the petstore (stay away from flukers stuff, but T-rex stuff is pretty good).

If you run into trouble or have anymroe questions we're always here to help.

The heatpad link I sent you doesn't work, here's the link again:
Ultratherm Heat Pad

hmmm... well, just go to www.beanfarm.com, and go to heating supplies, and click on page 6.