Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I've been reading this and other forums, and have adjusted how i feed and heat my Leo tank. I have a lady Leo, about 4-6 months old from what i can tell. She has grown from 4 1/2 inches long to 5 1/2 inches long in like 6 weeks or so. Tell me what ya think...

I use Exo terra Calcimize for all the water that enters the tank, be it mist or the water bowl. The water supply is one of those upright ones that holds extra water (like you seen in pet shops). I change the water every 3-4 days.

I load my crickets for at least 12 hours with both Jurassi Quench (Calcium and Vitamin C), and Fluker's Orange Cube (vitamins and calcium). I use half and half in the cricket cage. I also keep a small amount in the leo tank for them if they dont all get eaten right away. I feed her generally 10 a night.

Every couple weeks I pick up a 50 ct. of mealworms. Then for a week I alternate every night with 7 dusted mealworms, instead of crickets.

When dusting the crickets I use both Herpcare Cricket Dust and Jurassi Vite powder(both have calcium with D3 and vitamins out the ying-yang). I mix these 2 powders in my D3 bag. I alternate every other day with Bone Aid Microstick Calcium Powder (no D3). Also the calcium dish i have in the tank is a small snap-on milk lid with the Bone Aid in it.

I have a 10 gallon tank. For heating I use an UTH for a mini terrarium, its like 3x5, on one end of the tank, and a blue night heat light on the same end. These stay on all the time. I have a flourescent light thats on 10-10. On the hot side of the tank I also keep a hand towel taped to it to block the bright lights outside at night, and to help keep heat in on that side. I have a thermometer and humidity gauge on both sides of the tank, about an inch from the ground. The hot side is usually about 90-92 degrees with 50% humidity, and the cool side is usually around 75 degrees with 60-65% humidity. I mist once a day, these readings are right before I mist.

Ms. Sketchy's main hide is a Reptile Den rock, with the removeable outside face to look into the hide away from outside the tank. It sits just off center, towards the cool side (about 82 degrees here) and the opening faces the hot side of the tank. The humid hide is all the way on the cool side with moss in it to hold moisture. I have never seen her go into the humid hide, but its there if she wants to go.

So hows all that sound to you? Is it possible to give too much calcium or does it sound about right, the way I'm doing it?
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Scrufdog

My Leo, Ms. Sketchy

Hi Scruf, Sounds like you are off to a good start. It is obvious that you really care about your new girl. I would recomend a few changes though. Leos are from a dry arid climate and do not need to be misted. The moist hide is essential to aid shedding but it should be moved to the warm side. She will probably start using it after you move it. I would suggest gut loading on the feeders for at least 24 hours. Also I would not leave any crix running loose all night. They will crawl on her when she is trying to rest, and may even try to feed on her. If you need to leave food overnight put mealies in a bowl they can't climb out of. You can put the food cubes in the bowl for them too. Be careful with that Reptile den. they are really cool but as strong as the magnets are, they can cause serious injury if a body part like a toe ar tail get caught against the glass between the two sides. best of luck with Ms Sketchy
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Cheryl

ok, didnt realize the humid hide was supposed to be on the warm side, thats easy enough to fix, since the hot side of the tank is fairly barren right now.

She usually eats all the crickets when i feed her, there are never more than 1-2 left over, and those are usually chopped by the time i wake up in the morning. If not, they seem to hang out near the cricket bowl.

Thanks.
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Scrufdog

My Leo, Ms. Sketchy