Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hey, I have a leopard gecko that i've had for two or three years now. I have tarantulas pacman frogs ect. Anyways, I've kept this leopard on various sands over time and fairly dry since I didn't do enough research. I oringally went by a few sites that I read. I have since learned that I was way off and changed the setup. The leopard is now on the green reptile carpet with several hides including one with moist moss stuff in it. Temperatures are right and the gecko has a great appetite. However, my gecko is always brown and kinda dry looking. I notice in most of your pictures that yours are very bright. I know a lot of the color is the bread but something isn't right with mine being so dark. The colors just look faded. Its always been this way but is it something I could be doing wrong or that I Could correct? I also keep a bowl of calcium in the tank with warm/cool sides fresh water, 20gallon long, variety of food. btw at that age is it normal for it to be only 5-6" and not nearly as big around as most of yours? I feed it lots of crickets, meal worms, ect. thanks

It seems as if you have learned a lot and are trying to do things right. As far as colors, yes, some of it has to do with the morph or the lizard as some colors as in deed brighter then others. If you have a normal, a darker one with lots of spots and not a lot of yellowing, it will be dark and dull looking. I have two females that are normal with lots of spots and not a lot of yellow. As far as the dry looking goes do you have a humid box set up for it to get in in order to shed off its skin correctly? Sometimes if I let me hides get too dry my geckos loook dry like some parts of their skin (mostly on their heads) looks as if it could shed off. I then just mist down the hide box and by the next day my lizzie looks better. Try making your humid hide out of an old tupperwear box with the lid on. I cut a hold on the top of the lid as it is eaiser to get into for misting, getting the gecko, etc. Also, in the hide I use peat moss which holds moisture (spelled?) really well. Try this and maybe your guy will look better!
-Cher
3.4 Leopard geckos
2.1 Corn snake
1.1 Cal. King
2.1 Mali Uromastix
1.o African Turtoise
1.o Ornate Box Turtle
1.0 Red Tegu
1.2 Albino Burm

You mention that you keep a calcium dish in her tank, but do you dust her crickets with calcium at all and do you give her a vitamin supplement w/ D3 at all? Supplementation can also effect a leos colors, good supplementation will bring out the best of the individual leos coloring.

A good routine to get into would be dusting her crickets 3-4 times a week with plain calcium (no D3 or phosphorus added) and dust with a vitamin supplement which contains D3 once a week. The calcium dish in her tank should also be plain calcium, no D3 added.
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www.StoplightCityLeopardGeckos.com

I do dust her crickets every other time but I always use the same calcium and after reading through the ingredients it says it contains d3......... is that bad? thanks

Too much D3 can be toxic to a Leo. Problem is no one knows exactly what "too much" is. They only need very small amounts of it though, which is why once a week is actually more than enough. Some breeders only give D3 once every 2 weeks and I've seen some say once a month. I would cut back at least once a week on the calcium w/ D3 and buy some plain calcium that has no D3 or phosphorus added.
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www.StoplightCityLeopardGeckos.com