http://i26.tinypic.com/53tf7s.png
Repti-carpet, water dish, two thermometers, two shelters on each side, a hamick thing for climbing if he wants, bowl with meal worms, bottle cap of calcium powder, fake plants, and a few crickets currently running around in there. 75 watt heat bulb on left side of the cage.
My baby leopard gecko just died yesterday (rip Leonardo) of an unknown cause after having him for four weeks, and I already bought a new one. On the left side of the cage, the tan shelter I use to fill with peat moss to help shedding, but instead of that I am just going to mist the cage every day. I bought my new leopard gecko, Milo from Petsmart, and he seems incredibly healthy for a chain store pet. Good size, colorful, about 2-3 months, nice fat tail. The only flaw in him is that when I pick him up, he turns and tries to get away, but after a minute he will just chill in my hand. I stuck my hand in the cage before to pet the underside of his chin, and all he did was lick my finger. He seems pretty friendly as of now. Also, I noticed in Petsmart they did not use moist hide boxes, and one of the gecko’s in the cage was currently shedding and he seemed just fine. Are they really necessary?
If you have any tips for me, please share. I am a beginner with reptiles although I did a lot of research to make up for it.
Also, I was wondering if Leopard gecko’s eat fruit or veggies. Before I bought Milo, I was playing around with some bearded dragons, and I considered buying one since they are so calm and the manager at the store informed me that they are very chill reptiles and rarely try to run away from you like Leos do. But, I went with a Leo again because bearded dragons tend to grow very, very large. 
And I know beardies will eat veggies and such, and the manager at the store told me Leo’s do it as well although I read they only like to eat live insects. (I am planning on giving him Roman lettuce and raspberries as a treat.)
Also, it’s exactly 100 degrees on the heated side of my gecko’s cage, and about 78 on the cool side. I am wondering if 100 may be too hot and how can I lower the temperature?
I have a 10 gallon tank, by the way.
Thanks to everyone who actually read all this.
Tank setup sounds fine.
I think you should have waited before getting a new gecko. This way you could research on what you may have done wrong.
I would say don’t mist the cage. They are a desert animal and the humidity will be too high for him. Keep it in the hide. I did that a couple time and my gecko Logan hated it. Petsmart is supposed to have hides for all of the animals including reptiles. If they don’t they are not following PP. Talk to a manager about next time you go in. I work at Petsmart with reptiles.
Leopard geckos do not eat veggies or fruit. They hunt based on movement and last time I checked veggies don’t move =D. They ‘can’ eat veggies but most will not and the manager is wrong. You probably don’t want to get him any raspberries until he is an adult. Lettuce has too much water in it.
100 is way too hot. They need about 88. To lower the temperature use a lower wattage bulb. Because you do have a 10 gallon tank it will be harder to keep the temperature correct then say a 29 gallon tank would. You might try a under tank heater. They are better for leopard geckos because they use belly heat and they also do not need UVA/UVB light unlike most reptiles such as a bearded dragon. Do not use a heat rock. They over heat and burn and kill reptiles.
I don’t know if you are going to change substrates once he or she you don’t really know until it is at least 6inches long. Males will have a V shapes line across their abdomen females will not. Anyway you don’t want to use sand. It will cause an impact if eaten and other problems like eye infections. Impaction can be lethal to your pet. Also it makes a mess and is expensive. I would recommend slate tiles. They are cheap and safe and also easy to clean.
I’ll tell you about my gecko, Logan now.
I got Logan at the Petsmart I work at on July 24, 2008. We think he was about a year and a half. He is a leucistic leopard gecko meaning he has no spots. I have him in a 29 gallon tank all my himself. I first had him on sand but after doing a lot of research I decided to switch to slate tiles because I was worried about him becoming impacted. I current have 3 hides for him with moss under all of them. I tank him to a vet because if I happen to have an emergency I know I have someone to contact instead of panicking. I also recommend to everyone who buys a bird, hamster, reptile for pet store or not to take them to a vet for a checkup and so they know a vet.
This is Logan. http://s279.photobucket.com/albums/kk123/GanalDragon/?action=view¤t=picturesart180.jpg
And his cage. http://s279.photobucket.com/albums/kk123/GanalDragon/?action=view¤t=picturesart126.jpg
Good luck with your gecko. You can contact me if you have any questions at ganal.dragon@yahoo
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please answer mine: http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=Ata9HLPB2ZlqhmrRC.9t3Mzsy6IX;_ylv=3?qid=20090825201819AAPnZVO
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OK First off, a moist hide isn’t necessary, as long as you do mist the tank daily. But as they get older, it wouldn’t hurt to have a moist hide. Just watch for when he’s ready to shed that it all comes off, not in pieces. If that happens, then I’d use a moist hide. Oh, I keep my geckos on paper towels. I know it doesn’t look all that nice, but it’s way easier for clean up and it helps hold moister a bit more.
If the ambient ( room ) temp is around 80-85 degrees, then there is no need for a heat lamp. That’s about where they like to be as in temp wise, with a bit cooling off at night, say mid 70’s. 100 degrees is WAY too hot, you can literally cook him!!
Most leos do not eat and fruits or veggies, though I have heard some eat baby food, like apples and fruits like that. But nothing on a daily or even weekly basis. Mainly crickets, meal worms and as a treat wax worms. They are high in fat. I have two baby geckos that about the same age as yours and I feed them about 8 crickets in the AM and about the same amount in the PM. If he eats them all. throw a few more in. People have said that you should cut the heads off the meal worms because they can eat thru your gecko’s stomach, but I never do. Just don’t give him HUGE ones and only a couple at a time.
So far things are looking good for you and Milo. Just bring those temps way down. Good Luck!!
References :
Me, I have 6 geckos. http://www.reptilefile.com
Tank setup sounds fine.
I think you should have waited before getting a new gecko. This way you could research on what you may have done wrong.
I would say don’t mist the cage. They are a desert animal and the humidity will be too high for him. Keep it in the hide. I did that a couple time and my gecko Logan hated it. Petsmart is supposed to have hides for all of the animals including reptiles. If they don’t they are not following PP. Talk to a manager about next time you go in. I work at Petsmart with reptiles.
Leopard geckos do not eat veggies or fruit. They hunt based on movement and last time I checked veggies don’t move =D. They ‘can’ eat veggies but most will not and the manager is wrong. You probably don’t want to get him any raspberries until he is an adult. Lettuce has too much water in it.
100 is way too hot. They need about 88. To lower the temperature use a lower wattage bulb. Because you do have a 10 gallon tank it will be harder to keep the temperature correct then say a 29 gallon tank would. You might try a under tank heater. They are better for leopard geckos because they use belly heat and they also do not need UVA/UVB light unlike most reptiles such as a bearded dragon. Do not use a heat rock. They over heat and burn and kill reptiles.
I don’t know if you are going to change substrates once he or she you don’t really know until it is at least 6inches long. Males will have a V shapes line across their abdomen females will not. Anyway you don’t want to use sand. It will cause an impact if eaten and other problems like eye infections. Impaction can be lethal to your pet. Also it makes a mess and is expensive. I would recommend slate tiles. They are cheap and safe and also easy to clean.
I’ll tell you about my gecko, Logan now.
I got Logan at the Petsmart I work at on July 24, 2008. We think he was about a year and a half. He is a leucistic leopard gecko meaning he has no spots. I have him in a 29 gallon tank all my himself. I first had him on sand but after doing a lot of research I decided to switch to slate tiles because I was worried about him becoming impacted. I current have 3 hides for him with moss under all of them. I tank him to a vet because if I happen to have an emergency I know I have someone to contact instead of panicking. I also recommend to everyone who buys a bird, hamster, reptile for pet store or not to take them to a vet for a checkup and so they know a vet.
This is Logan. http://s279.photobucket.com/albums/kk123/GanalDragon/?action=view¤t=picturesart180.jpg
And his cage. http://s279.photobucket.com/albums/kk123/GanalDragon/?action=view¤t=picturesart126.jpg
Good luck with your gecko. You can contact me if you have any questions at ganal.dragon@yahoo
References :
Have my own leopard gecko
Work at Petsmart
Research
Okay, well the setup looks pretty good. If its a baby leopard gecko I hope it can reach those bowls. Preferably you want a bowl thats small enough for your leopard gecko to easily see whats inside of it. Also, I hope you thoroughly cleaned that cage after your old one died? Chances are it died of parasites or some other disease (especially if you also bought the previous one from Petsmart). If you didn’t clean it (with bleach) then that disease/parasite could possibly transfer to your new leopard gecko and kill it as well. If it starts to have the same behavior as the other one take it to a vet. Oh, and don’t buy from Petsmart again. Most of those guys are loaded with parasites in the first place.
100 degrees is too hot, use a lower watted bulb. You want it at around 90.
Leopard geckos do not eat fruits or vegetables, just insects.
Hope this helps!
References :