[Elizabeth Freer]

Much appreciation goes to all the Geckos Unlimited members whose very inquiries have encouraged me to add additional information to these recommendations!

First off, have you found the sticky at the top of the leo subforum---additional advice by moderator Graham_s? Leopard Gecko Frequently Asked Questions: Caresheet Info Plus!

LEOPARD GECKO CARE BASIC GUIDELINES

PRELIMINARY ADVICE
(1) Quarantine Recommendations
Any new gecko should be quarantined for a bare minimum of 60 days prior to introducing her/him to the other geckos in the same cage. 60 days gives adequate time to check for parasites, cryptosporidia, and the beginnings of coccidia plus. 90 days is even better. 3-6 months of quarantine are recommended if your new gecko is imported or wild caught.

(2) Never keep two male leopard geckos together
You could keep a pair (1.1), or a couple females (0.2), or a couple similarly sized juveniles (0.0.2) in a 20 gallon long (30 inch) tank. If young geckos are of different sizes, the larger one is likely to hog all the food and definitely stress out the smaller one. The smaller of the two is likely to suffer from failure to thrive.

(3) Sexing Leopard Geckos
http://www.reptilecare.com/leopardgender.htm

(4) Posting Photos & Embedding Photos on GU
http://www.geckosunlimited.com/commu...posting_photos

How do I embed photos in my posts?
Sign up for a free photobucket.com account, upload your pictures there. Grab the link they provide you for your pictures, and when posting on GU click on "insert image", and then paste in the link. That should do the trick. (Thanks to Mardy and Pokeefe88 on 17 July 2011.)



BASIC GUIDELINES
Habitat: Tank, Heating, Lighting, & Substrate
A 20 gallon long tank (30 inches long x ~12 inches x ~12 inches) is the best choice to maintain the thermal gradient you want: 92-95 F/33.0-34.5 C on the warm side to 70ish F/21 C on the cool side. Air temperatures within the vivarium are just as important as belly temperatures for keeping your leo healthy! The lighting/heating can be turned off at night if room temperatures do not fall lower than about 65-67 F/18.5-19.5 C. This tank will make a leopard gecko or a pair happy for life! With a standard 10 gallon or even a 15 gallon long tank, it is difficult if not impossible to maintain the required thermal gradient.

An infrared red or other red light bulb is good because it allows you to see your leo and can provide some heat. Ceramic Heat Emitters last longer and may be more penetrating, but they only emit heat. Many folks combine Under Tank Heating with overhead heating/lighting. It is recommended that the UTH be 1/3 the length of your tank. Overhead wattages vary depending upon the ambient room temperatures. Do NOT use standard white incandescent bulbs, white compact fluorescent bulbs, or fluorescent strip lighting. Any of those are much too bright for your nocturnal leo's eyes. Leopard geckos do not require UV lighting.

When using only overhead lighting/heating with a paper towel substrate, it is good idea to place slate tile on the warm third of the cage over the paper towels and especially under the moist hide for better belly heat absorption.

When considering the UTH (1/3 the length of a 30 inch long tank---not the UTH for "regular" 10-20 gallon tanks because it is the actual length that is important), you need unobstructed ventilation underneath the tank. This can be achieved by placing the tank on a wrought iron stand or somehow elevating the tank all the way around. My wrought iron stand supports the periphery of the tank but is completely open on the bottom.

As an alternative heat source: Flexwatt Heat Tape is the industry standard heating method!

Buy a thermostat to control your UTH and to prevent accidental overheating. These are good ones: BAH-1000DC Reptile Thermostat New Model - Incredibly Reliable Digital Chip for Accurate Temperature Control, Amazon.com: Hydrofarm MTPRTC Digital Thermostat For Heat Mats: Patio, Lawn & Garden, http://www.agrosun.com/pb_detail.php?itemid=3372, http://beanfarm.com/product_info.php?products_id=6082 or http://beanfarm.com/product_info.php...oducts_id=5984.

Digital thermometers and infrared temperature "guns" are recommended: (TempGun PE2 model--$35 USD) and (Pro Exotics Reptiles, the Nation's finest captive bred Snakes and Monitors, your source for Infrared Thermometer, Temp Gun.). The latter can be purchased with a metal case for a bit more $. Another less expensive, but recommended, temperature gun: Amazon.com: HDE Temperature Gun Infrared Thermometer w/ Laser Sight: Home Improvement. Digital thermometers measure the air temperature, while temperature guns measure the floor temperature or precise spot where the laser is aimed. Dial-type thermometers can be quite inaccurate.

Go for slate tiles (http://www.homedepot.com/h_d1/N-5yc1...atalogId=10053) and/or paper towels as a substrate until your leo is at least 1 year old. If you choose paper towels, the safest route then is to contain all food for your leo in a feeding dish! (Do not use stick-on tiles---chemical issues with volatile organic compounds-VOCs.) Slate tiles can be cleaned in a dishwasher or by hand . Do NOT buy ceramic tiles. Ceramic tiles do NOT conduct heat at all. I have numerous reports of young leos dieing from sand impaction. You really don't want to go there. Reptile carpets are a bad idea! Leopard geckos tend to get their teeth and claws stuck in them. As well the carpet harbors bacteria from pee and poop.

For leopard geckos over 1 year old and with some husbandry experience under the keeper's belt, sand can be considered, but is NOT necessary! Your leos will be happy with slate tiles for life and the slate tiles look great! If you want to switch to sand, NEVER use Calci-sand or any sand advertising that calcium is part of it. You do not want your leo used to eating sand at all! A quartz sand is the safest by far (Welcome to Jurassic Sand!, 877-531-8600). Quartz sand has rounded granules which are easier to pass if ingested, whereas silica sand (even the finest beach sand and playsand) is composed of sharp pointy crystals which are highly likely to cause impaction.

Misting is NOT recommended for a leo tank. They like it dry except for a water dish and a moist hide. Plants which thrive in dry environements are welcome!

Use at least 2 hides, one on each end of the tank. Place dampened rainforest-type moss or dampened paper towel strips in the hide on the WARM end. This moss is actually the type which grows on trees, but can be purchased as well. The moist hide assists leos with shedding.

Feeding Your Leo(s)
Never ever place the calcium with D3 powder in a dish in your leo's tank!!! A quick death can result from vitamin D3 overdose. Geckos should never have 24/7 access to any supplement except 100% pure calcium IN the their tanks. Please continue reading :

Miner-all Indoor formula (calcium with D3 and minerals only) by Sticky Tongue Farms is an excellent choice. The fact that the Miner-all Indoor with D3 has far less D3 than the Rep-Cal with D3 is actually a very good thing !

Feed adult leos 3 times per week and young leos just about every day. For both young leos and adults, lightly dust crickets, roaches, grasshoppers, Phoenix worms, silkworms, and hornworms with phosphorus-free calcium with D3 (and multivitamins) 2 no more than 2-3 times per week. Keep a shallow dish of 100% pure calcium in the tank 24/7. To keep crickets in a shallow feeding dish, cut off the back legs at the "knees". Young leos are often clumsy hunters. Slowing down the crickets by cutting off their back legs gives young leos more time to catch them. Loose prey in the tank will be a source of stress to your leo and can even nibble on your leo's toes when the leo is sleeping. It is fine to leave prey in a shallow feeding dish.

Superworms can be fed once in awhile. Mealworms are NOT a healthy choice for leos.

Use phosphorus-free calcium powder with D3 (pink label Rep-Cal) to lightly dust the prey, 100% pure calcium powder (green label Rep-Cal) for the small dish inside the tank 24/7, and Herptivite with Beta Carotene (blue label vitamin supplement). Herptivite with Beta Carotene directions: Mix 1 part Herptivite with 1 part 100% pure Rep-Cal calcium. Place this mixture in a 32 ounce tall deli cup, add crickets or roaches, and swirl to lightly coat prey. Crickets and many other feeders are naturally balanced with too much phosphorous for geckos. Our goal is to provide a 1.5-2:1 ratio of calcium to phosphorus by lightly dusting the prey. A word of caution: Some people focus on the phosphorus-free calcium with the D3 and use the multivitamin Herptivite far less than the container recommends. I am one of those people.

The "Skinny" on Superworms
"Superworms (Zophobas morio) do have more chitin per worm than do mealworms since it takes more 'skin' to wrap up a larger worm. However, they have thinner/softer chitin and there's more 'meat' per worm than mealworms. That means they've got more digestible food and less chitin than an equal volume of mealworms.

I don't use mealworms for geckos, but do use supers regularly. The geckos have never had a problem with them. Even young leopards, fatties and milii can eat supers as long as they're small enough for them to handle. Adult supers are for adult leopards, fatties, frog-eyes and other 'tough' predators; immature supers work for the younger geckos and adult milii.

Variety is best, but supers are not worse than mealworms, they're actually better nutrition!" (thanks to Hilde)

Phoenix Worms as a Feeder
1/2 inch (medium) to 3/4 inch (large) Phoenix worms are recommended for adult leos. Scroll down this thread to find specific info on these worms. Once you receive the Phoenix worms, they should NEVER be fed!!! The Phoenix Worm Store Home Page

The Pros and Cons of Feeding Mealworms
http://www.geckodan.com/articles/Pro...0Mealworms.pdf

NEVER feed leopard geckos waxworms or pinkies!!! Waxworms and pinkies are like ice cream for geckos. Not only are they way too fatty, once addicted to waxworms/pinkies, you will have a very difficult time feeding your leopard gecko more nutritious foods! Excessive fat in their diet will lead to hepatic lipidosis (fatty liver disease) and gout.

Leopard Geckos Not Eating
In emergency situations during which a leo has been off food for extended periods of time and is losing weight, REHYDRATE FIRST for a couple days!!! Turkey baby food is better than chicken baby food. (Note addenda to this care sheet...scroll down.) Placing the baby food directly on the lips will provide safe nutrition. If your assist feeding is more than just very temporary, turkey (or chicken) baby food should be mixed 1:1 with unflavored Pedialyte! Sprinkle a little calcium with D3 into the chicken baby food 2-3x per week. If additional calcium is necessary use a liquid supplement called Calcium Glubionate.

Repta+Boost is good for leos off food.

Rehydration Information
"As for the Pedialyte it must be unflavored. No more than 1.0 ml within 24 hours and not all at once. Break up the 1.0 ml into 3 doses. Hopefully your gecko will lick up a good amount." (thanks to crystal4u)

Check out the Assist Feeding posts by Maurice Pudlo and others which are at the end of this very thread.

Breeding leos---tip
From mating to egg-laying takes anywhere from 2-4 weeks depending upon temperature. Be sure the nest box has been prepared and that your incubator is just about ready to go.

Feeding crickets and roaches
Feed crickets/roaches food that provides no more than 20% protein and no more than 5% crude fat. Some choices are:
Chicken Laying Mash (from feed store): The label reads 16-18% minimum protein and 3% minimum fat.
***Dry oatmeal -- Am rethinking this recommendation due to the phosphorus content......
Alfalfa hay -- for the 3 wo and older crix
Collard greens -- especially recommended for high calcium-to-low phosphorous ratio & high lutein
Carrots -- natural source of beta carotene
Whole grain TOTAL -- General Mills dry cereal
Winter squash

To check out almost any ingredient, thanks to Maurice Pudlo, click here: http://www.nal.usda.gov/fnic/foodcomp/search/

A 6 ounce glass Pyrex (or competing model) custard cup makes an excellent feeding dish for teeny to small roaches. Medium dubia will escape. Try containers with perpendicular sides. For leos, use a 1 inch high x 3 inch diameter stepping stone for ease of access to this dish as well as to stabilize it.

For more information feeding the feeders, go to Maurice Pudlo's sticky in the Geckos Unlimited Feeders, Food & Nutrition subforum: Feeder Insect Diets & Gutload

Cricket Care
Acheta domestica, the softer brown cricket, is highly recommended over Gryllus assimilis, the Jamaican field cricket (Attack of the Feeder Crickets | Gecko Time). For crickets I place an "assortment" of the above-mentioned food on the bottom of an extra large Kritter Keeper or a plastic 56 quart Sterilite container, add the crickets, add two layers of egg flats, and top with a paper towel. Keep these crickets at room temperature. Spray the paper towel about every other day for moisture or more frequently if the room is hot. Using these methods it is easy to keep crickets alive for a month or so post purchase.

Roach Care
I breed Blaptica dubia in a ten gallon tank with 5 vertically positioned egg flats. The above-mentioned food can be kept in shallow lids to one side of the egg flats. For moisture I dampen a clean medium-size sponge and occasionally spray the flats. In a room which ranges from 67 F/19.5 C upwards, I keep a 40 watt bulb in a reflector dome directly over the screened tank and on 24/7.

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Scroll down this thread for additional informative posts !

[Elizabeth Freer]

Female leopard geckos lay their eggs 2-4 weeks after mating. Usually the warmer the environment they are in the faster they lay! I live in tropical Venezuela and they lay as soon as 12 days after copulating. The ideal would be to put a lay box in the hot spot of the female’s tank. If you give the female a moist, warm spot, she'll probably lay faster. After copulating keep her separated from the male. Separation reduces stress and increases the possibilities of fertile eggs! I would advise feeding her as much as you can, while she is still eating (probably she won’t eat at all a few days before laying), with enough calcium, vitamins and D3, in order for her to be in her best condition to produce ova.

I definitely advise turning on your incubator immediately after copulating. Sometimes it takes days to get the temperatures stable. Set up a thermometer, and (as a personal opinion) put that thermometer inside the incubating box where the eggs will be kept. Make certain that the substrate reaches the proper temperature and humidity before the eggs are placed in it. It is always best to have everything set ahead of time!! That way your eggs won't have to suffer from a sudden change in temperature! Remember to get the temperature stable according to the sex you'll want for your newborns before placing the eggs into the incubator. The sooner you get prepared the better! Good luck!



With thanks to GU member Saskia for sharing these tips.

[Elizabeth Freer]

http://www.geckosunlimited.com/commu...il-2011-a.html


[There are two types of fecals: direct smear and float tests. For reptiles, both tests should be run. Thanks to BonnieLorraine -- 2 January 2012]

[Elizabeth Freer]

The Leopard Gecko Morph Calculator
(With thanks to Mardy - 26 July 2011)


Reptile Genetics Calculator
(Thanks to Jay Arndt)


Category:Morphs - Leopard Gecko Wiki
(Thanks to Riverside Reptiles--Ethan)

[Elizabeth Freer]

Place your gecko in a humidity chamber for an hour or so to loosen stuck shed.

Be sure to monitor your gecko at all times during these procedures.

METHOD #1:
Take a plastic container a little bigger than your gecko
Poke holes in the lid so your gecko can breathe
Place a dampened washcloth on the bottom
Add a rough rock or piece of cork bark
Add the gecko
Snap on the lid
Place this near a lamp---not too bright or warm. Use a low wattage (25 watt) red bulb. You should see droplets form on the sides of the container as an indication the humidity is increasing.

After an hour or two remove the gecko and gently attempt to remove the stuck shed using a gentle rolling motion with a wet q-tip.

Some folks place this covered container containing the leopard gecko into shallow warm water to generate the desired humidity


METHOD #2:
Fill a shallow basin or the bathroom sink with lukewarm water to your gecko's belly depth.

Let your gecko soak for about 20 minutes.

This should definitely loosen any shed remaining on the critter's toes.

Then take a wet q-tip, and with a gentle rolling motion, work on the toes. You can gently use a tweezers.


METHOD #3:
You can wrap the gecko in a wet washcloth with just the snout and eyes visible. Hold in place for 15-20 minutes. Remove. See if the stuck shed can gently be removed. If not, try wrapping again for another 15 minutes.


METHOD #4---especially for crested geckos:

Crested Gecko "Bath" - YouTube

In case the eyes have retained shed, gently flush them with a saline solution.

If these methods are ineffective or if there is any sign of infection, prompt vet attention is necessary!

[Elizabeth Freer]

Phoenix Worms retain all of their nutritional values and must NOT be fed. Feeding PWs would restart their digestive system, they would defecate in the cup, and soon you would have bacteria growing and dead stinky worms. Simply keep the worms in the closed cup, store in a cool location, and feed-off as needed. There is a care sheet that is enclosed with each order but in the meantime, this link will give you more info:
The Phoenix Worm Store Frequently Asked Questions

Sheila Sheppard




----- Original Message -----
From: ElizabethFreer@aol.com
To: phoenixworm@mchsi.com
Sent: Wednesday, September 14, 2011 12:10 PM
Subject: Re: size of Phoenix worms for 72 gram leopard gecko

Hi Sheila ~

What should I feed the Phoenix worms till they are consumed by my leo? Seems like they need some nutrition in order to maintain the ratios you list on your website

Elizabeth




In a message dated 9/14/2011 6:45:32 A.M. Pacific Daylight Time, phoenixworm@mchsi.com writes:

Hello Elizabeth,

Adult leos should be fed Phoenix Worms that are closest in size to the prey they are accustomed to eating. Either the medium (1/2" long) or large (3/4" long) size worms should be fine. Phoenix Worms are very soft-bodied so there is no risk of impaction.

We ship every week on Mon, Tue, Wed so the live worms won't get stuck somewhere over the weekend. If your order is received by 10 AM Eastern today, it will ship today via Priority Mail. Orders that arrive later on Wednesday ship the following Monday.

Thank you for writing. We hope that you'll try Phoenix Worms soon!

Sheila Sheppard, Vice President
Insect Science Resource LLC
768 Brighton Road
Tifton, GA 31794
229-382-0363
The Phoenix Worm Store Home Page

[Elizabeth Freer]

PS: Addendum by Elizabeth---It is crucial for geckos off food and needing a slurry recipe such as the one that follows to be under the care of a vet! Providing protein nourishment with insufficient fluid can lead to fatal kidney damage. It has been suggested by not only me that unflavored Pedialyte be added to a formulation such as this in a higher amount, say 1:1 by volume.

Please scroll down to another Assist Feeding post (Turkey baby food vs chicken baby food...Maurice Pudlo)

GOLDEN GATE GECKOS' SLURRY:
"This slurry was developed years ago when I was trying to rehabilitate sick geckos. It has saved the lives of many geckos, and is being recommended and used by many veterinarians and Universities now. Keep in mind that this slurry IS NOT medicine, nor will it cure anything! It is designed to be used as nutrition for anorexic geckos that are off-food and being treated by a veterinarian for a diagnosed clinical disease or illness. Here is my recipe for the mixture:

In a blender, combine:
1 small can Hill's A/D pet food (available at most vets)
1 jar baby food squash
¼ cup Ensure (not chocolate)
¼ cup Pedialyte
Contents of 2 capsules Milk Thistle (herbal supplement, liver purifier, found at most drug stores)
¼ tsp. each calcium powder and herp vitamin powder
3-5 X-large handfuls of mealworms, added slowly while mixture is blending

Puree all ingredients until completely smooth, adding mealworms until mixture is the consistency of milkshake. Pour into ice cube tray and freeze. Store frozen cubes in a zip-lock bag in the freezer until ready to use, then thaw out 1 cube at a time in the empty baby food jar at room temperature. Keep thawed slurry in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days, washing the jar and lid thoroughly after each batch.

Using this mixture, draw a full 1ml dropper (eye dropper type) for adults, and 1/2 dropper for juveniles, and place a drop on the gecko's nose, and avoid plugging the nostrils. Be patient and do not force-feed! The gecko will lick it off its nose, and as it does, slowly squeeze out a little at a time as the gecko licks it. Be careful not to let the gecko choke, allowing for time to swallow. Most geckos love this food, and will lap it up. Patience is a key factor!

* NEVER tell anyone you put mealworms in the blender!"
(Thanks to Marcia McGuinness)


Thanks to GU's Jess (electrofelt)--16 October 2011:
"For reference, 3-5 X-Large handfuls of mealworms is roughly 1000 medium sized mealworms (although I have small hands)."

[Elizabeth Freer]

"Apart from the bath you could also try a drop of mineral oil on your gecko's nose or if you can't get that 2 drops of olive oil. I used a combination of bathing (warm water not too hot) and mineral oil and gently rubbing my lizard's belly from front to back in the water. In addition check that your temps are warm enough, that your gecko has enough water and calcium, and that your gecko isn't eating food that's too big as these can cause constipation. If you're keeping it on sand or any other substrate that they can eat - change it as ingestion could be causing your gecko to be impacted too. If there's still no poop you'll have to take your gecko to the vet. 20 days with no poop is way too long! Can you see a big black mass of poop in your gecko's body - their skin's pretty transparent on their underside? Good luck with your poor little gecko! I really hope it's better soon." Thanks, Debbie7054 (10/14/2011)



"When I thought my gecko was constipated the vet told me to give her her liquid paraffin (medicinal), 2 times a day for 2 days. It worked.

Dosage for a 40 gram leo: 0,2 ml 2 times a day, for 2 days." Thanks, zelda (10/14/2011)

[Elizabeth Freer]

For shortterm assist feeding ONLY:
***Turkey Baby Food versus Chicken Baby Food
"Turkey baby food is a milder food than chicken and thus provides less of a shock to the digestive system. The goal of assist feeding is not to overwhelm the gecko with nutrients.

The recommended 1:1 ratio of turkey baby food (which is has a slightly higher water content than chicken baby food) to pediatric fluids (Pedialyte) helps quickly replace fluids and provides a mild dosage of nutrients that are more easily digestable than the more nutrient-dense chicken baby foods. Fluid replacement at a veterinary clinic is often highly invasive procedure and should be avoided if at all possible.

Turkey is also lower in saturated fats as well as total fats. Fats are in both but the turkey diet after mixing contains just 3.1% where the chicken diet would have 3.95% (close to one percent higher in total fat content, of which a higher percentage is saturated fat).

Turkey is slightly more mineral-rich than chicken (based on total ash content) and this may help with replacement of any lost due to a previously substandard diet.

Turkey baby food contains 3 times as much total vitamin D (D2 + D3). This offsets its lower calcium levels. My opinion is that the calcium in turkey is more available than the calcium in chicken baby foods due to the higher level of vitamin D."

With thanks to Maurice Pudlo -- 19 December 2011



For longterm assist feeding:
(1) ***Fluker's Repta+Boost
Guaranteed Analysis:
Protein (min) 25%, Fat (min) 17%, Fiber (max) 2.5%, Moisture (max) 13%, Calcium (min) 0.60%, Phosphorus (min) 0.50%.

Ingredients:
Egg product, wheat flour, starch, isolated soy flour, corn oil, dried brewers yeast, dried kelp, calcium carbonate, dicalcium phosphate, pollen, dextrose, sodium chloride, potassium sorbate (preservative), dl-methionine, lecithin, choline chloride supplement, potassium chloride, spirulina, manganese sulfate, mixed natural tocopherols (antioxidant), zinc sulfate, magnesium oxide, ascorbic acid, beta carotene supplement, niacin, vitamin E supplement, copper sulfate, vitamin B12 supplement, vitamin A acetate, calcium pantothenate, vitamin D3 supplement, pyridoxine hydrochloride, menadione sodium bisulfite complex, riboflavin, thiamine mononitrate, ethylene diamine dihydriodide, biotin supplement, folic acid, sodium selenite.


(2) ***Hill's a/d canine/feline Critical Care Prescription Diet blended with water
A great recovery food you that can only get from a vet's is the Hill's a/d canine/feline Critical Care Prescription Diet (www.HillsPet.com). It is important to blend that food/any food with water to a consistency in which you may place it on his snout or in a syringe. The Hill's diet/water combo is necessary to rehydrate.

Freeze meal-size portions of the diet/water in an ice cube tray and then bag in Ziplocs for daily thawing.


(3) ***Oxbow Carnivore Care--(powder) & Oxbow Critical Care -- (powder)
Elizabeth I just saw that you needed information on Oxbow. I am familiar with the product and have used it successfully as well. I have never suggested it because it's hard to find for most and my fear of it being used without the care of a veterinarian. Although it comes with the instructions depending on the condition, the vet might dilute with more fluids than suggested.

Carnivore Care should only be purchased from licensed veterinarians.

Oxbow Animal Health | Carnivore Care

http://www.oxbowanimalhealth.com/res...ile-Ferret.pdf

With thanks to cricket4u -- 21 Feb 2012

[Elizabeth Freer]

http://la.rsmjournals.com/content/19/4/284.full.pdf


With thanks to cricket4u -- 1 January 2012