New Leopard Gecko Owner

[ccapasso]

---

LOG IN TO CLOSE THIS AD   

---

Good suggestion on the calendar. I may do that for them.

And thanks for the info on gut loading. I've been feeding the mealworms and crickets some carrots and celery so far. Will look into the other stuff. Right now, since we just got started, I've just been buying small amounts of insects as I am working through how to store/keep them lol.

I did receive some stuff in today:

* (2) Thermostats
* (2) Digital Thermometers
* (1) 60W CHE

Right now, I've hooked (1) of the Thermostats up to the UTH and set the temp to 88. It is my understanding that when this temp is reached, the UTH will be turned off (based on the way the Thermostat works). However, that seems to contradict with an earlier suggestion of keeping the UTH on 24/7. If the ground temp is to stay at 88-92, shouldn't the UTH turn off to allow for this during that time? I've also put one thermometer right next to the Thermostat probe.

Once I put in the CHE, it'll go on the second Thermostat. But with the tank being only 10g still (until I pickup the 20g this weekend), I'm not sure using the CHE is a good idea as I don't want to overheat things.

Here's a picture of how I have the (2) probes on the hot side (silver probe is for the UTH, black probe is just the digital thermometer). Is this correct or should I attach them to the ground somehow?


I put the second thermometer on the cool side, in the bottom corner.

[Elizabeth Freer]

You're welcome!

How low do the temps of your daughter's room plunge at night? If you wish to turn the thermostat completely off at night, the thermostat will need to be connected to analog timer.

white-defiant-timers-26378-64_400_compressed.jpg

I tape my thermostat's probe to the digital thermometer's probe. Then I place both probes underneath the warm dry hide. Those temps are the temps my leo feels when she's in there. Even though the probes could move, both stay under the warm dry hide.

I set my thermostat @ 91*F. After the thermostat automatically shuts off, the actual temp rises a bit before it falls several degrees. Only then does the thermostat turn back on. Our non-proportional thermostats aren't super exact. The only way to get that preciseness is to spend big bucks for a proportional thermostat. Leos really don't need those.

Temperatures - A temperature gradient from warm to cool maintains your leo's health. Here's a temperature guide for all leopard geckos as measured with the probe of a digital thermometer or a temp gun. Set your thermostat at 91*F/32.8*C.

Tape the thermostat's probe and a digital thermometer's probe together, but offset a little. Place them right on top of the substrate underneath the warm dry hide.

. . . . . .

Leave your heat mat on 24/7 IF ambient room temperatures drop lower than 67ish*F (19.4*C). If NOT, during the night turn off overhead lighting/heating (~12 hours on and ~12 hours off)

Does this make sense?


EDIT: clarification

[ccapasso]

Yes, makes sense.

Her room temp's average around 70*F so she should be good.

Sorry, I wasn't meaning to say that the thermostat itself turned off. I just meant that the Thermostat itself is set to 88*F. So when it reaches that temp, the device plugged into it (currently the Under Take Heat Mat) will be turned off. If the temp drops, then it would turn back on. Right now I have it to 88 only because I wanted to see if it would ever get up to that (wanted to make sure it was working correctly and not overheat anything ).

I think I will move the temp probe under the warm hide once we get the new tank and rearrange things. If I put it under the current warm hide, I'm not sure how much it'll adjust/change given the openness of that hide.

[Elizabeth Freer]

Better late than never.

Leopard geckos are actually cathemeral geckos. They are active at dusk, during the night, and at dawn. Leos are also thigmotherms.

All it takes is knowledge & care to provide state-of-the art technology for our leopard geckos! When you establish UV A, B, & C wavelengths within a leo's enclosure, a leopard gecko will thrive! That's really just the first step.

Click: Arcadia Reptile's Interactive UV Index Lighting Guide for Crepuscular Species

[ccapasso]

Crickets & mealworms get hungry too. Just think about the size of their intestinal tracts! It's important to feed them 24/7. Anthem IS what he eats! For moisture just place a paper towel right on top of the egg flats you use for crickets. Moisten that paper towel daily.

I suggest ordering 1 pound of Professional Reptiles' Pro Gutload. Pro Gutload Insect Diet is also recommended for mealworm bedding. After opening, keep Pro Gutload Insect Diet in an airtight container.

Aliza (GU's acpart) uses this already ground dry diet from "Professional Reptiles" for her mealworm/superworm bedding as well as for her insect and worm food.

• Click: Pro Gutload Insect Diet -- 1, 5, & 10 pound(s)

Currently, I've only been getting a small handful of baby crickets at a time (2 dozen this last round). To start with, I've been housing them in one of the smaller "cricket keeper" things. Once I upgrade to the 20L, I'll likely use the old 10G to house the crickets.

Regarding the Pro Gutload, when you say to use it for bedding for mealworms, how much of it should I use ? I purchased a smaller tupperware container that I'm going to poke holes in and keep the mealworms in there. So far, I've just gotten (2) small cups of them (each cup has 50).

Also, if I use the Pro Gutload as bedding, I assume I can just dump whatever the mealworms come in right into the bedding ?

Lastly, how often should I be changing out the Pro Gutload ?


Also, with Anthem being small, am I ok to feed him black soldier flies (thinking small to medium size) and what about the dubia roaches (thinking small size)??

[Elizabeth Freer]

Currently, I've only been getting a small handful of baby crickets at a time (2 dozen this last round). To start with, I've been housing them in one of the smaller "cricket keeper" things. Once I upgrade to the 20L, I'll likely use the old 10G to house the crickets.

Regarding the Pro Gutload, when you say to use it for bedding for mealworms, how much of it should I use ? I purchased a smaller tupperware container that I'm going to poke holes in and keep the mealworms in there. So far, I've just gotten (2) small cups of them (each cup has 50).

Also, if I use the Pro Gutload as bedding, I assume I can just dump whatever the mealworms come in right into the bedding ?

Lastly, how often should I be changing out the Pro Gutload ?


Also, with Anthem being small, am I ok to feed him black soldier flies (thinking small to medium size) and what about the dubia roaches (thinking small size)??

If you can get very small dubia, Anthem may like those. If so, dubia are easy to breed.

Black Soldier Fly Larvae: "Phoenix/calci/reptiworms & NutriGrubs" are different trademarked names.
BSFL are very healthy feeders. The largest BSFL worms are only 3/4 inch long, They are recommended for leos. They are often popular with young leos too. Rinse them off prior to feeding!

Once you receive the Phoenix worms, they should neither be dusted nor fed!!!

Click: The Phoenix Worm Store Home Page

Let me mention @acpart (Aliza). She's the one for Pro Gutload mealworm specifics. I've only bred mealies once for a year or so.

[acpart]

Here's the link for the gut load: https://shop.professionalreptiles.co...Food-c63585001
I put about 2" of gut load in a medium KritterKeeper (14"x8"x5") and dump the mealworms in. Eventually you will see a lot of mealworm skins. If you can remove those it's easier to get the mealworms out. At some point it starts looking like instead of having grain, you have grains of sand. This is mealworm droppings. You can either sift out the sandy stuff and throw it away or just add more grain.

Aliza

[ccapasso]

Thank you.
@acpart, how many mealworms do you keep in the container you described?

[ccapasso]

493BF296-B62D-4E7E-BC07-074DC4ABE959.jpg

Anthem got an upgrade tonight. Officially moved into the 20L.

Moved his warm hide and humid hide to the right side. Thinking I’m going to need a new UTH as the old one doesn’t cover the area I’d like it too.

I just got done moving things over an hour or so ago so temps aren’t where they should be yet. Should have a better idea in the morning.

The cool side is right around 69 right now. Will see how it does later. Light on the cool side is a 14w that should be for viewing only.

Warm side ground is at 86 and warming up. Warm side air is around 77 and heating up. Light on the right side is a 60w CHE. Hoping it does the job. Should I move the CHE more towards the center?

Also, I know there is a lot of open space to fill now and I understand the Leo’s like lots of stuff and places to hide. I need to start looking at what all to fill the empty with.

[acpart]

---

LOG IN TO CLOSE THIS AD   

---

Thank you.
@acpart, how many mealworms do you keep in the container you described?

I actually don't keep mealworms anymore because I don't have anything that eats them and I also have a sensitivity to them (which could happen to you, so don't breathe them in). At one point I ordered 10,000 and had them in there for the month it took them to all get eaten. That was when I was feeding 50-70 leopard gecko hatchlings!

Aliza