Leo Acting Different

[BenderG02]

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Hi all! I am not exactly new with the care of a leopard gecko but my girl Rowan is my first. I am confused on her behavior recently and was hoping to have some light shed on it. I’ve had her for almost a year now and she is around a year old and has not had any problems before but recently has not moved from her hide very much when I turn the lights off. She will eat what I feed her but not really move from where she is. I saw some things stating that it could potentially be MBD. I have no clue atm if that is the case because she isn’t really showing symptoms. This started about two days ago. Right now she is asleep even though the lights are off, I am wondering if the heat pad I bought her has made it so she doesn’t really want to move at night or things like that. Sorry for this long winded thing but I’m afraid and I’m still relatively new with her and new behaviors get really scary. She can eat perfectly fine and I put some additional calcium+D3 in today but I’m still unsure. Both sides of the tank are 80 degrees, she has a heat pad in the location she is in also set to 94.5 so I think she maybe bring her ride self and is just working me up.(with my local pet shop it’s either 80 or 100 degrees Fahrenheit)
I also smoke weed in the same room as her but I blow it out the window which is in the opposite side of the room, Idk if that’s okay or not

[Elizabeth Freer]

Welcome to Geckos Unlimited!

I've noticed folks shouldn't even burn scented candles near reptiles. I have no idea how smoking weed near Rowan will affect her.

Sometimes leos brumate during winter.

I recommend lightly dusting Rowan's prey every so often with supplements depending upon her age.

Please share some husbandry with us.

1. A photo of her enclosure
2. A photo of Rowan
3. Brand of supplements, exact name, & frequency of use.
4. What you feed Rowan?
5. What you feed the feeders?
6. Reduce the maximum heat mat setting to 91*F.

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. If you use a UTH + a CHE you'll need 2 separate thermostats, because ground and air temperatures are substantially different.

• Warm dry hide ground temperature: 88-92 F (31.1-33.3 C) inside a leo's warm dry hide.
• Warm humid/moist hide: Place the humid hide 100% on top of the heat mat. Keep temperatures similar to the warm dry hide.
• Cool dry hide ground temperature: 70ish-75 F (21.1-23.9 C) Usually the cool end ground temperature matches the room temperature where the enclosure sits.
• no greater than 82ish F (27.8ish C) surface temperature - 4 inches (10 cm) above ground on the warm end
• no greater than 75 F (23.9 C) surface temperature - 4 inches (10 cm) above ground on the cool end

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)

Here's a basic guide to leo care:

For link 81 (& 87) click: Leopard Gecko Care Sheet (abbreviated show handout) -- January 2021 (update)

[BenderG02]

I give her Flukers Repta Calcium with vitamin D3
I usually feed her just crickets, I have tried getting her to eat anything else but because of previous owner she never had any before 2 months ago and is super picky with them.
I usually feed the crickets the Fluker cricket food and water. Both have calcium in them that makes the cricket of course have more calcium.86D3D46A-A229-4D24-B56F-B395A6209E84.jpg[[ATTACH=CONFIG]496294D07C684-15BB-420F-BD2F-13ADF014F036.jpg4D07C684-15BB-420F-BD2F-13ADF014F036.jpg

[Elizabeth Freer]

I give her Flukers Repta Calcium with vitamin D3
I usually feed her just crickets, I have tried getting her to eat anything else but because of previous owner she never had any before 2 months ago and is super picky with them.
I usually feed the crickets the Fluker cricket food and water. Both have calcium in them that makes the cricket of course have more calcium.86D3D46A-A229-4D24-B56F-B395A6209E84.jpg[[ATTACH=CONFIG]496294D07C684-15BB-420F-BD2F-13ADF014F036.jpg4D07C684-15BB-420F-BD2F-13ADF014F036.jpg

What a GREAT enclosure Rowan has! I love it's size!

What type heating/lighting have you in these 3 separate domes? Have you a thermostat to turn off the heat source when it exceeds 91*F ground temp under Rowan's warm dry hide?

Your hide on the right side will make a perfect cool dry hide. It's a bit too open for a warm dry hide. A moist/humid hide goes on the warm end as well. I recommend more private hides similar to this hide.

61YxB1xkfjL._SL1181_.jpg

Consider this OMEM terra cotta hide in size Large from Amazon as the warm humid hide.

51j0v+DN4pL._AC_SL1001_.jpg 61mhn0mS13L._AC_SL1400_.jpg

Fluker's brand calcium + D3 is OK.

Fluker's High Calcium Cricket Food? Research has shown that's not high calcium at all. Please compare calcium levels in Fluker's products to the calcium content of other products.

Here's a better dry diet to order the next time you need to.

Aliza (GU's acpart) uses this already ground Professional Reptiles' Pro Gutload (1-775-359-1085) for her mealworm/superworm bedding as well as for her insect and worm food.

• Click: Professional Reptiles' Pro Gutload

A growing leo is best on 3 separate supplements or maybe an all-in-one multivitamin. Here's a schedule for Rowan.

Please share a picture of your leo. If she's in good shape, I suggest Schedule 125.

Weekly Schedule 125 for leopard geckos 12-18 months old
(withOUT UVB)

Metabolic bone disease (MBD) symptoms include uneven (lopsided) gait, walking on one or both "elbows", bowed limbs, belly dragging, and an underbite. Difficulty chewing should be closely monitored.

The Reptile Supply Company based in Lodi, California stocks Zoo Med's ReptiVite multivitamins withOUT D3.

Powdered supplement recommendations for leopard geckos 12-18 months old depend upon how much your leo has grown thus far and whether he/she is walking strongly. Leopard geckos usually reach maximum size at about 18 months old.

Feed lightly dusted prey 3x per week.

• Monday > > crickets or dubia lightly dusted with Zoo Med's Repti Calcium with D3
• Wednesday > > crickets or dubia lightly dusted with pure precipitated calcium carbonate withOUT D3 (Zoo Med's Repti Calcium or NOW human brand calcium)
• Friday > > crickets or dubia lightly dusted with Zoo Med's ReptiVite multivitamins withOUT D3
• Saturday > > mealworms, superworms, or black soldier fly larvae (Phoenix worms) >> no dusting

[BenderG02]

Left to right I have a UVB light for 60 watts that I got less then a month ago, Middle is a dark light meant for her night escapades and the very right is a 60 watt heat bulb.
Her mat does have a temp limit at 91 degrees now.
I’ll look into the feeder food you suggested and will be trying super worms in hope she’ll eat them unlike the mealworms. I’ll also look to replace her coconut and log with your suggestions for those hides, I don’t want to cramp her in there. I also read by a lot of diffrent sites it’s a good idea to put calcium in a small dish in there with her.
I posted a pic earlier but I know that’s not the best, I can’t really get a good image unless I turn the lights in at night and piss her off. If there’s any other suggestions I’m all ears because I want to give Rowan her best life. She has also gotten eaten a hornworm but only the head and is no longer interested....
Oh and I looked at the moist hide but only found small or medium so I would like to know a good one still lol.
I just saw she is a browner or darker texture so when I get crickets tomorrow I’ll grab a higher bulb so she can heat up. I might also change up with hides I find at the shop

[Elizabeth Freer]

Left to right I have a UVB light for 60 watts that I got less then a month ago, Middle is a dark light meant for her night escapades and the very right is a 60 watt heat bulb.
Her mat does have a temp limit at 91 degrees now.
I’ll look into the feeder food you suggested and will be trying super worms in hope she’ll eat them unlike the mealworms. I’ll also look to replace her coconut and log with your suggestions for those hides, I don’t want to cramp her in there. I also read by a lot of diffrent sites it’s a good idea to put calcium in a small dish in there with her.
I posted a pic earlier but I know that’s not the best, I can’t really get a good image unless I turn the lights in at night and piss her off. If there’s any other suggestions I’m all ears because I want to give Rowan her best life. She has also gotten eaten a hornworm but only the head and is no longer interested....
Oh and I looked at the moist hide but only found small or medium so I would like to know a good one still lol.
I just saw she is a browner or darker texture so when I get crickets tomorrow I’ll grab a higher bulb so she can heat up. I might also change up with hides I find at the shop

For the warm dry hide you're looking for a hide with a single small entrance. Leos need to feel safe while they hide. Maybe she'll be more receptive to other feeders when temperatures are more to her liking.

I've never found a moist hide that beats OMEM's terra cotta hide! It's soooo easy to fill the basin on top versus fiddling around with other "moist" hides! My ~16.5 yo leo loves hers! See link below.

Consider slate (coasters ?) as her warm end substrate. Slate does an awesome job of absorbing heat!

How are you measuring her ground temps? I recommend a simple yellow Zoo Med digital thermometer with a probe to verify ground temps. Sometimes analog (circle) thermometers aren't very accurate.

Once you've gotten UVB where you need it (PM just sent) & Rowan's reliably using it, you'll only need to supplement with a powdered D3 supplement at 1-2 feedings per month as a backup dose. For that backup dose I recommend switching from Fluker's calcium + D3 (100,000 D3 IU/pound) to Zoo Med's Repti Calcium with D3 (10,390 D3 IU/pound).

For link 24 click: Calcium powders with D3 ONLY -- February 2021 (update)

Keep checking this link for the large OMEM hide. Amazon will probably receive more soon. The large terra cotta hide may work for Rowan for life. It's a good size for leos up to 80ish grams.

Method #6 -- Proactive Method
Here's an excellent proactive approach! A large OMEM terra cotta cave with a basin on top will keep ANY gecko's humidity higher 24/7. Since this cave is made from clay, colors vary some. Use this cave + an 8 ounce water dish for your leopard gecko.

July 2020: My leopard gecko loves her new large OMEM terra cotta humid hide with the basin on top! Place that hide on top of a textured ceramic tile or on a piece of slate on the enclosure's warm end right next to the warm dry hide. Use sphagnum moss inside as a bedding. Fill the basin on top with water daily.

My leo uses this terra cotta hide all the time! She alternates between her warm dry hide and this warm humid hide. This terra cotta humid hide retains a constant humidity level without any effort on my part. My leo's former humid hide was often dry, quite dry, in fact.

Terra cotta is porous. It's the only type hide that actually "breathes".

Click: https://www.amazon.com/OMEM-Reptiles.../dp/B01M1NTI44

Attachment 48541 Attachment 48970 Attachment 48703

Sizes
Small: 3.54'' x 2.76'' x 2.36''
Medium: 4.72'' x 3.35'' x 2.95'' (Good size for Oedura castelnaui - Northern Velvet Geckos)
Large OMEM hide (for ALL leopard geckos up to maybe 90 grams): 5.9'' x 4.72'' x 3.74''
X-Large: At this time OMEM does not make an XL version of their terra cotta hide.

The entry hole for the large OMEM terra cotta hide measures 2 inches wide x 1.5 inches high.

Once Rowan is reliably using UVB, switch her to Schedule 155.

UVB Weekly Schedule 155 for leopard geckos 12-18 months old
(with UVB)

***** It's crucial for your leopard gecko to have an enclosure larger than a 10 gallon (20 x 10.5 x 12 inches tall) prior to experimenting with UVB. There are downsides to UVB too.

A 20 long: 30 x 12 x 12 inches tall IS the bare minimum enclosure size when providing UVB for any leopard gecko! A leo will need at least 3 hides to dodge the rays when he feels the urge. *****

Metabolic bone disease (MBD) symptoms include uneven (lopsided) gait, walking on one or both "elbows", bowed limbs, belly dragging, and an underbite. Difficulty chewing should be closely monitored.

The Reptile Supply Company based in Lodi, California stocks Zoo Med's ReptiVite multivitamins withOUT D3.

Powdered supplement recommendations for leopard geckos 12-18 months old depend upon how much your leo has grown thus far and whether he/she is walking strongly. Leopard geckos usually reach maximum size at about 18 months old.

Feed lightly dusted prey 3x per week.

• Monday > > crickets or dubia lightly dusted with Zoo Med's ReptiVite multivitamins withOUT D3
• Wednesday > > crickets or dubia lightly dusted with pure precipitated calcium carbonate withOUT D3 (Zoo Med's Repti Calcium or NOW human brand calcium)
• Friday > > crickets or dubia lightly dusted with pure precipitated calcium carbonate withOUT D3 (Zoo Med's Repti Calcium or NOW human brand calcium)
• Saturday > > Optional: mealworms, superworms, or black soldier fly larvae (Phoenix worms) >> no dusting

***** When your leopard gecko is taking advantage of appropriate UVB rays, Dr. Fran Baines (Reptile Lighting group's lighting guru) strongly recommends a backup dose of powdered D3 @ 1-2 feedings per month! Just substitute 1 D3 calcium dusting for 1 plain calcium dusting during those 1-2 weeks only. *****

\/ \/ \/ In addition to a balanced dry diet to cover the basics, offer your feeders some veggies and fruits from these lists.

Gutload Ingredients for Bugs & Worms . . . . . . thanks to Olimpia -- August 2013

"A commercial gut loading food like Bug Burger or Superload (both by Repashy), Cricket Crack, Dinofuel, etc. is going to make your life easier AND provide a nutritious diet to your crickets at the same time. Avoid Fluker's gutloads, as they are super feeble in their formulas.

"If you opt for making your own gutload at home, here's a list of great ingredients to use:
BEST: mustard greens, turnip greens, dandelion flowers & leaves, collard greens, escarole lettuce, papaya, watercress, and alfalfa.
GOOD: sweet potato, carrots, (oranges), mango, butternut squash, kale, apples, beet greens, blackberries, bok choy, and green beans.
DRY FOOD: bee pollen, organic non-salted sunflower seeds, spirulina, dried seaweed, flax seed, and organic non-salted almonds.
AVOID AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE: potatoes, cabbage, iceberg lettuce, romaine lettuce, spinach, broccoli, tomatoes, corn, grains, beans, oats, bread, cereal, meat, eggs, dog food, cat food, fish food, canned or dead insects, vertebrates."

[Elizabeth Freer]

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

[BenderG02]

Thank you so much for all this information! I actually went to the store today and got a thermometer that checks humidity and heat that I have used to see what’s going on. I also am planning in the morning to get a basking light that’s 75 watts compared to the 60 watt that was giving off 75 degrees Fahrenheit.
The last owner used a 13 watt UVB bulb so that’s what I got but I’ll double check through the Facebook post tomorrow when I’m open. I also replaced the coconut and log with two new spaces that I will take a picture of it in the morning also. It felt like ceramic but I’ll double check it. She’s already in it hiding atm this night. I was looking into it and talked to some other owners and heard that there Leos sometimes just sits in one place for awhile, she still lives to eat and does everything. I just think I’m feeding her to much sometimes...��
Also someone suggested that gutload food and I bought a pound and give em to the crickets here when I get it! Plus I didn’t even think about the heat and stuff with her eating mealworms so hopefully with the new basking lamp I’ll be getting it will be perfect!

[Elizabeth Freer]

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Thank you so much for all this information! I actually went to the store today and got a thermometer that checks humidity and heat that I have used to see what’s going on. I also am planning in the morning to get a basking light that’s 75 watts compared to the 60 watt that was giving off 75 degrees Fahrenheit.
The last owner used a 13 watt UVB bulb so that’s what I got but I’ll double check through the Facebook post tomorrow when I’m open. I also replaced the coconut and log with two new spaces that I will take a picture of it in the morning also. It felt like ceramic but I’ll double check it. She’s already in it hiding atm this night. I was looking into it and talked to some other owners and heard that there Leos sometimes just sits in one place for awhile, she still lives to eat and does everything. I just think I’m feeding her to much sometimes...��
Also someone suggested that gutload food and I bought a pound and give em to the crickets here when I get it! Plus I didn’t even think about the heat and stuff with her eating mealworms so hopefully with the new basking lamp I’ll be getting it will be perfect!

You're very welcome.

Does your new thermometer have a probe? There are soooo many details when setting up a leopard gecko!!!

Be sure to keep your Pro Gutload Dry Diet in an airtight container to preserve it's freshness as long as possible.

For link 33 click: Hornworm Care Guidelines