Lethargic Leopard Gecko!

[geckomom23]

Hey All,
I recently got a new Leopard Gecko (George) at a reptile expo and he was very shy at first. I got him on Saturday and he wouldn't eat until Sunday when he had 4 superworms. He ate 1 superworm on Tuesday and wont touch anymore food. He shed yesterday and as far as i know all went well and he ate the whole thing but we also had a scare yesterday when my roommate left the space heater on and when i came home the temp on the hot side was 111.5!!! i immediately took him out and put him on a cooler moist paper towel and let him roam around in the living room for two hours while his tank cooled down. He seemed relatively active and was quite curious. Since then he has been sleeping nonstop for 26 hours and hasn't been moving unless provoked. He also is completely uninterested in eating and has been relatively picky about it. I am assuming this is just stress related but i am still getting worried.

He is in a smaller 10 gallon tank and will be for the next week until i can get a 20Long. He has a heating pad on one side and his food and water on the cooler side, a hide in the middle, and is on repticarpet. He has pooped once since i got him on Saturday and from what i can see it looked normal. The heat on the hot side is fluctuating around 91 right now and the cooler side is around 85 (because it is a small tank).
ALL advice is helpful!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Elizabeth Freer]

Hello ~

Welcome aboard!

Here's my 11.5 yo female leo's set-up. It's a 20 gallon long: 30 x 12 x 12 inches.



I strongly recommend Hydrofarm's Jump Start thermostat MTPRTC to control your heat mat. It's the only thermostat I know of with a digital readout and a small metal probe. It's available via Amazon. It will keep temps moderate and save you heartaches.

Here's a temperature guide for all leopard geckos as measured by the probe of a digital thermometer

• 88-92 F (31.1-33.3 C) ground temperature right underneath a leo's warm dry hide
• no greater than 82ish F (27.8ish C) air temperature - 4 inches above ground on the warm end
• no greater than 75 F (23.9 C) air temperature - 4 inches above ground on the cool end

Leave the UTH on 24/7. Turn off overhead lighting/heating at night (~12 hours on and ~12 hours off) unless ambient room temperatures drop lower than 67ish*F (19.4*C) during the night.

Please scroll through my Leo Caresheet linked below in my signature. Scroll to posts 81 and 87 for introductory (short) versions.

 

[geckomom23]

Thanks! Do you have any other mat recommendations for college students? The mat listed on Amazon was over $50 and ive already dropped a pretty penny on my little man. The biggest problem i have been having is making sure the temp doesn exceed 95 and trying to find a good way to keep it even during the day and night. If i use the lamp it gets too hot but if i don't then it is too cold with just the mat. Any suggestions?

 

[Elizabeth Freer]

Thanks! Do you have any other mat recommendations for college students? The mat listed on Amazon was over $50 and ive already dropped a pretty penny on my little man. The biggest problem i have been having is making sure the temp doesn exceed 95 and trying to find a good way to keep it even during the day and night. If i use the lamp it gets too hot but if i don't then it is too cold with just the mat. Any suggestions?

Your overhead light (Ceramic Heat Emitter) can be controlled with a Lutron rheostat from Home Depot. However, your heat mat still will need the thermostat.

What size is your heat mat? For a 30 x 12 x 12 inch enclosure I recommend the Fluker's or Ultratherm 11 x 17 inch UTH.

The thermostat will keep the temps even during the day and night as long as your ambient room temps do not drop too much. Belly heat is very important. It's cheaper to outfit a 20 gallon long. Then you'll not need to upgrade the heat mat when you switch enclosures.

Check out the big box stores for their frequent $1-per-gallon sales.

If you need a bunch of stuff start out with free shipping via Amazon Prime.

 

[Zux]

Hey, how are you measuring the temps? The reason I ask is because of what you mentioned about the 'space heater' raising his temp to 115. Apologies if I missed you mentioning it.

 

[geckomom23]

I've been using a 60 watt red light above the hot side and my mat is smaller but it fits perfectly for my 10 gallon. I'm not sure what the size is- i cant find it on Petco's website. As for the temps, they have been fluctuating a lot so it has been really difficult to get a good control but last night and yesterday they stayed pretty steady around 90-92 on the ground touching the carpet but i have been monitoring it with a digital probe i got from Petco as well. I am just trying to get a good medium and figure out how to keep the temp in a good range considering he is right next to a window and that's the only place my roommate will let me put him

 

[geckomom23]

Don't worry though, I am making sure he isn't in direct sunlight!

 

[Elizabeth Freer]

I've been using a 60 watt red light above the hot side and my mat is smaller but it fits perfectly for my 10 gallon. I'm not sure what the size is- i cant find it on Petco's website. As for the temps, they have been fluctuating a lot so it has been really difficult to get a good control but last night and yesterday they stayed pretty steady around 90-92 on the ground touching the carpet but i have been monitoring it with a digital probe i got from Petco as well. I am just trying to get a good medium and figure out how to keep the temp in a good range considering he is right next to a window and that's the only place my roommate will let me put him

Don't worry though, I am making sure he isn't in direct sunlight!

I need more help! I understand that the temperatures fluctuate a lot. I would not trust the heat mat without a thermostat, especially in a 10 gallon vivarium. A thermostat controls the temperatures instead of leaving them to chance. A thermostat will shut off the heat mat and will help prevent fires.

Did you see Zux's post about your "space heater" and high temps to 115*F? Is this "space heater" heat for your room temps?

Please measure the heat mat. Is it a Zoo Med 6 x 8 inch pad? All I know is that it does not put out enough heat by itself. Maybe it's defective? An UTH should at least provide sufficient belly heat.

 

[geckomom23]

Yes, the mat is 8 x 6. As far as the space heater it has been turned off and is NOT being used as a heat source. The only heat sources being used are the mat for his belly and the 60 watt bulb to bump the ground temp up from 84 to 92. I read that the best conditions for digestion are around 90-88 so i have been aiming to get the temp there.

 

[Elizabeth Freer]

Please scroll back and read post 2 on this thread.

He really needs 3 private hides: warm dry, warm moist, and cool dry.

 

[geckomom23]

Update

So he ate 4 super worms this morning and pooped! He isn't as active as he normally is and it still slightly lethargic but seems to be getting better. Could the stress of the heat in his tank on Wednesday (115) and him shedding that day as well be the cause? Any ideas?

 

[Elizabeth Freer]

So he ate 4 super worms this morning and pooped! He isn't as active as he normally is and it still slightly lethargic but seems to be getting better. Could the stress of the heat in his tank on Wednesday (115) and him shedding that day as well be the cause? Any ideas?

That's good! We have many ideas.

Those stressors could be why including the fact that he's been with you barely one week. Initially leos are all about exploring their environment. Once George is done, then it's nap time!

Please compare superworms to mealworms and to crickets right on the chart below.

Click: http://www.geckotime.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/table-large.png

 

[geckomom23]

Ok great thanks! I will get him the new hides when i get his new tank next Friday! I just wanted to make sure that everything is running smoothly. He is my first Gecko and this was definitely more of an impulse buy :/ i really appreciate all of the help though! Great chart by the way! All of this information has been VERY helpful!