100% Leopard Gecko Care Sheet - Geckos Unlimited

[Elizabeth Freer]

#160---First Records of the Common Leopard Gecko . . . . . . in Nepal -- April 2019

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When one clicks this link, this PDF downloads automatically: https://lookaside.fbsbx.com/file/Fi...OL2Gt9aNB9i5iqcjfhn4t1wCcixeW9y4xm5C6KEQyPhqZ

"First Records of the Common Leopard Gecko, Eublepharis macularius (Blyth 1854) (Eublepharidae), in Nepal"
Authors: Yam Bahadur Rawat 1, Kul Bahadur Thapa 2, Santosh Bhattarai 3, and Karan Bahadur Shah 2

1. Department of National Parks and Wildlife Conservation, Shuklaphanta National Park, Kanchanpur, Nepal
2. Himalayan Nature, POB- 10918, Lazimpat, Kathmandu, Nepal
3. National Trust for Nature Conservation-Biodiversity Conservation Center, Ratnanagar-06, Chitwan-44204, Nepal (santosh.bhattarai@hotmail.com)

Much appreciation goes to Lukas Pola (via Yuri Kaverkin).

 

[Elizabeth Freer]

#161---Arcadia Reptile's heating & lighting products -- May 2023 (update)

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Either Arcadia's Deep Heat Projector bulb or a halogen bulb is the recommended heating source. Please check out the following YouTube reviews.

The DHP is manufactured in either 50 watt or 80 watt bulbs. As of August 2021 two separate shadedwellers exist: Arcadia ShadeDweller and Arcadia ShadeDweller Arboreal.

1. NEW: Arcadia Reptile's Deep Heat Projector! Powerful 80w E27 Infrared Reptile Lamp
Published: 7 June 2019
Click:

2. FULL Deep Heat Projector Review + Installation Tips | LEOPARD GECKO
by British lady LeopardGecko
Published: 16 March 2019
Click:

3. Habistat Digital Dimming Thermostat Review -- Recommended for a DHP with both 50 watt & 80 watt DHP bulbs to maximize bulb life.
by JTB Reptiles
Published: 11 February 2018
Click:

FIX: Herpstat dimming thermostats are available in the USA via Pangea.
Click: https://www.pangeareptile.com/store/thermostats-temperature-control.html

4. Posted by Geckos Unlimited's Marillion on 26 August 2020:
"I own and use an Arcadia DHP bulb. The DHP bulbs are quite focused in their heat direction. If your DHP bulb is pointing downwards and towards a slate rock (as it should be to help diffuse the heat throughout the terrarium) there will not be an excessive amount of heat going towards your foam background. The amount of heat that would harm your background would be harmful for your gecko as well if it got that hot...just make sure to use a thermostat with the bulb, like with any heat bulb. So that it shuts off when the desired temperature is reached."

5. Arcadia ShadeDweller lighting & Arcadia ShadeDweller Arboreal lighting . . . . . . Frances Baines, DVM

Arcadia ShadeDweller lighting (from 2017)​

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For a ShadeDweller lighting review​

click:

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Published: 26 June 2018​

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Arcadia ShadeDweller Arboreal lighting (from 2021)​

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(click to enlarge)​

29 August 2021 by Dr. Frances Baines:
"Arcadia ShadeDweller and ShadeDweller Arboreal. I have now plotted iso-irradiance charts for both of these, with and without a typical 35%block screen (ExoTerra or ZooMed mesh screen top).

"Please note: Distances are in centimeters not inches.

5 cm = approx 2 ins​

10 cm = approx 4 ins​

15 cm = approx 6 ins​

30 cm = approx 12 ins​

"The ShadeDweller Arboreal is intended to be used over mesh, with small climbing species with access to the mesh screen itself.
NB. If the mesh you are using is not a standard "flyscreen" type, the amount of block due to the wire shading out the light may vary greatly."

May 2023 update:
***** Please see master link #168 for dedicated % Block Mesh charts created by Reptile Lighting's Facebook Group for ShadeDweller distances dependent upon % Block Mesh. You'll find that link at the foot of that page.

 

[Elizabeth Freer]

#162---Top 10 Safe Plants for Leopard Geckos | BIOACTIVE ARID TANK -- LeopardGecko

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Top 10 Safe Plants for Leopard Geckos | BIOACTIVE ARID TANK
Published: 23 February 2020

 

[Elizabeth Freer]

#163---Slate Trays 16" x 12" x 0.3 inch for Leo Substrate . . . . . Gutler & Odinsmom

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Much appreciation goes to Gecko Unlimited's Gutler for recommending these 16" x 12" (11.8") x 0.3 inch thick slate cheese trays. Gutler purchased 2 cheese trays for his leopard gecko Ignatius' 36 x 18 x 12 inch Exo Terra enclosure.

FYI: These Slate Cheese Trays (16 x 12 x 0.3 inches) vary widely on Amazon for pricing. Sometimes the trays = $24 each. In May 2020 I purchased two 16 x 12" cheese trays for $24/each. In October 2020 Amazon sells the very same thing for $44-$49/each! Hold on! Now they're selling for $20 each!

These slate pieces come in various sizes including ~4 inch x ~4 inch coaster size.

​

***** 16" x 12" (ACTUAL measurements = 15 & 5/8" x 11.8" x 0.3 inches thick)​

Click: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01J7EEFWI/ref=ox_sc_saved_title_2?smid=A3M7N1SGT524AY&psc=1​

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11.75"x 7.9" x 0.25 inches thick -- 6 trays​

Click: https://www.amazon.com/Slate-Cheese...ese+board&qid=1584270240&s=home-garden&sr=1-7​

Slate is a superior substrate. Slate is ideal for retaining heat. However, it's porous and should be sealed with a water-base, low VOC, sealant.

Sealing Slate Tiles: Make certain any sealant is reptile-safe and food-safe! Slate tiles can be sealed with a food grade sealant so that they will NOT absorb gecko urine or feces. IF you don't seal the slate, periodically sterilize it with a bleach solution. While the bleach is off-gassing, replace the missing sections with paper towels.

This water-base, low VOC, sealant has been given stamps of approval by leo dad Gutler and his leo Iggy about June 2020. :biggrin: This sealant might be carried by your Home Depot.

***** Miracle Sealants' water-base, low VOC, sealant: https://www.amazon.com/Miracle-Sealants-TSS-QT-SG/dp/B00ILY6SI0/ref=sr_1_3?crid=M9O7QNYWFXLG&dchild=1&keywords=professionals+choice+tile+stone+and+grout+sealer&qid=1592136031&sprefix=professional's+choice+tile,+stone+&+Grout,aps,161&sr=8-3​

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(click to enlarge)​

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Many thanks also goes to Geckos Unlimited's member Odinsmom!!! As of October 2020 she recommends Montauk's reasonably priced slate.

Montauk 18" x 36" Slate Field Tile in Blue

Click: https://www.wayfair.com/home-improv...8-x-36-slate-field-tile-in-blue-mvp10252.html​

 

[Elizabeth Freer]

#164---Keeping & Breeding Multiple Feeder Roaches + a self-cleaning setup -- May 2020

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Click: ***** Ozymandias' Multiple Feeder Roaches: Care and Breeding -- February 2011

• Click this link. Then scroll down just a little for dubia information. That information tells exactly how I breed dubia. https://www.geckosunlimited.com/community/threads/73620
  
  My 10 gallon glass Blaptica dubia enclosure is not self-cleaning. In a bathroom that ranges upwards from 68*F year round, I heat my 10 gallon dubia enclosure overhead 24/7 with a 15 watt bulb in an 8.5 inch dome. Nymphs are born all the time. If your room is cooler, I'm pretty certain a 25 watt bulb overhead will give the roaches all the heat they need to reproduce.

Kudos to Kyle! Here's an excellent thread complete with photos that GU member Kyle (kholtme) wrote in August 2015 and January 2016.

• For Kyle's thread click:

  Self cleaning Dubia roach set up

  For those who already have Dubia Roach colonies, you may find cleaning the waste a pain, at least I know I did. Having to make sure no dubias escape while transferring them to a different container. So I came up with a bin that makes cleaning so much easier. I started off by going to walmart...

  www.geckosunlimited.com
• For Kyle's leo Gaz eating dubia click:

 

[Elizabeth Freer]

#165---Managing Egg-binding in Leopard Geckos . . . . . . Doctors Foster & Smith Info

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EGG-BOUND LEOPARD GECKOS​

All female geckos can develop infertile eggs without mating.

1. If you see eggs, add a nest box filled with damp Eco Earth's coco fiber to the warm end of the enclosure to prompt her to lay those eggs.
2. A 1x daily warm 86*F (30*C) soak for about 15 minutes may help. Gently massage her belly towards the vent during that soak.
3. An oxytoxin injection may help too. If she is unable to lay her eggs, surgery is required.
4. If a female gecko becomes egg-bound, eventually the eggs begin to rot inside. This infection leads to septicemia (blood poisoning), then death.

Click: Egg Binding (Dystocia) in Reptiles: Causes, Signs, Diagnosis, Treatment, and Prevention

 

[Elizabeth Freer]

#166---'Persistent Gecko Tail Biting Behavior' Remedy (including tail shed data) . . . . . . Elizabeth Freer -- 29 April 2023 (update)

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For reference click: https://www.geckosunlimited.com/community/threads/88502 Help repeated self harm

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(click to enlarge)
Google Amazon's "OMEM Reptiles Hideout Humidification Cave with Basin for Gecko"​

Remedy

• Used a medium OMEM terra cotta warm humid hide to provide ideal 24/7 humidity.
• Applied SSD 1% cream (silver sulfadiazine) generously to tail wounds every other day. SSD 1% cream has protected healing skin, thereby stopping this gecko's urge to remove scabs!

​

OMEM's large terra cotta hide (leopard gecko size) measures:​

• Length: 5.75 inches
• Width at base: 4.5 inches
• Height: 3.75 inches
• Entry hole: 2 inches long x 1.5 inches high

For link 4 click: 7 Stuck Shed Humidity Box Assists for a gecko's toes, body, head, & eyes -- September 2020 (update includes OMEM terra cotta humidification hides!)

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10 September 2020

On the 10 September 2020 I placed a medium OMEM terra cotta humid hide in his enclosure right next to my 18 gram Oedura castlenaui's warm dry coconut hide. I wasn't certain what to expect. Well, now this gecko usually sandwiches himself right between his super humid terra cotta hide & the glass. When I check him out he usually appears "moist". That may not be desirable, & could perhaps make this gecko susceptible to a respiratory tract infection, but so far so good. Some days he hangs out underneath his basking bulb, so maybe moisture & dryness balance out? He could retreat to his warm dry coconut hide if drier is better.​

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Both tail sores seem to be improving.​

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29 September 2020 -- Shed #1 after adding the medium OMEM terra cotta humid hide in early September

Complete shed! Both tail wounds & the regenerating tail are healing! There has been NO additional biting behavior at this time.​

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I've been applying SSD 1% cream more generously than in the past. During the days this ~18 gram Oedura castelnaui hangs out on top of his cork bark & underneath silk ivy leaves soaking up rays from the incandescent bulb overhead. All night long he sandwiches himself between the glass & one side of his OMEM terra cotta hide. His terra cotta hide absorbs enough moisture from the basin on top to produce a consistent humidity. That promotes wound healing & keeps him from creating new bite wounds.​

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30 October 2020 -- Shed #2 after adding the medium OMEM terra cotta humid hide in early September

Another 100% shed! Both tail wounds & the regenerating tail continue to heal! There has been NO additional biting behavior.​

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Should 100% unassisted sheds continue a 3rd time I'll be sold that shedding requires consistent humidity, not on again, off again, humidity.​

​

I've continued SSD 1% cream more generously than in the past. During the days this ~18 gram Oedura castelnaui hangs out on top of his cork bark & underneath silk ivy leaves soaking up rays from the incandescent bulb. All night long he sandwiches himself between the glass & one side of his OMEM terra cotta hide. The basin on top of this terra cotta hide produces a consistent humidity. That promotes wound healing & keeps him from creating new bite wounds.​

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19 December 2020 -- Shed #3 after adding the medium OMEM terra cotta humid hide in early September

Complete shed! The tail bite wounds are continuing to heal.​

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9 May 2021

All further sheds have been complete. I occasionally apply SSD 1% cream to this gecko's tail.​

​

Often this male Oedura castelnaui sandwiches himself between his medium OMEM hide & the glass side of his enclosure.​

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3 October 2022

This male Oedura castelnaui shed again at the beginning of October 2022 withOUT any difficulty at all. This time his shed consisted of a significantly large section of old skin that included both his transparent spectacles (eye caps) as well as his tail down to the very tip! :yahoo:​

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I'll continue using the medium OMEM terra cotta hide to help him out.​

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29 April 2023

This gecko finished another shed the 29 April 2023. His shed was nearly complete including his tail. All that remained was a tad bit of old skin on his right back foot.​

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That stuck shed was removed with a ~20 minute warmish soak, a soft-bristled toothbrush, & a wooden toothpick between his toes.​

 

[Elizabeth Freer]

#167---Arcadia Reptile's Interactive UV Index Lighting Guide for Crepuscular Species

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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.

Leopard geckos are actually cathemeral geckos. They are active at dusk, during the night, & at dawn. Leos are also thigmotherms. A leopard gecko's preferred body temperature (PBT) is 86*F/30*C.

Leopard geckos do not have endolymphatic sacs which store calcium like some other gecko species do.

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

 

[Elizabeth Freer]

#168--- ***** State-of-the-Art practices using UVB through mesh with Exo Terra's 36x18x18 inch tall enclosure for a leopard gecko . . . . . . Ben Van Nest, Fran Baines DVM, & Elizabeth Freer -- May 2023 (update) *****

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Let's get started!
A leopard gecko needs:

*** Exo Terra's 36 x 18 x 18 inch enclosure with a fine mesh screen top. Exo Terra's fine mesh screen blocks UVB transmission about 35%.

*** Arcadia Lighting's ShadeDweller UVB 12 inch tube (1/3 the enclosure's length) resting on top of the mesh is ideal for a leopard gecko's UVB source.

*** Connect the ShadeDweller UVB tube to a timer, so the UVB is ON during the day and OFF at night.

*** Pair Arcadia's ShadeDweller UVB 12 inch tube with either a halogen or an incandescent bulb. Always center your heat source in the middle of the 12 inch long ShadeDweller & about 1 inch away!

*** Connect your heat source to a dimming thermostat. Herpstat in the USA or Habistat in the EU are excellent choices.

*** Add 4-6 inches substrate to raise the ground 14 to 12 inches below your screen top.

• Create a generous warm DRY basking area (a blanket of sorts & not just a basking spot) about 12 inches (30 cm) wide directly beneath the UVB & the halogen or incandescent bulb). Slate pieces are excellent for your leopard gecko's basking area since they absorb heat so well.
  
  
  (click to enlarge)
  Much appreciation goes to the photographer!​

• Create a humid area next to the warm DRY area.
• Create a cool area at the opposite end of this enclosure.
• Support subterranean tunnels with wide PVC tubes.
• Plant several species of sanseveria (snake plants) of varying heights. Sanseveria are low-light plants that love to dry out. Consider planting plants in their own pots. Then you won't need to disturb the roots WHEN you deep clean.
  
  ***** For a naturalistic setup, don't add a clean up crew (CUC).
  ***** For a bioactive setup add a clean up crew (CUC).​

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Details by Ben Van Nest -- May 2021

"-ExoTerra mesh blocks about 35% of light. Take the unobstructed UVi value at a given distance and multiply by 0.65 to get the reduced UVi at that distance.

"-Yes, the ShadeDweller is acceptable at that length even for that enclosure size. The UVb only needs to be as long as the gecko is at a minimum and no more than 1/2 the enclosure length at a maximum. So the fact of it only covering 1/3 the enclosure length is fine because it will cover the whole animal while basking.

"This is because the ShadeDweller is being used to recreate the “sunbeam” method of lighting, where specie appropriate sun level intensities are restricted to the “patch of sunlight” with a gradient to 0 in the shade. The previous shade methodology was to provide low background levels to the majority of the enclosure to allow for adequate “dose” of UVb over the course of the day due to the larger exposure coverage. This can still be done but more keepers seem to be switching to the “sunbeam” method and their geckos are seeming to respond well.

"-With only 12” from screen to substrate I would keep it over the screen. Here is an ISO chart for the ShadeDweller overtop of mesh; I also have a photo somewhere where Fran gave readings with and without mesh; I’ll attach that next. For reference 12” is 30cm.

​

(click to enlarge)​

Thanks so much, Dr. Fran Baines!​

"Leopard Geckos need a UVi between 0.5-1.4 at the basking area. At 12” below mesh Fran got a reading of 1.0 which is perfect! However this is the distance from the mesh to the animals back, so if the substrate is 12” below mesh then the animal may be more like 10” and receiving that level of exposure.

"If the gecko will be able to reach closer than a safe distance from the lamp, it may be advisable to use some wooden blocks to rest the ShadeDweller on to raise it off the screen, maybe 4-6” depending on the circumstances."


"-The DHP is a great product and is especially fantastic for nighttime use. Their downside is the carbon filament produces heat mostly in the IR-B spectrum, and very little IR-A. For some keepers this may be enough as the IR-B from the DHP will do a better job heating the animal than something like a CHE. However, if keepers can provide a tungsten filament lamp such a halogen or incandescent lamp for primary daytime heat that would be ideal. This is due to the tungsten filament lamp producing a fairly even ratio of IR-A and IR-B much closer to the ratio in sunlight. This will warm the animal's core much more efficiently!

"If nighttime heat is required, that’s where the DHP can really be helpful. Keep in mind, leo’s can handle a temperature drop down to 60°F (16C) at night and a temp drop may even be beneficial for their overall health.

"If nighttime heat is required but they want to use both an incandescent/halogen lamp and the DHP for daytime and nighttime respectively, it can get a little tricky with just one dimming thermostat. A good work around would be to use the dimming stat with the incandescent/halogen lamp, and use a manual plug-in dimmer switch to run the DHP at a very low power; just enough power to provide sufficient nighttime temps. The DHP could be on a timer if needed or depending on the setup it could be on 24/7 with the halogen/incandescent lamp dimming as needed to adjust.

"Wattage of halogen/incandescent really depends on the setup, but I would suggest starting with maybe a 40-50watt lamp and adjusting from there. It will take some experimenting to get it figured out, but hopefully this helps a bit."


(click to enlarge)
Credit goes to the entire Reptile Lighting Facebook Group team!

• Distance specs chart above is totally for Arcadia's ShadeDweller UVB 12 inch tube with varying % block mesh (including NO mesh) & UVB fixture sitting ON the mesh
• UVB tube should = 1/3 - 1/2 the enclosure's length.

(Add both RL's (A. Sharma) mesh block type graphics)

 

[Elizabeth Freer]

#169---Do ALL Reptiles NEED FULL Spectrum Light? | Dr. Frances Baines -- 26 Sept 2021

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Up close & personal . . . . . .
Published: 26 September 2021

"Dr. Frances Baines is one of the most well-known reptile lighting experts herpetoculture has to offer. Dr. Baines is a vet out of the UK and has decades of experience studying the optimal light requirements for captive reptiles and has spent years testing and advising reptile brands as they develop new lighting technology. In this episode, Dr. Baines fills us in on how she got started studying reptile lighting, we discuss how to replicate the solar spectrum including what function each section of the spectrum has. We cover lighting for nocturnal species, simulating dusk and dawn, D3 synthesis, and the remarkable role of vitamin D beyond calcium metabolism."

 

[Elizabeth Freer]

#170---***** Best Gut Loading Plan Using Modern Science . . . . . . Liam Sinclair -- 29 July 2021

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4/27/2022: Thanks to GU's Ayana Evans for sharing many details!

Liam Sinclair, author, speaks on cutting edge gut loading research for cricket feeding, keeping, & breeding @ 26*C = 78.8*F (26-32*C)

Published: 29 July 2021

"This is how I gut load crickets after researching gut loading for months on end for my cricket gut loading thesis. In this video you will get a full breakdown of the research on gut loading, with focus on temperatures to gut load crickets at, how other variables such as cricket growth cycles affect gut loading success, as well as the placement of gut load diets in the cricket housing itself.

"We will then breakdown the research on calcium (Ca), vitamin A (retinol), vitamin E, carotenoids and omega 6 to omega 3 fatty acid ratios, as these were the focus of my gut load thesis.

"Timestamps:
0:00 The result of months of research
0:18 Temperature
1:28 Security
2:33 Growth cycles
3:52 Nutrition
4:24 Calcium
7:33 Vit A
10:42 Vit E
11:48 Omega 6 : Omega 3
13:07 My Plans"

 

[Elizabeth Freer]

#171---Esther Laue's 42 yo female leo Grossmutterchen . . . . . . E. Laue -- Dec 2019 (& August 2024)

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For link 171 click: Esther Laue's ~42 yo female leopard gecko Grossmutterchen who lives with her in Germany . . . . . . Esther Laue -- December 2019 (& August 2024)

Esther's German-to-English translated care guide right there /\ /\ . . . . . .

August 2024 Update:
German Esther Laue acquired one female & one male leopard gecko in 1978.
Esther's female leopard gecko died on 11 August 2022 @ age 44!!!
From Ayana Evans: "The male leopard gecko is still alive and on July 18th 2024, Esther Laue had commented that he was 46 years old."

 

[Elizabeth Freer]

#172---The Art of High-Level Gut Loading . . . . . . Reptiles and Research Podcast 1 (Liam Sinclair) -- 2022

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Published: 2022

 

[MicheleVicchitto]

Thank you so much for getting this reset up with the new format. Very very much appreciated because this is pretty much my go-to spot for first information! Thank you!

 

[Elizabeth Freer]

Thank you so much for getting this reset up with the new format. Very very much appreciated because this is pretty much my go-to spot for first information! Thank you!

You're SO, SO, welcome, Michele!!!

I love when you & Donnie visit GU.

 

[Elizabeth Freer]

#173---SAFE methods for hydrating our geckos' feeder bugs & worms . . . . . . Elizabeth Freer -- April 2023

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1. For many years I've successfully used the following method to provide moisture for my geckos' crickets & dubia.

Once daily I thoroughly moisten 2 sheets of Scott's Original Blue Shop Paper Towels & wring them out. Then, within a 56 quart Sterilite bin for crickets & a 10 gallon enclosure for dubia, I lay those wrung out paper towels over half egg flats for 3/8 inch & older crickets & ALL dubia.​

​

IF your crickets are younger, moisten paper towels more often.​

2. OR give bugs & worms "juicy" vegetables in a separate shallow ridged lid off to the side of the 24/7/365 high quality dry diet. Refresh veggies daily to keep them mold-free.


Always feed insects & worms your high quality dry diet 24/7/365! In addition, sometimes offer veggies from Olimpia's 'best' & 'good' lists below.

For link 148 click: *** Gutload Ingredients for Bugs & Worms *** . . . . . . Olimpia Martinotti -- January 2023 (update)​

Additional ideas:
For link 11 click: "Insect Hydration" . . . . . . Maurice Pudlo -- December 2012

 

[Elizabeth Freer]

#174---Observations Regarding Gecko Supplement Frequency versus Zoo Med's Natural ADULT Bearded Dragon Food as a 24/7/365 Cricket Dry Maintenance Diet since 2015 . . . . . . Elizabeth Freer -- 5 October 2024 (update)

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My Zoo Med's Reptivite multivitamins withOUT D3 (ordered from Amazon in May 2023) expires January 9, 2026!

Feeder variety is best! It's also important to feed crickets a nutritious diet 24/7/365 prior to feeding them to your geckos. For this 'maintenance diet' I've used finely ground Zoo Med's Natural ADULT Bearded Dragon Food for over 9 years. Some gecko keepers also gut load bugs & worms they're about to feed off for 24-48 hours prior to feeding them to gecko(s). A 'gut load diet' means feeding those bugs & worms a high calcium carbonate diet to approximate a resulting 1:1 calcium : phosphorus ratio.

Since 2015 (per HMP) I've finely ground Zoo Med's Natural Adult Bearded Dragon Food for my crickets' & lately mealworms' 24/7/365 dry food. ZMN Adult BDF has definitely 'built' better bugs & created more nutritious crickets & sometimes mealworms for my geckos. In addition, I feed crickets & mealworms sliced carrots for beta-carotene & sometimes sweet potatoes several times per week. The more often the better!!!

I usually dust Zoo Med's Repti Calcium with D3 on half or all geckos' crickets @ weekly feedings except for my 21 year old, captive hatched, Ptychozoon kuhli Sara.


Scroll to link 184 for USA Petco stores now having .28 oz. expiration-dated packages of Zoo Med's Reptivite Multivitamins with D3:

100% Leopard Gecko Care Sheet - Geckos Unlimited

#178---Open Letter to the EU Commission for Exception to Ban on Lighting Products for Animal Welfare (pdf - version 1) -- 20 September 2023 Thanks for sharing, Sarina Wunderlich & Digs, on 20 September 2023! Click...

www.geckosunlimited.com

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*** Correlophus ciliatus Melody gifted me male crested gecko George in January 2008. George hatched September 2002. That makes George 22 years old as of September 2024. Initially Melody & I fed George dusted crickets. Now George eats Pangea with Insects dry diet mixed with water usually @ 2 feedings per week.

Lowest SAFE night temperature drop for crested geckos:
Recommended by Courtney Ann Lee, Moderator on Crested Gecko - Advancing Husbandry's facebook group
On 26 March 2024 Courtney suggests:

"Judging by New Caledonia's average weather patterns never/extremely rarely dropping below 55°F I'd say that's your bottom end, but I'd personally go with 60°F to be on the safe side."​

On 29 March 2024 Reptifiles' Mariah Healey suggests:

"In New Caledonia, nighttime temperatures average no lower than 59°F during winter. Reputable guides generally recommend no lower than 65°F at night. In my own experience, my bedroom where my crestie is kept can get as cold as 62°F at night, and he doesn't seem to have suffered any ill effects from it (it's worth noting that he has access to short-wave infrared and UVB as part of his setup, which increases a reptile's resilience to cold temperatures)."​

*** Cyrtodactylus zebraicus (Thai Ocelot geckos): Consistently required Zoo Med's supplements @ 3 feedings per week throughout the 2017-2018 breeding season of a 1.2 (male ID1 & females ID2 & ID4) in addition to eating crickets fed ZM Natural Adult BDF as a 24/7/365 maintenance diet -- neonates included.

***** Cyrtodactylus zebraicus females are exceptionally prone to calcium crashes whether or not they're producing eggs!!!
As strongly advised by EU breeder Georg Simon on 15 September 2015: "Most importantly offer them sepia skulls (cuttlebone) in small crumbs, not just powder (!!!), in a small bottle cap 24/7/365. They will eat sepia skulls (cuttlebone) pure!" An alternative may be Zoo Med's pure calcium carbonate. Include sepia skulls (cuttlebone) or Zoo Med's pure calcium carbonate in a bottle cap in ALL hatchling enclosures as well as in ALL female enclosures! Remove this 24/7/365 sepia skull (cuttlebone) OR pure calcium carbonate bottle cap from young males' enclosures when their genders become evident. KEEP this bottle cap inside females' enclosures their entire lives! *****

2024 Cyrtodactylus zebraicus 2nd breeding season begins: During the 2024 season I introduced Frank Colacicco's February 2015 female ID4 to Jens Felka's younger male ID5 once from March 24 to April 1. My second attempt to pair ID4 with ID5 was from May 28 to June 9. (Jim's 6 April 2024 message: Jens' ID5 nicely patterned male was one of the bigger ones from Jim's September 2019 Jens Felka's Hamm, Germany export of eight Cz geckos. So probably ID5 was a late 2018-early 2019 winter hatch.) Eggs may appear within 4-6 weeks, usually 5 weeks.

My first Cyrtodactylus zebraicus (ID1) is a Derek Dunlop male who hatched 26 August 2011 & is now 13 yo.


*** Eublepharis macularius Received female leopard gecko Cha in June 2006; ~19 years old. Because of 3 uncharacteristically difficult sheds (~11 November 2022, 6 April 2023, & ~26 December 2023) my leopard gecko may need retinol beyond the crickets she regularly eats. Those crickets always eat finely ground ZMNABDF 24/7/365 as a maintenance diet. Beginning 8 April 2023, I'll dust Cha's first (3 4) 5 medium crickets each week with Zoo Med's Reptivite multivitamins withOUT D3 & then subsequently dust 5-6 additional medium crickets 2 days later with Zoo Med's Repti Calcium with D3.

At Cha's 7 February 2024 vet visit: Cha weighed 55 grams. Since then I've added a 6 inch diameter shallow lid of water (Husky Deli ice cream container lid) as a pool for hydrating & drinking. That's in addition to an 8 ounce water dish + a 2 ounce ceramic drinking bowl. About one week ago I added sliced carrots to the crickets' diets several times per week.

Rest in paradise, Cha, on 8 July 2024. 19 years was all you had. Your last couple years got more difficult with each passing day.


*** Ptychozoon kuhli (female flying/gliding gecko Sara; captive-hatched date: 6-25-2003): At least for the last several years my 21 year old Ptychozoon kuhli female has not been given any powdered supplementation in her diet! I discontinued dusting 1/5 crickets per month with Zoo Med's Reptivite Multivitamins without D3 on 11/28/2023. On 31 December 2023 I resumed dusting 1/5 medium crickets per month with Reptivite Multivitamins withOUT D3 @ 1 feeding per month. I'll continue dusting Reptivite withOUT D3 @ 1 feeding per month on 1/~5 crickets! The rest of the month her 4-5 weekly crickets are plain -- NO supplement dusting.

Sara is being handfed @ the present time. Her right eye is cloudy. This may be a cataract.


5 October 2024 Addendum (EN): There are doubts regarding Ptychozoon kuhli 's reclassification into the Gekko genus !!!


*** Lepidodactylus lugubris (Mourning geckos): Now fed Pangea with Insects dry diet mixed with water. On 4/23/2024 I sent 8 Lepidodactylus lugubris to their north Seattle home via FedEx Priority Overnight shipping. 8 Lepidodactylus lugubris were rehomed in a school classroom. I have 1 left. <3

I had kept Lls since August 1988 when I caught 3 hatchlings on the Kiahuna Plantation Resort in Kauai, Hawaii. Lls were my first geckos. At that time it was OK to fly them from Kauai to Seattle as seatmates!


*** Oedura castelnaui (Northern Velvet geckos): At this time I usually lightly dust 2 of 4 medium crickets I feed most my Oedura castelnaui with Zoo Med's Repti Calcium with D3 once per week.

In early June 2024 I added 2 crickets dusted with Zoo Med's Reptivite multivitamins withOUT D3 @ 1 feeding per month.

In September 2000 @ the Puyallup, Washington reptile show I purchased my first Oc (male Matiyos) from his breeder Julie Bergman. At that time Matiyos was roughly 18 months old. So as of September 2024 Matiyos = 25 years old +! Matiyos is in good shape!


*** [Phelsuma barbouri (Barbour's Day Geckos)]: Kept all P barbouri under Zoo Med's 5.0 T8 UVB tubes (replaced annually), halogen puck bulbs (on rheostats), & Aubuchon Hardware's Westek 8 watt, 13 inch, Ultra Light fluorescent tubes (for sanseveria). Kept one Jerry Peebles' female since the early 2000s in a 15 inch long enclosure. In May 2020 this female had eye surgery to remove one possibly retained spectacle. She did not survive this surgery. RIP - May 2020. Last male, an older barbouri, was a gift from Adam Jessien. This male barbouri passed away during Spring 2021 (with vent issues perhaps from adding dated bee pollen/strawberry powder to his crickets' diets)???


*** Phyllurus platurus (Southern Leaf-tailed gecko; keeping a Joe Hupp male since 2013): At this time I lightly dust 2 of 3 medium crickets I feed my male Phyllurus platurus with Zoo Med's Repti Calcium with D3 crickets once per week. Then at 1 feeding per month lightly dust 2 of 3 crickets per month with Zoo Med's Reptivite multivitamins withOUT D3 instead of Repti Calcium with D3.


In a nutshell as of 5 October 2024 here are my 18 geckos:
0.1 captive-hatched Ptychozoon kuhli who is 21 yo
1.0 Correlophus ciliatus who is 22 yo as of September 2024. Gift from Melody in January 2008.
5.2 Cyrtodactylus (peguensis) zebraicus with the oldest male @13 yo from Derek Dunlop
1.0 Phyllurus platurus (Joseph Hupp breeder) Had 11 years
7 Oedura castelnaui including my first Oc (male Matiyos) from Julie Bergman. Matiyos = 25 years old + as of September 2024.
+ 1 parthenogenetic Lepidodactylus lugubris

Rest In Paradise: My 0.1 Eublepharis macularius (leopard gecko) passed away on 8 July 2024 @ 19 yo.

 

[Elizabeth Freer]

#175---2023 Explanation of Heating and Lighting for Reptiles . . . . . . Roman Muryn -- 2023​

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Published: 2023

 

[Elizabeth Freer]

#176---A Look at Heat Projectors . . . . . . Roman Muryn -- 2022 (?)

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Published: 2022 (?)

 

[Elizabeth Freer]

#177---Did the Biggest Mystery in Herpetology History just get solved? | Delcourt's Giant Gecko

Thanks for sharing, Susan Kaisaki, on 17 September 2023.!