Over Feeding New Leo? And Heating QU.
- Thread starter Petrie
- Start date
DrenneRvc
New member
Try putting a piece of paper towel in a corner you'd like to see him poop in, then move his first poop there for a bit, just for him to notice and to start pooping there.
Ya I've been thinking about it but I'm gonna say a few things and if you still think I need it then I'm probably gonna get one.
My under tank heater has been on all day, and I've periodically checked it and it hasn't seemed to of gotten too hot. You can feel the warmth above the substrate and it feels nice.
With this being said, I don't want to spend 25$ on a thermostat if i don't need to, heres what I'm questioning: A dimmer switch ( pic: Lutron Credenza® Lamp Dimmer Overview )
I've read on other sites and many people use these as a cheaper replacement for a thermostat. It uses the same concept, limiting the power the UTH receives, but theres no numbers so I would need to find the right setting.
If you think this isn't going to work, I guess I will ask to get a thermostat in the next week...
- - -
And one more thing, I have Calcium with D3 and I realize that mealworms have calcium, and you don't want too much D3 so could I buy Vitamins ( which I need ) and would my Leo get enough calcium with the 2x a week D3 + mealworms?
Sorry that was so much to read, thanks everyone.
My under tank heater has been on all day, and I've periodically checked it and it hasn't seemed to of gotten too hot. You can feel the warmth above the substrate and it feels nice.
With this being said, I don't want to spend 25$ on a thermostat if i don't need to, heres what I'm questioning: A dimmer switch ( pic: Lutron Credenza® Lamp Dimmer Overview )
I've read on other sites and many people use these as a cheaper replacement for a thermostat. It uses the same concept, limiting the power the UTH receives, but theres no numbers so I would need to find the right setting.
If you think this isn't going to work, I guess I will ask to get a thermostat in the next week...
- - -
And one more thing, I have Calcium with D3 and I realize that mealworms have calcium, and you don't want too much D3 so could I buy Vitamins ( which I need ) and would my Leo get enough calcium with the 2x a week D3 + mealworms?
Sorry that was so much to read, thanks everyone.
Muffins94
New member
No problem, we'd rather you ask questions than your gecko receive improper care. As for the UTH, it might not feel hot to you but that's because a humans temperature and resistance to heat is greater than a geckos. I have never used a dimmer, so I can't give a definite answer. I looked into one before getting my thermostat because it was significantly cheaper. However when digging deep into research I found that a thermostat is worth the extra money. There's plenty of reasons why a thermostat works better, but it is your choice. We just recommend it because we know it works, and we don't have to worry about our geckos overheating or not getting enough heat. As for vitamins, I use repashy leopard gecko calcium plus, with contains calcium d3 and vitamins, so it is a 2-in-1. You could get that and dust twice or three times a week and be safe. As for using calcium and vitamins seperately, dust with calcium d3 2-3 times a week and the vitamins once a week.
Wow thank you this really helped and made me feel good lol! Im going to get some vitamins in the next week, along with a dimmer. Im going to research the dimmer more and use it to the best of my ability.
Eventually, I know I'm going to get a thermostat. I want to have reptiles all my life, I pretty much have already. I've had red eared sliders, painted turtles, box turtles, snakes, and a berber skink. But this is my gecko era and thank you muffin!
Mardy
New member
Dimmer is a poor man's way of adjusting your under tank heating pad. It's by far not the most ideal, because dimmer switches do not turn off your UTH if it overheats. Overheating is why you want to get a thermostat as it'll automatically adjust the temperature for you, and will shut the UTH off once it goes over a certain temperature. It pretty much allows you to have peace of mind 24/7, 365 days a year, and you can just leave the UTH running without having to worry about it.
Dimmers will let you manually adjust the UTH, which works as long as you are there reading the temperature, and that you are there when the UTH overheats. But nobody can be there watching their geckos 24/7, 365 days a year, that's why dimmers are just an ok temporary solution. They are not ideal and does not give you that safety net. Are you better off having a dimmer than not having anything at all? Yes definitely, a dimmer at least allows you to tune the temperature up/down. If you don't have the funds to get a thermostat then you don't have the funds to, we all have our budget & limits. But it really is better to have a thermostat.
You can get that Hydrofarm thermostat from amazon for $31, free shipping and no taxes. May sound like a lot of money, but think of the time you save not having to check the floor temperature. Or the brain cells you save not having to worry about the terrarium temperature when you go on vacation or away for a few days. Some things are just worth their money, a thermostat is one of those things in my opinion. Your gecko is going to be alive for a long time, might as well make sure the gecko gets to live a good life, and you get to not worry so much about having to manually adjust temperature all the time.
By the way, now's summer time, temperature can spike during the day. With a dimmer you'll have to manually adjust it when you hit a hot day. With a thermostat, it's all done for you.
Dimmers will let you manually adjust the UTH, which works as long as you are there reading the temperature, and that you are there when the UTH overheats. But nobody can be there watching their geckos 24/7, 365 days a year, that's why dimmers are just an ok temporary solution. They are not ideal and does not give you that safety net. Are you better off having a dimmer than not having anything at all? Yes definitely, a dimmer at least allows you to tune the temperature up/down. If you don't have the funds to get a thermostat then you don't have the funds to, we all have our budget & limits. But it really is better to have a thermostat.
You can get that Hydrofarm thermostat from amazon for $31, free shipping and no taxes. May sound like a lot of money, but think of the time you save not having to check the floor temperature. Or the brain cells you save not having to worry about the terrarium temperature when you go on vacation or away for a few days. Some things are just worth their money, a thermostat is one of those things in my opinion. Your gecko is going to be alive for a long time, might as well make sure the gecko gets to live a good life, and you get to not worry so much about having to manually adjust temperature all the time.
By the way, now's summer time, temperature can spike during the day. With a dimmer you'll have to manually adjust it when you hit a hot day. With a thermostat, it's all done for you.
Mardy
New member
repashy calcium plus or zoo med reptivite with d3, either one will be all you need to supplement. Dust at every feeding and you're set.
You can feed twice a day if you like, nothing wrong with that. When your gecko gets older (1+ year old), their appetite will change and you likely only need to feed once every 2-3 days.
You can feed twice a day if you like, nothing wrong with that. When your gecko gets older (1+ year old), their appetite will change and you likely only need to feed once every 2-3 days.
Muffins94
New member
I agree with Mardy, I use repashy calcium plus and its great. Contains calcium d3 and vitamins, so it's an all in one, no need for anything else. Same with reptivite, but I have no experience using that product. Once your gecko is an adult you'll notice they don't want to eat not near as much as when they are babies. Mine will only eat a few times a week, sometimes not even at all because she is shedding or ovulating.
Mardy
New member
No, if you have to buy something, buy either repashy calcium plus or zoo med reptivite with d3. Either one of these will replace your calcium with D3. I'm trying to simplify it for you so you don't get confused, and you save money not having to buy multiple things.
Check out my video, just made recently. It'll simplify things for you, and easy to follow.
Leopard Gecko Care Advice - How to supplement with multivitamin - YouTube
Check out my video, just made recently. It'll simplify things for you, and easy to follow.
Leopard Gecko Care Advice - How to supplement with multivitamin - YouTube
Elizabeth Freer
Well-known member
If you decide on Zoo Med Reptivite with D3/A acetate, then carefully follow the instructions on the container. However, I recommend using this a bit less than recommended: lightly dusted no more than 2x per week. Directions say not to dust every insect at a feeding?
I would feed 1x per day in the evening what your leo can consume in about 15 minutes.
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Mardy
New member
It doesn't say not to dust at every feeding on the bottle, just checked. Direction is kind of weird on the bottle, it says to dust 12 crickets per week. But comparing zoo med reptivite w/ D3 to repashy calcium plus, repashy contains more D3 and more vit A than Reptivite. So it makes no sense if you could dust at every feeding with repashy but you can't with Reptivite.
The thing is once they get past the juvenile stage, they will eat less, so you end up dusting less anyway. Adults eat once every 2-3 days, that's dusting 2x a week pretty much. When they are hatchlings and juveniles, dusting at every feeding isn't going to hurt them when using these 2 products.
Elizabeth Freer
Well-known member
Leos eat less often and fewer crickets when larger, but the prey is larger too.
Some of us on GU are minimalists when it comes to supplementing with D3 and with vitamin A acetate, Mardy. Thing is the research has not been done to know exactly what level of supplementation actually benefits our geckos. In fact, my exotics vet recommends less Zoo Med Reptivite with D3 than I have mentioned. However, he also recommends using T-REX Calcium Plus Food for Crickets 36-48 hours prior to feeding off the crickets to the leos. That info can be found in the Leo Caresheet here and my Cricket Guidelines.
T-REX Calcium Plus Food for Crickets is the only gutload which has been proven to make a difference in the crickets we feed. Only use water for moisture when using the T-REX gutload!
http://www.geckosunlimited.com/comm...-feeding-issues/68574-cricket-guidelines.html
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Elizabeth Freer
Well-known member
I find it easier to use a tall plastic deli cup, place the powder in the bottom, then add the crickets, then gently swirl.
Mardy
New member
Different opinions are always welcome with me, dusting 2-3x a week, dusting at every feeding, you'll find that at the end of the day there's not a lot of difference because most people don't feed every day. For me personally, I only feed my breeders and hatchlings every day, and they do get dusted feeders because they need them for proper growth, and proper egg production. Most other geckos sub-adult or adult, get fed every 2-3 days, that comes out to dusting 2-3x a week, which I think we can mostly agree is acceptable.
I just find it important to keep things practical, and easy to understand for general hobbyists. Otherwise they'll just give up, not care, and it's their leopard geckos that suffer as a result. Petrie probably was given wrong advice that's why he picked up calcium with D3 in the first place. Pet stores need to keep selling stuff, so they keep pushing these products. It's just so much easier, safer, and practical to use one of these all-in-ones and dust 2-3x a week and know your geckos will be well supplemented.
I just find it important to keep things practical, and easy to understand for general hobbyists. Otherwise they'll just give up, not care, and it's their leopard geckos that suffer as a result. Petrie probably was given wrong advice that's why he picked up calcium with D3 in the first place. Pet stores need to keep selling stuff, so they keep pushing these products. It's just so much easier, safer, and practical to use one of these all-in-ones and dust 2-3x a week and know your geckos will be well supplemented.
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Ya the Pet store people were clueless. For one, they said I DONT need any vitamins. Also, they tried to tell me that the under tank heater went inside the tank at the very bottom ( how clueless, its called an under tank heater -.- ) And said I ABSOLUTELY need a nighttime bulb..