Is my set up ready for leopard geckos yet?

[scouragestar99]

Here goes.

Temperatures on cold side: 74.1 Fahrenhei
t
Temperatures on hot side: 91.5 though it is lowering. Normally at 85.1 but I just moved it from cold side to hot side.

Three hides, one a Capri Sun box with one flap cut off (See my past submissions here) and one half a Pepsi box. Moist hide is a gladware container with a hole for entrance burned in. It is moistened with paper towels.

Heating is 1 60W Ceramic Heat Bulb, no light. And an UnderTank heater.
Substrate is paper towels.

Thermometer is a digital zoo med probe (The yellow kind)
Cricket dust is Reptivite Reptile Vitamins with D3 and a ton of other ingredients. How much do I use?

Food on hand is 15 Medium crickets being fed small orange slices to survive until feeding day. Mealworms are medium with another Orange slice. (EDIT: Crickets dead. Left in freezer. Long story.)

What should the geckos feeding pattern be?

And my last question for now. What morph is best looking? I like blizzards and Mack Snows, and Hypo High Yellow Designer.

 

[mrhellboy218]

Hi Well there are a few things I noticed, the hot side should be around the 95's (that's the temp I use anyways), I'd recommend a humidity gauge, and do you have pure calcium? if you do keep a small dish inside for the leo, and I wouldn't really recommend oranges for mealworms perhaps use apple or carrots even potatoes. And for feeding how old is she? Adults are fed every other day and babie/juveniles everyday.
And finally patterns, this is the fun part , I myself have a Murphys Patternless she's beautiful and I really like the mack snows but it's all up to you on what morph. Good Luck!!!! update us on what morph you decided on !!;-)

 

[Geckologist.tj]

Your hottest temperature should be the floor of the warm hide with a temperature of about 88-93 F. Some leos like it on the warmer side others a little cooler. I wouldn't begin to squable with Mrhellboy218 over two degrees if 95F works for him, but when you start getting up around 95F dehydration becomes a risk. You'll want to give your feeders a little more variety than just oranges. There are many threads on this site regarding feeding/ gut loading prey. I suggest you search the forum for ideas. As far as morphs go, look at as many as you can find online and see what you like and what you can afford. There are dozens to choose from, and many of them are awsome! Some of my personal favorites are super snow bells, RAPTOR's, creamsicles, TUG snows, and super snows. Best of luck!

 

[scouragestar99]

Hi Well there are a few things I noticed, the hot side should be around the 95's (that's the temp I use anyways), I'd recommend a humidity gauge, and do you have pure calcium? if you do keep a small dish inside for the leo, and I wouldn't really recommend oranges for mealworms perhaps use apple or carrots even potatoes. And for feeding how old is she? Adults are fed every other day and babie/juveniles everyday.
And finally patterns, this is the fun part , I myself have a Murphys Patternless she's beautiful and I really like the mack snows but it's all up to you on what morph. Good Luck!!!! update us on what morph you decided on !!;-)

It is a tiny bit less than 95, its 91.

I've read on here that calcium without food does more harm than good.

He is going to be ordered as a juvenile from ReptilesByMack.

And does it really need a humidity gauge? The only humidity I've been told is the moist hide, and I've heard a humid cage is possibly going to give them respitory issues.

 

[scouragestar99]

Your hottest temperature should be the floor of the warm hide with a temperature of about 88-93 F. Some leos like it on the warmer side others a little cooler. I wouldn't begin to squable with Mrhellboy218 over two degrees if 95F works for him, but when you start getting up around 95F dehydration becomes a risk. You'll want to give your feeders a little more variety than just oranges. There are many threads on this site regarding feeding/ gut loading prey. I suggest you search the forum for ideas. As far as morphs go, look at as many as you can find online and see what you like and what you can afford. There are dozens to choose from, and many of them are awsome! Some of my personal favorites are super snow bells, RAPTOR's, creamsicles, TUG snows, and super snows. Best of luck!

That's good, I have it on 91 on the hot side and 74 on the cool side. And I can easily rearrange the heaters if he avoids the hot side.

I like the look of the creamsicles, but I'm looking at a male juvenile Hypo High Yellow designer. I might breed in the future but for now I just want it as a pet.

I'm currently feeding the worms oranges (Can't find the oranges in the box...) and potatoes.

And the crickets died.

 

[mrhellboy218]

yes it can give them a respitory problems if the cage is too humid, I'd say it should be in the 30-40% range but I've heard humidity around 70% won't do any harm

 

[Elizabeth Freer]

It is a tiny bit less than 95, its 91.

I've read on here that calcium without food does more harm than good.

He is going to be ordered as a juvenile from ReptilesByMack.

And does it really need a humidity gauge? The only humidity I've been told is the moist hide, and I've heard a humid cage is possibly going to give them respitory issues.

As of the 28 Oct 2013 I amended my Leo Caresheeet to say NO plain calcium in the tank.

I say 40-50% ambient humidity in the cage is good + the humid hide being moist 24/7.

BTW what size enclosure have you?