Randall After Two Weeks

[Jennifer1]

Randall has been here for two weeks and seems to be doing okay. Finally have his tank all set up with a UTH with thermostat (though I am not happy with the thermostat's performance at all, temps are ranging anywhere from 82 to 93, so I am trying to decide on a replacement), warm hide, cool hide (almost never uses), humid hide in the middle (occasionally uses). Air temps are around 85 on the warm side & 75 on cool side. He is eating well, we have been cutting him off after 6-8 crickets and/or mealworms; he would eat more. He will take worms out of our hand, but is still skittish otherwise. He has a little trouble catching undusted crickets, many more misses but will get them eventually (though we have to keep prodding them out of their hiding places); the Ca dust seems to slow the crickets down & makes them easier to see.

Here he is peeking out of the warm hide to see if I am bringing food (I was gecko-sitting while daughter was out):


And here he is sitting & drooling over the crickets after I brought their cage over & set it next to the tank before I fed him:


We have not seen any signs of shedding yet. I thought the juveniles shed about every 2 weeks? Is it possible he could have shed without us realizing it? Thanks to everyone for all your help & advice in getting him a better set-up. We are still tweaking it, and she knows he will need a bigger enclosure at some point....

 

[Geckologist.tj]

He looks happy and healthy! They can start a shed, finish it, and eat all the evidence in a night. Usually the only way I know mine have shed is by the way their color gets a little more brilliant.

 

[matt0101]

Is it possible he could have shed without us realizing it?

Yes, definitely. My gecko sheds all the time without me noticing. I've actually only seen him shed twice since July when I got him. They will usually do it at night when you're sleeping, and they eat their skin so there will be no evidence left. I can tell he is about to shed when his skin is paler than usual. Then, in the morning, if his skin is no longer pale, I'll know he shed during the night.

 

[Jennifer1]

Yes, definitely. My gecko sheds all the time without me noticing. I've actually only seen him shed twice since July when I got him. They will usually do it at night when you're sleeping, and they eat their skin so there will be no evidence left. I can tell he is about to shed when his skin is paler than usual. Then, in the morning, if his skin is no longer pale, I'll know he shed during the night.

I wasn't sure if it happened all in one night or not. I have kept an eye out for his color looking faded and/or suddenly looking brighter, but haven't noticed anything.

It's a good thing he is cute, because these crickets are nasty, disgusting little buggers! They poop everywhere & stink; at least the little ones he eats don't chirp. If you had told me 3 weeks ago I'd have a cage of 30-40 crickets in my house & worms in my fridge, I'd have said you were crazy!

 

[matt0101]

Leos can shed pretty quickly if they have a good humid hide. The two times I watched Tommy do it he had it done, start to finish, within 20 minutes.

Crickets only stink if kept improperly. Elizabeth Freer has a cricket guideline somewhere around here, I'll try to dig up the link for you!

 

[Jennifer1]

Leos can shed pretty quickly if they have a good humid hide. The two times I watched Tommy do it he had it done, start to finish, within 20 minutes.

Crickets only stink if kept improperly. Elizabeth Freer has a cricket guideline somewhere around here, I'll try to dig up the link for you!

I did read that a while back, but I'll look at it again. We don't really want to raise crickets, that seems overkill for 1 gecko, but just hoping to buy a week's worth at a time. She bought one of those small "cricket keeper" plastic tanks/cages, and put in some chopped greens, carrots, & apple and zoo-med dried cricket food in a dish and a dish with a damp wadded up paper towel for water and put in what was supposed to be 24 small crickets, but ended up being closer to 36. I'm sure there's a better way, and now that we have the UTH set up we will be working out the best way to manage the food supply.

 

[Elizabeth Freer]

Randall's lookin' good, cuteness and all, Jennifer1.

More often leos shed in secret!

You may wish to look into proportional thermostats for exceptional accuracy. They start about $100. I don't think leos mind the normal variation of my MTPRTC Hydrofarm.

Those Cricket Guidelines were recently updated with 2 additional dry foods which can be fed to crickets and roaches in case you're having trouble getting Albers (or not). (No, I did not say Blaptica dubia. Those are for Phase II leopard gecko keepers. ;-))

http://www.geckosunlimited.com/comm...-feeding-issues/68574-cricket-guidelines.html