`Do I have a correct list of what my leopard gecko will need?

[amsdadtodd]

it's usually a week or two before the beetle stage, depending on temperature. It's not unusual for a pupa to die instead though. Beetles live about a month, and are quite prolific, so once you have a few, you'll be on your way to colony. Just remember to keep moist fruit or paper towels available to both larvae and beetles.

 

[logan1234]

I'll be keeping the mealworms and the beetles in the same container like you suggested, so I'll just keep putting in carrots for the moisture like I have been.

 

[logan1234]

I've had my leopard gecko for 2 weeks now, so could I start trying to tame him?

 

[amsdadtodd]

sure, for starters, I would put my hand in his tank and see if he comes to it. If not, then maybe you want to put a mealworm in you palm and see if that attracts him. No sudden moves, and watch his tail. Many leo's will climb in your hand right away, many others may take months to get to that point.

 

[logan1234]

When I tried to see if he would come to my hand yesterday he didn't seem like he wanted to. I'll just try to put my hand in the tank days when he's not being fed until he comes to my hand. If he does that a few times can I pick him up? Today, I fed him 3 dusted crickets and 1 undusted! Yay! That's usually more then he regularly eats when I give him crickets. And he used the bathroom in the colder end hide again, so I think that's where he wants to go. And that is okay with me.

 

[amsdadtodd]

All but one of mine use the cool side for their "fecatorium" (yes, that's herp talk for bathroom).

As to your plan to acclimate him to you, I think it's at least as important that you are comfortable with the strategy as it is that your pet is. So, yes, try it that way, if he climbs into your hand you should feel free to pick him up. Just remember that he may bolt, so don't lift him so high that he'll get hurt in a fall. Also, if he does start to bolt, be very careful not to grab his tail or it will snap off. I'm not trying to scare you out of interacting with him, just want you to have all the warnings it takes.

It sounds like he's eating just fine, I hope this keeps up for you. If I remember right, you're pretty far south, so hopefully you won't have the winter effect that many of us in the north do.

Good luck!
Todd

 

[logan1234]

My leopard gecko has been eating good. He ate 9 mealworms the other night and tonight hopefully he will eat atleast 4 hopefully all 6 crickets. I've got some beetles from the pupae now. Only one was on the surface earlier when I checked so I'm guessing they are just hiding under the oats. For Christmas I got a spare CHE (I'll post what brand it is when I find it) and I got a cool buffalo skull. I'm going to clean it in 1 parts bleach, 9 parts water like I was told to do with new stuff a while back. It will fit good probably between the cold and moist hide. I also might get a fake desert plant with some of my Christmas money.
(Would I have to clean the fake plant when I get it with 1 parts bleach 9 parts water, too?)

EDIT: the CHE I got for Christmas as a spare is a Zoo Med Repticare Ceramic Infrared Heat Emitter. Will this work good for leopard geckos using a 10" Dome?

 

[JessJohnson87]

Awesome on the skull! I cleaned my fake plants with dawn dish soap and let them soak in the soapy water then rinsed well with warm water. You could always hot glue some of the plants on to the skull. The craft stores are great places to get fake desert looking plants and much cheaper than the pet stores

You can see if the CHE will fit, I know sometimes certain brands will stick out of the dome.

 

[logan1234]

Okay, I have a 4 week feeding schedule with the supplements on certain days. There are more than 4 weeks in this month, so would It be okay if I just go to week 1 of my feeding schedule? (Since I don't have a 5th week since months aren't even like that.) Going to week 1 wouldn't mess anything up just it wouldn't be in sync with the months week number.

MY SCHEDULE:

Monthly schedule

Week 1:
Crickets>Monday- D3 Repti Calcium
Crickets>Thursday- no dusting
Mealworms>Saturday- no dusting

Week 2:
Crickets>Monday- D3 Repti Calcium
Crickets>Thursday- plain (No D3) Reptivite
Mealworms>Saturday- no dusting

Week 3:
Crickets>Monday- D3 Repti Calcium
Crickets>Thursday- no dusting
Mealworms>Saturday- no dusting

Week 4:
Crickets>Monday- D3 Repti Calcium
Crickets>Thursday- plain (No D3) Reptivite
Mealworms>Saturday- no dusting


So since my last feeding was last Saturday feeding mealworms, I would have to jump back up to week 1.

 

[logan1234]

I think I figured it out with my dads help. I will not go by week 1 of my schedule with week 1 of the month. I will just write down on a calendar what week to do what. I hope you can make sense of that.

 

[Elizabeth Freer]

I think I figured it out with my dads help. I will not go by week 1 of my schedule with week 1 of the month. I will just write down on a calendar what week to do what. I hope you can make sense of that.

Week 1 & Week 5:
Crickets>Monday- D3 Repti Calcium
Crickets>Thursday- no dusting
Mealworms>Saturday- no dusting

I'd repeat Week 1 for Week 5.

Did you decide to name your leo Flynn?

 

[amsdadtodd]

I didn't see that anyone else addressed this, so I will.
IF you only have one pupa, then you will only have one adult darkling beetle (the adult form of mealworms.) Ideally, it is a one to one conversion. In reality, many of the pupae die off rather than complete metamorphosis. So, if you put one pupa aside and now have one adult, you're in good shape. Adults will typically live several weeks, so don't be too concerned about only having one for now.

Todd

 

[logan1234]

I wrote on a calendar repeating week 5 with week 1. It took me a while because it confused me a little, but I got it down for the next few months. And yes, I decided to name him Flynn .

He only ate 2 crickets today and they were dusted with Zoo med d3 calcium. He usually eats less the feeding after the mealworms since he usually eats around 8 or 9 mealworms.

 

[Elizabeth Freer]

I wrote on a calendar repeating week 5 with week 1. It took me a while because it confused me a little, but I got it down for the next few months. And yes, I decided to name him Flynn .

He only ate 2 crickets today and they were dusted with Zoo med d3 calcium. He usually eats less the feeding after the mealworms since he usually eats around 8 or 9 mealworms.

Flynn's a cool name!

I suggest 6-7 mealworms, so he'll eat more crickets on Monday.

 

[logan1234]

Tomorrow I'm going to my aunt's house for a new years party. I won't be able to feed him at the 7:30 schedule like I usually do. One time I fed him at 9:00. But I'll have to feed him at 5:30. Would that be too early to feed him or does that sound okay?

 

[amsdadtodd]

Not to worry. Leo's aren't us, or cats or dogs, who need to eat at the same time every day. In fact, there is nothing wrong with skipping a day or two, when they get older, it's really not a good idea to feed every day.

Todd

 

[Elizabeth Freer]

It will be fine to feed Flynn at 5:30 on 12/31.

Have fun at the party! :banana: And a Happy New Year too.

 

[logan1234]

Happy new year to all of you . I've been putting my hand a few times in the tank and see if he would come to my hand, but he wont? And, the colder end is -sometimes- a few degrees above 75, like in the mid 78s sometimes. I think this may be because of our house turning on the heating since it's getting colder outside. Will that need any changing?

 

[amsdadtodd]

You're probably okay at 78. I'm jealous. I don't keep my house anywhere near that warm this time of year, and it was 7 degrees F out this morning!

 

[logan1234]

The furnace is supposed to turn off at 70-71 but my room is upstairs. Also, we have 3 cats so I keep my door closed.