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

[logan1234]

Would this be the same thermometer as the one yellow I was told to get? I ask this because its sold by a different brand on amazon.
Amazon.com: Zoo Med Digital Thermometer for Terrariums: Instant Read Thermometers: Kitchen & Dining

 

[Elizabeth Freer]

Would this be the same thermometer as the one yellow I was told to get? I ask this because its sold by a different brand on amazon.
Amazon.com: Zoo Med Digital Thermometer for Terrariums: Instant Read Thermometers: Kitchen & Dining

That link shows the exact digital thermometer I suggest.

 

[logan1234]

I have the tank, screen, water dish, the substrate, and the cooler end dry hide. I ordered the temperature measurer and the heat pad. I need to find a new warm dry hide though because I cant buy it through amazon. But i'm going back next friday to where the pet shop is so I will look there when I go there. I also need a warm moist hide, which I can order when I get enough money, and I know of a thermostat to get when I get the money. (The thermostat is the hydrofarm, and the moist hide is the exo terra I was recommended.)

 

[logan1234]

Ok for the red container, It got dirty, how do I clean it? And do I cut a hole in the top or the side of the red container?

Here are pictures of the tank and stuff I got today.

 

[logan1234]

In the above message, the thumbnail isn't the updated picture and its blurry.

 

[Elizabeth Freer]

Ok for the red container, It got dirty, how do I clean it? And do I cut a hole in the top or the side of the red container?

Here are pictures of the tank and stuff I got today.

View attachment 36155

Clean the red plastic container with DAWN dish detergent. Then rinse well. DAWN is safe for wildlife.

Please scroll back to post #34. There I posted 2 photos of a homemade plastic hide. However, if you are using a container that is shorter, cut the hole in the top.

 

[logan1234]

I thought you were suppose to use vinegar water so it wont hurt a leopard gecko when they lick their surroundings. Could I use wipe-out to clean the inside of the tank and vinegar water for the hides?
And the red container is shorter then those but i'm still going to cut a hole into the side so its like a hut. I'm pretty sure he could get in and out if I do that.

 

[Elizabeth Freer]

I thought you were suppose to use vinegar water so it wont hurt a leopard gecko when they lick their surroundings. Could I use wipe-out to clean the inside of the tank and vinegar water for the hides?
And the red container is shorter then those but i'm still going to cut a hole into the side so its like a hut. I'm pretty sure he could get in and out if I do that.

If you use vinegar water, you still need to rinse it off.

I have never had any problems using DAWN detergent for cleaning cage furniture. Then I rinse the furniture very well.

Geckos lick everywhere. I would not use Wipe-Out.

I use a 10% bleach solution to disinfect things. Mix 1 part bleach to 9 parts water. Again, rinse very thoroughly. After you use the bleach solution and before you return the leo to his cage, air out the cage/things for at least 24 hours until you can no longer smell the bleach fumes.

Whatever you use for the plastic hide, make sure the edges of the hole are smooth. Otherwise your leo could cut himself when going in and out.

 

[Elizabeth Freer]

Are you getting excited about choosing your leo?

 

[Elizabeth Freer]

......That last part, never having impaction, is a statement that dates back to 1997 to present.

That last sentence there begins to date me, back to when I used to annoy Ingo (a member here) on another forum about tokays, and used to lurk on the gecko listserv reading boat loads of info posted by a number of people, including Elizabeth Freer above. I was 15 back when I got my first leo in Oct of 1996 and had read numerous books before I even got my leo.

......

Oh my goodness, Chris! Talk about some dinosaurs! ;-)

The former Global Gecko Association's gecko listserv led the way for internet geckophiles. Aaaaand you were there too! :cheer:

 

[kholtme]

Logan, Great work on asking questions and doing research before you buy a leopard gecko! Im proud. Theres a lot more that goes into keeping a pet then most think. I know its a lot of confusing information, but dont buy your gecko until you feel you are ready! Youve been doing great so far and it seems you have learned a lot! Its confusing at first, but it gets easier as time goes buy and after you do more research. I struggled with understanding supplementing when i started too, and i was 19.

I would listen to the people on this site over any other site, especially youtube. Anyone can make a youtube account and act like they know what they are talking about, when they really dont. On this site, if someone offers wrong information, other members that are well informed will correct them to make sure someone isnt lead in the wrong direction. There are many facts and reasons behind what we recommend, but it gets even more confusing to explain those facts. This doesnt mean there is one set way to do something, but its all based off the same information. When i started I did everything based off of Elizabeths recommendations, but tweaked a few things that work better for me. It all still matches up to the facts and science behind all of it, but just made it work for me. You will soon learn so much and will be a great gecko owner and your gecko will live a long happy life which is great!

The thing I cant stress enough is dont listen to what people say on youtube, soon enough when you understand whats best for a leopard gecko, you will watch those youtube videos and see everything they are doing wrong. Even chain pets stores dont know what they are doing, and it will be hard to look at the leopard geckos in there because you know their cages arent set up properly. I also cant stress enough to not buy reptiles from pet stores. Even as sad as it is to see the geckos in a poor cage, you cant save them all, and it is very hard and stressful to bring a sick gecko home and try to bring it back to good health especially if you are just starting out. I would buy a gecko from a good breeder (when you feel your ready) even if it means it cost more money at first, because if you buy a gecko from a chain pet store it will cost a lot in vet bills when it gets sick (which it more than likely will). The cheapest a vet bill cost would be about $150. So a sick leopard gecko will cost a lot more in the long run than buying a healthy one from the start, even if the price tag for a healthy gecko is a little more that one from a chain pet store. You will be so much happier and better off buying a healthy gecko. And just because your cage is set up and ready for a gecko doesnt mean it has to have a gecko in it right away. Wait until you feel you are ready to care for a live animal and you find the right one. Remember these things live up to 20 years, so make sure you get one you like

 

[logan1234]

I probably wont get a gecko for a while until I get money and other stuff. So do I use bleach and 1/4 vinegar 3/4 water or just one or the other? Do I just let vinegar dry for a little while then put my gecko back in if just vinegar has to be used?

 

[Hilde]

So do I use bleach and 1/4 vinegar 3/4 water or just one or the other?

I'm not sure if you're asking about mixing bleach and vinegar, (probably not), but I thought I'd mention it just in case.

Never mix bleach with vinegar, or many other products, just with water.
Mixing it with vinegar releases toxic chlorine gas which is used in chemical warfare. Even if it's just a weak solution, the gas can still irritate your eyes and lungs, possibly causing long-term health problems.

 

[logan1234]

I wasn't meaning mixing them, just using bleach with water or vinegar with water, or can I chose between which one to use for cleaning my tank/hides If they do I'd rather use vinegar water.

 

[logan1234]

I'll ask more supplementing questions later this week. I still have to raise around 50 more dollars. And at walmart I saw small freeze dried flukers meal worms and some crickets, those could probably be good for a day or to when I order more crickets.

 

[Elizabeth Freer]

I wasn't meaning mixing them, just using bleach with water or vinegar with water, or can I chose between which one to use for cleaning my tank/hides If they do I'd rather use vinegar water.

Choose either vinegar with water or bleach with water.

I'll ask more supplementing questions later this week. I still have to raise around 50 more dollars. And at walmart I saw small freeze dried flukers meal worms and some crickets, those could probably be good for a day or to when I order more crickets.

Have you already picked out your leo?

Skip any freeze dried bugs or worms. Our geckos need the moisture in live prey!

 

[kholtme]

Dont buy any dead insects, your gecko wont eat them.

Do you have any local pet stores near you?

Clean everything once with the 1 part bleach, 9 parts water, before you buy your gecko. After that you shouldnt have to bleach anything again. Bleach needs 24 or more hours to air off, so using it as a regular cleaner wouldnt work because your gecko would have to be out of the cage for 24 or more hours. For a regular cleaner that you use weekly, Elizabeth recommend dawn dish soap for the hides, and simply replace the paper towel substrate every other week. This will be enough to keep the cage clean, no need to do much more. When cleaning the hides, remove one at a time, clean it with dawn dish soap, rinse well, and let it dry. I would do one hide at a time so your gecko isnt scared in its cage with no other hides to hide under while they are drying.

 

[kholtme]

Also, leopard geckos poop in one spot in the cage. So once your gecko finds a regular pooping spot, place an extra paper towel, or index card in that area, and when he poops simply remove and replace.

 

[Elizabeth Freer]

I agree with kholtme's recommendations in post #77.

A vinegar/water solution does NOT disinfect. It just cleans.

A bleach/water solution DOES disinfect and kill stuff.

 

[logan1234]

So I use bleach water on all the hides and the tank when I first get them then let them dry for 24 hours or more then weekly on sunday clean the inside of the tank with vinegar water and the hides with soap? Doesn't soap have chemicals that would hurt them? or does water get rid of it all. And my closest pet store is like 40 minutes away so I can't go there alot.