Meet my geckos - Kimba & Mojo

D

Derek_0221

New member
IMG_3147.jpgIMG_3075.jpgIMG_3136.jpgIMG_3143.jpgIMG_3146.jpg

I got the black and yellow, Kimba and brown orange, Mojo a couple of weeks ago, both juveniles. They have been with each other forever so they are extremely friendly and nice to each other and can live together. When I got them, I noticed Mojo did have 2 toes missing on the front right leg, but it doesn't affect him at all. What do you guys think of them? Do they look healthy or do you have any advices or suggestions?

My setup:
1. 20 Gallon tank
2. Mealworms dish
3. Calcium dish
4. Water dish
5. Heating mat
6. Eco Earth/Reptile Carpet (after tons of research I decided to use eco-earth for now, whats your opinion on this?)
7. Big warm hide on the right
8. Big cold cave on the left middle
9. Coconut moist hide on the left
10. Fake plants and rocks decorations
 

Attachments

  • IMG_3145.jpg
    IMG_3145.jpg
    97.2 KB · Views: 12
P

PoppyDear

New member
Hello, welcome to the forum, you and those two!

They look very adorable, healthy and beautiful! I also think they have a very good setup over all, but there is a few things that I will reccomend!


Hides are very important to a gecko's wellbeing, although I would suggest a few more. Each gecko should have access to any hide at any time, meaning there needs to be a hide available for each gecko in each temperature gradient for equal opportunity. Generally, it is 3 hides per gecko, I would at least add another cold and humid hide, seeing as the warm hide is big enough for both. Another thing you probably want to do is move the humid hide to the warm side to prevent respiratory issues.

Calcium dishes are not usually needed if you are supplimenting correctly. It can actually lead to an over dose in calcium, I would only reccomend it to geckos suffering from MBD or breeding females. May I ask what you suppliment with and how often?

Substrate is a huge debatable topic and it is up to the keeper! I personally think it is okay to use loose substrate if you are alright with the possibilities of your gecko eating it (Not necessarily meaning they will get impacted) or getting it in their eyes, etc. If all their husbandry is correct then I see no problem with Eco Earth. Repti-Carpet seems to harbor bacteria and gecko's teeth and claws get stuck in it, I like tile or sand mats the best for easy cleaning, but Eco Earth is the third favorite for me!

Thermostats are used to control temperatures of your Under Tank Heat mat, I didn't see you list it, it is very important to have in order for your geckos to have appropriate temps and better digest their food.
•Here's a temperature guide for all leopard geckos as measured with the probe of a digital thermometer (and controlled by a thermostat):
•88-92 F (31.1-33.3 C) ground temperature right underneath a leo's warm dry hide
•no greater than 82ish F (27.8ish C) air temperature - 4 inches above ground on the warm end
•no greater than 75 F (23.9 C) air temperature - 4 inches above ground on the cool end

Gender is very important to know, how old are these guys? Only females can be housed together unless you want to breed. Understand that by housing them together you risk fights but it is possible IF they are females. If they are anything but females, you will have to buy an entire new setup so be prepared.
•Sexing Leopard Geckos Leopard geckos become sexable at about 6 months old. Males can be distinguished from females by a distinct v-shaped row of pores and by bulges right under the vent.
•Click: Sexing Leopard Geckos

Good luck with the cuties! :)
 
Last edited:
D

Derek_0221

New member
Hello, thanks for all the advices, so should I move the coconut to the warm side? because I read about and thought the moist hide should be placed in the cooler zone. For their supplements, I dust their food 4/5 days with Repashy calcium plus, and 2 days with Herptivite multivitamin. For temperature, I measured the temperature on the warm side just by putting the thermostat right on the Eco-Earth, if it's too high or low I just simply remove or add a layer of Eco-Earth to it, this usually works out pretty well, afterwards I just stick the thermometer back to the glass for air temperature. The air temperature are both good. I bought them both at Petco, and the worker there said they only have males and that they are both 3/4 months old, and since they grew up together, I don't think there'll be a problem, what do you think? Once again, thanks
 
P

PoppyDear

New member
Sounds pretty good!

Your supplimenting sounds alright but I doubt you will need the multi-vitamins, Calcium Plus is all in one. I have seen most people use it on almost every feeding, lightly dusted with a few days off. If you do this, you likely won't even need the calcium bowl.

I would move it to the warm side, warmth will increase the humidity, cold and wet spaces may equal a sick gecko. From most of my research having the moist hide on the warm side has had more benefits. Though I reccomend finding different sources of information to compare and come to a decision yourself, you are the ultimate decider of anything you do for your geckos. Other than that I would say to add a few more hides! :D

Temperatures sound good but I wonder what you mean by sticking the thermostat/thermometer(?) up and down the glass? Do you mean you get the ground temperatures from a stick-on thermometer and then put it back on the glass wall to get air temps? If so then this is not accurate and will not control your UTH, you will need a thermostat with a probe, I reccomend the Jumpstart Hydrofoam on Amazon. Heat mat temperatures will fluctuate to unsafe levels or too low temperatures for your Leo. If this is not the case, could you explain in better detail the thermometer you use and if you have a thermostat?

I don't know if the employee knows their gender for certain unless they were incubated at the temperatures to get males. Even then it is possible to get a female. Since they are from Petco, you won't know the age for certain, did you look at their vents and compare them to the "Sexing Leopard Geckos" link I gave you? If they are indeed males, they will need to be separated. Males will fight to the death, they are very aggressive and territorial towards each other. Your two could be males but still too young to actually start fighting. Raising them together will not change this. If one is female and the other is male, they will more than likely breed, and they could breed too young, which will stress the female terribly. Females and males can also fight, and being pestered to breed and use her resources to make eggs can be very stressful for her as well.

Until you know the genders, it may be best to separate them to avoid issues.

I hope this didn't sound mean, I have a tendancy to sound like that when it is not all my intention, I am just doing my best to provide some advice! Good luck again!
 
Last edited:
D

Derek_0221

New member
Yea sorry that sounded confusing, what I meant was putting the thermometer on the Eco-Earth for the temperature, I do have a thermostat to control the heating mat. I have added another hide for the geckos, I had this little cave-like thing for my hamster from awhile ago, so I moved the coconut hide to the warm side like you said :). I am not able to determine their sex just yet because they are too young but I will definitely keep an eye on that. Thank you
 
Elizabeth Freer

Elizabeth Freer

Well-known member
Hello Derek, Kimba, & Mojo ~

Welcome to the club! :D

Lightly dust your leos' prey at 3 feedings per week with Repashy's Calcium Plus. That's an all-in-one multivitamin, just like PoppyDear says. Then add a 4th light dusting per week of plain precipitated calcium carbonate. Don't use any Rep-Cal's Herptivite multivitamin. That's way too many multivitamins. :(

  • What do you keep in the calcium dish? Repashy's Calcium Plus?
  • What brand is your thermostat?
How about 2 separate warm moist hide(s) set right on top of your heat mat? You can make some like this.
IMG_0234 (1).jpg

91*F is an optimal setting for your thermostat. Analog/circle thermometers only give ballpark readings. I suggest a digital thermometer with a probe or a temp gun to verify your thermostat's setting. The yellow Zoo Med digital thermometer has a probe and is accurate enough for leos.

I strongly recommend separating Mojo and Kimba until you can determine their sexes. They will know their sexes before we do. Two males will fight to the death of the less dominant one.
 
Last edited:
D

Derek_0221

New member
So if I feed them everyday, how should I dust them? I have repashy calcium plus, zoo med calcium with D3, and herptivite multivitamins, I think I have too much
 
P

PoppyDear

New member
Your setup has improved!

As Elizabeth says, Repashy's calcium plus should be dusted 3 times a week with the 4th dusting a week being plain precipitated calcium carbonate, the NOW brand sold at health stores will do. Then you can ignore the other suppliments.

I do think it is a good idea to seperate them but if not they could do with one more hide at least.

Would you mind telling us the thermostat brand? :)

Thanks!
 
D

Derek_0221

New member
I have the elfin growth thermostat, got from amazon. And I have the Repashy Leopard Gecko Calcium Plus, I am pretty sure there is a difference between the two, so I don't know what to do. Besides that I have Zoo Meds calcium with D3, and Herptivite Multivitamins, how should the dusting schedule be if I feed them everyday? thank you for the help
PoppyDear said:
Your setup has improved!

As Elizabeth says, Repashy's calcium plus should be dusted 3 times a week with the 4th dusting a week being plain precipitated calcium carbonate, the NOW brand sold at health stores will do. Then you can ignore the other suppliments.

I do think it is a good idea to seperate them but if not they could do with one more hide at least.

Would you mind telling us the thermostat brand? :)

Thanks!
Click to expand...
 
Elizabeth Freer

Elizabeth Freer

Well-known member
You're welcome. :)

Please make a different hide. Use some plastic container you can't see through. Then your leos will feel much safer inside. That's what hides are all about.

Inside the warm moist hide place some damp paper towels, damp Eco Earth's coco fiber, or damp sphagnum moss. Keep this substrate damp all the time.

Derek_0221 said:
View attachment 41946 here's the new setup, just made a new hide for them, and switch spots for some things, thanks for all the advice
Click to expand...
 
Last edited:
D

Derek_0221

New member
I have made this hide out of plastic and used tape around so it's darker and they can feel 'safer', what calcium carbonate would you recommend? Can I get the ones at like health stores for humans? Or should I get something like zoo med calcium without D3?
Elizabeth Freer said:
You're welcome. :)

Please make a different hide. Use some plastic container you can't see through. Then your leos will feel much safer inside. That's what hides are all about.

Inside the warm moist hide place some damp paper towels, damp Eco Earth's coco fiber, or damp sphagnum moss. Keep this substrate damp all the time.
Click to expand...
 
Elizabeth Freer

Elizabeth Freer

Well-known member
For pure calcium carbonate you have 2 excellent choices:
1. NOW brand calcium carbonate found at health foods stores OR
2. Zoo Med's plain Repti Calcium (without vitamin D3)

Derek_0221 said:
I have made this hide out of plastic and used tape around so it's darker and they can feel 'safer', what calcium carbonate would you recommend? Can I get the ones at like health stores for humans? Or should I get something like zoo med calcium without D3?
Click to expand...
 
Lazy Daisy

Lazy Daisy

New member
I usually let the prey crawl in the tubes put calcium in the tube and shake/move gently from side to side until they are covered with the dust and then I just release them over the calcium dish that way I don't make a big dusty mess
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top