Hoping to have better luck

[jjainseattle]

My 3 or 4 year old leopard gecko just passed away...Very sad.

We left for a vacation and he was what we thought healthy. We returned and he was not doing so well. Turns out that he was not doing as well as we had thought and most likely had some long term lingering issues.

We did everything that we could to try to save Chili (Antibiotice, syringe feedings, saunas and whatever else the vet told us to do) but unfortunately he did not make it.

I am a complete novice and want to be a much better leopard gecko owner and give my new guy, Queso, the best life that I can.

I'm attaching photos of his set up - Its basic with a ceramic heat lamp on top and a heat pad below the log on the right side and a UVB light on the left side. I'm not certain what temps the right side should be and purchased a "Ipower Heat Mat Thermostat" to regulate the temperature if needed - Recommendations would be great. Both the ceramic light and the UVB lights are new purchases that I made as I tried to nurse Chili back to health.

We Fed Chili, our old guy crickets and mealworms - The crickets were stored in a cricket keeper and had some green gut loading stuff (smells like kiwi and is jelly consistency) in the keeper that was recommended by the Rescue Store where we buy Crickets.

For our new guy the Vet discouraged us from using the green stuff and told us to use T-Rex Calcium Plus to gut load the crickets - said to just put it into a bottle cap and the crickets will eat it and be more nutritious for our gecko.

The vet also said DO NOT feed mealworms as they are full of fat - kind of like a Krispy Kreme donut diet. She suggested Silk Worms, Phoenix worms, hornworms or black soldier fly larvae.

I want to be the best owner that I can be and could use any and all suggestions that you might have.

I want give Queso a long and happy life!

 

[Seth9999]

You need heat mat cover little over half bottom. You take thermostat prob , thermometer prob tape them together place under warm hide directly on top carpet. So you get exactly the temp. He feels. Under warm hide should be about 91 degrees going cooler to other side. The air temp on warm side should knot exceed 82 degrees. The air on cool side should knot exceed 75 degrees.
That encloser isn't big enough for uvb. The hight of uvb bulb determines the dose gecko gets. Do you have it at right hight? Do you have right bulb to provide the correct dose, witch is furrgeson zone 1. I really don't think you have best hides for uvb. The gecko needs plenty of cover to hide in. There skin is very sensitive. Uvb can harm them.
It would been better turn that tupwear hide upside down , cut hole in side. The idea is trap moister inside. Good warm hide is rock huts with no bottom or 3 in 1 cave.
There's three vitmins you'll need. And dusting schedule.
Ground up bearded dragon food is one best foods for healthy crickets, along with collard , mustard and turnip greens in side dish.
Please read care sheet on home page, it's very detailed care sheet on leopard geckos. It's best care sheet I've come across. It explains everything, give your gecko long healthy life.

 

[callofspacey]

I can offer up some help and let you know what I have been doing for my gecko that seems to work well and keep him healthy! I also love your choice of gecko names :biggrin:

Is the tank you currently have a 10 gallon? I started my boy off in a 10 gallon when he was a hatchling which worked for several months. However, he did eventually outgrow the space (he is rather large; 10 inches long and not even a year old) so I had to upgrade to a 20 gallon long tank which gives him much more room to run around. It's best to keep a leopard gecko in a 20 gallon tank once they reach a certain size, but a 10 gallon is sufficient for a baby or juvenile in my opinion.

Substrate looks great! It looks like you are using reptile carpet which I use in my boy's tank as well. It is much safer than substrates like sand which can be ingested and cause impaction. I think you're all good on that front

As for temperature regions, the warm side of the tank should be around 90 degrees Fahrenheit while the cool side should be around 75 degrees. It might be helpful to use two thermometers at each end of the tank to determine and regulate your temperature spectrum. I use a heat mat for my guy, and I notice you mentioned you use one as well which is great! Leopard geckos need tummy heat to help digest their food. That's why the high temperature on the "warm" side of the cage needs to be well-regulated.

By ceramic heat lamp do you mean a ceramic heat emitter (CHE)? Visible light can sometimes disrupt a gecko's sleep cycle unless you are religious with turning the light source on and off according to the time of day. The CHE will heat the tank from above without emitting visible light. Also, the UVB lamp is not entirely necessary since geckos don't absolutely need UVB to generate the nutrients necessary for a healthy life. However, it also doesn't hurt them so that's up to you! Just make sure to follow an appropriate lighting schedule like I mentioned above. Also do some research and make sure it is the appropriate dose and intensity of UVB for your gecko and the size of his habitat.

I notice you have a moist hide set up which is great! However, ideally, geckos need three hides total - One warm moist hide, one warm dry hide, and one cool hide. I notice your tank is small, so this is something to keep in mind if you upgrade to a 20 gallon or larger. A hygrometer might also be helpful if you need to monitor the humidity in your humid hide (I can't tell if the dial in the back is a thermometer or hygrometer so you may already have this).

I have actually used mealworms as a staple in my guy's diet and also provide crickets regularly. He seems to have no problems with mealworms and maintains a healthy weight and stays active. However, this is also a personal preference since there is a variety of leopard gecko prey available at most pet stores.

I would also make sure you either lightly dust his prey with calcium + D3 every few days OR leave a shallow dish (I use a clean milk carton cap) of powder available for him to lick when needed. Also make sure to dust or provide a multivitamin like Reptivite. I use calcium powder with D3 so I provide the multivitamin without D3 since too much D3 can be harmful.

I think your startup habitat looks good! Again, this is what has worked for my gecko, but you will also find what works for your new guy as well. Good luck! :biggrin:

 

[jjainseattle]

Anna, thanks so much for the reply.

I am not certain what size the tank is. The measurements are 20" wide x 12" tall x 10" deep. It does feel a little crowded to me...But I dont live in it.

Yes, Ceramic heat lamp is a Ceramic Heat Emitter (CHE) Bothe the CHE and the heat mat are on the right side - The log is directly over the heat mat.

The Dial that you see in the middle on the back wall is a combo thermometer and Humidity gauge.

I also have the Thermostat that I am going to use to dial in the heat mat and the CHE a little bit more precisely.

Feeding...How often and how much do you generally feed your guy and do you dust the crickets and mealworms in calcium before dropping them in? A very knowledgeable person at the store I visited for help suggested I use Sticky Tongue Farms Miner-All (https://www.amazon.com/Miner-All-Calcium-Mineral-supplement-Indoor/dp/B004JP3XJ ) to coat the crickets and worms in. The package says to coat the prey for newborn and half grown animals every time.

The UVB light is sitting on top of the metal screened lid. I currently have it on a timer that turns it on and off daily at the same times and is on for about 14 hours. The CHE is on 24/7.

Any thoughts on the T-Rex Calcium Plus Food for the cricket gut loading?

I've seen hammocks in other folks set ups...they look cool - Ever hd any experience?

Thanks!

 

[jjainseattle]

You need heat mat cover little over half bottom. You take thermostat prob , thermometer prob tape them together place under warm hide directly on top carpet. So you get exactly the temp. He feels. Under warm hide should be about 91 degrees going cooler to other side. The air temp on warm side should knot exceed 82 degrees. The air on cool side should knot exceed 75 degrees.
That encloser isn't big enough for uvb. The hight of uvb bulb determines the dose gecko gets. Do you have it at right hight? Do you have right bulb to provide the correct dose, witch is furrgeson zone 1. I really don't think you have best hides for uvb. The gecko needs plenty of cover to hide in. There skin is very sensitive. Uvb can harm them.
It would been better turn that tupwear hide upside down , cut hole in side. The idea is trap moister inside. Good warm hide is rock huts with no bottom or 3 in 1 cave.
There's three vitmins you'll need. And dusting schedule.
Ground up bearded dragon food is one best foods for healthy crickets, along with collard , mustard and turnip greens in side dish.
Please read care sheet on home page, it's very detailed care sheet on leopard geckos. It's best care sheet I've come across. It explains everything, give your gecko long healthy life.

Seth, thanks for he reply. Can you direct me to the care sheet you mention?

 

[callofspacey]

Thanks for the clarification! It looks like you've got everything under control.

Sticky Tongue Farms Miner-All looks like a product I'd be interested in trying! I currently use Fluker's calcium powder with D3 and Reptivite without D3 as stated above, but this all-in-one looks more convenient and looks like it could save me some money as well. I'd give it a try, especially since it came recommended from someone who knows their stuff.

As for the cricket gut loading, you can either do a supplement like T-Rex or regular foods like apples, greens, oats, etc. I usually mix in some whole oats with my mealworms since they don't go bad or rot and are pretty wholesome. If you are keeping crickets long term and in bulk, I'd say the T-Rex product probably does the same thing plus some extra minerals. Just make sure not to go TOO crazy with vitamin supplements; too much of a good thing is usually a bad thing. Another product I love are these little cricket boxes that you can buy at places like PetSmart. I can't remember the brand name but they come with 20 crickets plus gutloading food inside of the little box. You just punch a hole through a little "door" in the box and place the box in the gecko's cage. The crickets will emerge gradually and will have a food source separate from the gecko's area all for about $4-5. Of course this is more expensive than raising and maintaining your own crickets, but it's great if you're in a pinch or going away for some time.

As for amount to feed, it's generally recommended to feed as much as your gecko can eat in 10 minutes or so. I usually go by the benchmark of feeding two small or medium prey (depending on gecko size) per inch of gecko every two days. So, my guy is 10 inches long. I make sure he has 10 mealworms or crickets available each day. Sometimes he chooses not to eat since he's not feeling hungry, but it's good to make sure he at least has access. I usually dust prey twice a week, but more often for a juvenile would be appropriate since he is growing.

I actually have a hammock for my guy's tank! He has an odd fascination with hanging around vertically so I bought him a little mesh ladder for the back of his tank with a hammock at the top. Sometimes I catch him sleeping up there. It also adds a bit of elevated floor space if you'd like more room for your gecko.

 

[jjainseattle]

I'm going to move away from the tupperware and just ordered a new hide for Queso...

https://www.amazon.com/Exo-Terra-Ge...TF8&qid=1515978563&sr=8-1&keywords=B008YDHDD2

 

[acpart]

I'll put my 2 cents in here as well (remember there is more than 1 way to do things):
heat and light: in my opinion, under tank heater, CHE and UVB light in a 10 gallon tank (that's what your dimensions come up to) is, as has been alluded to before, overkill. My leopard geckos, which are most of my 70+ geckos have under tank heaters only. The ambient light in the room is enough to let them know day from night. I think that too much heat and light leads to dehydrating conditions

Gut loading the crickets: the kiwi smelling colored cubes are basically water-holding polymer with dye. That hydrates them but doesn't gutload them. "Gut loading" them with plain calcium doesn't seem to me it will do the trick either, and leopard geckos shouldn't get too much calcium. I buy packaged gutload from progeckos (Food & Water :: Insect Food) and get water crystals (also available from them) in bulk --without the dye.

Feeding schedule: I feed my geckos Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday. I dust with calcium plus every other feeding.

Feeders: a variety is good. I alternate between crickets and super worms with occasional silkworms (in the summer) and hornworms. There is a variety of opinions about mealworms and super worms. I have found both to be fine. I am less sure about waxworms which seem even fattier. In addition, if the waxworms don't get eaten soon enough, they turn into waxMOTHS!

Care sheet: do a forum search for "leopard gecko care sheet" by Elizabeth Freer where you will find a lot of interesting information.

Aliza

 

[Seth9999]

Home page at bottom, under general discussion, that take you to another page. Be at top.
Without knowing correct dose for uvb , I would turn it off. Pounding 14 hours of who knows what dose into your gecko can knot be healthy. I have 4 foot long encloser with small uvb on one end. He has lots room escape. With correct dose. There's a meter for that. Bearded dragons require uvb, but leopard geckos do knot. They need correct supplements. If you have big tank, it's then possibly try uvb out.
Circle thermometers or knot as accurate as ones with probes, then you can tape prob to thermostat prob.

 

[jjainseattle]

I'll put my 2 cents in here as well (remember there is more than 1 way to do things):
heat and light: in my opinion, under tank heater, CHE and UVB light in a 10 gallon tank (that's what your dimensions come up to) is, as has been alluded to before, overkill. My leopard geckos, which are most of my 70+ geckos have under tank heaters only. The ambient light in the room is enough to let them know day from night. I think that too much heat and light leads to dehydrating conditions

Gut loading the crickets: the kiwi smelling colored cubes are basically water-holding polymer with dye. That hydrates them but doesn't gutload them. "Gut loading" them with plain calcium doesn't seem to me it will do the trick either, and leopard geckos shouldn't get too much calcium. I buy packaged gutload from progeckos (Food & Water :: Insect Food) and get water crystals (also available from them) in bulk --without the dye.

Feeding schedule: I feed my geckos Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday. I dust with calcium plus every other feeding.

Feeders: a variety is good. I alternate between crickets and super worms with occasional silkworms (in the summer) and hornworms. There is a variety of opinions about mealworms and super worms. I have found both to be fine. I am less sure about waxworms which seem even fattier. In addition, if the waxworms don't get eaten soon enough, they turn into waxMOTHS!

Care sheet: do a forum search for "leopard gecko care sheet" by Elizabeth Freer where you will find a lot of interesting information.

Aliza

Aliza,

How do you use the gutload and water from that supplier?

 

[Elizabeth Freer]

Seth, thanks for he reply. Can you direct me to the care sheet you mention?

Welcome to Geckos Unlimited!

I'm sorry your leo passed away.

I feed my crickets and Blaptica dubia roaches finely ground Zoo Med's Adult Bearded Dragon Food in a Jif's peanut butter lid with those ridged sides 24/7. They love it! Off to the side keep a dish of high calcium/low phosphorus greens (collard, mustard, or turnip greens, or pesticide-free dandelion flowers/greens.

Feeding insects and worms a good diet 24/7 builds a better feeder body. The "gutloading" process you refer to is removing the insects you plan to feed and feeding them a very high calcium special diet for 1-2 days prior to feeding them to your leo.

Click here for the short version of my Leo Care Sheet: Leopard Gecko Care Sheet (abbreviated) -- November 2017 (show handout)

Click: Cricket Guidelines II -- January 2018 update

In my signature on this post you'll find a Table of Contents link. There you'll find many leo care articles.

 

[Elizabeth Freer]

Oftentimes experienced keepers and breeders tweak the supplements more than the manufacturer suggests based upon the health of their leopard geckos.

Here's the Repashy's Calcium Plus multivitamin schedule that GU's acpart (Aliza Arzt) has used for all her leopard geckos ----> breeders and non-breeders.

R = Repashy's Calcium Plus, Cc = pure precipitated calcium carbonate (without vitamin D3)

Week 1:
M-------T-------W------Th-------F-------Sat-------Sun
R.....................Cc...............................R...................


Week 2:
M-------T-------W------Th-------F-------Sat-------Sun
Cc...............................R..........................................

For hatchlings 0-2 months old: Aliza also places a bottle cap of pure precipitated calcium carbonate (without vitamin D3) in the cage 24/7.

Repeat this schedule every 2 weeks throughout your geckos' lives.

 

[acpart]

Aliza,

How do you use the gutload and water from that supplier?

I have a lot of geckos so I buy the 20lb. gutload. I keep super worms in a large "faunarium" (brand of ventilated plastic container 17"x12") in about an inch or two of gutload. When I had mealworms, I did the same, using a smaller container (I buy super worms by the thousand). I keep crickets in a 10 gallon tank (I get 2000 crickets every other week) with half the floor space covered with about 1/2" of gutload and the other half with jar lids of water crystal (see below)

water crystal: I get 1lb of water crystal in a small package. It looks like large chunks of salt, but when you add water, it turns into water-filled chunks of gel. I used to measure carefully and follow the directions. Now I toss a small handful of crystals into my tupperware container (probably holds about a quart of water) and fill it with water. In a few hours I have a whole container of water cubes. I put them in jar lids and put that into the cricket enclosures. I hydrate the super worms by giving them vegetable parings like eggplant skins, broccoli stems, etc.

Let me know if you have any more questions.

Aliza

 

[jjainseattle]

Here is Queso's new and improved "Apartment"

Left bulb is a UVB that is on for about 12 hours during the day - its on a timer and the right bulb is a CHE.

Queso is enjoying his new moist hide!

Thanks for all of the advice!

 

[Elizabeth Freer]

Here is Queso's new and improved "Apartment"

Left bulb is a UVB that is on for about 12 hours during the day - its on a timer and the right bulb is a CHE.

Queso is enjoying his new moist hide!

Thanks for all of the advice!

What brand and strength of UVB bulb have you?

Please add a 3rd hide so that Queso has more opportunites to dodge the UVB rays when he wants.

Have you spotted this expert-level thread: Providing UVB for Leopard Geckos......Dr. Frances M. Baines -- January 2018

 

[jjainseattle]

It’s a exo terra reptile uvb100

 

[Seth9999]

Exo terra has a chart that tells witch bulb produces what dose . The 13watt or 26watt 100 bulb is to strong. At the hight of bulb your gecko is receiving 90 uvb 15 Uva ,witch the correct dose is .7 . It's way to strong. That's for 13watt 100 bulb, weakest one.
The only uvb fixtures to give correct dose is t8 fixtures with exactly the correct lamp bulb. Only three that work, it's long lamp bulbs. In Elizabeth signature she has link , takes you to huge article on uvb , by person who's behind all uvb . Francis Baines.
Please turn uvb lamp off, unteal you read chart and article on uvb.

 

[jjainseattle]

Ok..Thanks.

I've turned the bulb off.

I tried to understand the articles but am having difficulty getting the gist of what exactly I should be doing for Queso as far as UVB goes (and bummer I bought the bulb and the housing a couple of weeks ago)

can anyone assist with a specific recommendation on what I should be doing as far as UVB goes? His home dimensions are - 20" wide x 12" tall x 10" deep for reference.

Thanks in advance.

 

[Seth9999]

Alrighty, thank you.
You have 10 gallon tank that's 20" long. The smallest t8 fixture is 18" with 18" bulb. Basically the hole tank. My concern is with uvb fixture covering from one end to other is there's no side for her go to, get out uvb rays. The hole tank floor will be getting uvb rays.
A gecko has very sensitive skin, small amount of uvb goes long way . Unless she's in one of her hides, she's getting uvb, witch would limit her activities. She mostly would have to hide, to be protected from to much exposure.
I have two 4' terrariums with uvb, we're the fixture is set to one side , covering half. This giving them the choice of how much uvb exposure they get. She could stay in her hides but ,she probably will get some exposer. She needs place get no exposer. Think she and you would prefer her feel comfortable to be in open, we're you can see her and interact with each other.
If she would get bigger tank one day , then that would be ideal for uvb. For now I would go by Elizabeth dusting schedule, and dust her feeders, crickts

 

[jjainseattle]

Should I just use the existing dome and use a smaller bulb than?