New to geckos, some questions.

[Newleoguy]

I got a leopard gecko recently, and the little guy doesn't want to eat unless the food goes into his hide, but then I can't see if he ate the cricket (for example yesterday I lead a cricket in there, and heard my gecko bite it, which turned out to be false because when he left the hide I lifted it up and the cricket was just laying there, playing dead, he ate two crickets in the morning that day though). I am scared for him and I think I stress him out too much for me to even interact a little bit with him.
I believe I might have lost the little trust he had when I touched his leg for him to move so I can change the water in the water dish, or later that day, I touched him so he moves and I can take out a cricket he did not show any interest in eating.
If you have any advice that I can use to make him eat please share it, also a shopkeeper of the shop where I bought the terrarium, gave me the wrong vitamines, the ones she gave me were for herbivores and they have less vitamin d3 in them, should I change it or is it fine?

I guess what I really want from you is to tell me how to deal with the not-eating-while-outside-the-hide situation (because I do not want the cricket to bite the little guy), to tell me if the vitamines for herbivores are fine even though there is difference in vitamine D3 and how to chill him out, he seems stressed whenever I'm near, even though I'm just sitting there reading a book or looking at my phone.



PS. The crickets of course are alive, mealworms too, I do have calcium but I don't have a dish for him, I did not find vitamin D3 in the store so I'll have to get it online, the vitamines are trixie for herbivores and the gecko is small.

 

[Elizabeth Freer]

Welcome to Geckos Unlimited! Leos take awhile to settle in. When did you get him?

Please share a picture of your leo's enclosure.

Have you considered using a clear glass tealight holder for a cricket dish?

(click to enlarge)​

Can you buy Nutrobal all-in-one multivitamins for your leo? Could you also buy plain calcium carbonate? In the USA we can buy human-grade NOW brand plain calcium carbonate from Amazon.

OR Can you buy Zoo Med's supplements instead of Trixie for herbivores? ONLY put plain calcium carbonate INSIDE your leo's enclosure, if that. For a leo 0-12 months old you'll need:

1. Zoo Med's Reptivite multivitamins withOUT D3
2. Zoo Med's Repti Calcium with D3
3. Zoo Med's Repti Calcium withOUT D3 (plain calcium carbonate)

After I hear what supplements you have access to, I can share a schedule.

 

[Newleoguy]

I do have access to all of the zoomed products you have said about. For the enclosure

 

[Elizabeth Freer]

I do have access to all of the zoomed products you have said about. For the enclosure View attachment 49787
View attachment 49788
View attachment 49789

1. What are you using for substrate? Crickets would disappear in that. That substrate may NOT be safe for a leopard gecko.
2. Does your leo have a dish of fresh water?

Please share an image of your leo when you can.

IF you think your leo is between 0-12 months old, here's a good weekly Zoo Med supplement schedule.

Weekly Schedule 124 for Leopard Geckos 0-12 months old
(withOUT UVB)​

Metabolic bone disease (MBD) symptoms include uneven (lopsided) gait, walking on one or both "elbows", bowed limbs, belly dragging, and an underbite. Difficulty chewing should be closely monitored.

The Reptile Supply Company (916-226-4089) based in Lodi, California stocks Zoo Med's ReptiVite multivitamins withOUT D3.

Lightly dust the prey 3x per week even when your leopard gecko eats daily. When your leo graduates to eating ~3x per week, still lightly dust the prey ONLY 3x per week.

During this time (0-12 months old) your leopard gecko will be transitioning from daily feeding to feeding ~3x per week. This all depends upon how fast your leo grows!

• Monday > > crickets or dubia lightly dusted with Zoo Med's Repti Calcium with D3
• Tuesday > > mealworms, superworms, or black soldier fly larvae (Phoenix worms) > > no dusting
• Wednesday > > crickets or dubia lightly dusted with pure precipitated calcium carbonate withOUT D3 (Zoo Med's Repti Calcium or NOW's human-grade pure calcium carbonate)
• Thursday > > mealworms, superworms, or black soldier fly larvae (Phoenix worms) > > no dusting
• Friday > > crickets or dubia lightly dusted with Zoo Med's ReptiVite multivitamins withOUT D3
• Saturday > > mealworms, superworms, or black soldier fly larvae (Phoenix worms) > > no dusting
• Sunday > > no food or free choice > > no dusting

For link 124 click: Weekly Feeding & Supplement Schedule 124 for leopard geckos 0-12 months old

 

[Newleoguy]

There is a dish of fresh water that I change every 2 days, the substrate is Medium size beech chips. To show you my gecko I would have to lift the hide up and stress him, this one is from before I put the hide inside the terrarium, the tail isn't really visible, but when I saw him yesterday it didn't change in size. The photo is poor quality when uploaded to this site. Here's better quality one.

 

[Elizabeth Freer]

There is a dish of fresh water that I change every 2 days, the substrate is Medium size beech chips. To show you my gecko I would have to lift the hide up and stress him, this one is from before I put the hide inside the terrarium, the tail isn't really visible, but when I saw him yesterday it didn't change in size. The photo is poor quality when uploaded to this site. Here's better quality one.

1. What are other common substrates for leopard geckos where you live?
2. Does he have 3 discreet hiding areas: warm DRY, warm moist, & cool dry?

Judging by the photo in your link, this leo has a good body size for his length.

Temperatures - A temperature gradient from warm to cool maintains your leo's health. Here's a temperature guide for all leopard geckos as measured with the probe of a digital thermometer or a temp gun. Set your thermostat at 91*F/32.8*C.

Tape the thermostat's probe and a digital thermometer's probe together, but offset a little. Place them right on top of the substrate underneath the warm dry hide. If you use a UTH + a CHE you'll need 2 separate thermostats, because ground and air temperatures are substantially different.

• Warm dry hide ground temperature: 88-92 F (31.1-33.3 C) inside a leo's warm dry hide.
• Warm humid/moist hide: Place the humid hide 100% on top of the heat mat. Keep temperatures similar to the warm dry hide.
• Cool dry hide ground temperature: 70ish-75 F (21.1-23.9 C) Usually the cool end ground temperature matches the room temperature where the enclosure sits.
• no greater than 82ish F (27.8ish C) surface temperature - 4 inches (10 cm) above ground on the warm end
• no greater than 75 F (23.9 C) surface temperature - 4 inches (10 cm) above ground on the cool end

Leave your heat mat on 24/7 IF ambient room temperatures drop lower than 67ish*F (19.4*C). If NOT, during the night turn off overhead lighting/heating (~12 hours on and ~12 hours off)

 

[Newleoguy]

The sites I checked when I was looking for substrate often said sand, big stones (sandstones to be exact), the one I have and coconut chips. He does not have 3 hiding areas, I was not aware of the fact that they need 3 so I bought one. He sits in the hide which can be seen on all the photos mostly, it should be warm and dry in there, I do not know how do I give it more hides in that terrarium.

 

[Elizabeth Freer]

The sites I checked when I was looking for substrate often said sand, big stones (sandstones to be exact), the one I have and coconut chips. He does not have 3 hiding areas, I was not aware of the fact that they need 3 so I bought one. He sits in the hide which can be seen on all the photos mostly, it should be warm and dry in there, I do not know how do I give it more hides in that terrarium.

Plain sand and especially calci-sand WHEN eaten can easily cause impaction.

How long is your enclosure?

In the USA many keepers have 3 hides for their leopard geckos: a warm DRY hide, a warm HUMID hide, and a cool DRY hide. The hides can be worked into the substrate.

All the time there should be a temperature range from 88-92*F (31.1-33.3*C) on the ground underneath the warm DRY hide to 70ish-75*F (21.1-23.9*C) ground temperature on the cool end of your leopard gecko's enclosure.

It's possible to achieve those temperatures in all but the shortest enclosures.

 

[Newleoguy]

Yes, I was aware of that so I thought this substrate might be better since it is bigger and little guy will not be able to just swallow it that easily. But now that I think about it, I wonder if my gecko just can't see the mealworms and crickets because they blend in with to the substrate?
For that reason I will be buying dubia roaches soon, but I have heard that dubia roaches might not be healthy due to their size compared to my gecko's head. Is this true? And if so should I just find a better substrate?


My enclosure is 60x40x40.

 

[Elizabeth Freer]

Yes, I was aware of that so I thought this substrate might be better since it is bigger and little guy will not be able to just swallow it that easily. But now that I think about it, I wonder if my gecko just can't see the mealworms and crickets because they blend in with to the substrate?
For that reason I will be buying dubia roaches soon, but I have heard that dubia roaches might not be healthy due to their size compared to my gecko's head. Is this true? And if so should I just find a better substrate?


My enclosure is 60x40x40.

60 x 40 x 40 cm = 23.6 x 15.6 x 15.6 inches high
Consider creating a second level in your leopard gecko's enclosure accessible via a ramp or by climbing a nearby hide.

Could you use a sturdy feeding dish like I shared in post #2: a small clear glass tealight candle holder? I'm sure small crickets, mealworms, and even small dubia roaches will hide in medium size beech chips. A young leopard gecko requires smallish food. Older dubia's exoskeletons are pretty tough.

In Europe you may be able to find terra cotta hides like this. I don't know who makes them. Terra cotta "breathes". Terra cotta hides make excellent warm humid hides!!!

​

Can you find some ~3/8 inch thick slate for your substrate instead of beech chips? Slate is awesome, because it does a great job absorbing heat! Then seal the slate with something like this.

(click to enlarge)


For link 163 click: Slate Cheese Trays 16" x 12" (11.8 inches = actual width) x 0.3 inch for Leo Substrate . . . . . . Gutler & Odinsmom -- November 2020 (updated)​