Baby leopard gecko? just got him?

Question

i just got him home from to pet store today and i was wondering if this is normal. he was kinda sleepy and i tryed to feed him 2 crickets but hey dident eat them so i just let them go in the tank will he eat um? and also. in the day time the temp useing 75 watt is 80 to 88 degrees and at night useing a 100 watt infraded light it is 80 to 88 and is this good temp?

ps its a 10 gallen

Answer 1

I'm looking at your temp. comments from other posters and wondering if they think this is RES question?!!

He needs a gradient of approximately 80-85F at the cool end to approximately 90-95F at the warm end.  70 is entirely too cool, and he's not going to digest or grow properly.

About 5 degree drop from that is acceptable for the winter and cycling for breeding. But, we're talking about a baby here!

85 for a humid habitat is a bit different than 85 in a dry one.  Hmmm.  Your gecko needs a dryish habitat, and a moisture hide to aid with shedding: http://www.leopardgeckowiki.com/wiki/ind...  <That is a really sloppy job, but you get the idea.  I cut a neat oval opening, and run a lighter over the edges quickly, so they won't be sharp on tender skin.

Since he's new, and sleepy... I'm not sure if it's cause he's new, or cause he's nocturnal and you're viewing him during the day?!!  But kuddos for viewing and being concerned.

Yer lil guy should get spunky/alert in the evening/night.  And that's also when he should be fed (you don't eat in your sleep, do you?).

Feed him as many gut loaded crickets (dusted with reptile vitamins and calcium powder with D3 every other day) as he will eat daily in about 15-20 min.  Remove the uneaten crickets 1.) cause after a few hours they won't be gut loaded and nutritious any more, and 2.) because they will bite or crawl on your baby and stress him.

Make sure the insects are no longer than the space between his eyes.  Please do not feed him meal worms:

http://hubpages.com/hub/Impaction or keep him on sand.

Wax worms are ONLY for a treat 1-2 times a week when he's much older.

Try to let the lil guy sleep during the day, and play with him in the evening.  Talk to him first, and pick him up slowly.  Don't stress him out.  He's just a baby, so don't hold him for long periods.  Work up to more time with him as he gets older.

If you want to hand feed, now is the time to start.  Offer him crickets, of if you prefer, after his crickets, offer small Phoenix, Silk, or Butter worms by hand 1 a day, or 1-2 every other day.  He's a baby.  Don't over feed him.  He needs his crickets and won't eat too many, so offer the worm after his meal.

Be sure to keep your hand low, on the floor of the tank, when you offer the bug, so as not to scare him with it.

I'll post some links you can check out when you have time, if you haven't already, but please note my disclaimer.

Enjoy your baby, and I hope this has been helpful

Answer 2

Give him a week to settle my beardie was the same :)

Answer 3

    Its normal for them not to eat for awhile when they're brought home to a new environment. I would recommend you leave crickets in there for him, but don't handle him until he's used to his surroundings. If he's truly hungry he will eat, don't worry about that. Also, your night temperature is a little too hot. Leopard gecko's will be fine at room temperature (lower 70s) at night. If you want to view him at night, I would get an adjustable light so you can turn the power down. I also have an under-tank heater for my leopard gecko. The thing to remember is that leopard geckos only require heat coming from the ground, so keep a rock or something under the light. A UV basking light does no good for them, and they actually sell under-tank heaters that stick to the bottom of the tank and heat it from beneath. I would recommend you invest about $20 in an under-tank heater.

      I actually leave my night bulb on all the time to give him some heat (lower 90s in the day), but I have an adjustable lamp so I turn it down almost all the way at night. Also, though I can't say if it's recommended, I leave my under-tank heater on all the time, and my leo loves it that way. Have fun with the little guy and if you need anymore help with issues that may arise in the future, feel free to ask .

Answer 4

it is really hot, and your lg might be dehydrated i would say lower the temps a few degrees, and do not let thee temps exceed 85F, so keep them at 75-80F during the night. By the way lg's are nocturnal, so that is why he is sleeping. But 100 watts is a bit to much for night, 100 during the day, and 75 at night is good. But monitor the temps constantly. Also do not keep the crickets in the cage longer than an hour because they could nibble/chew/bite on the lg's while they are sleeping!Keep them in a cricket feeder.

Answer 5

I'd say keep the temp around 80-81. You might want to try putting him in a 5 gallon tank. 10 is too much and he won't be able to find his food. This is a mistake many people make. If you put a reptile or amphibian in a tank that is to big, they won't be able to find food and water, thus they'll get stressed and die. Also make sure the crickets are small enough for him to eat, but big enough to where you don't have to feed him a large amount to get him full. Try using a 75 watt basking light for the day and a 75 watt infrared basking light during the night. You can get them at pretty much any pet store. They are a little pricey, but they are the best for reptiles. I hope this helped you