What supplies do I need to buy for leopard geckos?

Question

Ok, so my friend wants a leo. At the moment she has a 30 gallon tank [ its long and narrow so it has a high wall.]

I want to find out what she can buy to put in the tank that will help with keeping the leo happy and healthy.

Such as food, shelters, rocks, plants, flooring, heating, lighting, and anything else that she needs.

Also, she bought some decoritive black rocks that are smooth, would those be okay to put in the tank?

Answer 1

Well, to begin, MANY KUDDOS on researching the animal before your friend gets it.  That's the adult/responsible thing to do!  An informed owner is a happy one, and ends up with a healthy and content pet.

Leos can live 20 yr. and longer (the current record holder lived 27 yr. I believe) with proper care/nutrition, so it's a big responsibility, and you need to invest some research so that you can meet its needs.

Though it may not be what she had in mind; simplest is best for the Leo.  The substrate should be reptile carpet (short nap so as not to snag delicate toes - 2 pieces, so one can be cleaned and dried while one is in use); aged newspaper (at least a week, to allow the ink to dry and fumes to evaporate); plain brown wrapping paper (available in rolls, and very affordable), plain white paper, or paper towels.

The gecko will need a moisture hide.  I'll provide some links you can check out which show you how to build one, but please note my disclaimer:

--Though these sites list the use of play/repti sand, I STRONGLY DISAGREE with this.  The number one killer of Leos is impaction by sand or a loose substrate, which leads to costly vet bills, and even death.  Consult your reptile veterinarian for their opinion.--

The Leo will need a basking perch under a basking lamp, and a UTH pad on one side of the tank.  You'll have to adjust for correct temps., so you'll need a rheostat for that, and also a good digital probe thermometer or therm gun to actually measure the temp. on the floor and perch, where the reptile lives.  Remember - the animal will live a long time, and you'll be using this equipment often.  Strip themometers are inaccurate up to 20 degrees, and shouldn't be used.

The tank needs a cool and warm side, so research all this in the links below.

Use of UVB light for nocturnal Leos is very controversal.  This is an issue you might want to discuss with your vet.  As you observe your Leo, you will discover that it has brief periods of activity during the day.  It will dart from one hide to another to regulate body temperature; to drink, or even to snatch an insect.  In the wild - this equates to exposure to sunlight.  Wild geckos DO get sunlight.

I use UVB on my geckos for 4-5 hr. a day, and they have very vibrant colors.  But, I also add D3 to their diet.

You will need to provide a small bowl/lid of calcium (D3) in the habitat at all times (replace every 2-3 days, so the vitamin content doesn't expire).  If your calcium powder has vitamins in it (such Rep Cal) keep it refrigerated.

Insects need to be gut loaded, and also dusted (put in a baggie and shake lightly to coat) with calcium and reptile vitamins (keep these in the refrigerator) every 4-5; 3-4; 2-3 times a week, depending on age.  Older geckos will take calcium from a bowl, so dusting with calcium isn't necessary.  Younger geckos need the insects dusted in calcium as well as vitamins for rapid growth/development, and to prevent MBD.

There is much you much know/learn, but once you are educated - you will find that caring properly for your new pet is not a big chore.

I'll supply a basic gut loading recipe here:

GUT LOADING CRICKETS for REPTILES:

The number one problem:

Dried up and malnourished pet store crickets and mealworms. These food items are essentially useless. A dehydrated and unfed cricket contains almost no nutrients at all; refrigerated mealworms are even worse. A lot of the variety in nutrients found in wild insects is actually in the stomach content - usually plant material. We need to duplicate this to provide the best for our reptiles; without the risk of illness/disease/parasites which can result from feeding our pets wild insects.

Please note that wax worms, while fattening, are not nutritious.  Young geckos can eat small silk and phoenix worms, as well.

Basic Dry/Staple Cricket Food:

Equal amounts of dry Iguana food, dry dog food, chick starter mash, oatmeal (you can add dry baby food wheat/rye/barley, etc. as well; even shredded wheat - no sugar).

Grind these items together.  Place in a small lid/bowl for the crickets to eat.  Store the unused portion in the refrigerator or freezer, until needed.

Supplement daily with one of the following: sweet potato, bananas, zucchini, oranges, carrots, strawberries, assorted squashes (acorn, yellow, etc.), grapefruit, green beans, apples, kale, spinach, cactus pads, and just about any other nutritious item you can think of (do not use white/yellow potatoes - these are starchy and only good if used as a moisture source during shipping, and NEVER use Avocado - it's poisonous to most animals).

Provide the dry food and kale at all times (kale is readily available during the winter months, too), rotating the other food items through in succession. The key is variety, and to provide an assortment of varying nutrients. What you are trying to do is offer your reptiles crickets with guts 'loaded' with fresh foodstuffs.

The crickets should be gut loaded for 1-2 days prior to offering them to your reptiles.

Also, provide fresh clean water in a lid/bowl, adding a sponge or folded paper towel to prevent drowning.

  

Don't offer more crickets than the reptile(s) will consume within: 1.) a few hours if it’s a lizard, salamander, frog/toad, or 2.) a few minutes, if it’s a water turtle, so you know the crickets will still be full of the good stuff when eaten.

The crickets should be dusted (shaken in a plastic bag gently to coat them) with vitamins (keep these refrigerated) and calcium D3 powder 2-4 times a week, depending on the age of the reptile.

Be sure to remove any uneaten crickets so that they do not soil your pet's environment/water or bother your pet, once it is full.  Crickets CAN turn the table - and feast upon your pet! Or aggravate them, causing stress and even cessation of eating.

Also be sure the crickets are the correct size for the reptile.  The cricket should be the same size long as the reptile’s head is wide (about the space between the lizards’ eyes).

This is a bit of information to get you started on your guest for information, and the road to becoming a proud owner of a healthy and happy gecko.

As with any new animal; I suggest that you take it to vet for a general health check up, and parasite/disease screening.

You'll encounter a lot of care; dietary; substrate conflict as you research caring for your Leo.  These information dilemmas can easily be resolved by your qualified reptile vet.

If you don't already know of one, you can find an exotics/reptile vet in the city of your state by contacting “herpetologicalsocieties.com“.

Congratulations on her/your choice of a Leo as a pet, and most of all - enjoy!

I hope this has been helpful.

Answer 2

My daughter volunteers at a local reptile rescue center and we adopted 2 leopard geckos.  They really don't need a lot..that's why their a very popular lizard.  Here's a list..

1. food..Live crickets and mealworms  (they will only eat live prey)

2.. At least one hidebox, but they really prefer 2..one on the cool end of the tank and one on the hot end.

3. Flooring..Do NOT use sand!!  I use Ground English Walnut Shells..sand will cause impactions and with lizard carpet they get their claws caught and pulled out.

4. Lighting..They really don't need a clear basking bulb, because they are nocturnal and will sleep during the day anyway.  Just use a red night time bulb during the night and an Under tank Heater during the day.

5.  As far as plants, they aren't necessary.  If your friend wants to add some, that's fine, it's more for looks.  

The black rocks will be fine, just make sure they don't get too hot  when the light is on.

Answer 3

leopard geckos are very easy to look after (:

FOOD:

crickets - fun for the geckos, but very noisy

mealworms - they dont make noise and dont escape!

waxworms - use these to fatten up the gecko

(dust all food with calcium supplements)

SHELTER:

2 shelters - one on warm side, one on cool side

1 humid hide - filled with dampmoss and keep on the warm side

PLANTS:

i use some plastic plants that stick to the viv

FLOORING:

reptile carpet - easy to clean, completely safe for geckos, but doesnt look very nice tbh

fine play sand - i sometimes use this because i feed my geckos from a tub, so there is no way they can eat it.

newspaper - cheap and easy to use

papertowels - cheap and easy to use

HEATING:

heat mat - the easiest way to heat up the cage, you stick it under the viv. you want it to cover 1/3 or 1/2 of the tank.

red light - i use a red light at night, so i can see my babies and they keep warm (:

LIGHTING:

red light - if you want a light use a red light, because they cannot see the light at all, so you can see them, but they dont know theres a light.

DONT:

-buy calci sand, it causes impaction!

-use heat rocks, they are known for overheating and burning your pets!

thats about it (: