#Hi its me again I have a few questions.
1 messages · Page 1 of 1 (latest)
what's up
oh hi
also did the store actually give you an age? 😮
8 months!
oooh! He looked like an adult to me so i gave you the wrong dusting schedule last night ðŸ˜
Ohhh
ANYWAYS what's your questions lmfao
He isnt that big it was a close pic
(i'll send the correct one in a second)
so my mom obv thought the worker was right so hes staying with the carpet
will he be okay?
We are gonna get him a dig box when hes an adult so in around 8 months
but not the whole floor]
I would show her this video and explain to her as to why it's not safe
oh
besides holding bacteria because it cannot be truly cleaned, they can get their nails and teeth stuck in it
and hurt themselves
paper towels will be your safest option if you cannot do loose substrate
1 sec
but would he be okay with the carpet i just dk if hell be okay
ill send a close pic of the original box rq
!repticarpet
If you are set on using a solid substrate (even just for part of the enclosure), repticarpet is not a good option.
Repticarpet has several issues. The first is that it holds onto bacteria and therefore must be cleaned very frequently or it will become a hazard. Once a week minimum with soap. This is difficult because it is both time consuming to wash it frequently and to wait for it to dry (which takes quite a while).
Repticarpet is also prone to getting teeth and nails stuck. This issue may be noticed less in new carpets, but as you continually clean it and it undergoes normal wear and tear from being in the enclosure, the fibers become more loose and will likely start catching on teeth and nails frequently. You can trim fibers that appear more loose as time goes on, but this will not entirely negate the issue. Getting teeth or nails stuck is dangerous for your leopard gecko since, at the very least, it is stressful for them, and at the worst, it can lead to injury.
Repticarpet is also very unnatural in general and not enriching for your gecko. If you plan to use partial or full solid substrate, rock tiles are a far better option.
Note: sand mats, which are often seen as a more natural counterpart to Repticarpet, should also not be used for some of the same reasons.
so i have a ritile carpet right?
yes
tiles from a hardware store are also an option but paper towels are far cheaper and easier to clean
he hasnt seemed to get stuck yet
It’s not a matter of if he has it’s a matter of he can and it’s a risk qvq
if im not able to get substrate for him would he die? Ive seen people with the repticarp on yt and their geckos seem healthy?
Besides your mother is there a reason why you don’t seem to want to use paper towel?
He could get injured by accidentally ripping out a claw or teeth in which you would probably then need to go to a vet
1: Because she would think its a waste of money to take out the carpet
2: She listens to whatever a worker says
its mostly just her not wanting to not listen to a worker
I see.
i sent her the vid
Also YouTube is not a good source for information just as a future heads up qvq most of them support outdated care
He’s new so that’s normal
ok
It’s stressful being in a new place
he also hasnt drank anything
i have a water pool for him so he can drink or if he wants sit in it to cool down
So! With leopard geckos they get most of their hydration from feeders who have been gutloaded (which is feeding them with veggies and such!) we still provide them water to drink but I’ve rarely seen mine actually use their bowl
They also aren’t an animal who actually soaks commonly. If your leopard gecko is frequently soaking there may be something wrong with the temperatures and such
Heres some tank pics btw
im getting him some more plants and another hide
i need to feed him veggies?
The insects not him
You feed the insects something like baby carrots
yeah
i feed crickets these water orange things and roaches carrots
and mealworms dont get to eat
oh okay also
is there anything else i can do to my tank to improve it?
Also shes said no to these
WHAT
1: Thermostat
2: Substrate (I asked again)
3: New UVB as she googled it and shell beleive anything
Talking about a leo?
ye
No ðŸ˜
is he okay with 10. uvb?
No
Pls research diets n needs before getting an animal
They’re 13
Oh okok
YOU REMEMBERDðŸ˜
Have you linked him the guide ?
yes
I’m not sure what else I can offer your mother besides offering her to talk with one of our breeders here or members who work in the pet store field. We have sent the guide yes and it has the most up to date information
i read most of it but my mom is paying for most my stuff
The one downside to the internet is that anyone can post something and a lot of information is outdated because of it
what if he stays with a 10uvb?
Most websites don’t follow scientific data and still post information from 20 years ago
would he die?
UV burns are a thing iirc but let me double check on that
And he really needs a thermostat because an unregulated heatsource is a major health risk
He can yeah
oh
Empeon please disclaim what you say.
Sorry I'm not a professional, I own geckos so I only talk about experience
Apologies for not clarifying it before, I'm hopping between conversations
its ok
He also has alot of shade so if he gets hot he could move
one side of the tank is cool with no lighting the other has heat and uvb
One question. Is your mother willing to pay to take the animal to a vet if something happens to it
she would
she loves animals
she would rly do anything to keep one alive if it gets sick
The carpet stuff is more expensive on the long run, since you'd have to disinfect it regularly due to feces and insect remains building up bacteria
and i mean if he GETS sick
Without buying the proper uvb , heat regulations and substrate the gecko could get injured and yes it could die
Burns are not something to be risked, necrosis is not something to be risked. Everything we’ve suggested it to keep the animal safe
You have no way of telling how hot your actual bulb is getting which could accidentally lead to the gecko being burned because it ends up being too hot
is their anyway i can lower the uvb without a new one? such as putting a black screen under it?
Turn it off. And get supplements to dust with
Also most decoration I see are rock stuff and they get extremely hot
rn she tells me "The people that have soil probably have to take the gecko to the vet to unclog its throught after it accidentally eats the soil"
Not rock but like- heat substracting stuff
I will be blunt in the fact that most reptile store workers have 0 fucking knowledge on updated husbandry. And only suggest what they sell because it makes money or it’s something they heard years ago and think it’s still okay to use.
yeah she doesnt beleive me
With proper husbandry and care loose substrate will not harm your gecko. We have countless people here who have had their animals on it for years and they are perfectly healthy because their care is correct
i also could use my own money, ive been saving for a laptop but i think it would be better to use on him
It would
The laptop is fun but his health and care is more important now that you have him
how can i tell her he wont choke on the soil
I was sold a gecko infested with parasites (died shortly after that)and the other only had 5 fingers in total
exactly
Simply tell her you tongue feed or have and scape proof dish
In the wild these animals naturally walk on the soil mixture we suggest.
We can't replicate their soil a 100% yet but what we have currently is close.
It shouldn't be free eating from soil
yeah but i mean the crickets run freely and he catches them
They can easily pass the soil we recommend with proper overhead heating.
He should not eat dirt catching a cricket if hes healthy (not a dangerous amount)
i could tell u how hot the light is rq
How?
What tool are you using to figure that out?
a thermometer
where should i mesure the heat from?
floor up to the light?
rn in the 95-102 range
Infrared thermo or traditional one?
thats the thing she said no to all that
You cant get a refund can you ?
no we cut it to fit the tank
shes at work rn i will when she gets home
And have her read through it.
If you wish for her to talk to one of us then she can.
Do you get a monthly pay?
Wdym
Pay her back if thats the issue
I will vemo you istg
!guide
Oop

ok ty ill show it to her
i just want him to be okay without a hipocrit not letting me help him
Btw, geckos love to dig
ik
she said we can get him a dig box when hes 18 months
It makes me so sad
He gotta be over the age of consent obviously
He cant get a dig box before that
ðŸ˜
yeah
thats why 18 months
when hes an adult
yeah
Do you have a cat ?
yes
i close my door
im allergic so they cant come in
and now i have him they def cant come in
y?
Maybe repurpose the carpet as a scratcher
So it doesnt needs to be thrown out
something like textured tile/paper towel will probably be easiest for your mother to transition to since its not loose. it also isn’t recommended to have loose substrate unless your heating/temperature situation is following that of the guide so before any talk of loose substrate id assure other husbandry aspects are able to be taken care of since it seems she makes the decisions.
if you have any further questions flops please ask here
ty
ty but shes not giving up ill update you all if she does give in
tyy
you could also bring up the fact there might be potential vet bills with the use of carpet since they can get stuck to it and potentially have necrotic toes. sometimes those types of conversations will persuade a parent into changing it since its their finances that would be used
Ive tried but of course all workers that work at a tropical fish and reptile store know everything about a certin species
in quotes
Are you from Spain?
why noðŸ˜
Sorry reminded me of exactly the shop i go at hahah
i work at petsmart if she'll listen to me.
fed also used to work there, iirc so did red.
some others here work at petco, dont remember who
but yknow.
as someone whos in charge of cleaning reptile carpet every week, its absolutely filthy.
i feel bad for any reptile that has to step on it.
paper towel is literally so much better and easier
not sure why yall would rather spend more money than just use paper towels
Thus is the farthest I could get her to budge
!substrate
What should we get?
make sure it's like what the first image suggests
We didn't get yet
not rough like sand lol
you mainly just wanna avoid the tiles like you would have in your home. the coated kind
Yeah
"rough" as in just rock
no he'll be okay without it
Okay ty
repticarpet could work for an art project lol
maybe a coaster for your drink
tank cover 
tape to outside of tank for a background perhaps
@tacit sandal I upgraded his tank, worker said until he's 18 months be weary of the carpet but then use a mix of soil and sand!
Finally a smart employee
So he can have soil at 18 months
Old
Here's the new cage
He's exploring rn
There's alot of places to hide
he can have the soil and sand mix when hes out of quarantine only if his heat and temperatures are correct
that cant be regulated without a thermostat
it says its 81f and 30% gumidity in the middle
@tacit sandal
Is that okay
on the warmer side its in the 90s on the cooler ints around 80
still suggest removing the repticarpet for paper towel. As peachy has explained its much safer and its cheap
Is there a humid hide, warm hide, and cool hide?
what are these temperatures being measured with
a suction cup thing that goes on the tank
thats a thermometer, not a thermostat
ik
what does it look like, i am assuming analog thermometer which is very inaccurate
ill send
I was told to remove mine tbh
here is the tank
Ooh my bad! Those arent what i thought you meant haha, disregard my statement abt it
oop
i cant comment on the brand quality but is it always outside the tank like that? or was it just for the pic
I thought you meant the circular ones that come with the tank bundles
ohhh
most people recommend one on the cool side, one on the warm side. it goes inside the enclosure
he seems to like the new plants and hides now
ohhh
btw is it normal for him to stay on 1 side alot?
the decor is looking good so far great job
He stays more on the left
bottom right is a good pic of it
you just got him right? so yeah
My male stays near his basking spot most of the time 
we also got him some more vitamin things
ooo
will he ever go to cool side or humid
?
also, for basking temperatures you will need a temperature gun. ideally your basking spot should be something like slate/rock which you could easily find outside as long as it isn’t porous and you clean the rock. we have a link in !shoppinglist but there are other brands too
he stays in this most of the time here
Id assume so!
my two use them when needed or wanted, my female is shy though so she only comes out at night
I use slate slabs for my basking spots
that like stair thing
Must like it there then. Since he’s new he may take a while to get used to the other hides 
also is it normal that he onlt explores when im not in the toom?
room
ill walk in and hes in another part of the cage than his normal spot
my cat did that when i first got him too
i guess alot of animals do it
my tank is more of a tropical vibe idk why but ust the greenery
I own hamsters and they do too, its just going to take time for the animals to get used to us!
so when he is done with quarentine the worker that is educated on leos for once said 20%sand and 80%soil?
i think 70:30 of soil:playsand is most reccomended, it might be 60:40 i forget
they can digest soil right?
Mhm, a QA person mentioned they can if temps are all correct : )
from what i see he does actually, let me see if i can use the command
i fixed the carpet btw
!weight
he looks healthy!
For example my two fall into the first middle image tbh
Did you mean to ping me?
Crap, no i didnt! I forgot to turn it off. My apologies
You're good.
There it goes again 
I was a bit confused.
I feed him every 3 days 3 crickes with c powder, 2 gobee roaches, and as a snack everyday 1-2 mealworms
is that a good diet?
i feed the bugs too
carrots and stuff
how old is he first?
8 months
Seems like its alright to me,
i fed mine every other day till they were abt a year i think
whatever they can eat in 15 minutes
I feed my adults once or twice a week
he will even come out to find them
im sure thats okay if they’re smaller
and is okay to let the crickets and roaches run free in the tank when i feed him so he has to catch them?
since he’s currently on repticarpet id definitely suggest them being in a bowl so he doesnt get any teeth caught
i put the mealworms in a bowl
But take my answers with a grain if salt, im not for qualified advice on this but am saying what i know from what ive asked here before c:
i also put them in his hide so its easier for him to catch them
I, too, have a parent who believes pet store employees on these things, and I understand the struggle sometimes of trying to convince them about this stuff
My dad for me. Then my mom believes him. It took some articles and a lot of pitching in with my money
I just hope he likes his home
It took me a year or so, and im still working on the tanks actually, and their husbandry
What matters is that you’re willing to listen and try to improve 
heres pics
clutter is good! 40 gallon is the thriving minimum though
so i need a bigger tank?
and should i move things around
on the pics thats how it is rn
it is a 36x18x12 right?
Here
yes i saw it appears to be that i just wanted clarification if you knew
idrk
if it is that size then upgrading is not a priority rn. floorspace is meeting minimum thriving requirements just lacking the proper height for climbing and could potentially cause problems with uvb being too close/uvi too strong
what brand? and what type of bulb?
its a tropical one bulb since it was 5.0 instead of 10.0, no dif except uvb
brand is
zoo med
i think you sent the wrong link but i assume zoomed reptisun. would have been a red and gold packaging
i know what zoomed is yes
YES
so its a compact bulb
ye
ideally youd want a t5 bulb i dont think i have any charts for the compact version uvi but i can go check if there are any. those bulbs aren’t recommended for reasons stated in !lighting
yeah my moms not getting anyting else 😩
we also have d3 supplements
for him
so he should get it from that too
they arent the most reliable style of bulbs and occasionally have the potential to be dangerous due to this spotty output. is it 13w or 26w
13
It would probably be better to not use the uvb bulb you have atm and just supplement more often with d3 especially bc those bulbs arent the greatest also w/ the 12in tank heating/uvb in general can be iffy. There's a supplement/feeding schedule somewhere for gecko w/o uvb iirc.
ima gt bed but ill be here tmrw!
peachy provided a list of things to get in order of importance
gn!
got buried
this is all ive got as of charts for that bulb depending on how you have it set up. its not precise unfortunately. leopard geckos are in ferguson zone one which is ideally a uvi of .5-1.5 max. i personally do not recommend that style of bulb and wouldnt use it myself even with a solar meter however but hopefully these charts help
i do understand parental limitations so i wont be pushy with needing everything exact and perfect as long as a reptiles wellbeing isnt in danger
yeah i think there are definitely leos in much more dangerous situations out there. but if youre gonna take anything out of this thread, its gonna be that you need a thermostat over all else
@tacit sandal Hi hes moving around his cage more with me around is that ok?
just means hes getting used to you
also
i was trying to feed him a meal worm and he bit the tweezers before i set it down
is he o?
ok?
he didnt seem hurt he just kkept chasing it
nqa yes thats just what they do. anything that moves is food
are your tweezers metal or plastic
metal
ah okay, if he keeps striking the tweezers get rubber tipped ones so he doesnt hurt himself too bad
but is he ok rn?
yes hes fine
ty
Had to do that for my male, you know who im talking abt

Hi @tacit sandal again, I have a few more question
So yk he's 8 months old, all these are coverd with c powder, I feed him 2 meal worms every day, and every 3 days 3 crickets and 3 roaches
Is that a good diet?
nqa you generally wanna feed him as much as he can eat in 15 minutes, once every two days
so your feeder rotation is great, but youre not meant to be feeding him everyday because hes already 8 months
nqa a little.
i just filled up a bottle cap
you also dont need to ping me every time you ask a question
he cannot
oh sorry
and also
nstead of feeding hhim every day with 2 meal worms
should i feed him every 3 days 3 cricets 2 roaches and 2 mealworms?
Becausw i would ust ive him worms as a snack
nqa yes. better to feed an 8 month old once every few days rather than every single day
seems like a good amount
and instead of using his carpet we got a safe liner thing thats textured
is that ok?
can i see?
liners are generally also not super recommended because they can offgas under heat and uvb
we didnt get yet
