hello! my name is tala ^^
i believe that today i am going to be getting a new leo. i’ve been doing research for around 2-3 weeks. this is my first ever reptile, however i have had 4 dogs in the past.
i would just like to ask people some questions to make sure i get everything right!
some people say that a 20 gallon enclosure is suitable for them, and i do believe that is in my price range. so, any tips?
some people say for the enclosure you should use reptile carpet, and other say not to because it will hurt their feet. tips pls pls!!!
also, for heating i am comfortable using a heating lamp, however usually my house is 70 degrees, and people say for the cool side of the enclosure, the temp has to be between 75-80 F. is there any cooling light or something similar to that available ?
#new gecko owner
midnight shell
desert basalt
hi there:) welcome to our server! i recommend you first check out our !guide, its backed by scientific research and is a comprehensive guide to leopard gecko husbandry!
lime tinselBOT
stray zealot
unfortunately, a 20 gallon is actually too small for leopard geckos, they need 40+, and then reptile carpet is very much unsafe
I'd 100% give the guide atlas sent a read, it has the most up to date husbandry! if you have questions after reading feel free to send them there and I would be more than happy to help clarify anything
midnight shell
thank you guys !! i’ll definitely read it now ^^
stray zealot
no problem at all!! take your time, since its a pretty complete care guide for them :)
midnight shell
one question i would like to ask— do leos eggs actually hatch, or do they need to be fertilized (is that the word? eng isn’t my first language!)
stray zealot
they do need to be fertilized, so luckily you won't have to worry about babies!
if you do get a female it likely will never even lay eggs
midnight shell
is there behavior change with female and males?
stray zealot
not really no! personality is entirely gecko dependent
midnight shell
alright! thank you !!
stray zealot
no problem at all!! I'm happy to help
midnight shell
do leos imprint like birds do? i would keep her at my dads house (my parents are divorced.) im a highschool student so i still do have to leave. im considering an adult, and i believe they eat twice a week (?)
stray zealot
they do not imprint no! leopard geckos are not social animals and do not have social connections like birds or mammals do. adults do eat 1-2 times a week yes!
one thing to keep in mind before you take in an animal though especially as these reptiles live very long is do you have plans for when you move out of your parents home? often even places that allow cats and dogs may not let you in with a reptile
midnight shell
one thing to keep in mind before you take in an animal though especially as thes...
i do have plans to move out and go to college. two places would be in new york or UGA in georgia. both my parents have been there before. i don’t plan to live in dorms there but rather nearby
how would i know if they accept reptiles or not?
stray zealot
you'd have to talk to the landlord of wherever you plan to stay
midnight shell
alright ^^ thank you again ! i’m still reading the care guide. i’m going to get the enclosure today (or at least try to.) from breeders there is one gecko in NV i’ve been eyeing, and there also is a shop near my house. i’m not sure if they’re a breeder or not but they specialize in reptiles
ruby iris
alright ^^ thank you again ! i’m still reading the care guide. i’m going to get ...
make sure to vet the store & ensure they are ethical breeders or sourcing from ethical breeders
!goodbreeder
lime tinselBOT
lime tinselBOT
ruby iris
i do have plans to move out and go to college. two places would be in new york o...
if you have questions about moving to ny (if you mean the city) feel free to reach out as well. i can say that college life here is super busy and landlords can be finicky. you would also have to ensure all your roommates are fine with the tank & live insects in the home (which not all landlords or people are). you also should look into if colleges make you live in the dorms freshman year. columbia does, nyu does not iirc
also i'm thinking about carrying a tank up the stairs w no elevator lol 
to clarify i go to college out of state but come home for internships/work for summers & have friends who stayed in the city for college
midnight shell
ahh alright, i’m not going to college for a little bit. i’m not comfortable sharing my age, older than 13 but younger than 16 is the range, so i still got some time !
if okay, i’m going to set up my enclosure (when i get the stuff—) can i send it here, and can anyone provide feedback on what’s good or not?
ruby iris
no youre fine not sharing ur age dw, wasnt sure how close u were to actually applying. feel free to send pics & ask any questions
midnight shell
alright ! i’ll probably have it set up by tomorrow!
ruby iris
sounds good
make sure you talk with your parents about what they would be willing to do to take care or help with your gecko when ur in college. im lucky enough that mine take care of mine while im at school or else i would prob have to rehome him. i'm just way too busy and also dorms dont allow pets
midnight shell
i think i may have it set up by tonight — the place im buying from does have a kit. does this look safe?
stray zealot
i think i may have it set up by tonight — the place im buying from does have a k...
unfortunately this tank is not big enough, it should be a 40 gallon, as well as that looks like incorrect substrate, an incorrect heating dome, and very likely incorrect uvb
you'd actually be best off getting everything on its own since you'd have to replace the majority of that
midnight shell
unfortunately this tank is not big enough, it should be a 40 gallon, as well as ...
it is a 40 gallon i believe !
they said it was at least —
stray zealot
unfortunately that one is a 30 gal
midnight shell
alright !! if it okay if i just rest it out for tonight ? orr
stray zealot
what do you mean?
midnight shell
can i still set up its enclosure even with a 30?
stray zealot
I would wait to get the leo until you can get a 40 because the height is important for their heating and lighting
midnight shell
alright!
ruby iris
i think i may have it set up by tonight — the place im buying from does have a k...
idk what that sub is but overall it’s prob cheaper to diy
like put it together instead of a kit
desert basalt
i think i may have it set up by tonight — the place im buying from does have a k...
honestly for the price too its cheaper to buy stuff individually likely. some of this stuff you might not even use
formal sedge
just for reference price wise everything off the shopping list
give or take (locally finding rocks can make it cheaper, craft store fake plants can make it cheaper etc) it's 350ish usd
so that kit definitely is not worth the price
but i just did the quick math using cheaper but reliable options off the shopping list which i can send links to the options i chose if needed / wanted 
midnight shell
alright!
hot stump
you can find used tanks for pretty cheap! my local facebook marketplace usually has a ton. i know you're young, so maybe a parent can help you look/buy one
midnight shell
i just got and set up her enclosure, i’m waiting for more stuff to arrive before i go out and get her. but i do notice that with the humidity, it had been saying near 50% all day. whenever i mist it down it goes up to 70, but then back down. anyway to keep it at 70?
stray zealot
i just got and set up her enclosure, i’m waiting for more stuff to arrive before...
leos actually should have 30-50% humidity!
midnight shell
ohh all the other care guides said 70, sorry then ^^
stray zealot
you're good! I would stick with the care guide we sent here, its backed by scientific data and where they live in the wild :)
midnight shell
alright ! i’ll send her enclosure once i see everything up
yesterday i was able to snap a photo of the one im getting, she looks like this
i want to make sure shes not a problematic morph— i think(?) she’s high yellow though
ruby iris
alright ! i’ll send her enclosure once i see everything up
were you able to find a 36x18x18?
!badmorph
lime tinselBOT
midnight shell
were you able to find a 36x18x18?
yup !
i’m getting all her stuff and then i’m gonna go pick her up
i just wanted to make sure she wasn’t a bad morph because both enigma and lemon frost kinda look similar
ruby iris
i want to make sure shes not a problematic morph— i think(?) she’s high yellow t...
were you able to vet the seller?
like make sure they can tell you hatch date, age, exact morph, etc
midnight shell
age and hatch date yes; but morph no, i completely forgot to ask
ruby iris
is it like a breeder or a reptile shop?
midnight shell
is it like a breeder or a reptile shop?
a reptile shop but they said it came from a breeder
here’s her enclosure though!
more stuff is arriving tomorrow :3
stray zealot
here’s her enclosure though!
so actually with a new animal you want to use paper towel as substrate for at least 2-3 months! i believe the guide mentions !quarantine :0
lime tinselBOT
stray zealot
thats a wonderful start though!
its very important to quarantine though especially as you cant verify the breeders quality. many illnesses and health concerns with leos may not show up immediately
midnight shell
so actually with a new animal you want to use paper towel as substrate for at le...
ohh i thought it just said stay away from animals, i didnt see any paper towel mentions 💔
uhh i don’t necessarily want to empty out the substrate— what do i do ?
stray zealot
unfortunately you do need to empty it out, unless you have a second 40 gallon you can use to qt instead. you dont have to throw away the soil though, you could just put it in a trash bag or something and save it for a few months!
midnight shell
alright ^^
man i’m not sure i can empty it out. it’s too much work for me and my dad since he’s working from home today. he recommended putting paper towels on top of the original substrate. does that work —?
stray zealot
unfortunately it doesnt, its very easy for them to just dig under it when you do that
midnight shell
i don’t think i can take it out. my dad already said it was ‘stupid’ and i can’t do it on my own
i’m sorry though 😞
formal sedge
The tank also isn’t a 36x18x18 if you’re talking about the one she’s in now as a heads up
You also do not want your fake plants directly under the heat lamp like that
Is there a reason you’re not able to take the dirt out on your own? /gen
midnight shell
The tank also isn’t a 36x18x18 if you’re talking about the one she’s in now as a...
the label said it was, and so did the company thing
formal sedge
it's a 36x18x12
midnight shell
Is there a reason you’re not able to take the dirt out on your own? /gen
i’m mentally disabled and sometimes when i’m stressed i tic and have meltdowns, i don’t want to make a mess with all of it
formal sedge
that's understandable! was just curious
midnight shell
don’t worry ^^
formal sedge
Please excuse me in the reflection but! For visual reference and such
This is a 36x18x18
midnight shell
now i’m confused because does that mean at the company i need a 50 gal for it to be that height or 💔
formal sedge
they have the same floorspace but the height of the one you got is below what we recommend for enrichment, heating and lighting, and maintenence reasons
formal sedge
now i’m confused because does that mean at the company i need a 50 gal for it to...
so technically yes they're 50 gals but 36x18x18s are commonly sold as 40 gallon breeders / 40 gallons with reptile companies
stray zealot
i think i may have it set up by tonight — the place im buying from does have a k...
it actually says on the label here 30 gallon, I mentioned it yesterday :)
formal sedge
this is why we don't go based of gallons 
midnight shell
it actually says on the label here 30 gallon, I mentioned it yesterday :)
from the company i got a different tank tho
not the kit
i bought everything individually
formal sedge
yeee the company sadly sold you the incorrect tank
midnight shell
what’s new 💔💔💔
uhhh i can probably try to find a tank with the correct size on facebook. i may just keep her in that for a month so my dad doesn’t like
scold me
formal sedge
it works just something to upgrade in the future when you're able as you will not be able to use uvb with that tank and the height limits other things as i mentioned above
oh god that link ew
midnight shell
all i see is blue LMAO
formal sedge
this is a good tank that's cheaper than glass tanks if you can't find something on fb!
midnight shell
alright! after a month i’ll definitely buy it because i want to let her get comfortable at least
formal sedge
that's actually the tank i used when i did the pricing yesterday as well
midnight shell
ohhh i was wondering 😭
formal sedge
did the shop you bought from have thermostats?
midnight shell
now i feel dumb lowkey
formal sedge
i see a thermometer but i don't see a thermostat for the heat lamp
midnight shell
wait let me go see what that is because i thought those were the same thing
formal sedge
sadly no
midnight shell
my english isn’t my first language so that’s one thing
formal sedge
thermometers read ambient temps, thermostats regulate your heat source and are plugged directly into it!
midnight shell
ohh in that case no, i didn’t see that but i can order it !
formal sedge
thermostats essentially ensure our animals are not going to get burned or house fires happen as unregulated heat sources are extremely dangerous
https://www.amazon.com/Century-Thermostat-Controller-Germination-40-108°F/dp/B01I15S6OM/ + https://www.amazon.com/dp/B004DZONXI?ref_=cm_sw_r_apin_dp_1WTPS1AT1CE77SK3CRY4&language=en-US
Thermostat and a dimming switch as your dome you have is an on/off switch one iirc!
midnight shell
i’ll definitely order it, i thought they were the same i’m sorry ^^
formal sedge
you're good! it's a common misunderstanding
sorry i didn't send links earlier i got busy yesterday could have saved you the trouble of getting incorrect stuff and saving money
midnight shell
don’t worry ! my fault i just trusted the gallons 💔
i’ll get the thermostat and food, but once she’s settled in i’ll definitely move to a bigger enclosure
formal sedge
that's fine!
once you move to a bigger enclosure we can get you hooked up with uvb and stuff like that
midnight shell
i also want to wait because i think (?) i’m moving near july or august and i don’t want to startle her :3
formal sedge
!shoppinglist
I'll send this for you to reference for links and stuff
midnight shell
once you move to a bigger enclosure we can get you hooked up with uvb and stuff ...
yes please ^^ i apologize for the trouble again !
formal sedge
you're totally okay! 
you have a good base atleast
midnight shell
when i get the new enclosure ill use paper towels if its not too late, and then again after a month when ive moved in ill switch to normal substrate !
formal sedge
doesn't hurt to do paper towels in the bigger tank to ensure she's healthy
midnight shell
i’ll definitely do that then! i feel like the company should’ve told me more especially sinceee they knew i was a new owner :p
she seems happy though! i picked her up a few hours ago. she’s been in her humid hide all day which i figured was normal
formal sedge
sadly a lot of stores / companies have outdated care / don't follow proper care to begin with :C
they're just there to sell the animals
not necessairly keep up to date with good practices and such
midnight shell
aw man that sucks. i considered another breeder but they were an albino gecko and i figured that’s extra/different work
so i’m just like ehhh normal gecko
formal sedge
not necessairly!
albinos just require more cover / clutter really
heating and lighting recommendations are the same
midnight shell
ohh i thought they needed a different diet
ooh wait one more question about diet
i’m not comfortable getting roaches because um they’re gross, is it okay to just feed her mealworms, crickets and like hornworms or the other worms?
midnight shell
alright ! the roaches are illegal in my state anyways soooo
thank you again ^^ i’ll keep in contact, she seems to be settling in though
when should i expect her to eat by?
formal sedge
it varies per gecko!
midnight shell
alr ! i think her feeding schedule is thursdays and tuesdays if that’s okay
formal sedge
yeh!
midnight shell
it’s normal for her to be in her humid hide like all 2 days right…
midnight shell
i finally bought her meal worms — should i leave them in the uhh bowl because i won’t be here tomorrow
and she isn’t comfortable with feeding yet
cinder crater
yea
midnight shell
i tried giving her a live one but she refused. i kept them in a bowl and sprinkled multivitamin with d3. i know she’s probably refusing because she’s new but im a bit concerned
midnight shell
does she um look obese… the tail guide messed me up because her tail looks in shape, but she doesn’t
i haven’t fed her at all tho
stray zealot
im 100% nta on weight but to me she just looks curvy, she looks very similar to our geiger!
midnight shell
geiger? sorry what is that?
midnight shell
ohh okay! so not overweight or anything concerning right?
stray zealot
id wait for someone to give a second opinion just because im very nta on weight, but as far as i know no :)
formal sedge
She’s definitely chunky
Not morbidly obese but she’s a little chunky even for being curvy
midnight shell
update: she’s now eating! i fed her 4 mealworms, and left 2 in her bowl
midnight shell
hi, i just wanted to ask another question. she has been eating, but i’m not sure she’s pooping. it’s been i think 3 weeks since i got her. she trusts me, she’s been climbing on me, and she is acting normal. but i don’t see or smell any poop
midnight shell
have you checked in hides and such/
yes, her humid and cool hide don’t have anything inside, and she doesn’t go near her warm hide
i don’t know if she’s drinking enough water either
midnight shell
she hasn’t pooped since we’ve got her. should i take her to the vet now?
i am doing an enclosure change soon because it’s the end of the month, and i have to get a bigger enclosure
cinder crater
she hasn’t pooped since we’ve got her. should i take her to the vet now?
are you sure?
has she been eating
midnight shell
yes she has. i’ve checked all over, in all her hides, and i don’t see anything that looks like poop
midnight shell
i just took her to the vet, they said she does look backed up so she’s going on medication. however they also said that we should use repticarpet so i’m curious
barren hemlock
i just took her to the vet, they said she does look backed up so she’s going on ...
if a solid substrate is being recommended, use paper towel or slate tile instead. repticarpet harbours bacteria and catches claws and teeth
unfortunately vets are only meant to be experts in veterinary medicine. its always a bonus if they know anything about proper husbandry but most of the time they lack in that department
what meds are your leo on?
barren hemlock
ooh thats what my leo was put on for impaction
but yes best to temporarily use paper towels until shes cleared, and make sure your temps are getting up to standard + your basking spot is something heat absorbent like rock
midnight shell
but yes best to temporarily use paper towels until shes cleared, and make sure y...
we’re planning on doing a deep clean soon (within a day or two,) so i will definitely use paper towels
midnight shell
urgent — i’m not sure what’s wrong with my gecko. she won’t poop, she’s been taking medicine though.
some symptoms:
hiccuping
deep breathing
wheezing
pale skin
loose skin?
we’re going to the vet again tomorrow, but any answers?? please
please ping me for answers if any btw
ruby iris
urgent — i’m not sure what’s wrong with my gecko. she won’t poop, she’s been tak...
this isn’t something we can diagnose on the internet so def go to the vet. best of luck
midnight shell
this isn’t something we can diagnose on the internet so def go to the vet. best ...
but is there anything it could be? parasites or shedding?