Leopard Gecko Questions

mantarae88

New Member
Messages
3
Hello! (Long post, just want to gather info! Beginner)

I am a complete novice when it comes to leopard geckos. I’ve never owned one before, only cresteds.
I have a pretty solid grasp of their care as I’ve watched many different YouTube care guides from different people, as well as forums.
However, there are a few questions I have that will determine whether this is the pet for me:

- Can they be fed only mealworms? I’ve heard quite a few times that yes they can, it’s just not very stimulating. There’s even some geckos who only eat mealworms and refuse other insects. The reason I ask is because where I live specifically there’s not really access to feeder insects, which means I’d have to keep and breed a sustainable colony of my own. I have kept mealworms before for my tarantula and they were pretty easy to breed/keep. If I do go with mealworms I would start breeding them way before hand to ensure that I have a sustainable supply for when I get the gecko. Crickets are noisy, stinky, and escape a lot, which I am not fond of. They also die easier/are more sensitive it seems. Dubia roaches are not an option as I am in Canada where they are illegal. Can mealworms be fed as a sole diet? Can the gecko eventually die from eating only mealworms? Can’t find a straight answer on this.

- Vitamins + supplementation. Assuming I don’t go with UVB, what exactly do I need in terms of vitamins/supplements? I’ve been told that Repashy Calcium Plus can be used on its own to dust the food, then just offer plain calcium (without D3) in a bowl in the cage if the gecko decides it needs more calcium. Does Repashy CP contain the essential vitamins though? I will have to look into that.

- Cold end temp. I know these geckos require much higher temps than cresteds. My house room temp is quite cold in the winter (can get down to 55F at times). However, I keep my bedroom heat higher for the sake of my animals. The coldest it gets in here in the winter is about 60-65F, I also keep the door closed a lot to ensure the heat stays in. In the summer it gets much warmer. Is 65F too cold for the cold end side of a leopard gecko tank? It usually only drops to this temp at night, but sometimes during the day too when it’s really cold out. Just not sure what the general consensus is when it comes to cold end temps.

- Heating. I have a spare under tank heater and thermostat. But it might not cover enough? (Heat mat itself is 11”x11”, not sure if that’s large enough, assuming I get a 20 gal long). On top of this, I don’t know if these heat pads get warm enough? This is an Ultratherm model, I bought it for my crested specifically because they’re very safe and don’t get too hot. I’m not sure if it would be able to keep up with the constant high temps that leopard geckos need though. Could a CHE be used instead of a heat mat? Or is the heat mat okay? I feel the heat mat won’t quite get the ambient temps up, which a CHE may help with instead. (Assuming 65-70F is too cold for ambient temp).

- Substrate. Controversial, I know. I plan to go with black tiles, since I think they look very sleek and are relatively cheap, don’t need to be replaced, easy to clean, etc. I’ve heard bad things about loose substrate, even coco fiber, so I’m not sure if I’d want to go that route. If anyone has experience with using tiles as a substrate, the pros and cons of it, proper tiles to buy, let me know below! I also think the tiles would distribute the heat better if I did use a heat mat, but I’m not sure on that.

- UVB. Also controversial. I’ve heard good things about it, but that it’s more so up to the owner whether they want to go ahead and provide it. I will have to see whether I end up doing that. Anyone have experience using UVB, and whether it makes a noticeable difference in the gecko’s behaviour?

- Tank size. I’d like to go with a 20 long aquarium, although they’re super hard to find around here. It’s always 20 talls, not long. I feel a 20 tall doesn’t have enough foot space for a leopard. I’d otherwise go with PVC, since I recently switched my crested to a PVC cage and while they’re nice, they are quite expensive.

- Ambient room humidity. In the winter I think my house sits at around 30-50%, in the summer it can get over 60% at times. These numbers are likely inaccurate, just a rough estimate. I’ve heard that a leopard gecko’s health can be jeopardized when exposed to 60% or over for long periods of time, so I’d like to double check on that. I don’t exactly wish to buy a dehumidifier just for the gecko. I’ve only heard this humidity fact from one person on YouTube so far and I don’t know how popular this opinion is. My house is dry enough for my crested gecko’s enclosure to dry out during the day, (which I only mist at night) but is still sort of moist in the morning. If that’s any indication to the humidity levels. I don’t have a gauge.

- Speaking of gauges, are temp gauges needed? I know those dial gauges are really inaccurate and not recommended, so I don’t plan on getting anything like that. I use a temp gun to check my crested’s cage, and that’s all I use. I don’t use a humidity gauge either. I’m assuming this also isn’t necessary for a leopard gecko, assuming you have a temp gun, or another accurate way to check temps?

I think that’s all the questions. I’ve been interested off and on with leopard geckos for a few years, but never fully considered getting one. I just want to know if they are the right pet for me. It’s mainly the feeding and heating that are issues for me right now, which is why I wanted to get some second opinions.

Thanks!
 

ZNature

Member
Messages
50
Hello! I just started keeping Leo’s almost 2 years ago and I had the same questions when I first started out. For supplements, I put calcium without vitamin d3 in a bowl in the terrarium for them to eat as they please. I dust their food with calcium with d3 every other feeding and I dust with multivitamin without d3 every third feeding. (It depends a little and sometimes I will skip a dusting or so based on what I feel is enough for them) . For room temp I had the same question. All my three Leo’s and the other rescue Leo’s that I have at the moment have a cold side that is 66 degrees. As long as they have a proper hot side they should be fine. My Leo’s have done perfectly with these temps . I like to provide a nice cave hide with thick walls right over the heat pad so that the inside air temp of that hide is nice and warm for them. I use a heat mat for my Leo’s tanks. I think that your heat mat sounds like a good size for a 20 long. I’ve used a smaller heat mat that I’m guessing was 10 by 8 before and it even worked ok for my 20 long temporarily. For substrate I think tiles work fine. I haven’t used tile yet so I can’t speak off of personal experience but I’ve heard great things about them. I want to switch my Leo’s over to bioactive pvc tanks soon and I want to provide uvb as well. I’ve done some research and heard that uvb has made geckos more active but since I haven’t used it yet I don’t really know much about it yet. I have found a great business to get pvc cages from with good prices called allamericancages. I heard you can get a custom sized pvc cage from them too if that’s what you need. I will want to get these pvc tanks for all my reptiles soon and although I’ve heard the humidity can get a little high sometimes so you have to be careful with spilling water when filling water bowl or something that might boost humidity lol. There’s some digital thermometer/humidity gauges on Amazon for as cheap as $2 per each. I recommend getting the ones with probes and I’ve found a four pack with probes that are temp and humidity gauges for $15. I recommend just getting one to place in the tank so that you can always quickly look and see but just checking with a temp gun works as well. This summer humidity really spiked and I had the same question about humidity. My Leo’s tanks went up to 60% one time. I heard there’s things like putting rice in a sock in your tank but I’m not sure if that really works or not. What I did was get smaller water dishes and filled them less. I also made sure to open my tanks doors once a day and just let it air out because the humidity tended to build up. I think that mealworms might get a little boring for your Leo but using that as the only feeder most likely won’t harm your gecko as long as the worms are properly dusted and gut loaded. I’ve heard of these roaches called discoid roaches that are just like dubia roaches and also can be bred easily. So maybe if those are legal were you live you can try those? I think you can get discoid roaches online. I can’t answer any of the other questions but I hope what I could answer has helped. Thanks for asking these questions so that you can be the best new Leo owner when you get one! I wish you luck!
 

mantarae88

New Member
Messages
3
Hello! I just started keeping Leo’s almost 2 years ago and I had the same questions when I first started out. For supplements, I put calcium without vitamin d3 in a bowl in the terrarium for them to eat as they please. I dust their food with calcium with d3 every other feeding and I dust with multivitamin without d3 every third feeding. (It depends a little and sometimes I will skip a dusting or so based on what I feel is enough for them) . For room temp I had the same question. All my three Leo’s and the other rescue Leo’s that I have at the moment have a cold side that is 66 degrees. As long as they have a proper hot side they should be fine. My Leo’s have done perfectly with these temps . I like to provide a nice cave hide with thick walls right over the heat pad so that the inside air temp of that hide is nice and warm for them. I use a heat mat for my Leo’s tanks. I think that your heat mat sounds like a good size for a 20 long. I’ve used a smaller heat mat that I’m guessing was 10 by 8 before and it even worked ok for my 20 long temporarily. For substrate I think tiles work fine. I haven’t used tile yet so I can’t speak off of personal experience but I’ve heard great things about them. I want to switch my Leo’s over to bioactive pvc tanks soon and I want to provide uvb as well. I’ve done some research and heard that uvb has made geckos more active but since I haven’t used it yet I don’t really know much about it yet. I have found a great business to get pvc cages from with good prices called allamericancages. I heard you can get a custom sized pvc cage from them too if that’s what you need. I will want to get these pvc tanks for all my reptiles soon and although I’ve heard the humidity can get a little high sometimes so you have to be careful with spilling water when filling water bowl or something that might boost humidity lol. There’s some digital thermometer/humidity gauges on Amazon for as cheap as $2 per each. I recommend getting the ones with probes and I’ve found a four pack with probes that are temp and humidity gauges for $15. I recommend just getting one to place in the tank so that you can always quickly look and see but just checking with a temp gun works as well. This summer humidity really spiked and I had the same question about humidity. My Leo’s tanks went up to 60% one time. I heard there’s things like putting rice in a sock in your tank but I’m not sure if that really works or not. What I did was get smaller water dishes and filled them less. I also made sure to open my tanks doors once a day and just let it air out because the humidity tended to build up. I think that mealworms might get a little boring for your Leo but using that as the only feeder most likely won’t harm your gecko as long as the worms are properly dusted and gut loaded. I’ve heard of these roaches called discoid roaches that are just like dubia roaches and also can be bred easily. So maybe if those are legal were you live you can try those? I think you can get discoid roaches online. I can’t answer any of the other questions but I hope what I could answer has helped. Thanks for asking these questions so that you can be the best new Leo owner when you get one! I wish you luck!
Thanks for the response! I appreciate how you are not condescending and are genuinely trying to help, I dislike when people reply to pet questions in a rude tone and insinuate that all the care is wrong.
I may consider keeping a cricket colony, I know someone who has reptiles and therefore sells feeder insects. The reason I mentioned not having much access to feeder insects is mainly bc it can be difficult to meet up now days with covid, and she also works often. Although I could get some from her and get a colony going, just have to research more on cricket keeping because I know it can be very tedious. I’m still deciding on that. I would just go with mealworms but it seems tons of people demonize them, saying they’re awful nutrition wise and that variation is always better. The one thing about variation that I’m scared of is the gecko randomly deciding to not want a specific food anymore, then won’t eat until it gets something different. In a place where only crickets and mealworms are available, this can be a bit concerning. However that person I know has kept leopards for a few years now and doesn't seem to have any problems, so maybe I’m worrying too much.

Im thinking of going with a 20 long aquarium with a screen lid, since they seem to not trap humidity as much as PVC cages do. Also cheaper if I manage to find one second hand.

The humidity ordeal still confuses me. The person I know has kept leopard geckos for years, they live in the same area as me. Their house is likely similar humidity wise. They’ve never had problems. Again, I’ve never actually asked, but I think they keep them in PVC in their basement so surely there’s bound to be some higher humidity going on. Also, Leopard Gecko Talk on YouTube has kept leopards for years, even in bioactive tanks, and she lives in the UK. Where it is regularly quite humid. I’m not sure if she’s ever made a video talking about humidity specifically, or whether she struggles with that, but I don’t remember her mentioning ambient room humidity in her care videos. Unless I’m mistaken.
There’s also people in humid Asian countries who keep leopards, and I’ve never seen many report issues with respiratory infections or the like due to high room humidity. It seems it’s mostly due to something else wrong with the husbandry when people post about respiratory infections (dusty substrate, etc.)
I am more knowledgeable when it comes to aquarium fish rather than reptiles, and while this may not compare well, fish in the pet trade have adapted overtime to conditions that are vastly unlike what they are in their native habitats. I keep bettas in water with a pH reading of 8.4, very hard water, despite their native habitat having very soft water. There are many others in forums who will say this is fine and fish can adapt. This goes for various types of captive breed species. Not all, but many. I’ve never had a problem with my fish being kept in such hard water.
Now I’m not so sure when it comes to reptiles, but wouldn’t leopards have adapted slightly from having been in the pet trade for so long? Of course if you take a wild caught gecko and throw it in a PVC cage with 60% humidity constantly then yeah, it’ll likely have issues. But I don’t quite understand why people instantly get extremely paranoid when the humidity goes above even 50% for a long period of time.
I don’t personally know many people who have a house that is consistently below 40-50% at all times, especially around here. Considering the sheer amount of leopard owners/breeders all over the world, how many geckos are actually dying from 60% home humidity?
Am I totally wrong or? It just doesn’t make much sense to me. I feel with them being in the pet trade for so long, surely they’ve adapted somewhat to higher humidity levels than what is present in places like Afghanistan and the Middle East where they are from.
I don’t mean to sound rude or anything but it just confuses me a bit.
 

acpart

Geck-cessories
Staff member
Messages
15,118
Location
Somerville, MA
Here is my take on your questions. It's not unusual for there to be differences in the answers because there's more than one way to do things:
1. Feeders: Some people do feed mealworms to their geckos their whole lives and I don't feel that they are poor nutrition (here's a Gecko Time article about feeder nutrition: https://geckotime.com/nutritional-value-of-commercially-raised-insects/). My geckos did get tired of them. Here are some other options: super worms if you can get them. They live a long time and move more than mealworms. Also, consider (if it's possible for you in the winter) ordering a large number of crickets (I get 3000 every other week) smaller than the size you need (i.e. 1/4" to 1/2"). Initially you'll need more crickets than usual because it will take more to fill the gecko up. As time goes by, the crickets will grow and it will take fewer crickets for feeding. Crickets live about 9 weeks, so you won't have to replenish that often.

2. Supplementation: I've been using Repashy Calcium plus since 2009 and it's worked well for me. There is some concern about leopard geckos getting too much calcium an vitamin D3 so since then I've not kept any in the enclosure except for hatchlings when I was breeding geckos. I feed twice a week and dust the feeders one of those times.

3. Cold end temp: I feel that as long as there is a good hot side floor temp and a hide on the warm side and the ambient temp is acceptable to humans, it's probably fine. On colder days the gecko will spend most of its time in the hot side hide where the trapped air in the hide will be warmer.

4. Heating: I have done fine with under tank heaters and thermostats since 2003. I think there's a tendency to overdo the heat and subsequently dry out the air in the enclosure to the point where the gecko gets dehydrated.

5. Substrate: I use ceramic tiles and have been very pleased with the visuals and the heat distribution. There are people who make bioactive enclosures for their geckos successfully. I'm putting links to 2 articles below which should be informative.

6. UVB: it's hard to tell how much the gecko will benefit, especially if it spends the daylight hours in its hide. I have too many gecko enclosures to use lighting for them, so I rely on supplementation and it's worked fine, but there's nothing wrong with using UVB. Some people say their geckos bask more when UVB is available. One way to find out . . .

7. Tank size: I agree that 20 long is the way to go if possible. Also you may want to check out some of the Exo terra cages if they are an option. 18x18x12 has worked for people as well.

8. Ambient room humidity: I live in New England with no AC. Humidity varies greatly and I don't worry about it. I feel that possibly in the wild, the geckos may spend a lot of their time in crevices with more humid micro climates. One of the links below is about climate in Afghanistan.

9. gauges: temp guns are fine. Thermometers with probes are fine. Once things stabilize it's not a big deal anyway.

10 Fish: speaking of keeping fish in different ways than recommended, I have a tub of fish with a school of neon rosy barbs which are supposed to be tropical fish. In the summer (June-Oct) they are outside on my porch. It can get down in the 50'sF early and late in the season and they are fine (the catfish weren't, so I don't keep them anymore).

Here are links to interesting articles about native climate and bioactive enclosures:

Aliza
 

mantarae88

New Member
Messages
3
Here is my take on your questions. It's not unusual for there to be differences in the answers because there's more than one way to do things:
1. Feeders: Some people do feed mealworms to their geckos their whole lives and I don't feel that they are poor nutrition (here's a Gecko Time article about feeder nutrition: https://geckotime.com/nutritional-value-of-commercially-raised-insects/). My geckos did get tired of them. Here are some other options: super worms if you can get them. They live a long time and move more than mealworms. Also, consider (if it's possible for you in the winter) ordering a large number of crickets (I get 3000 every other week) smaller than the size you need (i.e. 1/4" to 1/2"). Initially you'll need more crickets than usual because it will take more to fill the gecko up. As time goes by, the crickets will grow and it will take fewer crickets for feeding. Crickets live about 9 weeks, so you won't have to replenish that often.

2. Supplementation: I've been using Repashy Calcium plus since 2009 and it's worked well for me. There is some concern about leopard geckos getting too much calcium an vitamin D3 so since then I've not kept any in the enclosure except for hatchlings when I was breeding geckos. I feed twice a week and dust the feeders one of those times.

3. Cold end temp: I feel that as long as there is a good hot side floor temp and a hide on the warm side and the ambient temp is acceptable to humans, it's probably fine. On colder days the gecko will spend most of its time in the hot side hide where the trapped air in the hide will be warmer.

4. Heating: I have done fine with under tank heaters and thermostats since 2003. I think there's a tendency to overdo the heat and subsequently dry out the air in the enclosure to the point where the gecko gets dehydrated.

5. Substrate: I use ceramic tiles and have been very pleased with the visuals and the heat distribution. There are people who make bioactive enclosures for their geckos successfully. I'm putting links to 2 articles below which should be informative.

6. UVB: it's hard to tell how much the gecko will benefit, especially if it spends the daylight hours in its hide. I have too many gecko enclosures to use lighting for them, so I rely on supplementation and it's worked fine, but there's nothing wrong with using UVB. Some people say their geckos bask more when UVB is available. One way to find out . . .

7. Tank size: I agree that 20 long is the way to go if possible. Also you may want to check out some of the Exo terra cages if they are an option. 18x18x12 has worked for people as well.

8. Ambient room humidity: I live in New England with no AC. Humidity varies greatly and I don't worry about it. I feel that possibly in the wild, the geckos may spend a lot of their time in crevices with more humid micro climates. One of the links below is about climate in Afghanistan.

9. gauges: temp guns are fine. Thermometers with probes are fine. Once things stabilize it's not a big deal anyway.

10 Fish: speaking of keeping fish in different ways than recommended, I have a tub of fish with a school of neon rosy barbs which are supposed to be tropical fish. In the summer (June-Oct) they are outside on my porch. It can get down in the 50'sF early and late in the season and they are fine (the catfish weren't, so I don't keep them anymore).

Here are links to interesting articles about native climate and bioactive enclosures:

Aliza
Thank you for the informative response!
A couple more questions if you don’t mind :) but I can search around online as well.
You mention super worms being a good alternative to mealworms. Can super worms be fed as a main staple? I’ll only be getting one gecko, so they likely won’t deplete as fast. Especially if they live longer than mealworms, which is good. I just haven’t heard much on whether they’re good as a diet or if they’re more so treats, unless I’m getting them mixed up with wax worms. I’ll see what I can do with the cricket thing, I might just end up getting some once in awhile off a friend instead of keeping a bunch. I find them bothersome to keep long term. But I’ll see.
If the super worms can last several weeks or even two months then that would be cool, as again, limited access to feeders here. I actually do know a reputable breeder/store 6 hours away that sells all kinds of feeders (and leopard geckos too, where I plan to get mine). They do ship up here. Only thing is that the shipping costs $40 each time (plus cost of box, heat packs, etc.) As they ship via air and they’re sending live animals. But I can always order with a friend if that’s an issue, since she and a couple others regularly order feeder insects, frozen rats, etc. They split the shipping so it’s cheaper.
A bit less paranoid now knowing that humidity isn’t a huge issue. Usually dry-ish in my house but can definitely hit mid 60s in the summer, sometimes even more. I’ve never had my house go over 65-70 though.
Back to food, have you found that certain geckos will just randomly stop eating one type of food? I know you mentioned that your geckos got tired of the mealworms. Will they stop eating for weeks until you give them something else?
Like I said I’m not as familiar with reptiles, so it surprises me that an animal would rather starve to death than accept food, lol. In the fish hobby, most captive bred freshwater species will accept the food eventually, even it means going hungry for a bit. A lot of species generally won’t starve themselves to death if there’s food available.
I’m just worried there may come a time where I won’t be able to get a variation of feeders, then I’ll get stuck with one staple and if they refuse it then I’m not sure what I would do. With crested geckos they can be picky with some of the flavoured diets, but if they’re hungry enough they’ll usually accept it at some point.
Is it the same for leopards? Perhaps it’s up to the individual animal.
I could look at the exo terras, I personally can’t get them here without ordering online, and most vendors won’t ship glass enclosures. I’ll either have to go with PVC or a used 20 gal long w/ a screen lid.
If I end up doing a 20 long, do you think the 11”x11” heat mat would cover enough floor space for the warm end?
Lastly, you mentioned you use tiles as substrate. I’ve heard that some tiles have little grooves underneath, and that these can create heat pockets, so what people do is layer the bottom of the tank with a bit of play sand, then place the tiles on top. I’m not sure if they use sand in the cracks of the tiles as well, I wasn’t sure what to use for the cracks.
Thanks!
 

Margi San Diego

New Member
Messages
22
Hello! (Long post, just want to gather info! Beginner)

I am a complete novice when it comes to leopard geckos. I’ve never owned one before, only cresteds.
I have a pretty solid grasp of their care as I’ve watched many different YouTube care guides from different people, as well as forums.
However, there are a few questions I have that will determine whether this is the pet for me:

- Can they be fed only mealworms? I’ve heard quite a few times that yes they can, it’s just not very stimulating. There’s even some geckos who only eat mealworms and refuse other insects. The reason I ask is because where I live specifically there’s not really access to feeder insects, which means I’d have to keep and breed a sustainable colony of my own. I have kept mealworms before for my tarantula and they were pretty easy to breed/keep. If I do go with mealworms I would start breeding them way before hand to ensure that I have a sustainable supply for when I get the gecko. Crickets are noisy, stinky, and escape a lot, which I am not fond of. They also die easier/are more sensitive it seems. Dubia roaches are not an option as I am in Canada where they are illegal. Can mealworms be fed as a sole diet? Can the gecko eventually die from eating only mealworms? Can’t find a straight answer on this.

- Vitamins + supplementation. Assuming I don’t go with UVB, what exactly do I need in terms of vitamins/supplements? I’ve been told that Repashy Calcium Plus can be used on its own to dust the food, then just offer plain calcium (without D3) in a bowl in the cage if the gecko decides it needs more calcium. Does Repashy CP contain the essential vitamins though? I will have to look into that.

- Cold end temp. I know these geckos require much higher temps than cresteds. My house room temp is quite cold in the winter (can get down to 55F at times). However, I keep my bedroom heat higher for the sake of my animals. The coldest it gets in here in the winter is about 60-65F, I also keep the door closed a lot to ensure the heat stays in. In the summer it gets much warmer. Is 65F too cold for the cold end side of a leopard gecko tank? It usually only drops to this temp at night, but sometimes during the day too when it’s really cold out. Just not sure what the general consensus is when it comes to cold end temps.

- Heating. I have a spare under tank heater and thermostat. But it might not cover enough? (Heat mat itself is 11”x11”, not sure if that’s large enough, assuming I get a 20 gal long). On top of this, I don’t know if these heat pads get warm enough? This is an Ultratherm model, I bought it for my crested specifically because they’re very safe and don’t get too hot. I’m not sure if it would be able to keep up with the constant high temps that leopard geckos need though. Could a CHE be used instead of a heat mat? Or is the heat mat okay? I feel the heat mat won’t quite get the ambient temps up, which a CHE may help with instead. (Assuming 65-70F is too cold for ambient temp).

- Substrate. Controversial, I know. I plan to go with black tiles, since I think they look very sleek and are relatively cheap, don’t need to be replaced, easy to clean, etc. I’ve heard bad things about loose substrate, even coco fiber, so I’m not sure if I’d want to go that route. If anyone has experience with using tiles as a substrate, the pros and cons of it, proper tiles to buy, let me know below! I also think the tiles would distribute the heat better if I did use a heat mat, but I’m not sure on that.

- UVB. Also controversial. I’ve heard good things about it, but that it’s more so up to the owner whether they want to go ahead and provide it. I will have to see whether I end up doing that. Anyone have experience using UVB, and whether it makes a noticeable difference in the gecko’s behaviour?

- Tank size. I’d like to go with a 20 long aquarium, although they’re super hard to find around here. It’s always 20 talls, not long. I feel a 20 tall doesn’t have enough foot space for a leopard. I’d otherwise go with PVC, since I recently switched my crested to a PVC cage and while they’re nice, they are quite expensive.

- Ambient room humidity. In the winter I think my house sits at around 30-50%, in the summer it can get over 60% at times. These numbers are likely inaccurate, just a rough estimate. I’ve heard that a leopard gecko’s health can be jeopardized when exposed to 60% or over for long periods of time, so I’d like to double check on that. I don’t exactly wish to buy a dehumidifier just for the gecko. I’ve only heard this humidity fact from one person on YouTube so far and I don’t know how popular this opinion is. My house is dry enough for my crested gecko’s enclosure to dry out during the day, (which I only mist at night) but is still sort of moist in the morning. If that’s any indication to the humidity levels. I don’t have a gauge.

- Speaking of gauges, are temp gauges needed? I know those dial gauges are really inaccurate and not recommended, so I don’t plan on getting anything like that. I use a temp gun to check my crested’s cage, and that’s all I use. I don’t use a humidity gauge either. I’m assuming this also isn’t necessary for a leopard gecko, assuming you have a temp gun, or another accurate way to check temps?

I think that’s all the questions. I’ve been interested off and on with leopard geckos for a few years, but never fully considered getting one. I just want to know if they are the right pet for me. It’s mainly the feeding and heating that are issues for me right now, which is why I wanted to get some second opinions.

Thanks!
I'm a noob as well, but am raising mealworms (more interesting than sourdough during covid) but buy crickets now and then for "sport" for my Leo. Regarding raising crickets, the juice really isn't worth the squeeze to me. They DO stink and are not hardy.
It's my understanding that uvb is not needed if d3 is provided. Since Leos are nocturnal, light isn't always the best way to deliver d3 or heat.
As long as they have warm humid and dry areas, the rest of the enclosure can be outside the optimal temp range.
Enjoy your new critter!
 

acpart

Geck-cessories
Staff member
Messages
15,118
Location
Somerville, MA
Superworms: The general wisdom is that variety is best. However, I do have geckos who will only eat super worms or only eat crickets and they're all fine. Yes, it's waxworks that are quite fatty and not a good choice
Feeder variety: I don't think a healthy gecko will starve to death because it doesn't like the feeder. The real question is who caves in first, the gecko or the keeper? In my house, unfortunately, it's usually the keeper!
Tiles: the grooves are very shallow and I just put the tiles in. It works.

Aliza
 

Onelifegecs

Member
Messages
99
Hello! (Long post, just want to gather info! Beginner)

I am a complete novice when it comes to leopard geckos. I’ve never owned one before, only cresteds.
I have a pretty solid grasp of their care as I’ve watched many different YouTube care guides from different people, as well as forums.
However, there are a few questions I have that will determine whether this is the pet for me:

- Can they be fed only mealworms? I’ve heard quite a few times that yes they can, it’s just not very stimulating. There’s even some geckos who only eat mealworms and refuse other insects. The reason I ask is because where I live specifically there’s not really access to feeder insects, which means I’d have to keep and breed a sustainable colony of my own. I have kept mealworms before for my tarantula and they were pretty easy to breed/keep. If I do go with mealworms I would start breeding them way before hand to ensure that I have a sustainable supply for when I get the gecko. Crickets are noisy, stinky, and escape a lot, which I am not fond of. They also die easier/are more sensitive it seems. Dubia roaches are not an option as I am in Canada where they are illegal. Can mealworms be fed as a sole diet? Can the gecko eventually die from eating only mealworms? Can’t find a straight answer on this.

- Vitamins + supplementation. Assuming I don’t go with UVB, what exactly do I need in terms of vitamins/supplements? I’ve been told that Repashy Calcium Plus can be used on its own to dust the food, then just offer plain calcium (without D3) in a bowl in the cage if the gecko decides it needs more calcium. Does Repashy CP contain the essential vitamins though? I will have to look into that.

- Cold end temp. I know these geckos require much higher temps than cresteds. My house room temp is quite cold in the winter (can get down to 55F at times). However, I keep my bedroom heat higher for the sake of my animals. The coldest it gets in here in the winter is about 60-65F, I also keep the door closed a lot to ensure the heat stays in. In the summer it gets much warmer. Is 65F too cold for the cold end side of a leopard gecko tank? It usually only drops to this temp at night, but sometimes during the day too when it’s really cold out. Just not sure what the general consensus is when it comes to cold end temps.

- Heating. I have a spare under tank heater and thermostat. But it might not cover enough? (Heat mat itself is 11”x11”, not sure if that’s large enough, assuming I get a 20 gal long). On top of this, I don’t know if these heat pads get warm enough? This is an Ultratherm model, I bought it for my crested specifically because they’re very safe and don’t get too hot. I’m not sure if it would be able to keep up with the constant high temps that leopard geckos need though. Could a CHE be used instead of a heat mat? Or is the heat mat okay? I feel the heat mat won’t quite get the ambient temps up, which a CHE may help with instead. (Assuming 65-70F is too cold for ambient temp).

- Substrate. Controversial, I know. I plan to go with black tiles, since I think they look very sleek and are relatively cheap, don’t need to be replaced, easy to clean, etc. I’ve heard bad things about loose substrate, even coco fiber, so I’m not sure if I’d want to go that route. If anyone has experience with using tiles as a substrate, the pros and cons of it, proper tiles to buy, let me know below! I also think the tiles would distribute the heat better if I did use a heat mat, but I’m not sure on that.

- UVB. Also controversial. I’ve heard good things about it, but that it’s more so up to the owner whether they want to go ahead and provide it. I will have to see whether I end up doing that. Anyone have experience using UVB, and whether it makes a noticeable difference in the gecko’s behaviour?

- Tank size. I’d like to go with a 20 long aquarium, although they’re super hard to find around here. It’s always 20 talls, not long. I feel a 20 tall doesn’t have enough foot space for a leopard. I’d otherwise go with PVC, since I recently switched my crested to a PVC cage and while they’re nice, they are quite expensive.

- Ambient room humidity. In the winter I think my house sits at around 30-50%, in the summer it can get over 60% at times. These numbers are likely inaccurate, just a rough estimate. I’ve heard that a leopard gecko’s health can be jeopardized when exposed to 60% or over for long periods of time, so I’d like to double check on that. I don’t exactly wish to buy a dehumidifier just for the gecko. I’ve only heard this humidity fact from one person on YouTube so far and I don’t know how popular this opinion is. My house is dry enough for my crested gecko’s enclosure to dry out during the day, (which I only mist at night) but is still sort of moist in the morning. If that’s any indication to the humidity levels. I don’t have a gauge.

- Speaking of gauges, are temp gauges needed? I know those dial gauges are really inaccurate and not recommended, so I don’t plan on getting anything like that. I use a temp gun to check my crested’s cage, and that’s all I use. I don’t use a humidity gauge either. I’m assuming this also isn’t necessary for a leopard gecko, assuming you have a temp gun, or another accurate way to check temps?

I think that’s all the questions. I’ve been interested off and on with leopard geckos for a few years, but never fully considered getting one. I just want to know if they are the right pet for me. It’s mainly the feeding and heating that are issues for me right now, which is why I wanted to get some second opinions.

Thanks!
The other person did a great job answering all of your questions so i wont be repetitive in answering that. I do have something to add about the feeders tho. Mealworms do work find as a staple and I had the same issue not being able to readily find bugs. So I recommend looking into some online stores. I would recommend a couple but idk if they can sell to you cause they are centered around Dubia roaches lol. Joshs frogs may be a good one but their prices do run a tad high. Just look into that a bit as a way to add variation. Also keep in mind that Leo’s are picky and Eventually yours may decide it doesn’t want mealies anymore. Just put a back up plan into consideration.
 

ZNature

Member
Messages
50
If you haven’t made the decision yet, I would say get a male Leo. They tend to be less picky with their food, but that may just be mine. My females are the ones who refuse food. One of my females refused to eat anything but hornworms for 3 months. I had tried mealworms, dubias, crickets, and superworms. She took a dubia once and then after that she refused food again. They go through a pretty intense brumation/ovulation season and mine often go off food for that period of time. I’ve heard the males go off food as well but since I’ve only ever experienced these seasons with two males I may have just gotten lucky because they both have great appetites. Also I was wondering about crickets. I can barely keep them alive for a couple days. I get them and they all die off. I put them in their large enclosure, I give them gel cubes in one bowl and a cricket grain mix and some carrot or potato in the other, I put some cardboard areas for them to hide, but they all end up dying off. It would be great if I could keep and breed them. Smell is also a problem though. I don’t think anyone has successfully kept crickets without being bothered by smell, or noise. I use superworms as a staple along with dubias and mealworms. I think if you could get crickets and use them along with mealworms and superworms you’ll have a good variety. Many people say superworms are fatty. In reality they are not that bad for Leo’s. They are just being compared to mealworms and mealworms are less fatty and higher in some other nutritional contents. When you mentioned that Leo’s may have adapted to different conditions, I was very interested in this theory, I never thought of it until now. It is very possible that Leo’s have developed adaptations to our humidity and temps in our homes. As well as people in general. I have never heard of Leo’s being harmed from spike in humidity, but because we have seen in care guides, forums, videos, etc, that the humidity in a Leo’s tank should stay below 40% and I think now when our humidity spikes higher than that, we just naturally are scared for the worse. I remember I was very worried when my humidity spiked, but now I don’t worry and I just make sure it doesn’t spike over 70% for a long period of time. I have ordered from dubiaroaches.com and they are a very great business. Since that are centered around dubias I don’t know if they can ship any of their insects to you but I think they might. They have crickets, superworms, mealworms, hornworms, waxworms, and black soldier fly larvae. I recommend black soldier fly larvae if you can get them. My Leo’s love them and they are very nutritious and high in calcium. I have also heard of canned soldier fly larvea. I’ve tried them before but I’m not sure if they’d be good as a staple since they aren’t live. They are on amazon and some other sites too. You could try it as a treat and I bet your Leo would love it. Good luck!
 

Onelifegecs

Member
Messages
99
If you haven’t made the decision yet, I would say get a male Leo. They tend to be less picky with their food, but that may just be mine. My females are the ones who refuse food. One of my females refused to eat anything but hornworms for 3 months. I had tried mealworms, dubias, crickets, and superworms. She took a dubia once and then after that she refused food again. They go through a pretty intense brumation/ovulation season and mine often go off food for that period of time. I’ve heard the males go off food as well but since I’ve only ever experienced these seasons with two males I may have just gotten lucky because they both have great appetites. Also I was wondering about crickets. I can barely keep them alive for a couple days. I get them and they all die off. I put them in their large enclosure, I give them gel cubes in one bowl and a cricket grain mix and some carrot or potato in the other, I put some cardboard areas for them to hide, but they all end up dying off. It would be great if I could keep and breed them. Smell is also a problem though. I don’t think anyone has successfully kept crickets without being bothered by smell, or noise. I use superworms as a staple along with dubias and mealworms. I think if you could get crickets and use them along with mealworms and superworms you’ll have a good variety. Many people say superworms are fatty. In reality they are not that bad for Leo’s. They are just being compared to mealworms and mealworms are less fatty and higher in some other nutritional contents. When you mentioned that Leo’s may have adapted to different conditions, I was very interested in this theory, I never thought of it until now. It is very possible that Leo’s have developed adaptations to our humidity and temps in our homes. As well as people in general. I have never heard of Leo’s being harmed from spike in humidity, but because we have seen in care guides, forums, videos, etc, that the humidity in a Leo’s tank should stay below 40% and I think now when our humidity spikes higher than that, we just naturally are scared for the worse. I remember I was very worried when my humidity spiked, but now I don’t worry and I just make sure it doesn’t spike over 70% for a long period of time. I have ordered from dubiaroaches.com and they are a very great business. Since that are centered around dubias I don’t know if they can ship any of their insects to you but I think they might. They have crickets, superworms, mealworms, hornworms, waxworms, and black soldier fly larvae. I recommend black soldier fly larvae if you can get them. My Leo’s love them and they are very nutritious and high in calcium. I have also heard of canned soldier fly larvea. I’ve tried them before but I’m not sure if they’d be good as a staple since they aren’t live. They are on amazon and some other sites too. You could try it as a treat and I bet your Leo would love it. Good luck!
I also love dubiaroaches.com but didn’t mention them cause of where they live lol
 

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