Looking to get a Leo or 2.. So i have a few questions :)

Kinzey

New Member
Messages
2
Good afternoon.

I've been lving on my own the past 5 yrs and i'm looking to get my first pet. I feel that a leo or 2 would be perfect :) I have been doing some research, and i intend in getting the tank ready in the new year.
However i have a few questions...

Does the Vivarium get warm on the outside of it? would it be suitable to put it on a large tiled table i dont use much? or would i be better in just getting rid of that and getting a tank with a stand?

The live feed, where can i store the live feed ? as i don't have a shed and i'm afraid they might smell?? what containers do i keep live feed in?

Do i have to feed the Leo crickets? if so can i just get them in the reptile shop that day i plan to feed her some? i live in the same street as a reptile shop, convienently lol.

If i get a female Leo. Can i add another female later (maybe a different colour sub species leo so i can tell the difference) , or would it be better to just get 2 at the same time? what do people generally do? Just get the one and a 3 ft tank? I think i would be happy with just one to be honest but i feel like she needs a friend , even though i read she doesnt lol.

do i need to register her with a vet?

How many plants and furniture will i need to get?

What do i put her in when im cleaning the tank?

is there anything i dont need which shops may say that i do?

Thanks a lot

Kinzey
 
Last edited:

acpart

Geck-cessories
Staff member
Messages
15,119
Location
Somerville, MA
Welcome! Here are my answers to your questions:

Does the Vivarium get warm on the outside of it? would it be suitable to put it on a large tiled table i dont use much? or would i be better in just getting rid of that and getting a tank with a stand?
The Under tank heaters come with some adhesive backed plastic feet to put under each corner of the viv to vent the heat. I go a little further and use plastic or wooden dominoes. I've had vivs on stone tables and wooden tables with no problem

The live feed, where can i store the live feed ? as i don't have a shed and i'm afraid they might smell?? what containers do i keep live feed in?
Mealworms won't smell. Crickets can smell but if you consistently remove the dead ones, it will be OK. I go through about 3000 crickets every 2 weeks and if I'm careful about cleaning them they rarely smell. Dubia roaches (which are illegal to keep in some warm climate states like FL) don't smell at all, so I'm told. I keep my crickets in an aquarium tank with about 1/4"-1/2" of powdered grain on the floor, egg crate for the crickets to stand on and water gel crystals in jar covers.

Do i have to feed the Leo crickets? if so can i just get them in the reptile shop that day i plan to feed her some? i live in the same street as a reptile shop, convienently lol.
Yes, you can just go to the reptile store and buy crickets as you need them, which means you won't have to store too many of them. Leos thrive on variety as well (though some of them are picky and only like one thing). I feed my leos super worms and crickets. You can pick one staple food and then do some occasional changes which could include super worms, hornworms, silkworms, dubia roaches or mealworms.

If i get a female Leo. Can i add another female later (maybe a different colour sub species leo so i can tell the difference) , or would it be better to just get 2 at the same time? what do people generally do? Just get the one and a 3 ft tank? I think i would be happy with just one to be honest but i feel like she needs a friend , even though i read she doesnt lol.
I keep my females in small groups of 2-3. They do OK but are fine alone. If you're getting 2, you're not getting 2 for their sake, it's because you want 2. If you get one and then get another later it will be very important to make sure that you're not putting a small juvenile with an adult and also you will need to quarantine a new gecko for at least a month. It's also recommended that after that quarantine you take a stool sample to the vet and have them check for cryptosporidiosis (which has infected my entire colony and caused me to retire from breeding)

do i need to register her with a vet? No. As mentioned above, you could take it to a reptile vet to be checked out. It's like taking a dog or a cat to the vet, but geckos (in my opinion) don't have to go every year and don't need shots. You need to choose a reptile vet and can find one here: www.arav.com

How many plants and furniture will i need to get? Read some care sheets. In general, a hide for the warm side, a hide for the cold side, a humid hide which you can easily make, a water dish and a food bowl if you're going to be feeding them worms.

What do i put her in when im cleaning the tank? You can have an extra small tank or plastic tub with a lid that she can stay in temporarily.

is there anything i dont need which shops may say that i do? You don't need lights as long as they're in a room with ambient light so they can tell the difference between day and night. You don't need any heat besides the under tank heater as long as the ambient temperature in the room is comfortable for humans. You do need a thermostat. You don't need sand; it's not a good substrate for leopard geckos. You can use reptile carpet but my favorite is ceramic tile which I get a the home improvement store. I also get a 4" shiny tile that's usually used for bathrooms and put it where the gecko is going to poop so I can lift it out and clean it off.

I hope that's helpful.

Aliza
 

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