My first gecko!

[Jace]

I got my first leopard gecko today!!!
I just want to make sure everything is good
he's about five inches with a thick tail
I have him in a ten gallon terrarium with the uth on low with the rheostat
I'm going to try to feed him tomorrow
I have a bowl with leopard gecko calcium plus
and a water bowl
he's on reptile carpet
he has a warm, humid hide and a cool hide
I'll dust his food with reptivite vitamins without d3
every three days
I have a log in the terrarium
a therm for air temp and one for the hot side
and a humidity gauge
does this sound like a good setup?
Do I need to add anything?
Sorry if it's a little unorganized
thanks!!!

 

[Srt14292]

It sounds like a good set up, I generally keep a bottle top full of calcium without d3 in the viv at all times but that is really a personal preference, You know your temps are right? Nice 90's for the hot side?
Other then that it sounds all good mate.
Leave a bowl of mealworms in the viv, your leo might not eat for the first few days after you getting him, just let him settle in to his new surroundings.
Give him a week and get some pictures up here!

Once again.
Congrats.

 

[Jace]

My hot side is about 97ish
okay I'll do that with the meal worms
he/she (havent looked yet) ate one cricket already!
I have to say I think I got a pretty Leo
I'll try and get pics up asap!

 

[Srt14292]

Sounds top dollar then, if your leo has an appitite its all that matters right?! aha.

 

[CSMGecko]

You may want to lower the temp from 97 to a little less between 88-92 is a good temp. I keep mine right around 90-91 on the hot side. The cool side can be quite a bit lower around low 80s. I like my over all tank temp around 80 or so with night drop around mid 70s.

 

[Srt14292]

You may want to lower the temp from 97 to a little less between 88-92 is a good temp. I keep mine right around 90-91 on the hot side. The cool side can be quite a bit lower around low 80s. I like my over all tank temp around 80 or so with night drop around mid 70s.

I thought it said 92 XD aahaha My bad.
Agree with you though. Might want to lower it a little.

 

[Jace]

I lowered the temp a little

 

[LizMarie]

Just so you know there is a debate about warm side temps.

Some say keep them as low as 88 while others say keep them as high as 97, to me its a matter of opinion based on whoever you ask. I usually keep mine at 94F. I used to keep it at 97 but without a reliable thermostat I bought it down to 94 incase there's ever a problem I have space for error.

Sounds great as long as you have a digital thermometer checking the temps on the hot spot.

Congrats and Good Luck!

 

[CSMGecko]

I have heard of these debates but I have done a ton of research and have read pretty much every book I can find on Leos. Every published article and book says between 88-90 or so. I can't find anything that says anything different other than people's experience and how they haven't had any problems yet. I figure that the data in the books was given by vets and people that have been keeping these animals since the beginning and have done a lot of different experiments to come up with these temp numbers. I am not saying that higher is necessarily bad but it has been proven that the high 80s to low 90s are the optimal temps for these guys.
I also do have a hot spot under a red light on some rocks for them to get extra heat if they require it but that is just a small spot in my set up.