My leopard gecko setup and a question

[Reptiles6116]

This is my leopard gecko tank. I have 2 leopard geckos inside 1 male and 1 female. I'm using a 100w basking bulb during the day and I have a night time lamp. Is this setup ok? The white stuff on the carpet is vitamin powder from crickets that I have to clean up. Also I have a 16watt heating pad that should take up just under half the tank, should I use a lower wattage lamp during the day when I put my heating pad on.

 

[Caleb C]

I don't think you need a basking bulb during the day. You don't even need a bulb at all, unless your house is cold. A 100w basking bulb should be way too hot. I don't even use one for my steppe runner, which needs 95 degrees.

 

[Reptiles6116]

So can I use my 16w heat mat 24/7??? It takes up almost half of the tank so they can have a cool side and warm side

 

[Caleb C]

Yep, take out the bulbs. What brand and name is the bulb?

 

[Reptiles6116]

Exo terra

 

[Reptiles6116]

And I have a 8w for my smaller tank that takes up less than half. That's ok for 1 gecko right?

 

[Caleb C]

This?
If so, it's way too hot.

 

[Reptiles6116]

My tank is 3ft long and 20 gallon. Temp only reaches 80s sometimes 90s. I've been told by a lot of people it is ok to use and 75 is to low. But I will switch them soon and put my heat pad in and add a normal lamp bulb just for viewing in the day

 

[Caleb C]

They make one spot super hot, it's not good for these species. I use a exo terra sunglo 60w in a 40 gallon when it's cold. You normally won't need bulbs, as they sometimes get the tank too hot. They need belly heat, which the heat pad gives. They're nocturnal anyway, so they should be sleeping most of the day.

 

[Reptiles6116]

Ya that's what I thought. So I should have no problems with my heat mat on 24/7 ? Also I feed them 30 mealworms every 3 days

 

[Caleb C]

That's way too many mealworms, haha.
I feed mine a maximum of 5 a day. I leave my heat mat on 24/7, as the nights get a little cold. They're cold blooded, so they are the temperature of their surroundings. It doesn't hurt to have them comfortable all day

 

[Reptiles6116]

Ya I've been told different about feeding. My smaller skinny gecko doesn't eat much. But my big male and female really like eating and I've been told 30 every 3 days is ok :s

 

[Caleb C]

Nope, that's way too many. Juveniles eat around 5 a day, and adults eat around 4. Adults don't eat as many because they're not using the food for anything anymore, unless they're breeding.

 

[Reptiles6116]

No I'm not planning on breeding yet. But the male and female get along fine so they can housed together right? And when I started to give them low amounts like 5 they got super jumpy and aggressive when I started feeding them

 

[Caleb C]

Nope, they will breed whenever they feel like it, so it's best to separate them. They should always have a good feeding response. Mine will jump at food whenever given the chance, but when there aren't any forceps nearby, they're really calm.

 

[Star1]

They're gonna get fat eating that much! Mine only get 5 every other day unless they're hanging out by their bowl a lot on the off day then I'll give them a few. I don't use lights at all, but like Caleb said you could use one at night when it's too cold. I have my heat mats on 24/7. The only time they get unplugged is when I clean their enclosures. It's probably good to get a thermostat for your heat mat so it doesn't get too hot. My first one I didn't realize I needed it and it got to like 115 degrees.

 

[Reptiles6116]

They're gonna get fat eating that much! Mine only get 5 every other day unless they're hanging out by their bowl a lot on the off day then I'll give them a few. I don't use lights at all, but like Caleb said you could use one at night when it's too cold. I have my heat mats on 24/7. The only time they get unplugged is when I clean their enclosures. It's probably good to get a thermostat for your heat mat so it doesn't get too hot. My first one I didn't realize I needed it and it got to like 115 degrees.

Ok 5 every other day it is. I've had people try and say they eat more than 5 in a sitting so use more then I had people say too much use less

 

[Star1]

I have a friend who ended up with a super fat gecko because she was feeding it a ton. As long as they don't start losing weight keep it to only about 5. And if they're acting hungry it's fine to give them some on the off days.

 

[pli923]

i am new and i wanted to get in to this cuz i love how they look and how they are i got a 20 long x18x18 i am talking to a leopard gecko breeder he said its ok to put 3 in there so i oderd 2 female and one male i got a uth pad and a lamp with a red bulb and 3 hides one on the heat sid and one for the cooler and one in the middle of the tank so they can shed in that one is there anything im missing or need to do i also got a zoo med reptivite reptile vitamins with D3 if anyone can help me thank you

 

[Reptiles6116]

i am new and i wanted to get in to this cuz i love how they look and how they are i got a 20 long x18x18 i am talking to a leopard gecko breeder he said its ok to put 3 in there so i oderd 2 female and one male i got a uth pad and a lamp with a red bulb and 3 hides one on the heat sid and one for the cooler and one in the middle of the tank so they can shed in that one is there anything im missing or need to do i also got a zoo med reptivite reptile vitamins with D3 if anyone can help me thank you

You might want to watch to make sure one isn't getting bullied or isn't stressed it happen to one of mine when I had 3 housed in a tank