New leopard gecko help

[CaffeineZombie]

I just got a leapard gecko from someone. Met up with him and his daughter when I got the gecko seemed pretty chill she was holding him he was alert and okay. I believe he still is. He ate like 10 or so mealworms when I got him but I started looking at him he looks kind of skinny. I used to have one a long time ago when I was a kid and wanted to just double check with other owners to make sure I’m not missing anything. Enclosure is an 18x18x18 exo Terra used same stufd he had in the previous house with new substrate that I added fresh. I got an under tank heater but it doesn’t feel like it’s getting hot I’m getting a temp and hygrometer soon. Got water dishes, calci dish, food dish etc. he just looks a little skinny to me I left a couple meal worms in there just in case he gets hungry. Any recommendations to food schedule anything. I dont think she was using under mat heater or heat bulb. It is just a light at the top. Thanks in advance. Including pictures

does he look healthy?

 

[AndyBunn]

He looks OK to me but a little skinny. How old and how much does he weigh.

I think the set up you have is abit to small. A 30 gallon Vivarium is best for them. You need three hides one on the hot side, one on the cool side and one in the middle with damp substrate in to help when he sheds skin.

He's the same type of Gecko as mine. He's around 7 months old and weighs 65g
I hope this helps

 

[AndyBunn]

Also about food I feed mine mostly in the evening when he's more active. I feed him 4 mealworms, 4 Medium crickets and 4 locusts. If I don't have one of them I increase by one of the others.

I load the insects on food and dust them in Calci dust a couple of days then Nutrobal the others and have 2 days amongst those with nothing.

I feed him every day. When adult it's every other day or so. I would feed yours every day until he has filled out a bit.

Leopard Geckos eat less in summer months and when shedding.

A heat bulb is essential. I use a ceramic heat bulb but I hear that deep heat projectors are the best.

I hope this helps and please let me know how you get on.

 

[CaffeineZombie]

Thanks for the advise yeah I thought he looked skinny he seems to be doing fine in enclosure and what I read the enclosure size Is fine I can’t upgrade right now but I’m future I plan to. I have been feeding him periodically when active as much as he gets his fill and leaving a couple of mealworms dusted and gut loaded in his tray. He will eat like 5-10 then just won’t be interested. He likes the rock formation I made with the rocks and likes to go in there. I get Heat bulb tomorrow at 9pm ordered. Will have to get more food soon. And temperature probe/humidity comes on tuesday I believe. Any reliable sites you recommend for food for him that you trust?

 

[CaffeineZombie]

Also I don’t know the weight or age. I think juvenile.

 

[AndyBunn]

Hi it seems to me like you know what you're doing. So keep on doing what you are doing.

If you have some weighing scales you could use that to weigh him.

I don't buy food online. I use local non chain pet shops.

Love the rock photo BTW.

 

[acpart]

Based on the pictures he looks fine to me, but he's definitely not overweight. The under tank heaters can take up to several days to reach their maximum heat, even though the package will say "6 hours". I have also heard 18x18x18 exoterra is fine for a single leopard gecko (Ray Roehner "The Leopard Gecko Advisor") though the most common is the 20 gallon long (30x12x12 --note that the square footage is almost exactly the same). As long as there is ambient light, additional lights are not essential and it's important to make sure that any light or additional heat source (additional to the heat mat) isn't overheating the air in the enclosure. Others may not agree, but I don't think constant air temperatures over the mid-70's is that great. Enjoy your gecko!

Aliza

 

[CaffeineZombie]

@AndyBunn thanks for advise. Yeah I have gone to local pet shops around my area mostly serving dogs, cats, and birds. Another pet store has the mealworms and reptile food but in their fridge some are expired but when I open the container worms are alive. I’m looking to get crickets and things that may be more challenging for him to hunt but don’t know if that’s the best thing right now for him as he seems to take some time chewing a small mealworm.

@acpart
Thanks. Yeah I’m anxiously awaiting my temperature monitors soon. My room is kind of warm but has a fan on and the heat pad doesn’t feel hot at all so I’m guessing it’s working for now until everything comes in. Getting some food tomorrow from let store hopefully some larger prey “fattier” for something different because it seems when I adopted him he was only getting fed mealworms from instruction note the previous owner gave me.

 

[AndyBunn]

You could try small to medium crickets to start with. Variety is the spice of life.

 

[Josh]

Variety is also a great way to ensure a healthy diet!

 

[CaffeineZombie]

Just tried waxworms he seemed to enjoy it fed him like 5 and he was done. This guy is in no way interested though in dead insects like from can so wont be buying that again. I leave it in just in case he wants to snack on something. I will have to go in on Sunday to buy more life mealworms. I want to try crickets however I have never kept crickets. Do they make a lot of noise? that would annoy the hell out of me. I heard if you buy small crickets they shouldn't make noise but i'm not experienced in that so if anyone could answer that would be great. So far he has eaten mealworms live, waxworms (love), and some caci worms (he is okay with it).

 

[AndyBunn]

Hi you should be able to get silent crickets. Ask for them at the place you are going to.

 

[AndyBunn]

Glad to hear that he's eating well. That's always a good sign.

 

[ragateway]

Hi
Sounds like you have all bases covered congrats on your new Gecko. One think I would say is to use care when feeding waxworms. Try not to make this their main diet item. They tend to eat them like candy.

 

[MiracleRaptor]

He looks healthy to me