What Morph

MoBlots98

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Hi all

got our first leopard gecko today. There was some debate at the pet store about what morph. Can any one tell me what it is?
 

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acpart

Geck-cessories
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I can see why there was some debate. It hinges on whether the darker markings are black or very dark brown. If they are all very dark brown, then the gecko is an albino. It's not really possible to know for sure which of the 3 albino strains it is, though it does look like a Bell albino. If any of those markings are black (and at least in the picture a few do) then it's not an albino and the most you can say about it is that it's a tangerine due to its orange coloration.
When I first looked at the picture, my immediate reaction is that it's a dark colored albino, but you have to look carefully, as I said above, at the color of those markings.

Aliza
 

MoBlots98

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Thank you Aliza I appreciate you taking the time to reply. I was able to get a good look today and to my eye they appear to be dark brown instead of black so possibly one of the albino morphs. Really lovely to look at either way. The humidity in his tank is hovering at 70% though. I can’t figure out why. Ambient humidity is 48 in the house. I swapped out his water bowl for a smaller one and took out the humid hide but still consistently at 70 last night and today. He has an under tank heating pad and a coco husk substrate which is fresh. I wonder if the substrate isn’t sweating? Have you had any experience with this and how I might get it back under control?
 

Geckofan.me

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Ive heard coco husk can get quite moist so that may be the issue , so i would suggest drying it out , i haven't had experience with coco husk or eco earth as i use paper towel but that is just my suggestion . Hope this helps !
 

MoBlots98

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Thank you both. I took the coco husk out and replaced with paper towel for now. Humidity dropped from 90% to 52%. I baked it in the oven to dry it out and there was a noticeable difference afterwards. I will swap the towel for the husk tomorrow. I hate disturbing him so many times after just getting him though so I may wait. So he isnt eating. I have read this is fairly normal for up to two weeks after bringing them home.
 

jclee

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Some keepers who do use substrate use a blend of something like 50/50 topsoil and playsand, and much prefer that to ecoearth. Ecoearth holds humidity well (and can be good for high humidity species). It's very loose and dry when it is kept in arid enclosures, so I've steered away from it.

I have my (healthy) leo on a premade desert blend that I bought (it's pretty much soil and sand, but *very* fine, with a few fir chips and charcoal bits) and I added in just a little bit of excavator clay to make it less dusty, since that held it together a bit after a few light waterings/mistings. (I have the enclosure lightly planted with succulents, and the premade mix I ordered was very loose and dusty). I would have gone the playsand/topsoil route, but with a small apartment, storage space for surplus supplies is at a premium. I'd have nowhere to put the remainder substrate, since these are sold in large quantities (only). My MBD rescue leo is on slate tile for her own safety; she doesn't move as well, and I don't want to take any chances with her well being, particularly since she got such a rough start in her first home.
.
There's more than one way to keep your little one happy. Nail down the temps/humidity/supplementation, and it all gets easier from there.
And, you're absolutely right... not wanting to eat while they transition to a new home is totally normal.

And keep asking questions. Questions are great!
 

acpart

Geck-cessories
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I've kept leopard geckos successfully on coco fiber (which I misted maybe once a month) with no problem though now they are all on ceramic tile. With the substrate, just beware of larger pieces like charcoal pieces and fir chips. I cared for a gecko once that had dropped its tail because it ingested (and passed at my house) a piece of walnut chip. I also had a gecko that broke its jaw (it healed with no intervention after a vet visit) chomping down on a large pebble that was in a dish in the cage.

Aliza
 

MoBlots98

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9
Thanks all. Humidity holding steady without the substrate. I will wait a few more days then put it back in. Still not eating though. That’s day three. Should I swap out the meal worms every day? So far I have tried supers, meals and a wax worm.
 

acpart

Geck-cessories
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It can take a new leopard gecko awhile to get comfortable and the substrate swapping has probably delayed the getting comfortable process. You'd be surprised how long leopard geckos can go without eating (one of mine that I had for 12 years set the record at 6 months, usually November -May). Keep offering, don't get them started on waxworms, and be patient.

Aliza
 

MoBlots98

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9
Aliza

thanks. Would it have been better to allow the high humidity to persist instead of swapping the substrate? ASI am new to the hobby i find it hard to gauge relative risk
 

acpart

Geck-cessories
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On the one hand, I don't usually worry about substrate. On the other hand, I find leopard geckos to be much hardier than many people imagine and it's not the end of the world if they take a few more days to eat, so in my opinion either choice is reasonable.

Aliza
 

Climbers mom

New Member
Messages
11
Hi all

got our first leopard gecko today. There was some debate at the pet store about what morph. Can any one tell me what it is?
Congrats on your new gecko. They are pretty awesome and easy to get attached to. Had mine for about a year now & while it's been an experience learning all the in's & out's to keep him healthy & happy, it's worth every minute. Lot to learn, read up and know your gecko, it's important. A morph is a gecko that's been bred to be a certain color/pattern/size. There are guides you can study that show the pattern & colors of most morphs. I think my gecko & yours is the same from your pic that I can tell. Some yellow with black spots are morphs but not all.

Good luck w/your new friend! This site is awesome for learning!
 

MoBlots98

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9
Still hasn’t eaten. Does anyone have any thoughts on how long to leave insects in the feed dish before swapping them out
 

MoBlots98

New Member
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9
Still didn’t eat. Started digging down into the substrate at the back of the tank and behind the warm hide trying to get to the slots in the back k drop. Any thoughts on this. Temp is 75 in tank. 85 at the surface of the heating mat. Humidity 40%.
 

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MoBlots98

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He ate one waxworm coulle of days ago and that’s been it. He largely ignores his food bowl. I dropped the waxworm in front of him and he took it. Tried the same with the meal worms but no dice. Yesterday I. Tried again yesterday and he walked right up to the meal worms and licked it then ignored it. There haven’t been any major changes or the environment. Heat mat is set to 81 with a thermostat and there is also a heat lamp over top with a 65 watt bulb on a timer 6am to 6pm. The temp in the tank is at 72. He had been in the hide on the hot side mostly. Lately he has been I. The cold hide more with a couple of stops in the humid hide. What am I doing wrong?
 

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acpart

Geck-cessories
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You're not doing anything wrong. It's winter time and he's not that hungry. Happens all the time with my crew. Here's an article that may make you feel a little better:

Aliza
 

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