Leopard Gecko Noob-- advice appreciated!

[Shreddertheleo]

Hi there!
I am not sure if this is the correct place for this thread, but I needed to put it somewhere!
I am new to Leopard Geckos, and any reptiles for that matter. But I did lots of research and printed off about 20 pages of information before I went shopping.

First I will tell you what I have in my Leopard Gecko's home.
-20 Gallon Long with secure screen top
-Two "dome" lights. One with a 75 watt day light and the other with a 100 watt night/heat light.
-Two hidey houses
-One moist, humid hidey house made with a tupperware container and coconut husk bark
-3 plastic plants
-1 water dish with bottled, spring bottle
-1 dish with calcium powder
-One crappy hydrometer/thermometer
-One digital thermometer with probe
-Using reptile carpet as substrate
-Under tank heater

Secondly, I will tell you how I have it set up.
-Day light on one side, heat light on the same side as the under tank heater
-humid hidey on warm side
-one hidey on cool side, the other kind of in the middle
-Water dish on cool side
-Calcium dish on warm side
-I used the crappy thermometer/hydrometer on the cool side and the digital one of the warm side
-Currently as I type the temperatures are at 70 F on the cool side 88.2 F on the warm side with 55% humidity

Now for my questions.
1.) What kind of routine should I have for the lighting? Should I use the day time light at all since the room brightens up during the day? Can I leave the night/heat light on during the night or can I turn it off? It would still have the under tank heater on the warm side.
2.) Would peat moss be a better substrate in the moist, humid hidey?
3.) Is tap water fine or should I use the bottled spring water? I there anything better?
4.)How much Calcium powder should I provide? It's Exo Terra brand with no D3.
5.) Where is the best place to place the probe? Currently I have it kind of tucked away.
6.) I am using reptile carpet because I heard it is safer but I've also been told it's a pain in the butt. So down the road could I switch to sand or walnut shell?
7.) Are these temperatures okay? Humidity too high or too low?

I also have feeding questions.
1.) Crickets or mealworms? Or both? Could I alternate it weekly or bi-weekly or something like that?
2.) How many crickets/mealworms at a time?
3.) How many times a week?
4.) I heard potatoes, dog food, carrots and cereal are okay for food for crickets and mealworms... is this okay?
5.) Will the exo terra calcium powder be okay for dusting crickets/mealworms?
6.) How often should I dust them? Every second feeding?

If someone could tell me how to post a picture that would be wonderful.
Then you could get a better idea of what my set up looks like.
I'd love any answers I could get. Thank you very much!

[Shreddertheleo]

Oh yes, one more question.

Should I mist the tank/gecko two or three times a week?

[beckdg]

very thorough! i'll leave this for the leo experts for now.

how to add pics/videos to site/posts

[Ozymandias]

your set up sounds fine but there are something that need to be addressed, my answers are in red.

Originally Posted by Shreddertheleo

Now for my questions.
1.) What kind of routine should I have for the lighting? Should I use the day time light at all since the room brightens up during the day? Can I leave the night/heat light on during the night or can I turn it off? It would still have the under tank heater on the warm side.

I wouldn't bother with the day time light to be honest as long as you say the room does get light. for the heat light you can turn it off or keep it on just personal preference, the geckos wont mind a cooler temp though for the night.

2.) Would peat moss be a better substrate in the moist, humid hidey?

what are you using right now? you can use peat moss, cocofiber, sphagnum moss, sheet moss or wet paper towels it really preference. i personally use cocofiber because i have it and it acts as a place for my leos to lay there eggs in.

3.) Is tap water fine or should I use the bottled spring water? I there anything better?

yes tap water is fine

4.)How much Calcium powder should I provide? It's Exo Terra brand with no D3.

ok your going to want to have a bowl or cap full of the Calcium available at all times in there cage you can use the the stuff you have right now without D3. but you are going to want to pick up calcium with D3 for dusting there food with, the D3 is important and vital for them.

5.) Where is the best place to place the probe? Currently I have it kind of tucked away.

i would keep it on the hot side to be honest so you know what the max temp is.

6.) I am using reptile carpet because I heard it is safer but I've also been told it's a pain in the butt. So down the road could I switch to sand or walnut shell?

there is also the fact that it will absorb the ura (part of the poop) and provide a breeding ground for bacteria. it also can catch on there nails so it really not good choice. i also wouldn't use wallnut shell of the sand thay use sell at set stores it's ether not that good for them of overly expensive. instead you can use slate or ceramic tiles like you get at home depo it conducts heat well looks nice and is easy to clean. you can also use plane play sand from home depo as long as you sieve it.

7.) Are these temperatures okay? Humidity too high or too low?

ya temps sound good, not much you can really do about the humidity so don't worry about it it's not that high.



I also have feeding questions.
1.) Crickets or mealworms? Or both? Could I alternate it weekly or bi-weekly or something like that?

crickets are the way to go meal worms have no nutritional value. this artical explains it "the pro's and con's of mealworms" when thay are full sized you can feed them supperworms which are better than meal worms still shouldn't be there main diet.

2.) How many crickets/mealworms at a time?

as many as thay will eat really every gecko is different.

3.) How many times a week?

when thay are still babies thay need to be feed every day but once thay are older every other day will be fine.

4.) I heard potatoes, dog food, carrots and cereal are okay for food for crickets and mealworms... is this okay?

for keeping them alive yes, the gecko no, you need to feed the crickets a good quality gutload for at least 30 minuets (ideally 24-12 hours before) you feed the crickets to the gecko.

5.) Will the exo terra calcium powder be okay for dusting crickets/mealworms?

i answered before this but you should use a calcium with D3 in it.

6.) How often should I dust them? Every second feeding?

i would do it every feeding.

[Shreddertheleo]

Thank you Ozymandias for your advice!!
But I am still left with a few questions!

In the original post I stated I am using a tupperware container with coconut husk or whatever it's called. I can't remember! It came in a block that I had to soak in water though! Is this okay to use in the humid hidey?

I will definitely pick up some gut load and some calcium with D3. Thanks for the advice!

You say tap water is okay, but I already purchased natural spring water.. so can I just continue to use this?

As far as the probe... I have it on the hot side but I meant where in the tank? It came with a suction cup so should I just stick in on the tank wall and let it hang? Or should I have it on the substrate?

I also thought of another question tonight while I was at Petsmart.
I got my U.T.H at Petland and they only had the Rainforest one. My research tells me the hott side should be 88-92 and I saw a desert one at Petsmart tonight. Should I have gotten the desert one so it'd be up a few degrees?

[Ozymandias]

no problem coconut husk is the same stuff as cocofiber so you are good there. if you have the spring water just use it thay will be fine with it. for the prob i just stick mine on the side near the bottom of the tank no exactly in the substrate but just above it. to be quite honest i just don't know what the difference is between the rain-forest UTH and the desert UTH sorry. hope that helps

[little98dime]

one thing that wasnt adressed,.... he asked about misting the tank/geckos. DO NOT MIST REGULARLY. these leos are from an arid part of the world and as such should not have regular misting. The best thing to do is simply provide a moist hide. I take a ziploc food container (not the bag) and cut a hole about 1.5" in diameter. I place moistened (not soaked) paper towels in the container. they should be wet, but should not drip when you hold them up. Place the top back on and put the container where you want it. I place mine on the warm side of the tank. it turns into a little suana for them and they love it.

The result of regular misting for these geckos not can, but WILL result in respiratory infections and can lead to death of not addressed. Plus they just dont like it.