leo gecko owners :)

Hi everyone. I've been talking to my kids about what they want to fill our 40 gallon empty tank with and the votes were a rose haired trantula (dad put a nix on that very quickly) or a couple leopard geckos. I told the boys well get them but first I wanna do some research and gather everything needed.

So I know basic care & sexing then But there is so much conflicting info out there I'd like to know what works for you guys.

What do you use for substrate?
How warm do you keep the tank?
What do you feed them?
What do you use for hides?
What do you do for heat & lighting?
Do they need uvb lighting and if so what's the best for them?

Any info would be amazing!! Thank you so much in advance

I use laminate tiles as the substrate. Like beardies, you don't want loose substrate like sand.

For leos you do not need any lights. The any source of heat they need is a UTH and that should be about 85-95 depending on your leo. You'll want to buy a dimmer switch for it at Home Depot.

I feed mine super worms - they like the fact that they're fast and bigger than mealworms.

For the moist hide I have wetted down daily eco-earth and then a cave on top to keep the moisture in. Then I have a warm hide and a cool hide.

No UVB or lights needed. They're nocturnal so they're never out in the day anyways so UVB would be a waste. Instead you'll want the viv near a window.

You'll want to buy leopard gecko repashy powder and make sure it has D3 in it. I would buy a small food dish and fill it with the powder and then dust their food every time you go to feed them with the powder. The reason for leaving the dish of powder in their is because if they feel like they need more calcium, they can get it whenever they want.

Hope that helps!

Use paper towel news paper reptile carpet or tile as substright only. NEVER use lose.

They need a temp on the hot side between 88 to 92°f.

You can use meal worms, crickets, dubia, silk worms, horn worms. Just about every insect feeder but supers need extra care. With supers you HAVE to pinch the heads.

You can use anything as a hide but you need at minimum 2. 1 has to be a moist hide which has to be on the hot side. You can use paper towel, eco earth, or sphagnum moss that's wet to make it moist inside the hide.

For heating use a under tank heater like flexwatt heat tape or a mat. It should cover 1/4 to 1/3 of the tank. Get a rheostat (aka lamp dimmer) to control the heat. You need to check surface temps not air temps. The cool side should be room temp (70 to 80). Do not use a light even for night time. They can see red and blue lights just like any reptile. You don't need a UV light at all because you will be feeding dusting every time you feed with supplements.

The best advice I can give you is look up some care sheets and NEVER use sand or ANY lose substright.