Needing Info about leopard geckos

[logan4321]

So that all should be all I need?
And I might get the tank today and sometime order all the other stuff from amazon. And do there need to be mealworms always in a food dish or can you just feed them crickets every day? And im planning on getting a juvenile when I get one so what size crickets should they eat 1/4 3/4?

 

[logan4321]

Would 10 gallons work all there life?

 

[SukiLove]

10 gallons would work for one adult gecko for their whole life, yes. A good guide for feeding a leopard gecko is to feed them 2 appropriately sized insects for every inch of their total length, every other day. Most juveniles would come about 4 inches or a bit more, so that would be about 8 mealworms/crickets 3-4 times a week. I cannot really answer the size of the crickets because it really depends on the size of the gecko. I would say that if the gecko is 4.5" and smaller, I would feed small crickets which are about 1/4". 4.5"-6" (gecko length) you could probably feed medium crickets which are about 1/2" - 3/4". 6.5"+ (gecko length) you could probably feed large crickets, which are about 1"-1.5".

 

[SukiLove]

http://www.reptilesmagazine.com/Care-Sheets/Lizards/Leopard-Gecko/

There's another good article on gecko care.

 

[logan4321]

8 meal worms and 8 crickets or just 8 of one type?

 

[SukiLove]

8 of whichever one you decide to feed. Just be sure to gutload them for 48 hours before feeding, which means just let them chow down on some veggie scraps before feeding them off.

 

[logan4321]

How to I maintain humidity and make sure he doesn't get respritory diseases?

 

[SukiLove]

The only humidity will be in the humid hide, I've never had issues with high humidity from that. Keep the screen lid unobstructed so you can get good ventilation. Do you have humidity issues in your home?

 

[SukiLove]

If you want to measure the humidity to keep an eye on it you can get a hygrometer. Leo's should be kept at 40% and lower, and unless you live in a humid environment or are misting their cage daily it shouldn't really go above that. Make sure that you keep the water dish on the cool side of the cage and that should help as well.

These will measure both humidity and temperature, so if you are worried about it you could invest in one of these instead of just a digital temperature reader:
http://www.amazon.com/Zilla-11577-Terrarium-Hygrometer-Thermometer/dp/B004PBB1XU/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&qid=1441667926&sr=8-6&keywords=reptile+hygrometer
http://www.amazon.com/Exo-Terra-Combination-Thermometer-Hygrometer/dp/B001NOGK7Y/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1441667951&sr=8-3&keywords=reptile+hygrometer&pebp=1441668048290&perid=0XJRV5T7BDWCS1PYD6GJ

 

[logan4321]

how would you lower humidity?

 

[SukiLove]

If you needed to lower it, you would need a dehumidifier in all likelihood. If the humidity in your house is higher than that outside, you could simply open up the windows and create more airflow. If you live in an area where there are periods of higher humidity the Leo will be okay for short periods of high humidity. We get some pretty nice thunderstorms where I live that tend to raise the humidity in the house a good bit, all of my Leo's have been fine for the years that I've had them. They tend to favor the cool side of the tank when the humidity gets a bit high, but never had any health problems.
Unless you live in a real humid area, it's not likely you will run into this problem.

 

[logan4321]

Thanks for the information i'm going to research some with my dad too. I might have some questions sometime else thanks for all the information.

 

[logan4321]

List:
(This is what I asked another forum)

Tank: http://www.petsmart.com/fish/aquariums-stands/aqueon-glass-aquarium-zid36-31896/cat-36-catid-300013?var_id=36-31896&_t=pfm%3Dcategory
Screen: Can't find one

Water Dish: http://www.amazon.com/Exo-Terra-Water-Dish-Small/dp/B0002AR4AW/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1441752995&sr=8-1&keywords=water+dish+reptile+small

Heat pad: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B001D7482A/ref=twister_B00ZK0JZ42?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1v (Please tell me what heat pad size would be good with the tank I listed)

Dry warmer end hide: http://www.amazon.com/Exo-Terra-Reptile-Cave-Medium/dp/B001F3YJ9O/ref=sr_1_1?s=pet-supplies&ie=UTF8&qid=1441753217&sr=1-1&keywords=reptile+hides

Warm side moist hide: http://www.amazon.com/Zoo-Med-Reptile-Shelter-Medium/dp/B000BNZTAC/ref=sr_1_2?s=pet-supplies&ie=UTF8&qid=1441753293&sr=1-2&keywords=reptile+medium

Colder end dry hide: Please link me one that would be good for a young to adult leopard gecko.

Substrate: Paper towels

I need a temperature/humidity measurer all the ones i've seen have bad reviews.

And should I leave the heat pad on 24/7 and should the temperatures be the same 24/7?

And would the hydrofarm be a good thermestat

Please help me find a screen for the 20 gallon tank I listed, Please also tell me what size heat pad I listed would be good for the 20 gallon tank I listed, and please
help me find a colder end dry hide and a good temperature/humidity measurer.

 

[SukiLove]

If you are purchasing a 20 gallon aquarium, it may be difficult to get an exact fit for that tank as aquariums and terrariums can be slightly different. But this lid should work. http://www.amazon.com/Exo-Terra-Screen-Cover-Gallon/dp/B00LH2AQJA/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1441758566&sr=8-4&keywords=20+gallon+screen+lid

You can use this thermometer/hygrometer as well. http://www.amazon.com/Chaney-Instruments-00613-Acurite-Humidiy/dp/B0013BKDO8/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1308941437&sr=8-3

The 'cold hide' and 'warm hide' can be anything you want it to be. The purpose is to offer as many hiding places as you can so they can choose where they want to go. The only one you need to make sure is truly appropriate is the humid hide. So you can simply buy 2 of the same hides and use one for the warm side and one for the cool side.

That heat pad is a large size for a 20 gallon, and I would definitely recommend using the thermostat if you want to go with that one as it is meant for a 30-40 gallon tank. Which means it will heat up a much larger space and could overheat your leopard gecko. A thermostat is used to regulate the heat and maintain it by not allowing it to get too hot or too cold. The hydrofarm is a decent thermostat (I use it myself for my geckos), and will help you make sure to maintain consistent temperatures. And yes, you leave it on 24/7.

 

[SukiLove]

Leopard geckos live in the deserts around Pakistan, India, and Afghanistan, so if you understand their environment it makes understanding their heating requirements better. They are nocturnal, they hide away during the heat of the day and come out at night. The earth is still warm from the sun during the day but is not hot, that's why they are kept at lower temperatures than say, bearded dragons. Their upper range tends to be around 90 degrees and their low range would be around 70 degrees average. You don't need to cycle the heat on and off for them in a small enclosure like a 10 or 20 gallon tank because you cannot achieve it in reality. That is why you leave it on 24/7, because those their natural temperatures are always warm. I hope that helps you understand it a little better.