A few questions.

[TryToForget]

I'm about ready to get my first Leopard Gecko. I have been researching everything that I can find on the computer for many hours. I could not find much on what I am going to be asking though.

They have those can o' worms and can o' crickets. I was wondering if those are even worth getting? I would be dusting them with calcium and vitamins. I was really hoping that they would be suitable enough so that I don't have to buy live crickets and mealworms.

I'm not sure if I'm going to be getting a young or adult Leopard Gecko yet. I was going to get sand for my substrate. I know that you should not put a young Leopard Gecko in with sand substrate but I'm going to be having a calcium dish for it so that it won't eat the sand. Would that be appropriate or should I just use paper towels until it get older? If that is the case when should I change from paper towels to sand?

Can I just get a temperature guage or should I also get a humidity one?

These are the questions that are on my mind currently. I may post a little later if I think of anything else.

Thank you very much if you are taking the time to read this and reply. It is definitely appreciated.

-Jamie

[sketchy4]

personally i wouldnt use the can o' crickets or worms. live crickets are better in my opinion. just dust them with the calcium supplement when feeding.

for the substrate, sand should never be used even if you have the calcium dish inside the enclosure. they will still get some sand when hunting for food. paper towel, tile, or carpet is the best way to go.

you can use a temperature gauge but you really dont need a humidity gauge as long as you have a humid hide. a hide with a moist paper towel on the hot side of the enclosure will work nicely.

i think that pretty much covered everything in your questions.

[mathaldo]

On the can o worms stuff, I don't think they're worth it. First of all they're pretty expensive, second I heard they're not that nutritional, and third leopard geckos normally only eat moving things so it'd be hard to get them to eat them. It would just be easier to feed them mealworms or crickets alive.

I wouldn't use sand at all just because they could still get impacted. To make a "NATURAL" setup use tile. I've also seen these pretty cool looking hides that you can make from styrofoam.

You could get both, but as long as it's not too humid you shouldn't need one. You should definetely get a thermometer.

Don't forget to have this all set up before you get your leo.

[Kevin McRae]

I have used sand for my leos with no problems for years:)

Don't use sand for the young'in though.

[PDDM]

I use sand on mine,shes nearly a year old though,me what i do is use a bowl for mealies,silkies(special occasion),Superworms(same as silkies) its almost completely safe if you add in a bowl of calcium in the tank,still sand is never 100% safe no matter what...anyways by doing the bowl thing i sacrifice seeing my leo hunt crickets,which is the greatest,when you get your leo dont go with canned crix or worms,first of all youll always have to probably hand feed it second of all,you can ask everyone who has a leo nothing like watching your own stalk the cricket,jerk its head up wag its tail and launch and gobble a cricket up!Oh also dont get a hydrometer,whats the use it needs to only go in the hunmidity hide(which usualy isnt that big) and usualy humidity hides can have a pretty high level of humidity.

[TryToForget]

Thank you for the replies.

I've definitely decided on feeding live crickets and mealworms. Zarffyn how do you take out your crickets without having to handle them?

I was thinking about taking out my Leopard Gecko when I feed it so that I don't have the danger of it eating some sand along with the cricket. Then I was also thinking that if I only fed it mealworms I could just put them in a bowl or something so that they can't escape and go on the sand. I was then thinking that I could just get repti carpet instead of sand. lol yes I know I'm considering a lot of alternatives. I heard that it is better then sand but Leopard Geckos claws can get stuck in it. This is the only thing that I need help with and I'm going to get everything in a few days. So please if you have any experience doing these can you help me out and tell me which one would probably be a better pick?

-Jamie

[sketchy4]

i use carpet for half of my enclosure and tile for the other half. its quite cool looking. some people like to feed their leos only mealies but i dont really agree with that. mealworms have alot of chitin in their shells. plus its always good to give your leo a diet of more than only one feeder. silk worms, wax worms etc. should be a treat every now and then.

[PDDM]

I feed only meal worms as a staple and i do give treats,the only reason i dont use crix is b4 like i said cause of sand,oh by the wat i would go with carpet,i dont have it cause i cant find it in stores around here..

[TryToForget]

PDDM how do you keep your mealworms because I'm totally clueless. Do you just throw them in a cricket keeper (not with the crickets of course, a separate one) and feed them? Oh and also, what do you feed them and should there be anything in there for them (like how you put egg crate in with crickets)?

-Jamie

[PDDM]

Wow on this same topic made from you Jamie I was Called a murderer and Inresponsible for having my adult on sand,Anyhoo Here Are some good links:

http://www.geocities.com/borderviewdragons/mealworm.html
http://www.geckoranch.com/care.html
http://www.icomm.ca/dragon/mealworm.htm
http://www.timberlinefisheries.com/caresheets.htm

Oh also you gotta gut load them heres a good recipe(For gutload which means what to feed your insects to give the leos/herps good nutrition):
http://www.geckonetwork.com/gutload.htm

[VooDooMafia]

you can keep you meal worms in a rubbermaid (no need for a lid really), I put about 2 inches of chick food down for them to burrow in and eat(some use bran). I toss some veggies in there ever few days and they are good to go.

If you set them up right and keep them at a good temp you can toss 1000 lot in the rubbermaid and never have to buy them again as they will just breed in there for you.

I would not suggest just feeding meal worms but to change it up a bit with crickets/wax worms(great for putting weight on leos) and other feeders.

As for substrate just use paper towl, news print or the alike. If you want to make a natural loking tank use teh coconut husk stuff. Just put it in the tank when its still wet, pack it down and let dry a bit. This would also help with the humidity in the tank.


Hope this helps a bit.

[Ixidor]

I have to say, sand is just not worth it, as many other people said it causes impaction. Some other reasons I will NEVER keep a leo on sand

1.) Sand is not part of their natural enviornments, they tend to live in rock crevises and other sandless habitats in Pakistan.

2.) Sand is tiny glass shards !!! need I say more?

3.) No one likes getting sand in there eyes and even more in there mouth.

4.) Some people said no problems with sand, YET. It's very sad, my friend had a leo on sand for 8 years, no problems until it stopped eating and wouldn't defecate. There isn't a cure and its very sad watching your leo slowly growing thinner until it dies.


PLEASE consider this and get another natural looking substrate such as tile or eco earth, (coconut husk disolves in leos acids so its 100% safe.) or just paper towel.

[PDDM]

Ixidor just changed my mind on everything with his number 4,he really put it in perspective...ill get reptile carpet soon if i can find it.

[PDDM]

Well,Now me leos on Tiles :DNo more sand.

[TryToForget]

Wow I'm really, really sad now. My friend has a Leopard Gecko (she has sand) and it stopped eating and it's getting very skinny. I didn't know that's what happens when they get impaction. Im so glad that I got reptile carpet today.

-Jamie

[PDDM]

Yeah im gonna thank ixidor for convincing(more like scaring) me to get of sand,i switched to kitchen tiles there right side up will it be too slippy or something,Im really worried about this,what if she goes after a cricket and misses and gets the tile can she break her jaw???(Note;Her aim is nearly perfected,its 92-97%)

[Ixidor]

Im glad you decided to switch :D I didn't mean to scare you though, I think tiles are fine, they will slip for a while, at least I would think I've never had a leo on tiles, I imagine they would eventually learn how to hold there feet correctly

[PDDM]

Well mine hasnt slipped yet :D,she seems to not mind them at all and now i bought crix,ah good to see her hunt again since shes off sand :D