# Leopard Geckos!



## LaLaLeyla (Aug 17, 2011)

I might possibly get a baby leopard gecko for my birthday in April! I just have a few questions. Whats the best way to go about heating a tank? Last time I had a leopard gecko our power went out and he ended up freezing to death. I was devastated.


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## finnfinnfriend (Feb 3, 2012)

What I do is I have a under tank heater under one side of the tank, hooked up to a thermostat, and since my house is cold, I have night lamp over the tank 24/7 to warm up the air in there. I don't know how your last one froze to death, unless your house was doesn't have heat and it was like, snowing...My power has gone out and my leo was fine


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## LaLaLeyla (Aug 17, 2011)

It was really cold in our house, like freezing. Im not sure if that's the whole reason he died. That was a few years ago(like 4-5) and he was my first gecko. I'm sure there were some things we didn't do right. :/


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## MattsBettas (Dec 18, 2012)

I love my Leo! To heat it, I use a heat pad on half the tank. (Make sure half is not heated and half is, so they can adjust their temperature.) I use sand as a substrate (fine grain), as it acts as a heat holder so even if the power goes out the sand is warm. If a long power outage ever happened, I would probably throw a blanket on top of her tank and keep her close to my body.


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## LaLaLeyla (Aug 17, 2011)

I heard sand is bad for geckos because of impaction?


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## finnfinnfriend (Feb 3, 2012)

Personally I would use reptile carpet or paper towels. I used to use paper towels but I swithed over to reptile carpet because i felt like I was wasting a lot of paper and I am actually very pleased with it...And so is my gecko lol


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## MattsBettas (Dec 18, 2012)

It's pretty controversial, but mine has been on sand for twelve years without issue. Use a fine enough grain and they will be fine.


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## LaLaLeyla (Aug 17, 2011)

Ahh okay! I might lean toward sand or paper towels/nespaper


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## finnfinnfriend (Feb 3, 2012)

LaLaLeyla said:


> Ahh okay! I might lean toward sand or paper towels/nespaper


It's really just a matter of preference between those two. My ex has had his leo for over 10 years also and she is on sand...If you are getting a baby though, I would say put it on reptile carpet or paper towels at first, and then switch to sand later if you'd like. Having a feeding dish for meal worms helps to eliminate impaction risk...


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## MattsBettas (Dec 18, 2012)

Yes... Babies must not be on sand.


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## finnfinnfriend (Feb 3, 2012)

MattsBettas said:


> Yes... Babies must not be on sand.


Yeah but once they are grown sand is usually fine (and looks better). Don't use calcium sand though, because that encourages them to ingest it and I heard it can clump in their system which is all bad...


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## MattsBettas (Dec 18, 2012)

Yea. It's called impaction and I'm currently caring for a teachers Leo who has it (but not from sand- he's on paper.).


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## finnfinnfriend (Feb 3, 2012)

Do you know how your teacher's leo got impacted?


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## MattsBettas (Dec 18, 2012)

It was probably from the kingworms she feeds to him. It is rare, but can happen. I feed mine crickets. It is not too serious but he doesn't eat. So warm baths, tummy massages for now but we might give him oil later.


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## LaLaLeyla (Aug 17, 2011)

My mom surpised me and actually bought me a baby leopard gecko at petsmart!
He's in a 10 gallon tank with repti carpet, 1 cave, 1 food + 1 water dish
He has a 50 watt bulb in his lamp and he has 4 mealworms in his bowl coated with calcium dust


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## MattsBettas (Dec 18, 2012)

Good! He should have a moist hide along with his dry hide and they should be on different sides of the tank. I use this- https://www.google.ca/search?q=exo+...AQ&biw=768&bih=900#biv=i|46;d|LhvlcME6DrgF6M: filled with moist moss. It will keep them healthy and help them shed.


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## LaLaLeyla (Aug 17, 2011)

We are gonna pick up some moss soon. 
Question, how long should it take for the bulb to heat his tank? Im worried he's getting cold so I put on my room space heater


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## MattsBettas (Dec 18, 2012)

I don't know. A room heater might make him to hot. I would recommend a under tank heat pad, but to each their own.


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## ashleigheperry (Mar 1, 2013)

Under tank heater and a lamp is your best bet. 
If the power goes out you MUST move your babies somewhere with heat. I had a good friend (or two) on call that were always willing to take the tank if the power went out. I'd visit daily to feed and socialize until the power was back on. You need to have a thermometer in the tank so that you can regulate the temperature. 50W is usually sufficient with the addition of an under tank heater, but getting a lamp that's too intense isn't good for your baby. 

And I usually stick with paper towels or carpet as a substrate (esp. for babies). It's easier and safer!


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## MattsBettas (Dec 18, 2012)

The combo of a lamp/pad could get really hot.


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## LaLaLeyla (Aug 17, 2011)

I have a thermometer in there right now and right now it's at 70 f. When the power went out it was at a house we don't even live in anymore and the house we live in now hasn't experience a power outage. 

So far on our shopping list is an under tank heater and some moss (which we all have coupons for yay!)


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## LaLaLeyla (Aug 17, 2011)

This is the kit I bought my leopard gecko btw. I know generally getting kits isn't the best thing, but I know I needed a 10 gallon tank and it seemed to be really good deal.


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## ashleigheperry (Mar 1, 2013)

LaLaLeyla said:


> I have a thermometer in there right now and right now it's at 70 f. When the power went out it was at a house we don't even live in anymore and the house we live in now hasn't experience a power outage.
> 
> So far on our shopping list is an under tank heater and some moss (which we all have coupons for yay!)


You'll want to try and get the hot side to around 85 degrees and the under tank heater should help a lot. You can try a bulb with a higher wattage as well (70+). The cool side of the tank doesn't need to me as hot but each side should have a separate hide if possible.


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## LaLaLeyla (Aug 17, 2011)

I just found out I'm suppose to use both of the heat lamps my kit came with. Now his hot side is at 80 and the colder side is 70-73 

This is what I get for not reading the directions 

He's up and moving and licking his calcium dust like a weirdo. He actually ended up eating one mealworm c:


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## ashleigheperry (Mar 1, 2013)

LaLaLeyla said:


> I just found out I'm suppose to use both of the heat lamps my kit came with. Now his hot side is at 80 and the colder side is 70-73
> 
> This is what I get for not reading the directions
> 
> He's up and moving and licking his calcium dust like a weirdo. He actually ended up eating one mealworm c:


That's much better! Closer to 90 is preferable, but that's not bad and the fact that he's already eating is wonderful! :-D


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## MattsBettas (Dec 18, 2012)

Oh yea that kit looks good.


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## LaLaLeyla (Aug 17, 2011)

I'm not sure if the thermometer is completely accurate I'm not sure.
I also made a make shift moist hide with some damp paper towel.


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