Leopard geckos?

[Nebs Tarantulas]

So I’ve been in the tarantula hobby for a little less then a year, and I’m going to go into reptiles too, so I need all these questions answered 1. Is 68 F too cold for the cool side, if so how should I go about warming it up a little 2. Is a 40 gallon tank ok? 3. What kind of substrate cause I can’t find any direct answer so I’ve come to here, any extra input is widely appreciated

 

[Poonjab]

1: too cold. Needs to be in mid 70’s use ceramic heat emitter and a heat mat hooked up to Thermostat
2: 40 gallon will work for an adult
3: ecoearth is fine. If you want cheaper and easier to clean. Use repticarpet or paper towels.

 

[Nebs Tarantulas]

1: too cold. Needs to be in mid 70’s use ceramic heat emitter and a heat mat hooked up to Thermostat
2: 40 gallon will work for an adult
3: ecoearth is fine. If you want cheaper and easier to clean. Use repticarpet or paper towels.

How much would all of that be on the electric bill?

 

[Dry Desert]

How much would all of that be on the electric bill?

28 dollers - who the hell knows.
You could always try a Leopard Gecko website that will give you all the answers you require.

 

[Malum Argenteum]

A heat mat is ~20w, and a CHE ~75w. These are very rough estimates, and depend on how much the thermostat calls for heat. Will be more in the winter, less in the summer.

Anyway, 95w for 24hr is 2280WH/day. Where I live ($0.10/KWH), that's $0.23/day, or $7/month.

In a tub, all you'd need is the heat mat; in a PVC enclosure, an RHP running maybe a little more than that on average. Screen topped glass tanks pretty much suck for keeping most reptiles, not only for heat control but also for the feelings of security from the animal's POV, ease of cleaning, resistance to breaking, etc.

I personally wouldn't use EcoEarth for leos -- dusty when dry, impaction hazard. If you like the "dirt" look, Zilla Jungle mix is OK. 'Microchip' coco husk might be an option, but it is expensive. I keep mine (~15 breeders, ~75 hatchlings yearly) on textured kraft paper. I'm not sure which way the pendulum has swung on sand these days -- I keep my viper geckos on sand and I like it for them.

You could always try a Leopard Gecko website that will give you all the answers you require.

Yeah, if only there was one.

 

[Westicles]

How much would all of that be on the electric bill?

Not enough you would notice much. I run 6 rhp's for my snakes day after day for yrs on end and I could chalk the difference in the electricity bill on plenty of other things. I also live in Mississippi, the "poorest" state. Things are cheap here!! Lol

 

[viper69]

How much would all of that be on the electric bill?

If you’re concerned about the electric bill for a lep gex, I’ve owned them, then I feel you may not be able to support them properly. It doesn’t cost much at all, but if your finances are such that you are concerned- forget reptiles

Also, no one can tell YOUR costs, people’s rates are different.

Also DO NOT use repticarpet! They can get their teeth caught on the strong fibers.

I wouldn’t buy any lep gex in the USA market at all. They are all highly inbred. It’s turned into producing terrible animals.

 

[Malum Argenteum]

If you’re concerned about the electric bill for a lep gex, I’ve owned them, then I feel you may not be able to support them properly. It doesn’t cost much at all, but if your finances are such that you are concerned- forget reptiles

Excellent points. Just food and supplement will be ~ $5 - 10/month. One vet visit can run up a couple hundred dollars pretty quickly.

I'm not sure that leos are so inbred that they shouldn't be owned, though some multiple-morph animals (and some specific morphs) can be problematic. Not sure the US market is so distinctive, either; even Europe, which has some...ummm...periodic imports of typically unimportable animals isn't likely gathering in Afghanistan or Pakistan these days. Maybe I'm wrong about their tenacity, but I think they're spending their time bringing in new species from Australia. (I better quit this topic now before I start a rant.)

Outcrossed animals (e.g. Mack Snow fasciolatus; John Scarbrough's 'Vanilla Project' subspecies crosses) can be found if a person is concerned, and some of us are breeding quality 'normals' for vigor rather than just appearance.

Leos are no more inbred than any other "beginner" reptile such corn snakes, royal pythons, and especially bearded dragons (though these are starting to be hybridized with recently smuggled species, which doesn't strike me as a better situation).

 

[viper69]

Excellent points. Just food and supplement will be ~ $5 - 10/month. One vet visit can run up a couple hundred dollars pretty quickly.

I'm not sure that leos are so inbred that they shouldn't be owned, though some multiple-morph animals (and some specific morphs) can be problematic. Not sure the US market is so distinctive, either; even Europe, which has some...ummm...periodic imports of typically unimportable animals isn't likely gathering in Afghanistan or Pakistan these days. Maybe I'm wrong about their tenacity, but I think they're spending their time bringing in new species from Australia. (I better quit this topic now before I start a rant.)

Outcrossed animals (e.g. Mack Snow fasciolatus; John Scarbrough's 'Vanilla Project' subspecies crosses) can be found if a person is concerned, and some of us are breeding quality 'normals' for vigor rather than just appearance.

Leos are no more inbred than any other "beginner" reptile such corn snakes, royal pythons, and especially bearded dragons (though these are starting to be hybridized with recently smuggled species, which doesn't strike me as a better situation).

If I can find the link I read I’ll send it.

They are definitely inbred too much from what I read.

For my pied BP, I specifically picked an animal that was 50% WC genetics.

 

[Malum Argenteum]

For my pied BP, I specifically picked an animal that was 50% WC genetics.

That's cool, sincerely, but unusual in the grand scheme of things. There are 31,000 BPs on MM this morning, and I bet the number with WC in the last three generations is double digits at most.

People are selectively breeding some of those WC too, like Voltas and Zio Rivers to get massive animals. I guess I tend to think it isn't so much the species as it is the hobby generally. Definitely worth our concern, though, I totally agree.

Also, refusing to buy leos will only make the problem worse, by reducing the number of animals in the captive pool. Demanding outcrosses (like you did) -- demanding healthy animals, rather than pretty or genetically novel ones ("Wow!!! World's first Armageddon line Atomic hypermelanistic triple strain albino Mack/Gem/Alby Snow Enigma Eclipse Intergalactic Space Ranger with cheese leopard gecko!!!"), is a more constructive path.

 

[Braden]

I. Setting up a 40 gallonbfor my boi. I know its a bit extra but I love the lid dude. My room goes down to 64 but I try to use a space heater to keep it over 68. Also I'm not gonna touch the substrate topic, I don't feel like being shamed lol

 

[Liquifin]

When I had my leopard gecko, she was a sweet-heart. She was a normal leopard gecko so no special look to her but a few spots. I really miss her and I kept her very happily from a baby to an adult. I kept her very well and she shed perfectly every time and had a good feeding response. But sadly I had to give her up as I had financial issues in terms of feeding resources for her at the time. She was very healthy, active, handleable, and docile. I know some people recommend heat lamps, but that's absolutely not necessary. They will need a heat mat to help them with digesting food. They are very easy to keep and are very hardy in my experience. It really saddens me to see some with MBD or in poor health as it just shows the poor care some people provide for them.

Any reptile care is highly subjective, so I wish you the best. People argue and debate like crazy when it comes to any reptile care.

 

[Nebs Tarantulas]

When I had my leopard gecko, she was a sweet-heart. She was a normal leopard gecko so no special look to her but a few spots. I really miss her and I kept her very happily from a baby to an adult. I kept her very well and she shed perfectly every time and had a good feeding response. But sadly I had to give her up as I had financial issues in terms of feeding resources for her at the time. She was very healthy, active, handleable, and docile. I know some people recommend heat lamps, but that's absolutely not necessary. They will need a heat mat to help them with digesting food. They are very easy to keep and are very hardy in my experience. It really saddens me to see some with MBD or in poor health as it just shows the poor care some people provide for them.

Any reptile care is highly subjective, so I wish you the best. People argue and debate like crazy when it comes to any reptile care.

Thank you so much for the input!

 

[Skullion]

Welcome to the leopard gecko cult.

 

[Nebs Tarantulas]

Welcome to the leopard gecko cult.
View attachment 403985

That is so adorable

 

[Skullion]

That is so adorable

She's my baby. xD

 

[Nebs Tarantulas]

She's my baby. xD

I love Leo geckos they are so cute, but I’m currently now deciding between blue tongues and leo’s

 

[Skullion]

Also, btw, lamps aren't necessary. Leos need a day/night cycle, but if they're living in a spot that gets plenty of light, they will be fine so long as they have a heat mat and D3 supplementation.

 

[Skullion]

I love Leo geckos they are so cute, but I’m currently now deciding between blue tongues and leo’s

Ah, I've never had a skink so I can't really give you advice on that unfortunately. Though I will say that leopard geckos are even cuter in person.