Need Help New Leopard Gecko

[Tina0472]

I bought my son a Leopard Gecko a little over a month. Trying to properly take care of Shay has taken over my life. I'm constantly researching and Petco really isn't any help. I have a few questions Attached is a copy of his tank.

Last night I realize the under tank mat was sticking. So now I have to buy a new one.

1. He spends most of his time under the hide that looks like rocks. which I considered as the "cool" side. Is that ok?
2. He no longer will eat crickets. Is that normal? He will eat 5 meal worms every night.
3. He has yet to shed. that is really concerning me. We haven't see any difference in the color of his skin
4. Still refuses for us to handle him. I have to carefully clean the tank with him in it. I change the carpet once a week.
5. I bought a mulitvitman and he refuse to eat the worms if i use it on them.


I don't know what I'm doing. I'm really trying. If Shay dies my son is going to be devastated.

Any information is greatly appreciated.

[acpart]

Hi,
Welcome to the forums. It will be helpful if you can post a picture of the gecko (I know that may be difficult if it never comes out of its hide, so if it's really hard, don't bother) so we can see what it looks like.
Here is a link to my care sheet that explains what you need, what you don't need and why: https://geckcessories.wordpress.com/...ko-care-sheet/

I assume you mean that the under tank mat isn't sticking. I also assume from the picture that you're using a 10 gallon tank which is fine for now. As the gecko grows I recommend upgrading to a 20 gallon long tank (30"x12"x12") which is a better size for an adult. If you have not already gotten a new heat mat, consider getting zoo-med heat cable (look it up on Amazon and get the 14' size) which you can tape on the bottom (with Nashua tape --look at Home Depot in the duct area) and then pull off and re-tape if necessary.

Here are my answers to your questions:

1. He spends most of his time under the hide that looks like rocks. which I considered as the "cool" side. Is that ok?
He may be on that side because, if you're not using a thermostat, the hot side may be too hot. You can check the temperature by getting a reptile digital thermometer with probe which is usually under $10 at the pet store. The temp on the ground (not in the air) should be in the low 90's. The temperature without a thermostat can sometimes get over 100 so check that.
2. He no longer will eat crickets. Is that normal? He will eat 5 meal worms every night.
Some geckos are pickier than my kids were. Mealworms are fine. Every month or so, get a few crickets and offer them to see if he wants a change or if he wants variety.
3. He has yet to shed. that is really concerning me. We haven't see any difference in the color of his skin
There's a good chance he shed overnight and it happened before you could notice
4. Still refuses for us to handle him. I have to carefully clean the tank with him in it. I change the carpet once a week.
Young leopard geckos are pretty nervous and jittery. He may settle down as he gets older. Try holding him gently in one hand a little above the floor of the enclosure and making a cave for him with your other hand. If he hops out, so be it!
5. I bought a mulitvitman and he refuse to eat the worms if i use it on them.
You could try Repashy Calcium Plus which the geckos seem to like more. If he just won't do it, then once you can handle him a bit, every week or so you can dip your finger in water, dip it in the vitamin (which will make a vitamin paste on your finger) and rub a bit on his mouth which he will lick off

These geckos are pretty hardy so he'll probably be fine. Sometimes Petco sells their geckos too young to be well started, or they are sick. I'm not saying that's the case with yours. I mean that unless that happens to be the case, things will probably be fine.

Aliza




Here are my answers to your questions:

[Tina0472]

Hi,
Welcome to the forums. It will be helpful if you can post a picture of the gecko (I know that may be difficult if it never comes out of its hide, so if it's really hard, don't bother) so we can see what it looks like.
Here is a link to my care sheet that explains what you need, what you don't need and why: https://geckcessories.wordpress.com/...ko-care-sheet/

I assume you mean that the under tank mat isn't sticking. I also assume from the picture that you're using a 10 gallon tank which is fine for now. As the gecko grows I recommend upgrading to a 20 gallon long tank (30"x12"x12") which is a better size for an adult. If you have not already gotten a new heat mat, consider getting zoo-med heat cable (look it up on Amazon and get the 14' size) which you can tape on the bottom (with Nashua tape --look at Home Depot in the duct area) and then pull off and re-tape if necessary.

Here are my answers to your questions:

1. He spends most of his time under the hide that looks like rocks. which I considered as the "cool" side. Is that ok?
He may be on that side because, if you're not using a thermostat, the hot side may be too hot. You can check the temperature by getting a reptile digital thermometer with probe which is usually under $10 at the pet store. The temp on the ground (not in the air) should be in the low 90's. The temperature without a thermostat can sometimes get over 100 so check that.
2. He no longer will eat crickets. Is that normal? He will eat 5 meal worms every night.
Some geckos are pickier than my kids were. Mealworms are fine. Every month or so, get a few crickets and offer them to see if he wants a change or if he wants variety.
3. He has yet to shed. that is really concerning me. We haven't see any difference in the color of his skin
There's a good chance he shed overnight and it happened before you could notice
4. Still refuses for us to handle him. I have to carefully clean the tank with him in it. I change the carpet once a week.
Young leopard geckos are pretty nervous and jittery. He may settle down as he gets older. Try holding him gently in one hand a little above the floor of the enclosure and making a cave for him with your other hand. If he hops out, so be it!
5. I bought a mulitvitman and he refuse to eat the worms if i use it on them.
You could try Repashy Calcium Plus which the geckos seem to like more. If he just won't do it, then once you can handle him a bit, every week or so you can dip your finger in water, dip it in the vitamin (which will make a vitamin paste on your finger) and rub a bit on his mouth which he will lick off

These geckos are pretty hardy so he'll probably be fine. Sometimes Petco sells their geckos too young to be well started, or they are sick. I'm not saying that's the case with yours. I mean that unless that happens to be the case, things will probably be fine.

Aliza




Here are my answers to your questions:

thank you for replying,

I'm going shopping this evening fr the items you listed above. I actually just had a conversation with my husband about purchasing a bigger tank. How often should I feed him? I cut out the morning feeding and only doing evening. Yesterday, he popped his out from the hide as soon as he heard our voices. He ate 12 meal worms. For almost 2 days he was sleeping a lot. I thought something was wrong with him

[acpart]

The gecko looks great! From what you first wrote, I was worried that you had gotten a tiny juvenile that was in bad shape from the beginning. That gecko looks nearly adult. They are very lazy creatures and can spend a lot of time sleeping or staying in their hides. If the gecko wants to eat every day, feed it every day until it seems less interested. I was feeding my older juvies twice a week and now that they are all adults over 2 years old, they are being fed twice a week.

Aliza

[Bazamore]

lets put it like this. Your Juvenile Leo probably hasn't been handle since its been in Petco. Maybe a few times but not enough to where it got comfortable to be handle when ever. I have a Leo that's is the same since we got him, he's over a year old and doesn't like to be handled. I take him out once in a blue and I usually have him deiced when he wants to come out by just putting my hand flat in front of him when he's active and see if he crawls on. It doesn't have to be that way though you can easily tame Leo's jut put your hand in the tank a few times every week. Then when he starts to see that you aren't a threat he will start to be normal around it then try laying your hand flat and letting him walk on your hand and take it slowly from there. When it comes to the hides acpart is right you would want to get something to see if the heat is to much on his hot side. Your Leo always staying on the cool side could also be that he feels safer and there might be less light that enters. My Leo till this day mostly stays in that same rock but goes to his heat when he needs it. When it comes to food Baby Leo's you want to feed every day in moderation Juveniles every other day and Adults every 3 days make sure to always gutload and dust your Insect feeder. Leos can be very secretive about what they do for example, Pooping/peeing, Drinking water,Shedding, and Exploring.

Hope this helped.