Hi Everyone... Newbie

[Chrissy&Zoo]

Hi!!
Just wanted to quickly introduce myself, and get some tips...

My name's Chrissy, and I'm owned by my own little Zoo, consisting of a Jack Russell Terrier, 4 Ferrets, 5 Fish, a red eared Slider, a Hermit Crab (rescue), and the newest addition - a Leopard Gecko.

Now, I've had an Igi before, but never a Gecko.... can imagine they're a lot different.. So I was just wondering if y'all had some tips for me here...
We named him Bumble, cause he looks like a Bumble Bee. My neigbor rescued him recently (don't know the whole story), but she doens't take to reptiles to well. So therefor she gave the little fella to us just this morning....
I think I got him set up pretty well, with an undetank heater, hiding spots, food and water.... but I wanted to get some tips on the whole general experience of being owned by a gecko.... Like i said, I never had a gecko, so I'm more or less clueless here, and every site on the net that I come across says something else, and the last thing I wanna do is harm the little guy (or girl? Still too young to tell)
So, any sort of tips would be appreciated!!!!

[elfomatic]

Hi Chrissy!

It sounds like you are doing right by your Leopard. I'm glad you indirectly rescued him.

I guess the only suggestion I would possibly have is to maybe replace the undertank heater with a heat lamp. This provides for a temperature gradient rather than a uniformily warm cage. Temps at the warmest spot should be 90 and around 80 in the rest of the enclosure.

I know they like crickets ... just make sure you gut load them first. You can get gut-load at your reptile store if you don't have any already.

Well, good luck! Do you have any pics?

P.S. I love Red Eared Sliders....

[Chrissy&Zoo]

Well, I'm glad so far I'm going alright... lol

I actually went and got a heat lamp later that day of the post. The temps just didn't seem right.

I gave him some worms first, since that is what (apparently) he got at the original wannabe breeder my neighbor got him from. Then yesterday I went to get some crickets, but they only had big ones, he could've never ate him. So that very sweet man told me he'd get me some pinheads by today.... (He knows me since I got my Turtle there, and my fiance used to sell him snakes)
I don't have any pics yet, since he really doesn't come out much yet. He came out Saturday night to explore a little, and then last night. (Both times after lights out)
I hope he'll get a little more curious and all soon, I have to clean his hiding box, but I hate to disturb him, and stress him even more.

But as soon as I can, I will get some pics!!!!

[capnsweets]

Welcome tot he forum. I don't know much of anything about geckos, minus what I have learned here from reading posts. Good luck to you!

[kittygurl823]

Hi Chrissy! to PT!!! So nice to meet you!

[rudegirlonthebu]

I feed all my leopard geckos (3 females, 1 male) crickets, and as a treat once in a while, silkworms. Every other feeding, the crickets are dusted with calcium. They love the silkworms, and they are good for them too.

[moboluv1]

i have a baby gecko. he's about 3 months old. don't get freaked out if yours turns whitish gray. they shed a lot, and mine always stops eating when he sheds. i give him the small crickets 2x a week and i keep his dish filled with mealworms. don't give him insects you find in the yard or around the house--they might have been exposed to chemicals or pesticides somewhere along the way and it could poison the gecko.

hope it helps

[Lizgirl]

Welcome to PT Chrissy and Zoo. It looks like the info. you have already received is top notch. I look forward to getting to know you and your zoo better.