Charlie Posted December 20, 2009 Report Share Posted December 20, 2009 Rite well i have secured 4 Female and 1 Male Leopard Geckos to arrive at the end of Januray... Just wanted to run my propesed set-up with you guys. I have decided to house the females together and male seperate... The 4 females will be in a 120x45x30 tank and the male in a 60x45x30 tank. Equipment wise... Female Tank: Heat Mat: 42 x 28cm 20w at one end of the tank Heat Fan: Low voltage Fan Heater 50w (reptile one) Thermometer: digital (one at each end) Bunch of caves and drift woods... Desert Sand Reptile bedding 50W night light and holder Male: Heat Mat: 14 x 15cm 5w Thermometer: digital (one at each end) Caves and Driftwood Desert sand reptile bedding 50W night light and holder Do you think it is nessacary to seperate the male at such a early age? I mean if i can keep it in the female tank until about 8-9 months it would work better for me, then move him to a seperate tank when he reaches maturity. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
repto Posted December 20, 2009 Report Share Posted December 20, 2009 if you want good breeding females then I would definatly keep them separate and let them get as big and mature as you can.Have not bred these myself but seen beardies that breed young and their growth just stops,also clutch size and egg producing rate and length of time greatly reduced.Same with alot of animals just because they can breed not always best to let them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Navarre Posted December 20, 2009 Report Share Posted December 20, 2009 Charlie, Prior to all this stuff I wouldl get your food sorted as well Do you have neonate everything and in great supply? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alanmin4304 Posted December 20, 2009 Report Share Posted December 20, 2009 Buying live food will make the cost of the lizards seem cheap. I am feeding 10 baby beardies at present and they are eating like there is no tomorrow. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Perpin Posted December 20, 2009 Report Share Posted December 20, 2009 Hi Charlie. First of all you cannot keep a male with females up until the age of 8 to 9 months unless you intend to let them breed at a very early age which is not a good idea. This will work only if you are an experienced leo keeper/breeder. Some females mature faster than others and will start producing eggs at a very early age which is not what you want. She can become eggboung and can die if she is too small to pass the eggs. Now on to the setup.: You do not need a heat fan. A heating mat will be sufficient. You want to be able to generate a certain amount of moisture in order for them to shed properly. A fan will dry everything out. I take it the night light you mentioned is one that does not generate heat? Make sure it does not as some people like to see there leo's at night and then forget the light on resulting in the tanks temps rising to dangerous levels. The last point being the most improtant. DO NOT USE SAND!! especially with hatchlings. The chances of hatchlings swallowing the sand is too high. This will cause impaction and can cause serious health issues as well as death. I know there are a lot of people out there who refute this but its not worth taking the chance. Google it and check it out for yourself. All the major breeders will tell you that it is a very bad idea. Rather use tiles or kitchen paper or even newspaper when they are little. I know its not beautiful but you dont want to risk impaction. You only need wait a few months and then you can convert to a more natural looking setup. I hope this has helped Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Perpin Posted December 20, 2009 Report Share Posted December 20, 2009 Have you read my Leopard Gecko Care Sheet? Here is the link viewtopic.php?f=40&t=42518 or just go back to the first page on Reptile and Amphibians, its somewhere near the bottom of the page. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Insect Direct Posted December 20, 2009 Report Share Posted December 20, 2009 Perpin Do leos eat like beardies? I wouldn't have thought quite as much but admittedly I know very little bout these guys? Whats your opinion on mealworms as a food for them? Edit ignore that last question, just read your care sheet :oops: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Perpin Posted December 20, 2009 Report Share Posted December 20, 2009 Yeah I am a big fan of mealworms for leo's. They definately dont eat as much as beardies but do need to be fed everyday as hatchlings. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charlie Posted December 20, 2009 Author Report Share Posted December 20, 2009 yea i know about the sand issue with impactation but what if the sand was calci sand? you know the sand if the eat will actually be absorbed and converted into calcium? if not then bare bottom it is... Yes i understand about shedding and the need for a moist environment, thanks for bringing the fan to my attention didnt really think that through... Going to get a clutch of meal worms and criket breeding at the start on January to keep up food supply so there is plenty for them. I dont plan to breed until they are around 55g, this is when they are stable and a good size to breed. So i should keep the male seperate from the start? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Perpin Posted December 20, 2009 Report Share Posted December 20, 2009 I would not keep hatchlings on calci sand either. Rather wait until they are older. You can keep them all together initially. Just watch that they are all eating enough and that none are being bullied. I would put the male in his own enclosure when they reach about 4 months of age. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Varanophile Posted December 21, 2009 Report Share Posted December 21, 2009 if you want good breeding females then I would definatly keep them separate and let them get as big and mature as you can.Have not bred these myself but seen beardies that breed young and their growth just stops,also clutch size and egg producing rate and length of time greatly reduced.Same with alot of animals just because they can breed not always best to let them. Yep. Repto's right. Also get a ceramic heat emmitter...elstein or similar. Heat mats are dodge. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Perpin Posted December 21, 2009 Report Share Posted December 21, 2009 Sorry but I disagree with Varanophile's statement about creamic heat emitters and heatiing pads. Leopard gecko's need heating from below(through the belly). This aids digestion and is very important. Leo's do not need heat emitters. Heatings pads are vital. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Varanophile Posted December 21, 2009 Report Share Posted December 21, 2009 Sorry but I disagree with Varanophile's statement about creamic heat emitters and heatiing pads. Leopard gecko's need heating from below(through the belly). This aids digestion and is very important. Leo's do not need heat emitters. Heatings pads are vital. Because the sun comes out at night an warms the rocks they walk over? I swear by the ceramics, most reptiles do not have nerves on their ventral surfaces and I have seen burns from heat rocks many times. Each to their own, just because it works for me doesn't mean it will work for you, and vice versa. Maybe I'll try heat pads when decent ones are available in NZ. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Perpin Posted December 21, 2009 Report Share Posted December 21, 2009 Hey Veranophile. I agree that they can be prone to burns. To prevent burns it is best to put the heat pads under your tank and not in it and you can hook it up to a thermostat to make sure it does not get too hot. As you say...each to their own Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David R Posted December 21, 2009 Report Share Posted December 21, 2009 Because the sun comes out at night an warms the rocks they walk over? I'm guessing the rocks would hold a reasonable amount of heat after being baked in the desert sun all day, you might find for at least part of the night the rocks are warmer than the air? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phoenix44 Posted December 21, 2009 Report Share Posted December 21, 2009 I would have thought heat was the last issue here. It get freezing cold in a majority of the area where they originate from (I've seen these guys in the wild). They are nocturnal are they not? I was told they hide during the day in cool spots to get away from the sun and come out at night to get food. maybe a simple thermostat would solve the problem. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Perpin Posted December 21, 2009 Report Share Posted December 21, 2009 They are nocturnal. They live in semi arid desert like conditions. The day temps are very high so they hide away but this does not mean that heat is not important to them. The rocks are warmed by the sun and they do retain the heat for part of the evening. The leo's will lie on them to warm there bellies to aid digestion. If they do not have belly warmth they can stop eating. If you have heating from above and that warms a rock in your setup then that is fine too but this too must be regulated as the rock can become too hot. You will see them lying over the warmed up rock. It is vital to their health. My personal opinion is that a heat mat/pad is a far more simple way of achieving this as they do not need lighting. I hook my heating pads to a thermostat so the temp can be regulated. That way there is no chance of your leo getting burned. I have seen leo's burned from heat rocks and heating pads. The thing here is to figure out the safest way to provide them with the belly heat they need as they will seek it out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
livingart Posted December 22, 2009 Report Share Posted December 22, 2009 i use mirror demisting pads, they don't get over 30deg Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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