Hi All,
I'm looking for some advice. I researched as much as I could before getting my Leopard Gecko, Kratos. I'll refer to him as "he"/"him" for now as he's too young to accurately sex.
I want to make sure that he's happy and content. That is my primary goal. I am an experienced pet owner (Dogs, Hamsters, Mice, Rabbits and Chinchillas) but this is my first reptile. I have tried to answer specific question via Google, but if you ask Google a yes/no question you will still get 20 different answers.
My concerns are around general health and familiarisation.
Health:
He spends days in his moist hide and nights (as much as I have observed) in his warm hide apart from when he is out getting food. I'm concerned my heating and/or lighting are inadequate and maybe he just doesn't have the energy he needs.
His shedding started fine. His last couple of sheds he has had very small areas that did not detach with the rest. One I had to get via moist cotton buds and tweezers. There is a small area around his nose and mouth now that I cannot get as he seems very skittish, which brings me to point 2.
Familiarisation:
He won't stay near me enough to be able to help him. I have tried talking quietly to him regularly, standing with my hand near him and not moving (so he can get used to me), leaving him alone when I first got him. He seems to go through phases but he seems more nervous to me now than not.
Kratos' Home
![Plant Vertebrate Green Flower Wood]()
Vivexotic medium Repti-Home Vivarium (86cm x 37cm x 42cm)
Repltile Carpet on base
Heated with Heat mat that covers 1/3 of the base area (right hand side of viv)
UVB light at top right rear of viv. On during daylight hours for the most part
Main components (left to right):
Cold hide
Wooden branch decoration for "cover"
Moist hide (live moss inside)
Plastic plant for "cover" and to obstruct probe wires
Warm hide (half wood pipe over the heat mat) (temp controlled by probes here. Temp probe shows between 30 Celsius and 33.5 Celsius)
Plastic plant for "cover"
At front (left to right, not including hide and "plant")
Water dish (bottled water)
Container of broken up Coco Coir Fibre Brick for digging/enrichment
Container with multi-vitamin enriched calcium powder
I had the plants and branch as I read that too much exposure was uncomfortable for them.
The humidity is usually between 45% and 55% (probe on the ceiling of the viv, above and to the left of the moist hide)
Diet: Mixture of Black Crickets and Standard Meal Worms. Fed every day for now (Kratos is currently 7 - 8 months old) He does get an occasional Wax worm. The crickets are put in by a transfer tube (to allow him to go after them and because I won't touch them). The worms are hand fed to him.
Any advice and guidance would be greatly appreciated.
I'm looking for some advice. I researched as much as I could before getting my Leopard Gecko, Kratos. I'll refer to him as "he"/"him" for now as he's too young to accurately sex.
I want to make sure that he's happy and content. That is my primary goal. I am an experienced pet owner (Dogs, Hamsters, Mice, Rabbits and Chinchillas) but this is my first reptile. I have tried to answer specific question via Google, but if you ask Google a yes/no question you will still get 20 different answers.
My concerns are around general health and familiarisation.
Health:
He spends days in his moist hide and nights (as much as I have observed) in his warm hide apart from when he is out getting food. I'm concerned my heating and/or lighting are inadequate and maybe he just doesn't have the energy he needs.
His shedding started fine. His last couple of sheds he has had very small areas that did not detach with the rest. One I had to get via moist cotton buds and tweezers. There is a small area around his nose and mouth now that I cannot get as he seems very skittish, which brings me to point 2.
Familiarisation:
He won't stay near me enough to be able to help him. I have tried talking quietly to him regularly, standing with my hand near him and not moving (so he can get used to me), leaving him alone when I first got him. He seems to go through phases but he seems more nervous to me now than not.
Kratos' Home
Vivexotic medium Repti-Home Vivarium (86cm x 37cm x 42cm)
Repltile Carpet on base
Heated with Heat mat that covers 1/3 of the base area (right hand side of viv)
UVB light at top right rear of viv. On during daylight hours for the most part
Main components (left to right):
Cold hide
Wooden branch decoration for "cover"
Moist hide (live moss inside)
Plastic plant for "cover" and to obstruct probe wires
Warm hide (half wood pipe over the heat mat) (temp controlled by probes here. Temp probe shows between 30 Celsius and 33.5 Celsius)
Plastic plant for "cover"
At front (left to right, not including hide and "plant")
Water dish (bottled water)
Container of broken up Coco Coir Fibre Brick for digging/enrichment
Container with multi-vitamin enriched calcium powder
I had the plants and branch as I read that too much exposure was uncomfortable for them.
The humidity is usually between 45% and 55% (probe on the ceiling of the viv, above and to the left of the moist hide)
Diet: Mixture of Black Crickets and Standard Meal Worms. Fed every day for now (Kratos is currently 7 - 8 months old) He does get an occasional Wax worm. The crickets are put in by a transfer tube (to allow him to go after them and because I won't touch them). The worms are hand fed to him.
Any advice and guidance would be greatly appreciated.
). I'll pick up a bulb tomorrow. Also, the basking spot is temporary while I sort out something more permanent.
