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whats your Leo routine??

918 views 35 replies 10 participants last post by  tatz89 
#1 ·
im just interested in what are your routines or habbits with your own Leos,
as in feeding, handling, cleaning, how many you have in one viv etc.

as ive had mine for 2 months now and unsure how old he is as rescued him and still trying to find a proper routine that suits him

also i have a 3.5ft viv, has heatmat and 2 flourescent bulbs for lighting, i can get the temp above 24c so i spray water in there twice a day to increase some humidity and he seems happy. im not sure how accurate the temp guage is in there though due to the position it is in...
 
#2 ·
I don't spray mine as Leo's don't need the humidity, I also generally don't worry about lighting the viv's as leo's are nocturnal and there fore a natural light source works fine.

Have you got a thermostat to heat the heatmat? And do you have a digital thermometer to measure your temps? A dial one wouldn't read an accurate temp. If your not getting temps above 24 could be that the heatmat is faulty.

I generally try to keep the handling of the leo to as minimal as possible at the moment, generally the leo being young I don't want to stress her out to much.
 
#4 ·
I have 2 females in my 3ft viv with a tile substrate. i have a moist hide in th cool end and a an exo terra cave and i own made one outta wood in th warm end. I have a calcium,water and worm dish in at all times.I feed them gut loaded crickets and locusts.I dust food with nutrabol tuesday thursday and sunday, calcium the other days.A 12w heat mat regulated by a thermostat. I use an energy saving bulb as it doesnt affect my temps.Thats ma routine mate take what you wanted from it .It works for me anyway.
Scott
 
#5 ·
cheers for the replies mate always interested in how others are kept, it heat mat aint on a stat, its on 24/7, it covers 1/3 of the viv and it feels hot enough, i just guessed its because it is a large viv, im going to get a infra red bulb this weekend and put that on a stat,

i generally spray the viv with a adjustable spray bottle, its only like a really fine mist that comes from the bottle, only in a bid to raise the temps abit i read that it can help raise temp/humidity up a bit.

i dont have a digital thermometer but i am getting one this weekend but i never really trusted the one i have, but always checked it anyways
 
#6 ·
See tbh mate i wouldnt worry about a heat blub i use an energy saver as my heat mats stated plus leo's absorb heat threw there bellies so ambient temp aint so important as i've said i keep ma warm end 31-33 cool en 22-24 they also dont need humidty on a large scale so a moss filled hide would be sufficent as they only need moisture for shedding
 
#9 ·
I'm using a red bulb on a stat for my leos but most people seem to recommend a heat mat. Surely tho, the sun heats from above so this is ok? Do you think if the bulb is over an area of stone, that will hold some heat so can be used like a hot rock?
If I were To use a heat mat on a stat, where does the stat probe go?
 
#10 ·
Leos generally come out at night once the sun has gone down, so they warm up by laying on the rocks that have been warmed through out the day, they absorb most of their heat through their bellies. I put the sensor directly on the tiles I have in there, so that I know the surface temp is right, correct me if I'm wrong though guys lol

Stop spraying the viv, get yourself a stat to help you make sure you get the temps to 30-33c and yeah as everyone else said, just get bulbs for lighting rather than heating :)
 
#13 ·
they are low wattage bulbs in there, only have them on for 3 hours of the day.
i read up about spraying the with for leos that what got me doing it to assist temps (small assist though) but i do it twice a day at the same times and he will come out and sit on top of his hide waiting for it.

i know how to use a digital thermometer just finally round to getting one

and the heat mat will be going on a stat when i can afford that
(just moved house and wow its stressful!)
 
#21 ·
i do appreciate the help and advice guys, i really do.
thats why i put this thread up.

when i spray the viv its only because i read up on it and it is literally only a spray or 2, wouldnt know ive done it. on bit of a downer about it i reckon so i proberly wont be doing it again.
i will be buying stats and digi thermo soon anyways, like i said i wanted to make this thread because im interested in what others do, and i learn things :)
 
#22 ·
I read that aswell mate but was told its not needed the point of forums is people give there opinon but there are 2 many people on this forum that try 2 dictate theres no need for infact its down right ignorant at times it boils ma blood i've nursed a gecko back from the brink but people still try tellin me am doin stuff wrong i dont know everythin no where near its a big learnin curve if people would word there suggestions better it would be so much nicer.
 
#24 ·
cheers scott i know exactly what you mean, theres always one or 2 that will try and dictate for you, annoys the hell out of me but just goes over my head.

but also there are alot of people that give advice or tips that really help :notworthy:
 
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#26 ·
cheers scott i know exactly what you mean, theres always one or 2 that will try and dictate for you, annoys the hell out of me but just goes over my head.

but also there are alot of people that give advice or tips that really help :notworthy:[/QUOT
Oh yeah dont get me wrong theres sum great guys on here the boy nsn above here is great just some times he comes on to strong its only cos he cares tho got good advice but the way its worded some times puts me off
 
#25 ·
thank you welsh i just looked at them, i actually put that in my watch list lunchtime lol :)
 
#27 ·
yea i get what ya mean, i do it it all the time, i know people are helping, and yea the wording may be strong but its all how you take it on board, its hard to get a sense of meaning when its in text and not coming from someones voice
 
#29 ·
yea ive taken some advice, since i rescued him about 2month ago. he was really sick and to be honest didnt think he would last a week but now hes put weight on, looks healthier, more active and happier. i know what im doin 99% of the time but i rather ask advice from people who keep leos then read it out of a book
 
#31 ·
yea i dont see a problem with keeping them together untill you test the theory and you know for yourself how they get on etc
 
#35 · (Edited)
Leo advice.....

Leo's come from very arid rocky desert habitats and thus are accustomed to very low humidity levels, high ones acheived by spraying, as said, will indeed lead to respitory infections in the long term, along with encouraging bacterial growth build up.
A small hide containing damp moss or a damp flannel half on/half off the heat mat will help them during shed time, otherwise a dish of water is all the moisture they need.
A heat mat covering 1/2 to a 3rd of the floor space, plugged into a thermostat (either mat or pulse) will see to all their heat needs, you are looking to acheive a hot end temp of around 32/33c with a natural gradient acheived down to their cool end at room temps (most standard 11x11 and 11x17 mats have no probs acheiving this).
As said it is this belly heat that is a must, as without it Leo's cannot digest their food properly, in the wild they would hide away during most of the day and venture out in the evening to lay belly flat down onto the sun heated rocks, they then lay and absorb this heat up through their belly. No additional lighting is needed at all. you could have a blue/red nightime viewing light for your convenience as you like, these are cool lights, therefore don't effect the ambient temps, I just have a lamp in my rep room which is blue, so no lighting at all in individual vivs.
Nav is a good lad and very devoted keeper and his advice here is all about helping you the OP, certainly not about posturing, belittleing or ear bashing, as some do I agree, in the end we all want is best for the animals in question :2thumb:. Take a look on my home page, there I have a list of really good leo sites with loads of caresheets and info to help.
 
#36 ·
i just wana clear it up, i do agree that some people on any forum go beyond advice or tips and turn it into a lecture in a way, but i havent said or meant nsn89 is doing so, i said people on here, not any names

i apreciate the help and advice im given, and like i said thats why i opened this thread and to get an insight of peoples habbits of their reptiles, we all learn somewhere and aswell as people doing wrong or right things theres also personal preference of owner and reptile.

as i said before it is a very light spray i do each time, only in an assist to help the temp because it only reads 24c, thought also not 100% its accurate
 
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