Bedding for Leopard Geckos

[jmichael]

I know think is a cornsnake site, but I've gotta know. I have seen quite a few people on here have leopard geckos. Ever since my wife has seen one, she has wanted one. in her words "They are so CUTE!!". Anyway, my questions are
Do they make good pets? and
What kind of bedding do you use?
I have read so many different opinions that I'm really getting confused. Please help me before my head pops!!!
Thanks!!

 

[tsst]

Yes they make great pets. I use plain white paper towels for bedding but have multiple hides and fake plants etc also a moist hide.

 

[tress29]

I use plain white paper towels for bedding but have multiple hides and fake plants etc also a moist hide.

What do you use for a heat source since you don't have "real substrate?" We use paper towls too, and have resorted to a two lamp setup, a night bulb that's on all the time and a day bulb to raise daytime temps. This winter we are using two night bulbs as Sephira seems to avoid the light! We got a cheap timer to use for for daylight hours. (It was easy to see that the day bulb was not on!)

I've read about people using clay tiles with a heat mat. Anyone use that setup?

 

[ScottyK]

Make your wife look at a Crested Gecko before you buy a Leapard. They are just as cute (in my opinion) and also:

1- Are a bit sturdier, more mellow and easy to handle.

2- Do not require supplemental heat

3- Do not require live insects. They will thrive on a powdered mix that you can keep in the freezer next to your mice.

I've owned Leopards and currently keep Crested Geckos. I firmly believe in "to each his own" but personally would never buy a Leo again after getting into Cresteds.

 

[K. Rene]

I love our leo geckos. I have uth's under their tanks like I do the corns and I do have little lamps with blue 'night lights' in them so I can see them at night. I keep them on ZooMed Vita-Sand at the moment, it holds and radiates the heat from the uth well, also easy to clean, I just scoop out the poops with a plastic spoon. I don't think I would ever use paper towels or newspaper. I am contemplating other substrates, I've seen some very nice natural looking set ups with live plants in it that I really like. The thing with sand is if the geckos ingest it they can get impacted and that's really bad. So we feed on a plastic dish that the meal-worms can't crawl out of so there is no chance of the girls ingesting sand. Yes meal worms we keep them in the fridge (they can live a while in the cooler temps) and take out 10 at a time to feed the girls. I love our leos, they are fun to hold and do have very cute personalities. I have yet to have any problems with the way I keep them. Everyone is healthy, bright eyed shedding and eating just fine. I don't know anything about cresteds but I have friends who have them and enjoy them, so it's totally up to you. But just for fun here are some pics of my girls

 

[tsst]

What do you use for a heat source since you don't have "real substrate?" We use paper towls too, and have resorted to a two lamp setup, a night bulb that's on all the time and a day bulb to raise daytime temps. This winter we are using two night bulbs as Sephira seems to avoid the light! We got a cheap timer to use for for daylight hours. (It was easy to see that the day bulb was not on!)

I've read about people using clay tiles with a heat mat. Anyone use that setup?

under the tank heat

 

[tress29]

I feed mostly meal worms now, but occasionally we get her some crickets. (Usually dump 12-15 in when we leave for vacation, then our petsitter doesn't have to mess with her much.) I've been looking at more natural setups, but need ease of cleanup for the 12yo boy who "owns" her!