new to this

i'm not sure of what i'm doing . what i intend to do is post a question. i have a leopard gecko can anyone tell me how often they shed and what are the signs of a shed starting? also can a leopard gecko get to much calcium d3 while it is a juvie ? she is about 5 months old . thank-you gail

Leo's sheds vary a lot, usually depending on age and size and what not. you'll know when they're about to shed becuase they'll turn all pale and "ghost" like. when they do shed, make sure you have a humid hide for them to aid in getting all the skin off.

and yes, they can overdose on calcium, the best thing to do is to leavea dish of calcium powder in the tank 24/7 so they can get at it anytime they feel they need it, and then to just additionally dust their crix once or twice a week.

hope this helps!
-Karin

wow karen, this group is soooo confusing!! very complex! any ways i've read so many times to put a small dish of calcium in the tank so i have, but yesterday a petstore worker told me not to do that because too much calcium can cause bone disease just as easy as too little. also she told me not to cut the heads off of the meal worms and the wax worms because they wont eat through a gecko like a super worm. i've read and heard so many different oppinions it's boggling my brain! i gave my leo a wax worm yesterday but i cut his head off yuk!! also i've had my leo for about 3-4 wks now and he has grown alot he's a juvie but he hasn't shed yet even though he has gotten so big . is this ok? thank you gail

ok, to set you straight...

you do NOT need to cut the heads off of mealies or waxworms...they will NOT eat through the stomach...this is just an old wives tail. If your leo is healthy, it should have no problems killing off a little worm with it's strong jaws and stomach acids. (and superworms won't eat their way out either...but because of their size, they should only be fed to appropriately sized leopards, usually adults)

secondly, a dish of calcium in the tank is a GOOD thing...they're not going to lick it unless they feel the need to. (it's not addictive or anything like that...they know when to stop)

Also, becareful when feeding waxies, they are addicting...like cheesecake for humans, very delicious, addicting, but not nutritious enough. I've had a leopard get so addcited to them she refused all other foods.

your leo is probably due for a shed in a week or so, i wouldn't worry about this too much. Sometimes, it happens so quickly, you won't even realize they've shed. (they do eat their shed, so you won't even see evidence)

hope this helps clear up some confusion!
-Karin

just a thank you i didn't know they ate there shed that's interesting gail

Originally posted by herpspaz
ok, to set you straight...

you do NOT need to cut the heads off of mealies or waxworms...they will NOT eat through the stomach...this is just an old wives tail. If your leo is healthy, it should have no problems killing off a little worm with it's strong jaws and stomach acids. (and superworms won't eat their way out either...but because of their size, they should only be fed to appropriately sized leopards, usually adults
-Karin

hmm where have i heard this before? damn thats right i believe on another forum it was the exact same thing i told Karin a LOOOONG time ago! what a memory K- damn im impressed.. very well done! i almost forgot myself! so when is teh next swap and are you coming with me?

good luck Gail! let us know how the shed turns out!

I just dust my crickets and mealworms a couple of times a week. My gecko sheds about every month and a half.