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Help with my new Leo, please!

T

Trinity5

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I was hoping maybe someone could help me with my new Leo. I bought her on Sunday from a breeder at a reptile expo (I read enough to know not to go to a pet store!). She was born March 24 of this year. She is a hypo-tangerine and she is beautiful. I have her in a 10 gallon tank with paper towel on the bottom. She has a cave on the heated side (I am using a red incandescent bulb). The temp is at about 90.8 right under the lamp. I have a calcium dish, a water dish, and some vitamin dusted mealworms in there for her.
As soon as I put her in her home Sunday night she went directly in her cave (at the time I had her cave on the cool side and a wood cave on the hot side). I put in 3 or 4 mealworms and they ended up crawling out of the dish and now I can only find one, so I assumed she ate the other 2 or 3 although I didn't see her ever come out (I also haven't looked under the paper towels). There was also some calcium powder on the paper towels so I that confirmed my suspicion of her night-wandering.
Well, I am concerned because I have been watching her at night and I don't see her come out at all now after the third day here. I also haven't seen any feces anywhere since I got her! One night she looked at me and crawled out a little bit towards me, then went back in. I moved her cave to the heated side because I thought she hadn't been going over there to warm herself and I got rid of the wood cave altogether (pieces would fall off everytime I touched it and I read that wood chips aren't goos for Leo's). I read a lot before I got her. I agree with you that education is key. I have always had fish and this is my first lizard. I just want to know that I'm doing the right thing. I'm kinda scared she is not adjusting well. I know this is long and I'm sorry, but I wanted you to have all the info you may have needed to help. Thank you for your time and I look forward to hearing from you.
 
Pleeeeeeeeeeeeeeaasssssseeeeeee!!!!

I am really worried, can somebody please help?
 
some animals take longer to adjust than others i would just give it some time and let her be try not to go into the cage much also i would think about getting a heat pad for the heat and use the red light for viewing only as the lights cant penetrate the hides very well and it might be cooler in the hide anouther thing is get a dish that keeps the mealworms in it one that is ceramic glazed should work also try to keep it as dark as possible even during the day for a while to make her feel more comfortable and also as quiet as possible wouldnt hurt eitherbut the one key thing that is always a problem with new geckos is stress try and eliminate any possibilities you can and go from there

i hope i answered all your questions
Billy

P.S. if you have any more you can IM at aol with the SN spydergotboost
 
Maybe use something to cover up the front of the tank, so she can't see any activities outside, but you can peep in through a gap. Maybe she'll come out if she thinks you're not there.

I am using a towel to cover up my juvi's tank at the moment, as he doesn't like me watching him. :(

Also, dust the mealworm with calcium. I only dust with vitamin once or twice a month.
 
Thank you all for your help. I just got home from Bible study and my husband said she had been out and sure enough she finally went "potty".
I tried a rock dish for the worms and they got out, so I did change to a ceramic dish (one you get ketsup in at the restaraunts):)
Thanks again, I guess I just got worried too soon.
 
agreed

this is stress related and it does happen to most newly-aquired geckos .... i have geckos ive had for 5 months that are still shy (didnt eat for the first 2 weeks) then i have some that are just the opposite and ate on their first day here ! dont rush her .....takes awhile sometimes (even for me lol) to get used to new surroundings , people,etc. :)
 
Thanks for your help. I finally saw her come out for myself just a few minutes ago. She went to drink some water. She still hasn't eaten at least in the last two days. Should I be concerned?
 
Wow! I just read yours didn't eat for two weeks. I guess mine will make it too.:) Thanks for the encouragment.
 
Update

She's alive!!!!!!!

For the first time last night I saw her do everything. I tilted her worm cup over and I guess that's what she needed cuz it wasn't ten minutes and she ate all the worms. She explored her new plant, climbed on top of her cave for the first time, went potty, and went in her humid hide for a little bit. I couldn't believe it. She must be feeling at home now. Praise God! I was worried for a second. Thank you all for your good advice. I guess it takes a little patience. It's not like getting a dog and you play with her all night long. Having a gecko is a process. Thanks again:D
 
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