Hey ya'll. Well, "fluffy" has been growing a little. Not much but a little since I got him. I know he's at least 4 months old b/c I can tell his sex from the pores and bulges. My question is, what is the rule of thumb when feeding Leopard Geckos? I feed about 6-10 1/2 inch crickets every night and he eats them like they are popcorn. The size of the crickets is correct exactly I know it is. The crickets are actually very very slightly larger than the space between his eyes. He's about 5 inches long and his tail is fat, but not extremely fat. I got him in october, at that time he was very small, just out of the hatchling stage. I am guessing he's probably 6-7 months old.

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-Adam

"Help Protect our Planet from Overcollection, Purchase Aquacultured Livestock and Captive Bred Herps"

My youngest ones are about 9 months old and I feed them crickets and mealworms. I just keep dropping in what I am feeding them until they quit eating. They will stop when they are full. Lately I have been feeding them the giant mealworms and they are growing like weeds.

when I feed him mealies, he pretty much stops defacating except for just a little bit every few days maybe. He seemed to be doing fine on mealies other than that. Would mealies be ok as a staple? they are so much easier to keep and feed that crickets. What do you think?

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-Adam

"Help Protect our Planet from Overcollection, Purchase Aquacultured Livestock and Captive Bred Herps"

I notice when I feed mine crickets for a while then switch to worms their poop turns wet for a week then goes back to normal. I see no problem with making worms his staple. But would offer some crickets now and then to give him variety.

This might sound like a stupid question but do you give him calcium regularly or have a calcium recipient in his enclosure?

oh yes of course I do, i have a calcium/vitiman mix powder available in a dish at all times, and I dust every week or so, whenever I think he may need it.

ok, i do have another question. I know I have a male, and for the last month or so, i have been researching breeding Leopard Geckos. I have all of the assets i.e tank for the babies, plenty of extra food (fruit flies) and even a place to keep all of the babies if I can;t get rid of them (which will not be a problem, i have a source lined up) My male is in very good condition. The only thing really missing is a female and an incubator. I would like for someone to tell me if I can just put the female in with my male year round, all of the articles I have read tell me that they can be housed together year round but is that ok if I want to breed them? I have an extra 10 gallon just in case of bullying, but can she be just introduced to my male right when I get home with her and if so, do I need to seperate them at all if they are breeding and getting along?

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-Adam

"Help Protect our Planet from Overcollection, Purchase Aquacultured Livestock and Captive Bred Herps"

Rich's caresheet has some info on breeding. Look in the caresheet section.
From what I can remember (I don't have any Leopard Geckos, I just read a lot ), you'll need 3 or 4 females for an optimum environment. Among other attitudes, males bite the females to drive them into submission and only 1 female will stress a lot because the male has no one else to turn his attention to.

Anyway and before doing anything else you must quarantine that female before putting her with the male. This is very important. There are a few threads here on this subject.

f.y.i mealworms are known to cause impactation from accumilation of chitin in the geckos intestine, they should be offered as an alternative or treat,,,,not a staple. they should be fed to geckos in combination with crickets but not a substitute. and RBL is correct,,,quarantine is important

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Ken
"Some people spend an entire lifetime wondering if they made a difference in the world. But, the Marines don't have that problem." -- Ronald Reagan

well I think i'll just get one female, and seperate them. then, i'll add the female when I want to breed them. I'll be watching for aggression and if the female does not accept the male, i will be watching so i'll know.

__________________
-Adam

"Help Protect our Planet from Overcollection, Purchase Aquacultured Livestock and Captive Bred Herps"