# First time



## MrMike (Jun 28, 2008)

Just thought I would say hi as I am new and just bought my first pair of Leos. So.... hello :2thumb:

Although I do have a question regarding feeding. Is nutrobal cool as the only substitute? I have done research and there are many methods and conflicting "How-tos" on supplements.

Also while I'm at it, heating.....

My set up came with a heat bulb thats it. Should this be turned off during night time?

Sorry for the newbie questions, just want to get it right, and who better to ask than you guys.:notworthy:


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## gecko_steve (May 14, 2008)

Hi and welcome to the forum.

In answer to you first question no, nutrobal isnt ok as the only suppliment. you should get some calcium (most use calypso calcium dust) and dust livefoods during the week with this and then use nutrobal on weekends. Also put a dish of the calcium dust in the viv at all times.

Your 2nd question. Most people use heat mats as leos absorb heat through their stomachs. So personally I would get rid of the heat bulb and buy a heat mat and a thermostat. Not sure about turning the bulb off at night tho, but im sure someone will be along shortly to answer that.
Any onther questions feel free to ask.
steve


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## Faith (May 17, 2007)

Hi and Welcome to RFUK.

Nutrobal isnt the only supliment no a lot of people use it but they also use others, Vionate, Leopard gecko dust, etc. 
Dust with pure calcium monday - friday while babies and Nutrobal on a sat and sun 
They should also have pure calcium in a lid in their viv all the time. 


Heating~ Leos take their heat from the under belly this helps them to digest their food. Again a few people use heat lamps but the most recomended form of heating is a heat mat to cover 1/3rd of the viv with a floor temp of 90F on the hot end and 80-84F on the cool end. 
Also any heat source should with out doubt be on a thermostat to control the temps. A digital thermometer is a fantastic buy. 
You can lower the floor temps in the viv to 75F of a night time with no ill effects personally we dont do it but others do.

Any more Q just shout


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## MrMike (Jun 28, 2008)

Thank you for the quick replies. It seems the pet shop guy didn't really know what he was talking about then. Signing up here seems like a smart move:notworthy:

I will pick up some calcium powder and a heat mat on monday. Or is there any online shops you guys would recommend?

Cheers again


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## Faith (May 17, 2007)

There are quite a few but if you have a shop near by you would be better off getting them in person so you dont have to pay a delivery charge. 
Your looking for a heat mat that is 1/3rd of the size of your viv and a mat stat.

Also as the pet shop didnt give you very good advice to start with may i ask what substrate they told you to use?


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## MrMike (Jun 28, 2008)

It has come with wood chip, I thought that was an OK substrate?

Also no moist hide *sigh*, I'll have to go back to the store tomorrow.


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## MrMike (Jun 28, 2008)

OK, well now I have doubts. If I tell you the set up they sold me, can you inform me on the improvements?

Here goes....

2 Leos (3 months old)

24x12x12 wooden viv

water bowl, mealworm bowl.

Large peice of wood (seems like driftwood to me), plastic plant thing.

UV strip and heat bulb

box of crickets and box of mealworms.

Tub of Nutrobal
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The improvements (I think)


2 more hides (one for cool end and a moist)

Calcium substitute

Heat mat and stat.

That sound right?


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## Faith (May 17, 2007)

Ok no need for UV or the heat bulb at all as leos are nocturnal.
Woodchippings are a no go for leos as they can cause impactation and the leos are unable to pass loose substrate.
As they are hatchlings they really should be kept on kitchen roll until they are at least 6 inches big.

The improvments are great a moist hide can be made out of a plastic sandwich tub with some spagum moss inside and a hole cut in the side of the tub. Be careful of any sharp edges if you are going to do it that way.


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## MrMike (Jun 28, 2008)

Ok, thanks Faith, you are a legend.

Well seems I have some purchases to make then.

I will stop with the annoying questions soon..... I promise  So what would you recommend for substrate?


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## Faith (May 17, 2007)

No question is annoying that is what we are here for 

Substrate wise until they are about 6 months old kitchen roll all the way we even keep our adults on it.
After that time you would be able to use things like lino, tiles, slate or repti carpet. Anything that isnt partical substrate.


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## MrMike (Jun 28, 2008)

Thanks again. Right my missus is getting worried now as we don't have the right set up. Will they be ok with Heat lamp on all the time until I can get to a pet store? Probably monday now? Also should it be left on all the time? The temp is reaching 90F with it on.


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## Faith (May 17, 2007)

Is the heat lamp you have on a thermostat?
If not then can you raise it further away from the viv so the heat isnt so high?
It should be left on all the time IF you have a thermostat yes as you can turn the thermostat up and down but if you dont have on it will depend on how warm the room is in the house. 

Id still take the woodchips out tonight and replace with kitchen roll


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## MrMike (Jun 28, 2008)

No it's a fixed bulb with no stat  But the UV light seems to be keeping the temp around 80F.

going out to get some kitchen roll now (day gets worse lol)

Also, wont a heat mat, well, burn kitchen roll?

Think I need to pass some of this info onto the pet store.


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## Faith (May 17, 2007)

Then just keep the uv on for now a little heat is better than no heat. 
The heat mat wont burn the kitchen roll as long as its on a thermostat. 
90F is only 31F so like a hot summers day.


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## MrMike (Jun 28, 2008)

Of course, this whole farenheit thing confused me :lol2:

changing substrate now. 

Thanks for everything Faith. Much appreciated.


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## Chelle230 (Apr 9, 2008)

I use newspaper to cover the heat mat, then kitchen roll on top


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## Faith (May 17, 2007)

MrMike said:


> Of course, this whole farenheit thing confused me :lol2:
> 
> changing substrate now.
> 
> Thanks for everything Faith. Much appreciated.


lol no worries 
Good luck with the lil ones any more advice just shout im sure someone will answer


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## MrMike (Jun 28, 2008)

Thank you both. I'm sure there will be more questions in the future. I have to say, we've fallen in love already with them :flrt:


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## Viper (May 10, 2008)

:welcome: Hope you enjoy your reps !!


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## MrMike (Jun 28, 2008)

Oh we are already


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## Cricketdragon (Jun 29, 2008)

Hey just read through your thread, with Nutrobal a popular thing to use is the Bone Aid calcium powder, and also when you get your heat mat make sure its under the viv aswell just in case it overheats and burns your geckos, that way the kitchen roll wont set on fire, possibly think about putting a thin polystyrene sheet under the heat mat so it doesnt damage whatever surface you have it on, but with a stat as mentioned it should be fine. 

Anyway heres a caresheet if it helps to read through and get a couple of ideas on what the shop didn't tell you Reptile Keeper - Leopard Gecko Caresheet

Theres plenty more just google it (probably best to click pages from the uk, some of the american ones have different names for things, gets confusing) and people on here will help you along too, anyway good luck with sorting it out


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## MrMike (Jun 28, 2008)

Cheers for that, the mat is in the viv at the mo, seems ok atm, but if anything changes i'll try it under the viv.

Also thanks for the care sheet, i've read many online. Seems alot of people make these care sheets not knowing what they are tlaking about.

Once again thanks to everyone who replied, very freindly forum, hopefully in a few years I can be answering these newbie questions :2thumb:


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## Faith (May 17, 2007)

Cricketdragon said:


> Hey just read through your thread, with Nutrobal a popular thing to use is the Bone Aid calcium powder, and also when you get your heat mat make sure its under the viv aswell just in case it overheats and burns your geckos, that way the kitchen roll wont set on fire, possibly think about putting a thin polystyrene sheet under the heat mat so it doesnt damage whatever surface you have it on, but with a stat as mentioned it should be fine.
> 
> Anyway heres a caresheet if it helps to read through and get a couple of ideas on what the shop didn't tell you Reptile Keeper - Leopard Gecko Caresheet
> 
> Theres plenty more just google it (probably best to click pages from the uk, some of the american ones have different names for things, gets confusing) and people on here will help you along too, anyway good luck with sorting it out


Its not going to over heat if its on a thermostat thats what they are used for to stop the mats over heating!
There is no need to put a heat mat under a wooden viv the wood is a terrible conductor for heat and it wont penetrate the viv.
Its not going to burn the kitchen roll either.


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## Cricketdragon (Jun 29, 2008)

Faith said:


> Its not going to over heat if its on a thermostat thats what they are used for to stop the mats over heating!
> There is no need to put a heat mat under a wooden viv the wood is a terrible conductor for heat and it wont penetrate the viv.
> Its not going to burn the kitchen roll either.


Ok. Just what I heard somewhere. I've heard all sorts of things about heatmats in vivs, like burning things etc, I know the stats control the temps etc but according to some people you should put them under the viv etc. We had ours under the viv and it did heat it fine but we switched to AHS cause I find they're just generally better. 

Then again I guess whatever you use there is going to be an argument for or against why you should or shouldn't use it. Suppose its just what works for people more than anything. The arguments about substrate are the worst :bash: lol. 

[This isn't meant to come across unpleasantly or anything lol, I'm just crap at wording things]


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## Faith (May 17, 2007)

The thing is if we believ everything we hear we wouldnt get very far
We have over 70 leos all on heat mats on stats some in wooden vivs others in plastic tubs all on kitchen roll and have never had a burn 


As for substrate im all for the arguments over them where leos are concerned simply because if i can change one persons mind about using claci sand im happy knowing that the leo will live longer


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## Cricketdragon (Jun 29, 2008)

That is true lol. I keep mine on slate at the moment way easier to clean too, calci-sands over expensive and generally crap anyway, its like £30 for a big bag of it : / Thing is not everyone will listen when you tell them about it and theres always someone with the line "I've kept mine on it for years without problems" :devil:


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## Faith (May 17, 2007)

Then i show them nasty pictures of what the inside of their leo could look like due to eating calci sand not very nice at all even for those with strong stomachs and not very nice when you realise what damage they could be doing to their poor leos


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## MrMike (Jun 28, 2008)

Well, kitchen roll full time for me then


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## Cricketdragon (Jun 29, 2008)

Not seen pics but I can imagine : / I was under the impression its like smoking 60 a day for leos


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