# Setting the right temperature for my new baby leopard geckos??



## beckoneon (Sep 2, 2011)

Hey, 
im new to this so not sure if this is going to work.lol. I bought 2 baby geckos yesterday and the guy give me a 11x11 heat mat, for a 3ft viv, and a 50w heat glo infrared heat lamp...i put them both on lastnight and after about an hour the temp went upto 100f so i switched the light off straight away but then after half an hour or so the temp drops between 70 n 80f which iv read is too cool for the hot area?? Any advise please?? Its driving me crazy? iv got the thermometer near the bottom in the middle of the hot area...the lights screwed on the top in the middle of the heat mat? is there something there i have done wrong? Would you advise i get a thermostat?? If so, which one? 
Any help would be much appreciated, cheers....now ill try send a pic of my baby reverse stripe leopard gecko


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## beckoneon (Sep 2, 2011)

and it didnt work...boooo.. need to work that out lol


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## jools (Apr 4, 2009)

Welcome to RFUK and congrats on the new Leos. I'm a bit short of time for a detailed answer right now but YES a thermostat is essential and this Leopard Gecko Care Sheets is a good guide to setting up for a Leopard gecko and all things that would be useful for you to know (such as the pitfalls of keeping two together).


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## beckoneon (Sep 2, 2011)

thanks for the quick reply.. i'll have a look on that link. If you or anyone else could tell me which thermometers and thermostats are best. Iv currently only got one thermometer. An exo terra dial one that sticks to the bk of the viv.


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## beckoneon (Sep 2, 2011)

Going to try and upload my reverse stripe leopard gecko...beautiful girl 









Waaahey it works  not got a name yet though, need to see her personality abit more..:gasp:


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## beckoneon (Sep 2, 2011)

and my normal leopard gecko....


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## beckoneon (Sep 2, 2011)

Also...is it normal for them not to eat for a few days until they settle down..iv not seen them eat anything yet and read that this is totally normal...i hope so. Im a big worrier!!


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## jools (Apr 4, 2009)

It's quite normal for them not to eat for a few days due to relocation stress. Are you keeping them in the same vivarium? I only ask as there appears to be quite a difference in size. If there is much of a difference then I'm afraid it is probably a recipe for disaster. The little one will get bullied.


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## beckoneon (Sep 2, 2011)

Yer they in the same Viv...The guy that sold me them owns a pet shop and definitely knows his stuff so surely he wouldnt have sold them to me if there was going to be any problems?? think lil one is about 4 weeks where the bigger one 8? does tht sound about right?? i may have to nip into the shop again....they both females?? im not sure if that makes a difference??


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## beckoneon (Sep 2, 2011)

think there is a couple of months between them? Is this an issue? youv got me worried now lol.. im glad your telling me though.


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## jools (Apr 4, 2009)

Well - put it this way: They MAY be alright together, but I would not keep them together. But then I don't keep any of my Leos together anymore - due to fighting. You will have to watch VERY carefully that the little one is getting enough food and is not being bullied away from the warmest hides. Examine her carefully each day for any bite marks - the tail is the most common place. Make sure there are plenty of hides in both the warm and the cool side of the viv. Some ppl DO co-habit their Leos and it can look nice, but Leos don't need company and at best only tolerate it. 

To be quite honest, you have said that you feel the pet shop owner "knows their stuff". Well sorry, but many (not all) pet shop owners are very ignorant when it comes to reps. They sold you a set-up without a thermostat, an inferior thermometer and a heatmat that is barely big enough. That tells me that they don't actually know very much at all - sorry. For that reason, although you have been told they are both female, I would keep checking. If one or both turn out to be male (and this can only be definately determined when they are older than yours. The normal is chunky enough to be a young male IMO) then they will HAVE to be separated.

Read SleepyDs caresheet that I linked you to. There is a section on there that deals with Leo behaviour - to help you to try to spot any bullying.


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## beckoneon (Sep 2, 2011)

im reading quite alot now that they need to be the same size so iv messaged the guy coz i kinda know him too so i'll see what he says? What do i have to look out for??


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## beckoneon (Sep 2, 2011)

Ok thanks alot for your advice, its much appreciated.. i feel like demanding a refund if he's sold me 2 that wont get along...i cant afford another viv for it


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## jools (Apr 4, 2009)

I've editted my post above with a little bit more info.


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## beckoneon (Sep 2, 2011)

ok. I'll just keep a close eye on them then..best way just to check the little one every morning?? awww i really hope its not the case. thats why i got a bigger viv so i could house more...if i did get another, the same size gecko SHOULD get along? but thats never for certain?


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## jools (Apr 4, 2009)

It is NEVER certain that any 2 Leos will get along. Trouble can happen at any time - even after months/years of living "happily" together. Having them the same size may minimise this likelihood.

My advice to you would be to speak to the seller. Try to get a refund on one and just keep one - it would be very happy in that size viv. Or if you are dead-set on having two then they need to be the same size. I would NOT take the risk of keeping those two together.


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## beckoneon (Sep 2, 2011)

ok thanks alot.. i'll do that in the morning. I did want two just coz i thought they'd be more entertaining together but i don't want the risk of them fighting. I'll let you know what happens.. thanks for your advice.


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## jools (Apr 4, 2009)

You might find this thread interesting http://www.reptileforums.co.uk/forums/lizards/750122-second-leopard-gecko-advice.html It is ongoing in the lizard section. The advice Olivine gives about quarantine would not apply to you if they were both from the same shop - but the rest of the advice applies


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## beckoneon (Sep 2, 2011)

thankyou i just read it. Arggh what a nightmare.. id hate to get rid of one now but i really cant afford another viv...hopefully the guy that sold me them will be able to do something!!


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## beckoneon (Sep 2, 2011)

iv got like a plant vine in the corner and the little ones been at the top of that all day and the other at the bottom? Could this be a sign of her bein pushed away or could she just genuinely like it up there?? iv just not seen much of them, only wen i changed the water today, but then i did only get them yesterday afternoon so thats probably normal?


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## jools (Apr 4, 2009)

It is hard to say without seeing their body language. But it is very possible that the little one is trying to get out of the bigger ones way.

Good luck tomorrow and don't let the seller fob you off.


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## cadno (Sep 4, 2011)

just thought I'd jump in here to as a newbie to gecko's, aside from size being a possible issue I'm aware that keeping two males is a big no to. Just wondering though, can you keep two females together?

I would say male and female but I have no intention of breeding! lol

Rich


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## Hardy87 (Apr 7, 2011)

I'd recommend splitting them i'v just got 2 baby leopard gecko's same clutch too. One of them stopped eating after the first day i split them up and now the one that wasn't eating is happy with its own space and eating again.
The size difference in them is quite big and i think the big one will bully the baby.


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## Hardy87 (Apr 7, 2011)

cadno said:


> just thought I'd jump in here to as a newbie to gecko's, aside from size being a possible issue I'm aware that keeping two males is a big no to. Just wondering though, can you keep two females together?
> 
> I would say male and female but I have no intention of breeding! lol
> 
> Rich


2 Females is fine from what i'v heard thats what i'm hoping these to are so i can re-introduce them together when there bigger. Then again male and female aint so bad be interesting if they ended up breeding. :lol2:


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## cadno (Sep 4, 2011)

Cheers for that!

Ok, one quick question here because I don't want to sort of hijack the thread lol. Would a single Gecko be ok?

The one thing I don't want to do is have a lonely Gecko if they prefer company. 

Rich


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## olivine (Feb 5, 2009)

cadno said:


> just thought I'd jump in here to as a newbie to gecko's, aside from size being a possible issue I'm aware that keeping two males is a big no to. Just wondering though, can you keep two females together?
> 
> I would say male and female but I have no intention of breeding! lol
> 
> Rich


To be honest, it's virtually impossible to predict. As Jools said earlier, some people do house two females together successfully. However, some females simply won't tolerate the presence of another, in which case problems with bullying / dominance issues will arise (SleepyD's website contains some excellent observations on the sort of problems that can occur). Also, it really is worth bearing in mind that, even when it appears that two animals will tolerate each other's presence, problems can occur with no warning, as shown in this thread.

Personally, I house all of my leos individually (they really aren't social animals, so won't feel lonely or suffer because of lack of company).


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## cadno (Sep 4, 2011)

Note taken, single Gecko it is!

Rich


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