Fuck Yeah Leopard Geckos

A blog run by a dorky teenager with a love for leopard geckos. I share my opinions on here, and I know they're opinions so don't worry and feel free to discuss or educate! (:

[followthebluebell]

So I've heard that mealworms can cause impaction in Leo's. I've been feeding none mealworms and I don't feel comfortable w crickets or roaches. Should I just man up and feed him crickets or should I stick with mealworms?

I’ve seen a few cases of mealworm impaction, but every single one has had other factors involved, like the gecko was kept on sand, being kept at improper temperatures, or had been impacted before.  I no longer believe that mealworms pose a significant risk of impaction by themselves.

A bigger problem with a mealworm-only diet is that it’s not a complete diet.  They’re very fatty and have very little protein.  A mix diet is always best.  BUT there are alternatives to crickets and roaches! c:  I highly recommend you look into reptiworms/phoenix worms/calciworms (they’re all the same bug, just different brands).  These guys are very small and easy to keep, with high protein and calcium levels.  They’re fairly cheap too.

Small superworms may be an option for you too.  Their exoskeleton is thinner than a mealworm’s, so they have more meat-per-worm and a higher protein content.  They do grow big, but not very fast.

[fuckyeahleopardgeckos]

okay so I was holding Hibiscus(boy, leopard gecko) and after returned him to his tub and pulled out my freshly sexually mature boy Snapper.

I’ve heard you should wash your hands between handling geckos to 1. prevent spread of illness and 2. prevent stress from the scent of the previous gecko. The boys have been healthy and I’ve never had anything odd happen during/after handling so I figured just moving on wouldn’t be a problem.

So I put snapper in my hand and he started rubbing his booty all over my hand in circle motions and I guess I just figured it was him wanting the warmth of my hand+being a little skittish and stuck in my hand. But when I set him down he continued this movement for a short while until I got nervous and poked his rear leg and he just kinda bolted into hiding again, both legs thankfully working perfectly. Is this scent marking behavior caused by the scent of Hibi being left on my hand? I realize it’s breeding season and he’s just reached true sexual maturity, so that could be why I’ve never had a problem before?

Anyone have any ideas? :s

[theverge]

THE VERGE REVIEW OF ANIMALS, STARRING: THE LEOPARD GECKO

Because of how it looks, the leopard gecko is the lizard that most makes you believe that you have bridged the implacable void between the minds of mammals and reptiles. But sorry, it isn’t true. You do not know the leopard gecko, it does not know you.

[fireflysummers]

@lizardbeans, @kaijutegu, @followthebluebell, thoughts?

[followthebluebell]

my review of this review:

Good stuff:

mentions leopard geckos

Bad stuff:

does not mention leopard geckos enough

ok, but seriously, leos do not eat mice.  They CAN eat mice, but they shouldn’t be given mice because their fat content is too high and they represent a choking hazard.  I appreciate that it mentions that geckos can see color though.  neat fact to include.

[fuckyeahleopardgeckos]

so they can see how crazy they all look. this is wonderful. they know that some of their gecko friends look like over ripe grapefruits and others look like Dalmatians.

Hibiscus 100% knows Lady is a catch, confirmed. Lady 100% knows that Hibiscus is a big goofball who's only good for being eaten and stepping on her face though.

[lizardbeans]

With holidays coming fast again, please remember surprise pets are never a good gift. If you wish to buy someone a pet for the holidays, please discuss it with them first to be sure they are in a position to be able to care for the animal. If you really must have some form of surprise to it, surprise them with the supplies not the animal. Then discuss with them if they can have the animal.  Animals are living creatures, not toys or things to be thrown around. Animals are a commitment. 

[followthebluebell]

hi i noticed that my leo has one dilated eye and one that isnt as much. her right eye was less dilated and her left was more dilated, but the right one was more in the light( just natural sun light. i use an undertank heater) she is a tremper albino. is this normal for albinos? do they have some ability to do ths? or is it a sign of nerological disorder. i keep her temps at 90-93 should i lower it?

I’ve never seen this in a leo, but I’ve seen it in my gargoyle gecko.  It freaked me out at first too because I was pretty sure both eyes should react the same.  Whenever I turned him around, his eyes reacted normally though and he has no issues eating or seeing.

Is your gecko eating alright?  Does it still have vision in both eyes? Do both eyes react to light?

[royalanimal]

all of mine do this and are healthy(i mean as healthy as they can be seeing as banunu has some bad breeding/early care problems and im not actually sure his eyes dilate like this) so I’m p sure its normal. Almost all of my pics show this especially of Hibi his pupils p much never are the same.

[followthebluebell]

I can’t tell if my anxiety is real or if it’s just my mind going ‘ok then get another gecko’. 

When i purchased Amp, I was told that he was a tremper albino, het for blizzard and eclipse, possible giant.  “Cool, I can make all sorts of morphs with those sweet genes,” I figured.  But he’s definitely not an albino.  He may still be het. 

That’s a lot of hets to prove out though and I run the risk of ending up with perfectly wild types instead.  Which are 100% fine.  They’re just a LOT harder to sell and more likely to end up in sad homes.

So I’ve got some of my mind going, “dude, just test breed.  when the worst case scenario is adorable geckos, how bad can it be?” and the other one is going, “ok, then use a different male for breeding and just keep Amp as pet-only.  When the worst case scenario is more geckos, how bad can it be?”

[fuckyeahleopardgeckos]

Gosh this is dumb situation. :( I get the worry though since geckos are p much addicting not gonna lie I always want more. After getting Snapper(by telling myself Hibiscus was sterile(unconfirmed)) I have to tell myself no constantly :P

If I were in the situation where genetics are questionable though I might be cautious with breeding Amp. Testing him would be okay, but distinguishing between albino and non-albino hatchlings is so easy and the breeder missed it, how will you know what genes he really has? @m@

[fuckyeahleopardgeckos]

i just got my baby leo a couple weeks ago. he sometimes makes yelping noises at night and i get up to check on him but he seems just fine. is this normal?

this ask was sent to me ages ago honestly idk if you’re still here OTL

If the sound is high pitched, loud, and drawn out then it might be a scream? your baby could be spooking himself!

My grown boys make sounds occasionally. If your gecko is making these sounds often, observe their behavior what are they doing. Generally my geckos make the sound when they’re uncomfortable(when they shove themselves behind their hides or are twisting or folding themselves for whatever reason or when I won’t let them go where they want tbh(only hibi is this rude though)) and it’s usually like a quiet croaking sound.

If your gecko is making this sound often and presenting abnormal behavior then you may want to take them to a vet to have them checked out and/or look at the set up and re-evaluate if the gecko feels safe and comfy!

[fuckyeahleopardgeckos]

Can leopard geckos have mealworms as their staple diet? My girl refuses to eat roaches and crickets. Sometimes she'll eat one or two crickets maybe, but she really is only interested in mealworms. She hasn't lost any weight but it's been almost a month and I don't know if this diet will have a negative effect.

I’ve gotten a few asks about this, honestly the most straight forward answer is yes. Your leo will survive on mealies but there’s a list of risks that come with feeding only mealworms(impaction, malnutrition) not to mention it kind of removes your ability to have variety which is always nice!

If your gecko will not eat roaches or crickets then I’d recommend trying to find another feeder with better nutrition than mealworms. Maybe you could try tomato hornworms or silk worms?

I’ve heard great things about these, but I’ve no experience with them and I feel like I’ve heard hornworms get big fast so there’s like a small window where you can actually feed them to a leo. They also sell out p fast in most places.

Anyone else have any alternatives to mealies or experience with hornworms/silk worms?

[followthebluebell]

So long as the gecko doesn’t have a history of impaction and the husbandry is correct, it shouldn’t get impacted from mealworm chitin.  Yes, it’s hard to digest in comparison to insects with a thinner exoskeleton, but it should be passed fine. c:  I’ve never seen or found a case of impaction by chitin that didn’t have other factors, like the gecko being kept on sand in the past. 

Hornworms DO grow fast, but it’s possible to slow them down a bit.  I got a shipment of hornworms about an inch long last week and I’ve been keeping them at 65F.  With this, they’ve grown maybe a centimeter in that time.  They keep eating at the same rate though!  Hornworms are VORACIOUS eaters and, if not provided with food, they’ll eat each other.  Luckily, they’ll eat vegetable scraps.  They’ll smell bad, but it’s better than dead hornworms.  Keep in mind that since they have a LOT of fluid, they may make your leo’s feces very runny and smelly.  But they are a very popular feeder; I’ve only had one lizard turn their nose up at a hornworm (gargoyle gecko).  These are illegal in the UK, as it turns out.

It’s important to NOT harvest hornworms from plants in your garden!  VERY IMPORTANT.  Tomato leaves carry a toxin and while the toxin doesn’t harm the hornworm, the hornworm WILL CARRY THIS TOXIN ON.  Your lizard can get sick if they eat this.

Silkworms are probably the healthiest feeder available.  The downside is that they’re very sensitive to bacterial and fungal infections, so you need to make sure everything is super clean.  Also they eat only mulberry leaves or a chow made from mulberry leaves, and they eat a LOT of it. They’re seasonal too, so they can be hard to find this time of year.  They tend to be a love-it-or-hate-it kind of feeder.  Amp loves them, Echo hates them.

Reptiworms might be worth looking into.  These are packed with calcium and aren’t too expensive. Again, they’re a kind of love-it-or-hate-it feeder.  Echo eats them, but only grudgingly and if there’s nothing else available. 

Have you considered superworms?  They’re similar enough to mealworms that your gecko probably won’t be able to tell much of a difference.  Their chitin is thinner though and I find them much easier to deal with.  They grow fairly slowly, but a healthy adult leo should be able to handle a large superworm without an issue.

[fuckyeahleopardgeckos]

Can leopard geckos have mealworms as their staple diet? My girl refuses to eat roaches and crickets. Sometimes she'll eat one or two crickets maybe, but she really is only interested in mealworms. She hasn't lost any weight but it's been almost a month and I don't know if this diet will have a negative effect.

I’ve gotten a few asks about this, honestly the most straight forward answer is yes. Your leo will survive on mealies but there’s a list of risks that come with feeding only mealworms(impaction, malnutrition) not to mention it kind of removes your ability to have variety which is always nice!

If your gecko will not eat roaches or crickets then I’d recommend trying to find another feeder with better nutrition than mealworms. Maybe you could try tomato hornworms or silk worms?

I’ve heard great things about these, but I’ve no experience with them and I feel like I’ve heard hornworms get big fast so there’s like a small window where you can actually feed them to a leo. They also sell out p fast in most places.

Anyone else have any alternatives to mealies or experience with hornworms/silk worms?

[fuckyeahleopardgeckos]

i just got some leos and their water bowl is right in the middle of their cage. i havent seen them drink out of it yet. do you think they wi eventually find it?

Yeah! Don’t worry they won’t have any trouble, there’s a good chance they’ve already found it and you just happened to not see it yet. C:

as time goes by they’ll become more comfortable with their surroundings and start coming out more and maybe you’ll see them drinking!

[lizardbeans]

Leopard Gecko Care

Leopard geckos are one of the best beginner reptiles to keep. They’re relatively easy to care for and if properly cared for can live to be 20-25 years! Of course, Leopard geckos are not for everyone. Just like other animals it is best to research and even handle some leopard geckos before deciding to bring home a leopard gecko. This will be a care guide that can also help you decide if this is really a pet you would like to add to your family. 

Keep reading

[fuckyeahleopardgeckos]

I’ve been getting a lot of husbandry related questions recently(even though the ask box is closed) and I am kind of worried about some and I haven’t been answering... The above care sheet is a great answer for many of your questions. The link below is also to a really nice care sheet. The geckos unlimited sheet is what got me through everything when I first started with Banunu!

Geckos Unlimited Care sheet

[followthebluebell]

Where to buy bugs online

this is a pretty us-centric list. I hope to get more resources for people outside of the US. 

US

Mulberry Farms - I use this for most of my bugs. I have no complaints. c: Wide variety of feeders.

Linda’s Gone Buggie - this is a MUCH smaller company, so mistakes with orders are somewhat common (like maybe 5% of the orders I’ve gotten have had some problem like feeders I’ve ordered not being included), but problems are quickly and generously corrected. Very good prices and a wide variety of feeders.

Dubi Deli - focuses on dubia roaches. Good prices, but feeders often arrive very thin and dehydrated. Ships out extremely fast though! If you need bugs in a hurry, try this place.

WestCoastRoaches - When I need to buy more roaches, this is where I go. Good prices and weekly deals. Also ships out VERY fast.

Lady Silkworm - Focuses on silkworms! As a rule, silks are very sensitive to fungal and bacterial infections. These are probably the hardiest silks I’ve seen.

Kimbrell’s Coldblood - Another dubia-centric place, but also sells discoid. I’ve never bought from this place. 

Rhactastic Rhacs - Yet ANOTHER dubia-centric seller! Best prices I’ve seen on breeding packages of dubia. I’ve never bought from them. 

Florida Silkworms - Silkworms only and only in LARGE amounts (500 or more). Also dubia. Never bought from them.

Great Lakes Hornworm - Hornworm centric, but also sells super, meal, and crickets. Never bought from them.

Rainbow Mealworms - Despite the name, they sell a wide variety of feeders. I’ve never heard a complaint about them, although I’ve never personally bought from them. 

Phoenix Worms - sells phoenix worms (aka reptiworms/calciworms). My reptiles aren’t a fan of these critters, so I’ve never bought from here.

Reptiworms - See above. I HAVE bought from here, though. Prices are lower than Phoenix Worms.

Timberline Live Food - most of the stuff you see in pet stores is produced by Timberline. I’ve never bought direct from the company. 

Roach Crossing - TONS of different species of roaches here, including some very unusual ones. You want pet roaches? Check this place out. Also clean-up crews for bioactive set-ups. Never bought from them, but probably will some day. 

Fluker’s Cricket Farm - Notable because they sell hissing cockroaches. Also carries the most common feeders: crickets, mealworms, etc. Never ordered, but haven’t heard any complaints either.

UK

The Live Food Warehouse - Looks like they have a pretty wide variety. Offers springtails for those who want to set up a bioactive substrate.

Silkworm Store - Pretty wide variety here too! Plus silkworms! 

Rick’s Livefood - Sells a pretty wide variety, including stuff for bioactive set-ups.

CANADA

RECORP INC. - Nice wide variety of feeders!

The Worm Lady - Mostly worm-centric. Also sells rodents, both f/t and live.

Super Cricket - Warning for VERY obnoxious graphics and flashing. 

AUSTRALIA

Live Foods Unlimited - looks like it has a nice selection of supplies, but a pretty limited amount of feeders. Sells crickets, giant mealworms,  and wood cockroaches. (Queensland)

Sunstate Crickets - Crickets, mealworms, wood roaches (aka lobster roaches), and SNAILS. Very important for BTS owners. c: (Queensland)

Martyn’s Mealworms - Live and dried mealworms.  Also snails! (Victoria)

The Reptile Doctor Shop - Silkworms.  Also sells supplements and books, including the highly recommended Complete Chondro. (Victoria)

The ARCade - I find their website kinda hard to navigate.  That’s their main site, but their store is here. They sell a pretty wide variety, including crickets, blowflies+houseflies, calci gents and regular gents (housefly maggot), mealworms, and cockroaches.

New Zealand

Insect Direct - Just live crickets. 

Animal Supplies - Wider variety here, including locusts.

[followthebluebell]

updated with some very useful resources from creations4peace!  Thank you!

[sunfish-exotics]

TFW a cricket crawls over your foot and you haven’t had crickets in a month.

[fuckyeahleopardgeckos]

Crickets… jfc crickets. I can’t do crickets. I know people who do and do it well, and its not that they really freak me out much, but they never leave and I cannot keep them contained.

My first month with my first Leo Banunu, he couldn’t eat the crickets in the first place, but then our kittens got into the bedroom and first thing they did(after harassing the geckos probably tbh) was knock over the cricket keeper. By the time we got there they were aLL GONE. We only had like 20 but crickets are small, annoying, and resilient

over the next month or two we found most of them. But there was this one cricket who lasted basically 5-6 months. I found him hopping down the stairs just casually navigating the house like it was his. I called my sister over showed her and we left him. it was hilarious to us, not so much our mom who basically re-banned us from getting crickets ever again.

[estuarine-space-communism]

well, brown house crickets are found pretty much everywhere due to the pet trade. it could have been a wild cricket that wandered in.

I guess there’s no way to know. can’t exactly ask them where they’re from.

[fuckyeahleopardgeckos]

this is very very true! Idk we don't really have crickets where I am(at least I've never heard/seen them before????) but this is still a possibility! It also could have been one of my lil bugs. no matter what I hope he lived a happy full life among his human roommate's. uvu

[sunfish-exotics]

TFW a cricket crawls over your foot and you haven’t had crickets in a month.

[fuckyeahleopardgeckos]

Crickets... jfc crickets. I can't do crickets. I know people who do and do it well, and its not that they really freak me out much, but they never leave and I cannot keep them contained.

My first month with my first Leo Banunu, he couldn't eat the crickets in the first place, but then our kittens got into the bedroom and first thing they did(after harassing the geckos probably tbh) was knock over the cricket keeper. By the time we got there they were aLL GONE. We only had like 20 but crickets are small, annoying, and resilient

over the next month or two we found most of them. But there was this one cricket who lasted basically 5-6 months. I found him hopping down the stairs just casually navigating the house like it was his. I called my sister over showed her and we left him. it was hilarious to us, not so much our mom who basically re-banned us from getting crickets ever again.

[lizardbeans]

Portland Metro Reptile Expo in Oregon

Who is gonna be there on Saturday? :D Ill be there picking up a few things and a gecko (sadly not for myself BUT EXPECT PICS OF THEM) and probably will be sobbing over by any uromastyx there 

[fuckyeahleopardgeckos]

Imma be there! super hyped!

[lizardbeans]

so much hype to be surrounded by reptiles and amphibians aaaaa Im hoping the carnivorous plant vendor is going to be back

[fuckyeahleopardgeckos]

Yessss tbh I forgot about carnivorous plantssss I was gonna say I'm not gonna get anything live, but I might grab a fly trap @o@

Also have there been any Uromastyx at this expo before???? because I need to see one immediately I just need to gaze upon the perfect little thorny pancakes

[lizardbeans]

Portland Metro Reptile Expo in Oregon

Who is gonna be there on Saturday? :D Ill be there picking up a few things and a gecko (sadly not for myself BUT EXPECT PICS OF THEM) and probably will be sobbing over by any uromastyx there 

[fuckyeahleopardgeckos]

Imma be there! super hyped!

[bettablogging]

Exciting news!! Remember that Petco switched to a different tank brand for their sale?

Looks like that is because Aqueon now has the deal with Petsmart!!

From now until 8/02 all 10, 20, and 40 gallon aqueon tanks are a dollar per gallon at petsmart!!

[fuckyeahleopardgeckos]

I'm in class rn but this was too good to not reblog. I got an ask or two about where to get cheap tanks so here you go!

Petco used to do this too but I wonder if the trend followed the brand? does anyone know of petco still has their dollar per gallon sales?