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New Leopard Gecko
#1
This was a very random buy for me normally I think about getting a new pet for months or in some cases years waiting for the right time. This weekend in Franklin, TN I had a couple friends that had booths at Repticon. Which is a reptile show where a bunch of breeders come together and try to sell there animals. My friends told me about it so I went. My intention was to just look at all the cool reptiles, amphibians, arachnids... and all that. That was until I saw all the Leopard geckos. and boy did I see about 50 I wanted to take home. And once the venders knew I already had a female they were on me to get a male. I thought and thought about it. The show went on for 2 days. The first day everyone's prices are insane but the second day they get reasonable and I went after it was over and they were packing up Smile sooo I got my little guy for $60 instead of $75. I should have talked the lady down more but the gecko I got has at least 3 major morphs (not that I know what that means but I'm going to study on that). The down side is because he is so mixed he doesn't look like any of the morphs. The only reason they know his genetics it because they knew who the mother and father where.
He's a Snow, patternless, possibly a blizzard, and 66% Tremper something. there are apparently 4 different tremper combinations and all the card that she gave me says is HET Tremper.
But either way he is sweet. I put him in a small 10 gallon tank until he get's a little bigger. Allison, my other leopard, is a few molts bigger than he is so I'll have to wait a few months until he catches up to her to introduce them. Plus if he is sick I don't want her to get sick too. But I do have their tanks side by side so they can at least see each other. Allison showed a lot of interest with the new boy. He was a little spazzy for the first couple hours so it wasn't until he calmed down some that he even acknowledge her. He seemed interested in her as well but with him having been kept in a tiny bowl for 3 days I'll give him some time to just relax. right now all he has in his tank is a small pot to hide in, his water, and his millworm dish. If there was too much in his tank he could get stressed and not eat. But it's only temporary until he is used to his new surrounding.
He pooped last night so that's good. It means he's not so stressed that his bowels became impacted. I haven't seen him eat yet but he has been drinking water. He probably wont eat much anyway because I can tell he is about to molt. And they don't eat much while they molt. He's got the white shiney look starting. Which is funny cause Allison did the same thing when I brought her home. She molted 2 days after I got her and he is about to do the same. It makes it hard to take good pictures because there is a shiny while glow on his skin.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/hiiamlibby/13220943523/
https://www.flickr.com/photos/hiiamlibby/13220794385/
https://www.flickr.com/photos/hiiamlibby/13221131754/
https://www.flickr.com/photos/hiiamlibby/13220808675/
https://www.flickr.com/photos/hiiamlibby/13220815195/
The last 2 you can really see the white glow. But the pictures turned out weird. Because he's not that yellow in person. He is brown. The one picture from top is the closest to what he looks like in person. I love how he has one white glove on his front left foot. that's the blizzard or snow gene showing. I could name him Micheal Jackson hahahahahahahahahaha

Now I'm just trying to think of names for the little guy. I've been just calling him little man.
Joker cause it looks like he is smiling.
Joel- from "The Last of Us" game. He's a strong character.
Nikolai- I threw in too just because I love that name. Even though I originally had is saved for a sugar glider.
Mal-from Firefly
Patrick- in the spirit of the Holiday. I'll always remember when I got him.
Sammy- my grandfather had a cat named this once upon a time. I loved that cat.
Charlie- I just love that name. Also it was my great grandmothers name.
Billy- was my grandfather name.

I kinda want to name him after someone funny because he looks like he's smiling, but I'm leaning towards the last 3 or Little Man right now. I call all small male critters little man though. I'm just trying all the names out right now to see what sounds better.
My boyfriend likes Mal because you know how when couples get together and they combine their names into one. Allison with Mal would be Malison. 79
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#2
here is a link about the different morphs http://www.leopardgeckowiki.com/index.ph...ory:Morphs
http://www.paulsagereptiles.com/LeopardGenetics.htm

this just talks about leopard gecko health http://www.thegeckospot.net/leohealth.php
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#3
So I've been looking at all the morphs from my boy and man am I going to get some pretty babies. I'm not sure what Allison is but from looking at all the morphs I think she's a patternless carrottail.
I've been told any babies I get out of them will have the white though. I don't know we shall see. Either way they will be pretty I'm sure.
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#4
You already have a leopard gecko so from a reptile owner point of view he doesn't count as a new pet. He is just another pet. Anyhow he will be living with Ally soon enough.
So congratulations on the beautiful little man. I call my guys little man sometimes. He is nice and you were smart. At the end of a show when people are packing up, you can get some good bargains. He has some nice genetics. Combined with Ally's genetics you should have some interesting babies. All babies are beautiful of course, but it is fun when they are interesting.

He sounds like he is settling very well. Allison knows he is there. Reptiles are very aware of these things. They will be happy together and her tank is big enough for both of them. You could even get another female. This is going to be fun. You are smart to quarantine him and to grow him a little bit before he joins Ally. He is definitely shedding. He will look so much better when he is newly shed. I love how they look after a shed.
I am amazed that you only brought home one lizard. I went to a reptile show once. I took no money and I still came home with two lizards. The breeder brought a bearded dragon that she wanted to find a home for and I had a tank big enough so that is how I got Jonathan.


I like the name Mal because I am a Firefly fan. Malison is pretty cool.
Have fun and keep us posted.
[Image: IMG_9091.JPG]
Catherine

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#5
(03-18-2014, 12:58 PM)Catherine Wrote: You already have a leopard gecko so from a reptile owner point of view he doesn't count as a new pet. He is just another pet. Anyhow he will be living with Ally soon enough.
So congratulations on the beautiful little man. I call my guys little man sometimes. He is nice and you were smart. At the end of a show when people are packing up, you can get some good bargains. He has some nice genetics. Combined with Ally's genetics you should have some interesting babies. All babies are beautiful of course, but it is fun when they are interesting.

He sounds like he is settling very well. Allison knows he is there. Reptiles are very aware of these things. They will be happy together and her tank is big enough for both of them. You could even get another female. This is going to be fun. You are smart to quarantine him and to grow him a little bit before he joins Ally. He is definitely shedding. He will look so much better when he is newly shed. I love how they look after a shed.
I am amazed that you only brought home one lizard. I went to a reptile show once. I took no money and I still came home with two lizards. The breeder brought a bearded dragon that she wanted to find a home for and I had a tank big enough so that is how I got Jonathan.


I like the name Mal because I am a Firefly fan. Malison is pretty cool.
Have fun and keep us posted.

I think I've decided on Charlie. I keep coming back to it and can't picture him as anything but Charlie.

I've noticed a few millworms (giants) missing. At first I thought he ate 4 but after checking his tank I found one that had escaped. But still 3 is good. I think he has just pooped again and right after I cleaned too. The little monster. Well the lady tried to get me to take more but I just wanted my boy. My friend Dawn tried to get me to take a pair of Tokay geckos. They were really pretty but I just didn't have the right equipment set up to get them. Plus I don't know anything about them. I like to know how to care for something before I bring it home.

I love Charlie's coloring. The more I look the more I see that his tail and head are a deep purple and his body is a deep green purple mix. And that's why in pictures the yellow pops. I got a really good picture of him today.

I also changed the set up so now they can't look at each other Sad but I have more floor room. And it's a bit more fire safety friendly and that's what counts! I don't need to burn the house down.


Here's the new cart. It even has a place between where I could put the egg incubator. I have some instructions on how to make one with an aquarium heater. While I'm thinking about that. Catherine have you tried that and would you recommend it?
   
Allison's tank
   
Allison
   
Charlie's tank. It's not very impressive but like I said this is only for 60 days. May 16th. Or until he gets bigger.
   
Charlie. Isn't this such a good picture!
   
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#6
Allison's tank is very good. She must love it. Charlie's tank will do for now. It is plenty good enough for a temporary home.

He is really beautiful. You are right, he has a purple tail. You did very well at the reptile show. He has some nice genetics.
The cart is a good idea. It seems like a much more space efficient set up and if it is fire safe as well then that is better.

You could set up an incubator. A friend of mine does that. My eggs all go to a big incubator at the reptile store. I have too many to fit into a small incubator. Snakes lay large clutches. Lizards usually only have a few eggs at a time. (chameleons have large clutches)

You could have taken another female and it would work out for the two new ones to live with Allison. I wouldn't recommend the Tokays however. You would need a different set up and Tokays bite! They often eat mice and are not friendly lizards. They can get pretty big too so you would need a bigger taller tank. The lid would have to be very secure. Even I am not tempted to get a Tokay.
[Image: IMG_9091.JPG]
Catherine

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#7
(03-19-2014, 03:46 PM)Catherine Wrote: Allison's tank is very good. She must love it. Charlie's tank will do for now. It is plenty good enough for a temporary home.

He is really beautiful. You are right, he has a purple tail. You did very well at the reptile show. He has some nice genetics.
The cart is a good idea. It seems like a much more space efficient set up and if it is fire safe as well then that is better.

You could set up an incubator. A friend of mine does that. My eggs all go to a big incubator at the reptile store. I have too many to fit into a small incubator. Snakes lay large clutches. Lizards usually only have a few eggs at a time. (chameleons have large clutches)

You could have taken another female and it would work out for the two new ones to live with Allison. I wouldn't recommend the Tokays however. You would need a different set up and Tokays bite! They often eat mice and are not friendly lizards. They can get pretty big too so you would need a bigger taller tank. The lid would have to be very secure. Even I am not tempted to get a Tokay.

I got some small shoe box size bins last night for when the babies hatch they will need to be separated a week or so after they hatch. She will only every have 2 at a time so that's good. I got 3 bins, 2 for each baby (if there are 2) and 1 I was thinking about turning into an incubator BUT I'm thinking a small hard shell insulated lunch box would do better. it will keep the humidity and heat in well. They will feed off the yolk for the first week which I think is really cool. They wont start eating millworms until after they first shed.
The Tokays were pretty but yeah I don't have anything they need and later, when I got Charlie, one of the guys that was trying to tell me to get them ended up taking them. He them home and was putting them in their new tank and it bite down on his finger. I was like "oh yeah that makes me want to get one right now" dripping with sarcasm.

That's why I like the Leos if they bite it doesn't hurt and they are more likely to like you than bite you. I was petting Allison yesterday and she arched up like a cat to press her back closer to my finger. Then she turned her head and rubbed her head against my finger just like a cat. I died laughing. Of course I was awwwwwwing too. It was adorable.
Charlie is still calming down but since I put a second rock he can get under he has spent most his time around it. But I have caught him sleeping with his legs sprawled out behind him. I think he will do just fine here.
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#8
So i gave Charlie 16 millworms when i first put him in his new tank. This morning he still had about 10 before i left for work at 9am. I get home and check on him at 5pm and they are all gone. I think he even tried to eat the carrot that was for the millworms cause it was pulled out of the bowl. I think he's starting to feel safe in his new home.
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#9
It sounds like Charlie is doing just fine. Leopard Geckos are so easy to deal with. They are gentle creatures and they do like to be touched.

They can live over ten years so you have lots of time with them. The shoe boxes are a good idea. You need to drill tiny air holes in them. No rush on that as you don't have eggs yet. You will get eggs, probably this year. Allison is ready and that is what really matters.

I haven't looked into homemade incubators, but if I see my friend I will ask how he does it. He hatches out Leopard Geckos. It is fairly warm where you are so you do have an advantage.

When you have eggs, you need an "egg box". A small plastic box will do. You put moistened peat moss in the box and place the eggs in the peat moss. It can't be too wet or the eggs will drown. It can't be too dry or the eggs will dry out. You will figure it out with practice. The egg box goes into the incubator. You may end up with more than one egg box if she lays eggs at different times. Label each box with the date so you know when to expect the babies to hatch.

You will have fun, but first you need to introduce Charlie to Allison. I am sure they will like each other.

Tokays don't just bite. Their jaws are strong and can lock on so it can be a nasty bite. They do bite. Other than that they are beautiful.Smiley4
[Image: IMG_9091.JPG]
Catherine

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#10
(03-20-2014, 02:47 PM)Catherine Wrote: It sounds like Charlie is doing just fine. Leopard Geckos are so easy to deal with. They are gentle creatures and they do like to be touched.

They can live over ten years so you have lots of time with them. The shoe boxes are a good idea. You need to drill tiny air holes in them. No rush on that as you don't have eggs yet. You will get eggs, probably this year. Allison is ready and that is what really matters.

I haven't looked into homemade incubators, but if I see my friend I will ask how he does it. He hatches out Leopard Geckos. It is fairly warm where you are so you do have an advantage.

When you have eggs, you need an "egg box". A small plastic box will do. You put moistened peat moss in the box and place the eggs in the peat moss. It can't be too wet or the eggs will drown. It can't be too dry or the eggs will dry out. You will figure it out with practice. The egg box goes into the incubator. You may end up with more than one egg box if she lays eggs at different times. Label each box with the date so you know when to expect the babies to hatch.

You will have fun, but first you need to introduce Charlie to Allison. I am sure they will like each other.

Tokays don't just bite. Their jaws are strong and can lock on so it can be a nasty bite. They do bite. Other than that they are beautiful.Smiley4

Some males have made it to 29 years old. And some females have made it to 23 years old. I will have these guys for quite a while. And I am more than ok with that Smile

Right now I don't have an egg laying box but I'm in no rush. Seeing as it will be awhile before I even put them together. I've been told it's likely I wont get but one or two eggs the first year. I'm excited though. I have these crayons that I can write and wash off easy that I'm using to keep things labeled. If I really get into breeding I may need to invest in a label maker.

I have to work on calming Charlie down but Allison was the same way not too long ago. I'm not worried. It's actually only been in the last month or so that she's really calmed down and will just sit in your hand for long periods. Plus he's still settling. I gave Charlie another 15 millworms last night and tonight there are 3 left. I may need to get him some mice to curb his appetite if he keeps eating like this. He probably didn't get to eat for the 3 days he was at Repticon so that's why he's so hungry. But I've been wanting to feed Allison some mice so this is as good a time as any to try and get to feed him as well. He needs to fatten up anyway.
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