new to the leos

[Lrptls]

i got my first leopard gecko today, its a little albino, dunno the sex (not even sure if i could tell yet) its about 3 inches snout to vent, i'm really trying to leave it alone to let it settle. i already know the basics of their care from reading about them but i have a few questions...

first, the lady that boxed it up said because its albino i should use a red bulb at all times so it wont be too bright, regular bulb might hurt it or something. i did get a red bulb just incase but is that true? or can i just use regular bulbs?

also, i know they need to eat every day till they are older, what is a good feeding schedule for one week using the meal worms and crickets (i will ocasionaly give it wax worms)

one more thing, any one got any good name suggestions? thank you

[Tim and Julie B]

While it is true that their eyes are more sensitive, you don't have to provide anything special. Leos in general just need to know when it is day and when it is night. The use of a regular bulb is fine and you can use the red one at night to observe the normal nocturnal cycle of your new pet. Be sure to give him/her a dark hiding place, like a cardboard tube cut in half, an upturned margarine container with a hole in the top so it can get in and out, or anything similar.

They should eat every day, or every other day, depending on appetite. Use a small saucer for the mealies, taking care that they are not too big, and gut loaded crickets also at an appropriate size. I keep a few mealies in the dish at all times, and replenish when they go missing and offer them as many small crix as they can eat. I generally start with 4-6 and add two at a time until they lose interest and start running away from them, lol. Be sure to take the uneaten ones out. As they get older you can offer other bugs like silk worms, butter worms, kings, and the occasional wax worm.

Congrats on the new leo, and you may want to hold out on naming it just yet, until you know the sex

Julie

[Lrptls]

thanks for the help, i gave her about 5 small crickets, dont know if there hiding really good or she ate them because now i only see one, i also gave her mealies that she hasn't touched yet.

i think i'll just use the red bulb till it burns out then use regular bulbs (that bulb was like $9 so i'm not going to waste it!)

she has 2 hides, one is a little half coconut, its in a dish full of moist dirt.

i read that there should be a dish of vitamins for them to lick, i have a bottle cap with vitamins in it, i did see her lick some, should this be in there for her every day?

[Tim and Julie B]

Yup, you can leave the vitamins in there all the time, provided that it is just a calcium supplement. The regular vitamins should be dusted onto the crix once or twice a week only. Just to make sure they are getting a good balance.

Julie

[LISA127]

those red bulbs are a lot cheaper through other stores (hardware stores, walmart, etc.) than they are in the pet stores.