need help with my new leo please

[secretjeff14820]

i just bought my first baby albino leopard gecko and i love him but just one question i was searching the internet on infoabout them and i read that the light of a heat lamp hurts their eyes really bad so i got worried and turned it off. its warm in here from the other heat lamps andi just got him today. can someone plz help on this topic

thank you jeff :wall:

[ferretfan]

The light from the heat lamps will not hurt their eyes but if you are that worried about it pick one up that gives off a red glow or the nite ones that are purple. A leo lives in desert so if the light bothered their eyes I am not sure how they would ever survive. Make sure that they have a hide box so that they are able to get out of the "sun" if they desire, and make sure that one side of the tank is always cooler so that they can be on the hot side or the cool side.

[secretjeff14820]

thanks for the help but everytime i turn it on he acts like hes blind and he wont chase crickets he'll just walk a little lay down and close his eyes untill i turn it off so ill try a different bulb and see what happends thanks so much you sure do know alot about leos :)

[ferretfan]

Leos are nocturnal and they will not be overly active in the day light, but it does not blind them. He needs a day light and a nite light to keep his patterns normal so they are healthy. Do not take away his daylihgt. At "nite" time feed him his crickets and all that good stuff as that is when they are most active.

[secretjeff14820]

i will do that
thanks alot

[secretjeff14820]

one more question
mabey yall could give me some tank setup ideas that would be great thanks :yawn:

[secretjeff14820]

one more question
mabey yall could give me some tank setup ideas that would be great thanks :yawn
and what are some good names for him

[WingedWolf]

It's true, bright lights will hurt an albino leo's eyes, provided you have a red-eyed albino. Using a blue or red light will solve this problem--the leo DOES need adequate heat--use thermometers to make sure the temps are correct.

[secretjeff14820]

well i bought a zoo meds blue daylight bulb and it still is too bright for him even a little light in the room from my water dragons heat lamps is too bright for him it makes him blind
thanks for the help

[animalcrazed1]

I use a substrate heater for my gecko, no actual light bulb, and he does JUST fine,...he is quite FAT in fact and really enjoys laying about all day. He sheds regularly, so I know he's growing well.
Always provide an adequate water and food dish as well as a cave, a repti-branch and a good conducting substrate like coconut bark or calci-sand.

[secretjeff14820]

mine just ate for the first time since i got him and he ate 7 crickets is that normal? hes so small he sleeps in his cave the whole day like a baby.

[WingedWolf]

Yep, 7 crickets sounds right.

Judge a leo's health and weight by his tail--a big, fat tai generally means a leo is doing well. If they don't eat well, their tail will lose weight.

[secretjeff14820]

wow thanks

[Matty]

I've also just bought a leopard gecko. He sleeps all day but around 8 o clock in the evening he wakes up and eats all the crickets. Mine has a heat mat under the substrate and a spot light [not needed]. If you swich the light off in the evening he'll wake up and become active. I'm also looking for some tank setup ideas so if anyone has any please let me and secretjeff14820 know. Thanks.

[WingedWolf]

The blue daylight bulbs are designed to mimic natural sunlight--they come as close to it as an incandescent bulb can. So, this is not the type of bulb folks meant when they recommended a blue bulb.
Instead, you're looking for a red or blue NIGHT bulb. The moonlight bulbs, for example. These are designed to produce a gentle, low level of light in a spectrum that won't interfere with the animal's day/night cycle when you leave it on all night. They should not hurt your gecko's eyes, but will provide heat.