???, ??? and more ????

[anjwld]

Ok I have so many questions: As I posted under Hello Newbie Here, I got these two babies last week (given to me from someone who couldn't keep them anymore) They are approx. 10 months old, and about 4-4 1/2 inches long, no clue how much they weigh.

1- At what age are the considered adults!?

2- Everything I have read so far about feeding gives me different # of times per week, from 3-5 days. So I'm thinking I can't over feed them correct!? How many times do you feed yours?

3-Do you put a dish in with them that

4- To help up on weight I should feed them meal worms, how many times per week!?

The picture below is Yoshi hanging on the side of her castle and Zuki inside. If you click on the picture it will take you to their photo album. They are both the same size and age.

Many thanks!

[Stewart_Reptiles]

1- At what age are the considered adults!?

At 9 – 10 month leos reach sexual maturity

How many times do you feed yours?

They have food available at all time.

3-Do you put a dish in with them that

If you feed mealies yes if you feed crickets just place some in the enclosure.

4- To help up on weight I should feed them meal worms, how many times per week!?

Simply have a dish with mealies available at all times in their enclosure.

[adrenalinejunkie]

you can also offer adults (mainly the females) pinky mice occasionally ( I do once a month in between clutches to help the females keep weight during breeding)

The rest of the year its just mealworms and crickets as well as a dish with some calcium in it.

[coldblooded]

Ok I have so many questions: As I posted under Hello Newbie Here, I got these two babies last week (given to me from someone who couldn't keep them anymore) They are approx. 10 months old, and about 4-4 1/2 inches long, no clue how much they weigh.

1- At what age are the considered adults!?

2- Everything I have read so far about feeding gives me different # of times per week, from 3-5 days. So I'm thinking I can't over feed them correct!? How many times do you feed yours?

3-Do you put a dish in with them that

4- To help up on weight I should feed them meal worms, how many times per week!?

1. Deborah is correct but I want to say again that your leos do not appear to be anywhere near 10 months old (Banding is still prevalent). They do appear to be very malnourished so it could be part of the size problem (My 4 month old is larger than them)

2. Since your leos appear to be malnourished/young I would be feeding them every day. Make sure you have a good heat gradient in your tank (I keep my hot side around 95F and cool side at room temperature). Heat is critical for the proper digestion of food. I would also separate them to prevent bullying over food. I feed my adults every two to three days and my juvies every day.

3. I don't feed mealworms but you can leave a bowl of them in there. There are more nutritious feeders out there (roaches, crickets, other types of larvae). Make sure your mealworms are gutloaded.

4. Feed them every day.

Good luck

EDIT: Please also remember to dust your feeders with a calcium/vitamin supplement. I personally love the Repashy Superfoods ICB but there are many choices out there. Reptical and Reptivite are also very good.

[Stewart_Reptiles]

One last thing are those females?

If they are males they need to be seperated, if they are male and female they need to be seperated as well as they are nowhere close to healthy weight to be breeding in my opinion.

[anjwld]

Oh thank you all so much! I'm not good with all that quoting thing so I hope I don't confuse myself

Ok so how old do you think they are!? Yes they are both females and so far no one is fighting over their food.

I did get a heat bulb for them and that side of the tank is about 85-90 degrees. I don't know the other, just got another themo strip today.

I got vitamins and the calcium today oh and the meal worms, little ones cause the others looked like the girls would choke on them!

Now I put the mealies in the bowl (got one of those that have the lip on it so now should I go home and feed them the worms tonight after I dust them with both the vitamins and the cals? and if I read the instructions correctly I only do that once a week!? Oh I did feed them the food I was given, the crickets in the can and I have been feeding them every other day since I had them, so that would be about 4 days. Now should I go home and feed them the worms tonight after I dust them with the vits and cals?

Oh and ref the pinkies, I just don't think I can do that just yet Maybe later!

Disclaimer: As my DH says I'm not one to test the water but run straight in! With that being said round two of questions.

I went to the pet store today and saw some really cool things for Yoshi and Zuki, one was the Mountian looking thing that you put the crickets in, anyone use that!? That looked pretty cool and then there was the water fountain. Says it stays cleaner and it has a screen in it so the cricket and the girls don't dirty it.

Thanks a million!

[olstyn]

At 9 – 10 month leos reach sexual maturity

My understanding has always been that it was more like 18 months before they get to full size, and that before that age and a weight of 50-60 grams, they should not be bred. At 10 months, my girl still had a lot of growing to do; I've never heard of a leo being done growing @ 10 months before.

On a separate note, I see the OP is using sand as a substrate. That's not recommended, especially for juveniles, as it can cause impactions, which can be fatal. Tile, slate, newspaper, paper towels, etc, are all better choices.

[coldblooded]

My understanding has always been that it was more like 18 months before they get to full size, and that before that age and a weight of 50-60 grams, they should not be bred. At 10 months, my girl still had a lot of growing to do; I've never heard of a leo being done growing @ 10 months before.

On a separate note, I see the OP is using sand as a substrate. That's not recommended, especially for juveniles, as it can cause impactions, which can be fatal. Tile, slate, newspaper, paper towels, etc, are all better choices.

Your assumption is incorrect. Leos definitely reach sexual maturity within a year (10 months is a good average. Think puberty.) The 50-60 gram mark can often be hit (and surpassed) within that time as well.

But also, most leos stop growing around 13-14 months.

I have raised quite a few leos from hatchlings and this has been the trend.

[olstyn]

Your assumption is incorrect. Leos definitely reach sexual maturity within a year (10 months is a good average. Think puberty.) The 50-60 gram mark can often be hit (and surpassed) within that time as well.

But also, most leos stop growing around 13-14 months.

I have raised quite a few leos from hatchlings and this has been the trend.

Well, "assumption" is an incorrect word to use there, if we're telling people they're just wrong now. My understanding was gotten both from my personal experience and from reading books and forums on the topic, and this is the first place I've come across someone who has said that non-giant strain leos "often" get to 50-60 grams in under a year.

Puberty and maturity are not the same thing. The fact that the equipment functions doesn't mean it should be used immediately. Human puberty usually starts between 12-14 years old, but most of us don't stop growing until 18-20, and we certainly shouldn't be considered adults at puberty. Granted, geckos are not humans, but it was your analogy, not mine; you'll have to forgive me for using it.

[coldblooded]

Well, "assumption" is an incorrect word to use there, if we're telling people they're just wrong now. My understanding was gotten both from my personal experience and from reading books and forums on the topic, and this is the first place I've come across someone who has said that non-giant strain leos "often" get to 50-60 grams in under a year.

Puberty and maturity are not the same thing. The fact that the equipment functions doesn't mean it should be used immediately. Human puberty usually starts between 12-14 years old, but most of us don't stop growing until 18-20, and we certainly shouldn't be considered adults at puberty. Granted, geckos are not humans, but it was your analogy, not mine; you'll have to forgive me for using it.

I meant no offense. I was telling you what I've experienced personally from raising my own (which are non giants.). One of my females, who is about 10 months old, is 77g. Another, who is right behind her in age, is 68g. They are virgins. Another female of mine, who is now creeping towards 2 years old, is 80g.

I understand that puberty and maturity are not the same thing but the reason I used that analogy was because once a human hits puberty they are capable of sexual reproduction, no? They are definitely not done growing but are able to reproduce.

Geckos mature very quickly and do hit sexual maturity within a year and then tend to stop growing soon after (13-14 months, though I'm sure there are exceptions.)

Just my .02 - Take it or leave it, I wasn't attacking you.