I am adopting a Leo....

[ZEKESMOM]

I do not know what it looks like, how old, nothing.
My boss has an adult son who is moving out of state and has to "get rid" of it. She knows that I have my cresties and snake and rats and asked if I wanted it with all its "stuff". I asked all the important questions...
How old?...don't know
What colors?....don't know
Does it have heat?....has a heat rock
What are you feeding it?....crickets
Are you dusting them offering calcium?..... no
What size tank? ....don't know

so you can see where I am at....I will be getting him or her one day this week.
So....I have phosperous free rep-cal calcium with vitamin D...I have read some posts and found the vitamin that I need to dust the crickets. Know to use paper towels for subtrate, shallow dish of water and calcium. Can I feed crickets every day or every other? Have plenty of them on hand because of the cresties. Do I ditch the heat rock and go to uth or is heat rock ok? Should I quarentine in another room away from my cresties? Can they pass anything on to my cresties?

That's all I can think of now...sure I will think of more later

[mlededee]

definitely quarantine the leo and be very clean and careful about handling it before handling the cresteds or anything that they will come in contact with. leos can carry parasites and other diseases that cresteds are succeptible to.

ditch the heat rock and go with a uth and thermostat.

it would be best to feed crickets in addition to something else like mealworms or phoenix worms. leos do well with some variety in their diet.

once you have the leo you can determine if the tank is an appropriate size for it. a 10 gallon aquarium is adequate for a single adult.

[ZEKESMOM]

Thanks Emily Guess the new "roomie" will be quarentined in the bathroom walk in closet Am going to the feed store tomorrow to see if I can by clorhexidine to use on tanks and my self and hands. How long should I quarentine for? And what do I look for in a "sick" Leo?

[mlededee]

you should quarantine for 90 days. a sick leo might display any of the following signs: lethargy, little or no appetite, discharge from eyes, nose or cloaca, runny and/or smelly feces, rubbery jaw and/or joints (metabolic bone disease).

it always a good idea to have a fecal exam done for a leo, especially if it is of unknown origin. parasites are relatively easy and inexpensive to treat in leos and then you don't risk spreading any nasties to your cresteds.

[ZEKESMOM]

Have read some posts about fecals and had already planned on that. Talked to my boss today and from some things she said don't think it is to "healthy. She said something to the effect of "when I feed him crickets his tail gets this big around"...showing a size. Shouldn't leo's tails always be fat?

[mlededee]

when she feeds him crickets...as opposed to when she doesn't feed him crickets or at all? that's kind of confusing. and yes, leos should always have nice fat tails.

[ZEKESMOM]

she said the tail gets fat when after she feeds him....I know she is not feeding it correctly because she is not dusting...but not sure how often she is feeding...I am having a feeling that I am going to be taking in a very malnurished animal. She is bringing it and a red ear pond slider to work tomorrow afternoon for me to bring home. The pond slider is going to my sister in law as she already has russian tortoises and knows what to do with it and has the time and room for it.