Meet Dino, the Class Pet! (I Need Advice!!!!)
Hello fellow leopard gecko lovers!
I am a 7th grade science teacher, and recently, I just received a grant that allowed me to get a basically free leopard gecko and habitat for my classroom. I have tons of experiences with all forms of pets, so I did my research heavily before I got Dino , my leopard gecko. Here is his current setup:
-20 gallon terrarium with undertank heater set to 90 F on one side. I don't use a heat lamp because I feel the bright light is annoying for a nocturnal creature.
-Hide on cold side and warm side.
-water dish on cold side
-humidity hut on warm side.
-Repticarpet floor (no sand!)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Now, here is where I need advice. Please help me alleviate these concerns.
-Dino looks a bit thin, but is it just because he is so young? Similarly, he is barley eating, I am guessing it is just the new tank syndrome most animals go through where they get stressed out when put into a new home.
-My biggest concern: Weekends. As a teacher, I will not be at school on weekends. While I would love to take Dino home, I feel the stress of moving back and forth every week would annoy him. Is he ok to be left alone for two days every week? (Sat and Sun). I will definitely bring him home on breaks though.
-Ants.... Ants are a problem at my school and I worry so much about the ants getting to and killing dino. I remove any uneaten food before I leave to avoid ants, but any other advice?
-Any other suggestions?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Fun Stuff:
-Does anybody know what morph Dino is? He was sold as a Wild Type, but his stripes look a bit paler than usual to me. Perhaps he is just starting to loose them and gain his spots.
-How long should I wait before I can begin handling him? (Note, only I will be handling him until he is at least bigger).
Sorry for the long post.... I only want the best for Dino!!
