Charging/biting tank

Question
QUESTION: I just bought a beautiful leopard gecko that was mistreated/neglected by her previous owner. She lost the tips of her toes due to shedding issues and even lost a few toes completely. At the pet store, they healed her toes up and nursed her back to health, but they had her on sand substrate in a 10 gal. and she was very lethargic. I brought her home and put her in a 20 gal. carpet substrate with heat pad under and a basking lamp on the cave side. She passed a large sand pellet her first night and NOW she's full of attitude. She still sleeps on the heated side, but at night when I turn off her basking lamp, she lunges at the glass and tries to attack anyone walking by! I'm worried that she will hurt herself when she runs into the glass...and she acts aggressive/defensive with no provocation. Is this typical with mistreated leos? I am eager to learn how to make her more comfortable and I look forward to many, many years with her. With your guidance, I hope to begin learning how to ease her transition into a healthy home.

ANSWER: Hello Rychelle,

Ah that is too bad about the neglect of your leopard gecko.  You could try to line the inside of the tank, 3 sides of it, with paper to help cut down on the reflection & glare she might be seeing.
Your setup sounds fine.  The understand heater & basking light on the one side is great.  Do you have a moist humid hide/cave on the warm side, also?
The carpet wont contribute to any impactions for her.  
Is she eating anything right now?

Tracie

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Hi Tracie,

I tried lining the back of the tank and it seemed to create even clearer reflections, so I took it down right away. The good new is that Xena has only tried to bite the tank once over the last 3 days. I do have a homemade moist cave with paper towels lining the bottom that I spray 2-3x daily. Yesterday she was shedding on her poor little toes and all the skin was stuck and hanging from the ends. I was terrified that she was hurt because the skin was completely covering her little nubs. I put her into a warm bath (inside her tank) and she calmed down beautifully for me. After 10 minutes of soaking, I was able to gently pull off the dead skin...thank goodness!!
She is finally eating for me (her tail is very thin). She tossed the mealworms into the water her 2nd night and a half-chewed cricket in on her fourth. I discovered that she will eat waxworms for me (thankfully) and she ate 6 last night. Hopefully that is ok for her. She also passed another sand pellet yesterday, much smaller than her first.
So, all-in-all, she's being much less aggressive and she tends to hide in her cave all day.
Does a basking lamp and heat pad enough warmth for a 20 gal. tank? The heat pad is for 10-20 gal. tanks. The basking light is a 60 watt daylight.

Thanks!

ANSWER: Hello Rychelle,

Yes, the basking lamp & undertank heater is plenty of heating for a 20 gallon tank.  
Well, that is great Xena has been eating now, finally.  Poor girl, the rough shedding is stressful for her I am sure.  
So, she is starting to pass the sand, more frequently now?  Is she spending any time out of her cave at all?  
Yes, she can have waxworms.  I would feed them just a few times a week, as they are fatty. She was only playing with the mealworms & the cricket?  
She liked her bathtime?  
I am not sure why lining the tank created more reflections.  What type of paper did you use?

I hope that she gets more active for you soon.  The moist humid hide should be perfectly fine for her then.
Let me know how she is doing.

Tracie

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Hi Tracie,
Xena definitely has an appetite. She has been eating large mealworms (4-6) and 3-4 waxworms a feeding this week. Thanks for the advice re:that--I am going to save the waxworms for a treat...since she adores them. She's actually getting little fatty pockets under her arms.
Yesterday was her first feces passing without any sand. I'm hoping she has cleared it all out.
She seemed to enjoy her bath, but ever since she got over her aggressive biting/charging and staring all of us down, she has moved on to running and hiding. She is extremely skittish. First, she only comes out at night after I put her food in. But once she does come out, the second anyone walks near her tank, she flies into her hide.
What can I do to put her more at ease? Should I leave her alone or put my hand in her tank? I've held her a few times, and she calmed down after the initial frenzy, but I don't know if I should give her time/space or continue to try bonding with her.
(By the way, I used black tagboard when I tried lining her tank.)
Thanks a million. :)

Answer
Hello Rychelle,

That is good she is eating & has gained some weight now.  It is normal to have the little fat pockets under the arm, like that.  
I hope she has passed all of the sand, also!  Poor thing.  That could not feel well at all.
She is not aggressive anymore but now she hides?  It will take her a little time to get adjusted.  Try putting your hand in her tank for just a few minutes a day.  Each day you can increase by a minute or so.  She should gradually get used to your hand & want to climb onto your hand.  Have you tried hand feeding her to entice her?  That works pretty well most of the time.  She will eventually love walking all over your hands & arms.  
I guess there was just too much glare with the tagboard.  

Keep me posted on her.
You are welcome!  

Tracie