House Update question

Rex Taylor

New Member
Messages
14
Location
Arizona
So i posted a question a few days ago as to how my leopard gecko's housing is so i knew if i was doing it right. This is a similar question with the alterations that people told me, and i want to know if this is how the cage should be
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The light in the basking area is a low voltage basking spot bulb that measured a temp of 87-92 degrees in the day (no the stick on is not what i used, old cage and just never got rid of them, i have a much more accurate thermometer to tell the temps). The UVB was removed and replaced with a ceramic heat bulb, I leave this on all day and night so during the day it keeps the cool side good, and at night helps keep the heat to a good area of the low 70s. The day bulb in on a timer to shut off. He has a heating pad under the warm hide area thats also on at all times. The cool hide has moss so it doubles as a damp hide. The powder in the dish is a mix of Rep-Cal Calcium and Multivitamins, and the Rep-Cal Calcium and D3. The food hes given in the food dish is covered with each supplement every other feeding (like one feeding is the calcium multi, and the other is calcium and D3) He has two water dishes, one by the cool hide and one by the food dish. The liner is repticarpet to avoid impaction issues. All the cover and stuff in the cage right now is used so when he walks around he doesn't feel exposed. Is this good for him or should things be changed. If it helps he is a baby, about 3-4 inches atm.
Any and all advise is appreciated.
 

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Neon Aurora

New Member
Messages
1,376
Location
New Mexico
Just wondering what you are measuring your temps with? Did you say in your other thread it is a digital thermometer with a probe? I feel that a ceramic heater + heat lamp during the day would make it too warm unless your house is absolutely frigid.

By "basking spot", do you mean inside of the warm hide or on the top of it?

The other thing I didn't notice in your other post; is the humid hide the one on the front left there? Just wondering because it has at least two openings from what I can see and may not trap humidity all that well.

Also, less to do with the setup, but I wanted to warn you about trapping your UTH between the your carpet and the tank. I once cooked my carpet doing this (no joke, it turned dark brown/black over time) and is also a fire hazard. It would be safest to put something under the corners of the tank to get it elevated off the carpet.

You may get varying opinions on the heat lamp. It's my personal opinion that they are okay to use as long as a few conditions are met: 1) a UTH is your main heat source and the light is either supplementary or does not produce much heat (fluorescent or LED) 2) The gecko has many dark places to escape to (looks okay in your case to me) and 3) the humid hide is always very humid. Heat lamps (and ceramic heaters) tend to really dry everything out and you could end up with shedding issues without an adequate humid hide. 4) Your gecko is not albino. I think it's just a little mean to use an unnecessary light with albinos. Their eyes are so sensitive. Mine sometimes close their eyes just because of the natural light in the room if I take them out of their tubs.
 
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Rex Taylor

New Member
Messages
14
Location
Arizona
yes the one on the left is the humid hide with the moss in it. Also i did use the reading for on top of the rock, theres a heating pad under the hide as well so he gets the belly heat needed. The ceramic heater isnt a high voltage heater, its fairly small for a ceramic and its really only there to make sure the ambient heat in the cool side and at night stays about normal for a Leo. The heating pad is on 24/7 as stated, since he needs the belly heat.
 

Rex Taylor

New Member
Messages
14
Location
Arizona
I used the hide on the right under the light as the warm hide due to it being very dark in there, and Echo seems to really like that spot of the cage and wont leave it most of the time, so i used the darker hide so there isnt issues, and its pitch black in there unless you raise it to look inside.
 

Neon Aurora

New Member
Messages
1,376
Location
New Mexico
You should double check that the floor surface inside of the warm hide is about 90 F. That's what's really important. He's highly unlikely to go chill on top of the warm hide since they don't like light or being exposed.

I noticed you live in Arizona. Chances are, the ceramic heater and heat lamp will need to be put away for the summer. If you still really want a light, you might get a fluorescent or LED bulb for the summer. You don't want it to get too hot.

I think your set up looks fine as far as dark places to avoid the light goes.

You might consider using something else for a humid hide. What you have now doesn't look like it will hold the level of humidity that he really needs, especially with the dehydrating heat lamps.

What are you measuring the temps with?
 

Rex Taylor

New Member
Messages
14
Location
Arizona
The temps are being measured with a heat signature imager that detects the heat fairly precisely, up to a tenth of a degree. So the temps read about 87.2-92.4 degrees during the day, and about 70.2-73.5 at night. I had a heat probe somewhere but i dont quite remember where it went, so i turned to the imager for temp monitoring. Also thank you for all the help. I get really paranoid with new animals all the time. I also have a bearded dragon (whose about 3, the cage used to be hers) and it was the same thing, i just wanted to make sure i was doing the best i could so she was healthy, and same for the Leo. So thank you for the help, the advise really does help the paranoid feeling quite a bit.
 

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