16qt enough?

[theCREECH]

I've had 3 leopard geckos for awhile now and plan to keep them for at least a year total before really deciding on whether to breed them or not. The idea intrigues my alot but while researching and planning I've come to the conclusion I really need some imput. I understand that even breeding one pair of geckos could easily produce anywhere from 0-20 new geckos and so I have to plan on the food for all of them and housing and other costs. In my planning I purchased a couple of tubs and have started to draft out how to build a rack. here's where I could use some imput.

Right now the geckos are own are all individually housed in 10 gallon tanks. The tubs I bought (15qt) seem quite small for them. These tubs are tiny compared to the 10 gallon tank. I'm not just talking height of the enclosure. at least 20 square inches of floor space are lost in the tubs. I understand why people use tubs.. It's easier to give fresh water, replace food, change paper towels, pick up geckos, ventilate, heat, cost, and other considerations. I was just really suprized about the comparison between the two (ten gallon and 16qt tub).

Is that enough space? I ask because I was at first planning to make a rack using 10 gallon tanks... but, I can only get 12 in the rack I designed, the cost more, they are harder to ventilate, harder to heat with flexwatt, and seeing now that one of these racks would not even house one season of breeding, I'm reconsidering the tubs.

 

[msebar]

I've had 3 leopard geckos for awhile now and plan to keep them for at least a year total before really deciding on whether to breed them or not. The idea intrigues my alot but while researching and planning I've come to the conclusion I really need some imput. I understand that even breeding one pair of geckos could easily produce anywhere from 0-20 new geckos and so I have to plan on the food for all of them and housing and other costs. In my planning I purchased a couple of tubs and have started to draft out how to build a rack. here's where I could use some imput.

Right now the geckos are own are all individually housed in 10 gallon tanks. The tubs I bought (15qt) seem quite small for them. These tubs are tiny compared to the 10 gallon tank. I'm not just talking height of the enclosure. at least 20 square inches of floor space are lost in the tubs. I understand why people use tubs.. It's easier to give fresh water, replace food, change paper towels, pick up geckos, ventilate, heat, cost, and other considerations. I was just really suprized about the comparison between the two (ten gallon and 16qt tub).

Is that enough space? I ask because I was at first planning to make a rack using 10 gallon tanks... but, I can only get 12 in the rack I designed, the cost more, they are harder to ventilate, harder to heat with flexwatt, and seeing now that one of these racks would not even house one season of breeding, I'm reconsidering the tubs.

I am still a beginner but this just might help you answer your question
http://youtu.be/aMWe3MKYmCI

 

[scm133]

This is my preference: 6 QT for hatchlings; 16 qt for juviniles; and 32 qt for adult geckos.

 

[fl_orchidslave]

Shallow tubs have plenty of floor space.

 

[Wild West Reptile]

It's all preference, but 16 qts are fine for adult geckos. I keep 2 fattails per 16 qt. and they thrive. I would say most breeders use 15 or 16 qt tubs for individual geckos. I also use 6 quarts for hatchlings.

 

[sunshinegeckos]

I use 28 qts right now but 16 qts are fine for one gecko. My next rack will be one that has 16qts.

 

[im faster]

16qt for singles(have a couple pairs in them)
and 32for groups of 3

 

[theCREECH]

Thanks for the replies. In other words if you plan to breed geckos at all, glass tanks aren't as feasible. The tubs are just easier to deal with in everyway and you really need the space of a 16qt in order to house the numbers you will produce. I have the software to draw up my plans in scale, and 28-32qt designed racks take up 2-3 times the space.

Ultimately I would like to see a 10 gallon tank with half the height and vented. That way visibility isn't comprimised, tanks would nest closer to each other (as tubs are tapered) and I wouldn't have to buy a wire lid for each.

 

[4mb3r]

Could make ur own tank like rack with plexiglass? lol.

 

[fl_orchidslave]

We built a rack for 55gal tanks to house large snakes, out of 2x4's. It holds 4, turned to open in front, plenty of ventilation with the frame design. It's a very simple, basic design, but could be made to look real nice with a few tweaks and trims. The same principal could be applied to any size aquariums. It would about have to be front opening tho, to have full access for maintenance without disturbing a lot of stuff and shifting tanks around.

Personally, I prefer tubs for geckos, but some folks like using tanks. You could try both for a few months or so and see what your prefer before going to the expense of building a rack and later thinking you should have went with the other.