Am I doing right？Please give me some help！

[Manttle Geminy]

Hi everyone, I am new to leos and I had never keep any reptile. So when I decide to buy two leos as my pets, I really read many articles or materials of how to keep them and how to make a good setup. But in my country, it seems not so great that I am not very satisfied. For this reason, I came to here and get some help, aslo bought a book “The Leopard Gecko Advisor”, it is a wonderful book that I learn so much from it. I want your suggestions so that I could make sure all of what I have offered them are OK.
1.The book tells, 20 gallons cage is great for only one leo. The author give the size 18*18*18 as well. I don't choose glass cage because it is not convenient and so heavy, so my choice is this storage box, but I am not sure that this one I choose is suitable.

This is for my leo babies, untill they grow to a lager size I will put them into another one.
As you see, this is what I prepare for my adults.
2.To keep the temperature within 80-83℉, I use UTH but it's more functional than the ones we often use to reptiles.
This heat pad is made in Korea, it could make the temperature up to 122℉. Don't be afraid that I get a thermostat.
The peoblem is that I am so concerned about the heat pad couldn‘t satisfy leos needs. Because I think the warm zone is just where near the bottom of the box and the zone where above the bottom will be much cold. And the cold part of the box as well.
Could you give me your advise? I love my little guys and want to offer them a safe and comfortable environment. Thank you all!

 

[discoverlight]

Seems like everything is right! You've got everything you need :main_thumbsup:

Putting some paper towel down will help so its easier to clean poop, but everything seems perfect

 

[Manttle Geminy]

Seems like everything is right! You've got everything you need :main_thumbsup:

Putting some paper towel down will help so its easier to clean poop, but everything seems perfect

Thank you！ I know many people have their own ideas but I am here for suggestions, gald to hear that.

 

[indyana]

For heat, you will want the floor surface to be around 90 F (32 C) at the hottest spot. For ambient air temperature right above the floor, it is best around 70-80 F on the warm end. If you find that the heat mat at 90 F still leaves the air very cold, you may have to make adjustments.

The box sizes are okay. You may find the smaller box is overwhelming for very small babies and be able to use smaller box.

 

[JessJohnson87]

If you can get individual pieces of tile/slate, you could use those on the floor to. They hold heat really well and are easy to clean.

 

[Manttle Geminy]

If you can get individual pieces of tile/slate, you could use those on the floor to. They hold heat really well and are easy to clean.

Hi Jess, glad to see you again haha. I will put reptile carpet on the floor. Don't you think the box is too big? In China, they just offer a box as A4 paper size and saying it enough...yes for adult...!:main_cool3:

 

[JessJohnson87]

Had to do conversions.....

They're both about the size of a standard 10 gallon aquarium, which is fine. Adults are usually happier in a 76.2cm x 30.48cm x 30.48cm tank, which is a 20 gallon long aquarium.

 

[Manttle Geminy]

Had to do conversions.....

They're both about the size of a standard 10 gallon aquarium, which is fine. Adults are usually happier in a 76.2cm x 30.48cm x 30.48cm tank, which is a 20 gallon long aquarium.

But Mr. Ray says for adult the size 18*18*18 inches should be great that is to say 46cm*46cm*46cm tank. The size you recommed could get 2 leos in. Don't you think 76.2cm is too long? I am just telling what I've read and I know you are very nice and loving to share your imformation. So please don't be ungry and we could wait for other ideas about the size of tank. Whatever we both want to know the best anwer right?

 

[indyana]

The bigger box (53 cm x 39 cm floor) is about the minimum I would do for an adult gecko. I personally like my geckos to have room to move around (and for me to have room to put fun furniture for them ). If you have room to go larger, an adult would appreciate more room.

 

[JessJohnson87]

I keep mine in the 30"x 12"x 12" aquarium and he loves it.

 

[Manttle Geminy]

The bigger box (53 cm x 39 cm floor) is about the minimum I would do for an adult gecko. I personally like my geckos to have room to move around (and for me to have room to put fun furniture for them ). If you have room to go larger, an adult would appreciate more room.

Yes, I have asked for others about the floor size, it seems right. But I still have a question about the hight of the box, I could find two size, one is 24.3cm and 32cm is the other one. What is your opinion？:main_laugh:

 

[JessJohnson87]

The height on either of those is fine. They don't need vertical space like an arboreal species does, but I would keep a lid on them, they have been known to escape. I just recently converted a storage tub for my crested gecko and cut a section of the top out to glue screen to for extra ventilation.

The front.
The top.

 

[Manttle Geminy]

The height on either of those is fine. They don't need vertical space like an arboreal species does, but I would keep a lid on them, they have been known to escape. I just recently converted a storage tub for my crested gecko and cut a section of the top out to glue screen to for extra ventilation.

View attachment 72231 The front.
View attachment 72232 The top.

Thank you Jessica, I am entangled with this problem and it seems that you always solve them for me. You really keep many animals in your house, I love dogs too. And I am going to buy a bigger box for my geckos which is 74*44*30cm (L*W*H). Now I know that how foolish to keep them in a A4 size cage...
Best wihes!

 

[JessJohnson87]

I used a soldering iron to cut the holes out, it's a slow process but you don't have to worry about sharp edges. I glued the screen on with a glue gun and made sure to remove the stringy pieces of glue. You could always drill small holes into the lid for ventilation unless you're going to use an over head heat source as well. The internet is full of DIY conversions of storage tubs.

I only have 4 animals. I would have a Zoo if my house and husband would allow it hehe.

 

[Manttle Geminy]

I see that... if my mother allows I would have a Zoo too. I just love them and different species have their particular charm. I use electric drill to make small holes so that the holes can be more beautiful and desn't smell bad as soldering iron. I run into trouble again... there are so many choices and I don't know which is better, yeah such a shilly-shally boy:freak:. For the box, I have decided to buy size 74*44*30cm, but I think 30cm is too much high, in winter when you use UTH, the warmth would keep in the great range, maybe 3-5cm height from the floor, but above the 5cm, temperature could be lower, for the same reason actually 30cm height could make the average environment temperatue staying a lower level. And there is another choice, size 74*44*23cm, the height seems to be great to keep warmth in winter, but when summy, I couldn't take the lid away because they will escape. Yes, another one appears, size 66*44*24.3cm, the height seems great, but the floor size is not....Could you give me some suggestions？I can‘t make my decision...just help Jessica.

 

[JessJohnson87]

The 74x44x30 cm box is perfect, its just shy of being a 20 gallon long aquarium. 30cm is about 11.8 inches and mine is 12 inches high or 30.48cm. As far as air temperatures, to raise them to comfortable levels on the warm side of the box, they make ceramic heat emitters that just emit heat and no light. Not sure if those are available where you live or if you can order them, lights tend to be stressful to them. Now with having an overhead heat source, you will need to cut a decent sized hole in the lid of the box and glue screen to it on the warm side and you can just drill small holes on the cool side for ventilation.

And no using the soldering iron to cut the hole in the tub did not smell pleasant but I was in my garage doing all of that with the door open and took fresh air breaks.

 

[Manttle Geminy]

Thanks a lot！You are always awesome. But the temperature where I live could be 10℃ in winter this is the lowest one, maybe sometimes could be lower. I don't know whether I should plus a overhead heat.

 

[indyana]

Yes, if it will be that cold inside the room where you are keeping your geckos, you should provide extra heat (would try to keep ambient temp no lower than 18 C).

 

[Manttle Geminy]

Yes, I think so. But actually in my country, people who keep leos don't... just a UTH placed under the bottom which is halp area of the box.....Now I see how much different...