Beginner needs advice on habitat

[Onify]

Hello everyone, I'm new to geckos. I currently have a 10 gallon tank setup. I don't have any geckos yet, and I was checking to see my tank looked alright. What I did was I put a real coarse sand on the bottom and then I laid some shale that I found in the woods and cleaned off on top of it to cover most of the sand. I had a hermit crab hideout thing that he will probably outgrow ( I plan to get a bigger one when he get's bigger ) and a thin but sturdy piece of shale leaning up across to give him a walkway up to the top of the hideout. There is quite a bit of unevenness and some sand showing. It was a rough idea that I chalked up to save money, but if it isn't sufficient I can get some slate cut at like home depot instead. There isn't anything in there but that yet, this is just a basic rough set up. Please, give me feedback.
Thanks!!

 

[brendan0923]

I like it. My only concern, of course, is the sand. Some people have success with sand (I even used it before I switched my gecko to slate tile), while others have all kinds of horror stories. Just keep in mind that sand is potentially dangerous, so keep a close eye on your gecko. Personally, I totally reccomend slate tile. Absolutley worth the money in my opinion.

Also, do you have a humid hide as well? Humid hides are generally reccomended to give your gecko a place to shed properly. As long as you have that, I think your enclosure should be good.

Sent from my SM-G900T using Tapatalk

 

[Onify]

I do not have a humid hide, This is the first time I've heard of that. I'll do some research on those and get one, or maybe replace the hermit crab shelter. And I actually did something to the sand, because I would rather not have any horror stories to tell. I think it might help. I had these large rocks that I had in a small baggie that I picked up from Micheals and I covered all the accessible sand spots with them.

 

[warhawk]

The tank looks nice. I would be sure to clean the slate very well maybe even put them in the over for about 30 mins at high temp to kill anything that might be on it. After that it should be safe for the gecko. I would also recommend you get silicone to glue the slate in place. Mostly the ones that he would be climbing on or under. A adult gecko can and will move stuff around in their tanks and you don't want them to fall. Also how are you providing heat? With a UTH it might be able to heat the slate and sand warm enough. I would let it run for 24 hours and test the temp before adding a gecko.

Like Brendan said you will need a moist hide. You could build one out of a rubbermaid container and cover the out side with slate so it blends into the rest of the decor.



As for the sand if you use it your gecko will eat some of it as they are hunting food, it's just one of those things you can't stop.
You can do a few things to reduce the risk of impaction.
1-Feed in a bowl that will lessen the amount of sand they eat.
2-Keep the gecko well hydrated will make passing the sand they eat easier.
3-Use small sand so it passes easier.
4-Add small dish of calcium and vitamins
5-Provide proper heat and cool temps

***BUT these things only reduce the risk they won't prevent it. You always have a risk of impaction just make sure you stack the odds in your favor. The rocks will help but you will find your gecko will move them around to access the sand if they are craving minerals so make sure you have a calcium dish.

 

[Onify]

Okay so I took all the sand out because I just don't wanna risk it. And I know about the heating pads part and the lighting, this is just a rough draft so to say to make sure I have everything in order before I actually go out and get the Geckos. Is it okay to add these large of rocks in the tank after I get everything superglued in place, with a humid hideout and that sort. Or should I just leave the larger rocks out? and I will definitely get a little dish of calcium and I planned on dish feeding him anyways. Also how do I clean the tank? Just take everything out and wash the rock? I thought I saw something on a gecko "Litter box" Have you ever tried / heard of those and are they effective?
Thanks!!

 

[warhawk]

Don't use super glue on the rock it can be toxic to the gecko. Get 100% silicone caulk that is safe and won't harm the geckos. Don't get the mildew resistant kind just plan silicone. I use it for fish tanks and reptile enclosures. After you silicone them in place let them dry for 24-36 hours and most the smell will be gone by then. After you silicone the larger rocks into place the small ones can just be set into place where you want them. As long as they aren't big enough to fall onto the gecko and hurt them it won't matter if they can move. It would make cleaning the tank easier also if you could move them out of the way.

To clean I would use hot water and a brush that will remove any dirt or loose stuff from the rocks, then bake them in the over for 60 mins at 200 degrees should kill any thing living on the rocks. Bacteria, bugs, mites....

Most people call "litter box" trained going to the bath room in the same spot every time. Most geckos will pick a spot and use it as a toilet every time. You can sometimes place their "dropping" in a corner you want and they will move the toilet there but it depends on the Gecko, I have one male that goes on top of his warm hide every time and won't change it. I guess you could set up a small container and put the "dropping" there and maybe he would use it like a litter box.


I have seen some small dishes at the big chain stores that look like rocks and they would blend into your others nicely, that way you won't have a ugly bowl in with the pretty rocks.

I really like the slate look I wish I had more slate so I could set up a enclosure like this too.

 

[Onify]

I baked the rock and I'm gonna get some silicone glue like you said. I was curious about the heating pads. Do you just like place them under neath the rock and plug it in or ? And if you have one of those do you need a heating lamp too?

 

[warhawk]

Put the heating pad under the tank on the bottom of the glass. It will heat the glass and the rock that sits on top of it. The key is to make sure the temperature is right your looking for 90-94 degrees on the top of the rock where the gecko will lay. If it gets too hot you will need a thermostat to keep it at that level. I have found a 20g long tank with a 1/4" ceramic tiles has the correct temp so no thermostat is needed. Looking at the rocks you might get lucky also. Might need to move the rocks around a little but make sure the gecko can't get under them to where the heater is they will get burned.

As for a heat light you shouldn't need one. I don't run heat lights on any of my geckos, the enclosures are getting light from my other reptiles so they know if it's day or night.

 

[Onify]

Alright, I'll have to find someway to cover the heating pad. Any ideas? Because there is exposed areas where you can see the glass. And from what I read he will move the larger rocks out of the way. Could I lay a couple reptile mats down and then lay the shale ontop of that? I feel like that would work. And really no light? What about just a light, not to heat the tank, but just so it is day and night in the tank because he isn't under a window and currently I'm not gonna be running any other tanks.

 

[Kristi23]

This has been moved to the appropriate forum section. Please make sure you are not posting in the general site question area and in the leopard gecko section.

 

[Onify]

I'm sorry! Thank you very much for moving the thread.