Crappy new habit!

[LizMarie]

For some reason my gecko now likes to hide underneath the paper towels, while making a complete mess in her cage. I fix it and she goes on to move them out of place anyway while ripping them apart. I fixed it in the hope that it was a one time thing but she went and start pulling up at the corners.. arrgh. I think its time for some tile!

She now hide in her cold cave with the freaking paper towel hide the entrance. I wonder how shes going to come out now? Hmmmmmm

 

[ReptileRookie]

That must be a real pain in the butt. My geckos occasionally squeeze underneath their food bowls (they have a little gap on the sides).

 

[LizMarie]

For some reason my gecko now likes to hide underneath the paper towels, while making a complete mess in her cage. I fix it and she goes on to move them out of place anyway while ripping them apart. I fixed it in the hope that it was a one time thing but she went and start pulling up at the corners.. arrgh. I think its time for some tile!

She now hide in her cold cave with the freaking paper towel hide the entrance. I wonder how shes going to come out now? Hmmmmmm

Oh man I have to re read my typing, lol But for some reason I can't edit the original post...

* Right now shes in her cold cave with the freaking paper towel blocking the entrance.

 

[shadowx362]

oh yes I hate when they do that! They get under the paper towels and knock everything over. Its not only destructive, but they sometimes cant get out and so they do eat . I re arrange the tubs in hopes of stopping it, but they always find a way.

 

[cwazy]

one of our geckos went threw that phase when we got her, i dunno if it was just an adjustment thing or not, but needless to say about a month later shes out of that habbit

 

[LizMarie]

I don't think I can wait a month I like to look through the little hole in the hide and see that she's find but when she's under the paper towel (bounty) I get nervous

I think that for the up and coming thanksgiving vacation I'll go to Home Depot get some tile and maybe some acrylic to make a second level.

 

[nats]

You can tape the edges down.
If that doesnt work, maybe carpet or tile.

 

[LizMarie]

You can tape the edges down.
If that doesnt work, maybe carpet or tile.

She doesn't seem to do too well with tape either. I taped the probe from the thermometer down in TWO places so it wouldn't move but some how stuffed her hand under one of the pieces and was stuck! I had to help her out of it. I need to freaking child proof her tank,lol.

 

[malt_geckos]

with geckos like that, we don't use any substrate (paper towels)

 

[cwazy]

the other question is, does your gecko do it near the UTH??? our biggest male... once in a while will go under his paper towel near the uth... our temps are fine and good and all, but sometimes i think he just wants a bit more heat *shrug* either way i think shes fine under there, maybe they like the complete darkness *shrug*

 

[astronut1885]

Not sure if you are doing this, but this is an old school trick. Lightly mist the bottom of the whole bare tank with water, just enough to be damp, then lay the paper towels down and smooth them down with your hand. Allow a little while for it to dry, and the paper towels should adhere a little bit to the glass. Might be enough to deter her from getting under there. If not, Home Depot sells lots of different size tiles in great patterns. I got a box of 16 tumbled travertine tiles for my enclosure for like 17 bucks, and it looks great. Just measure the floor space of your tank, and get the appropriate amount of tiles (they sell them individually too if you need less). If you end up with a gap from the tile to the back wall due to an odd size, you can either fill it with some large aquarium stones of your choice, or in my case, get one of those kick-ass exo terra fake rock walls and install it. They're 1"+ thick and might be enough to hide the margin.

 

[LizMarie]

the other question is, does your gecko do it near the UTH??? our biggest male... once in a while will go under his paper towel near the uth... our temps are fine and good and all, but sometimes i think he just wants a bit more heat *shrug* either way i think shes fine under there, maybe they like the complete darkness *shrug*

No she's been going it on the cool side. She goes under the paper towel and moves until she's under her favorite hide which is a medium sized exo terra hide. Today after I fixed it she went into the hide and started pulling up the paper towel from inside the hide (the hide is in the corner) and I guess she went under it but I can't see inside since she's blocked the entrance with the paper. Well i'll guess i'll leave her in there tonight since she fought so hard to pull it up and if she's not out by tomorrow I'll pick up the hide and help her out incase she's stuck inside.

 

[Retribution Reptiles]

Does your room have alot of light in it? Maybe she's just making her own shade or doesn't like the light or amount of light.

 

[LizMarie]

Does your room have alot of light in it? Maybe she's just making her own shade or doesn't like the light or amount of light.

That can be the case because my room has sunlight coming from two sides so it gets pretty bright on just plain old sunlight that I don't even turn on my lights until the sunsets. And during the day I keep my shades half the way up and she is a Hybino so I imagine her eyes could be super sensitive.

 

[Retribution Reptiles]

yeah all my albinos i tend to try to keep their tanks at a very low light condition

 

[nats]

How old is your female?

I had one that acted like that (digging behavior) just before she layed
a egg (infertile).

She made a big mess of the tank, moved and knocked stuff over.

So maybe she's trying to make a nest.

 

[LizMarie]

How old is your female?

I had one that acted like that (digging behavior) just before she layed
a egg (infertile).

She made a big mess of the tank, moved and knocked stuff over.

So maybe she's trying to make a nest.

She's like a year and a half. I hope that's the case because she is acting really weird! She was running through out the whole tank scratching/digging into the paper towel and she kept coming at me like she was going to attack me (she was actually because familiar with my hand now i don't know). She hasn't eaten anything in like 2-3 nights either. i hope it's PMS or something because I'm a little scared.

Today since she was in the hide underneath the paper towel I decided to pick up the hide to make sure she could come out. But she just stayed there until night and came out acting like she was going to eat but didn't then she went back into the hide since I put it back and once again she pulled up the paper towel and went under it.

I'm trying to wait it out and hopefully it's an egg or the weather I dunno but I hope it goes away soon. She's been looking kind of nutty. She runs around as if she's looking for something, i dunno whats the deal with that.

 

[LizMarie]

Thats her under that lump. It feels like she's hibernating. she ate like 100 worms the first week she started eating less and less now locked herself in her cool hide.

 

[nats]

Everything your describing makes me think she is getting ready to lay and is searching for a good nesting place. She will also be more defensive during this time.
I am a little surprised she isn't doing it in the warm area, unless your "cool" side isn't as cool as you think.

 

[LizMarie]

Everything your describing makes me think she is getting ready to lay and is searching for a good nesting place. She will also be more defensive during this time.
I am a little surprised she isn't doing it in the warm area, unless your "cool" side isn't as cool as you think.

Well my house temps are around 70-75 with heat unless I'm having a cold night and I might bump it up a little to like 78. I think that if she is laying she's using the cool side because it's a big covered hide that private. As you remember she has a clear humid hide with paper towels and a toilet paper roll on the other side. So if she is laying I decided that if I get all the supplies by the weekend ill make one of these so she can be a little more secure and probably pick up some sphagum moss at home depot to make it like a nesting box if she is planning to lay.


Do you know how long this might last if she is getting ready to lay?
This is all new to me because my old gecko wasn't so nice and on a regular basis and she would just lay her eggs in the water dish..