Critique My Terrarium (pics)

[SORROW89]

hi everyone! I've never had a leo before so I'm trying to learn all I can before i get one. I set up the tank (mostly) and wanted your opinions. I don't have one picked out or anything so there is no rush to finish. I just want a great home that is nice to look at as well

The left is the cool side, right is the warm. Humid hide is back right. I will put the bowls on the left front and will secure the rocks when I have a final setup. The UTH and thermometer come tomorrow, so I will get those in and working ASAP.

I want to do something with the background, but as you can see I don't want anything too artificial so suggestions would be appreciated. Oh, the bottom is reptile carpet but it will be pretty much covered by rocks and such.

The tank is 20 long and I haven't gotten to lighting or a cover yet.

I like it, as long as it don't crush your gecko. I would add some more of the flat rocks to add more hiding places.

 

[lisa127]

What do they do in the wild when the sun is out? hide under whatever and sleep. Same thing if you put a low white bulb on on a timer. They lay under their hides and sleep, same thing. That's not stress, unless the hides are too open which they shouldn't be. Neither my gecko or my wife's gecko is stressed. They eat better and look healthier after I started using light.

There aren't usually albino leo's in the wild. I've never used bright lighting with leo's. Not saying it can't be done, but I don't see a need to. Especially since my albino's always hated it. For years I've used the night glo bulbs. Everyone has always been happy, healthy, and comfortable with them. I see no need to change that. And if anyone wants to use overhead heating and is worried about it, there are always ceramic heat emitters.

 

[lisa127]

Yes, I think we got that, which is why I posted the information that I did.

~Maggot

As I said above, my reptiles have always been happy, healthy and comfortable with night glo bulbs. My leo's act normal, on a normal dusk/dawn schedule. I see no reason to change from using the night glo bulbs I've been using for almost 20 years. I will say however that any albino leo's I've had have hated bright lighting therefore I see no reason to use it.

 

[Embrace Calamity]

As I said above, my reptiles have always been happy, healthy and comfortable with night glo bulbs. My leo's act normal, on a normal dusk/dawn schedule. I see no reason to change from using the night glo bulbs I've been using for almost 20 years. I will say however that any albino leo's I've had have hated bright lighting therefore I see no reason to use it.

Yes, that's because they're albinos, but that doesn't apply to other leos.

OK well I'm not worried about the lights right now

Sorry to hijack your thread. Lighting is up to you, obviously. Otherwise, I think your setup is good.

~Maggot

 

[bpgirl95]

My leopard geckos were REALLY sensitive to light because they were albinos. I kept my favorite boy in a huge big because being in a glass tank with light stressed him out.

When I first got him I had the perfect tank all setup for him but when I put him in he stopped eating. After about week or so I decided to move him into a bin (that is what he was raised in with the breeder) and he has lived happily and is very healthy. All he has is a heating pad.

He does get to go outside a couple times a week when I clean his bin but other than that he isn't exposed to extreme light because he squeezes his eyes closed so tight he doesn't look at where he is walking.

Your setup looks great! I would recommend having an open ground spot that the heating pad will be able to heat. I think your leo will love it!

 

[lisa127]

Yes, my albino does not like the light. I still see no reason for putting bright lighting on any leo though. Again, I've been keeping reptiles for almost 20 years, and was breeding leo's almost 15 years ago. It's not like I have no clue of how to care for them. There's no reason for bright lighting in a small enclosure for these guys.

 

[athdaraxen]

I have to have a light in mine. I only have one window and it's above an A/C so it wouldn't work there sadly. It's just a 20 watt though nothing really bright. Just enough to create a photo period.

Sent from my Samsung Captivate using Tapatalk 2.

 

[alisonk]

For the background...they make these 'static cling' backgrounds for terrariums.(I just got one at PetSmart), that have 'desert scenes' or 'forest scenes' etc. I just put one on my tank and it looks very nice. You just peel off the backing and mist the back, then smooth it on inside the tank. It is easily removable too, so you can change backgrounds if you want.

 

[pucki513]

Picking a Leo

So I think I've found my future leo Prob won't get him for a month or so, but wanted to show him off.

 

[pucki513]

Hi again,
I've installed the UTH and probe/thermometer, but I'm having trouble with the temps. Inside the humid hide, the UTH gets as hot as 95. Inside the hot hide, however, it is only getting around 82. They are right next to each other and the hot hide is closer to the heater than the humid one. Any suggestions on how to fix this?