Drawings or Pics of Leopard Gecko Habitat?

[TripleB]

I'm a newbie to Leopard Geckos. See my original post here: http://www.geckoforums.net/showthread.php?t=40559.

I'm trying to learn as much as I can so that I can have the habitat set up properly before I even search out a Leopard Gecko breeder in my area.

I'm a VERY visual learner so could anyone please post or give me a link to a drawing or picture of a properly (but not overly expensive) set up leopard gecko habitat?

It would be great if everything in it was described in detail.

I guess it's because 'Leopard Geckos' are new to me, but I'm having a tough time visualizing how to set up the warm area, cool area, dry area, most area, etc. in the leopard gecko habitat and making sure everything stays at the correct temperature.

Thanks for any and all help you can give me. Sorry to be asking what probably seems like very basic questions.

I appreciate your patience in helping me understand the important items needed to properly house a leopard gecko.

I'm pretty excited!!!

TripleB

 

[t04jas]

Hi, I'm not sure if my setup is exactly the way it should be but I'll attach a pic anyway:

On the cool (left) side of the tank I've got a couple of plants, a small exo-terra hide and an exo-terra snake cave (medium) that I'm using as a humid hide (moist paper towels as substrate). I've also got a digital thermometer on that side. I keep a water dish and a mealworm dish near the cool side as well. On the warm side I have a log hide, another plant, and a digital thermometer. I've also got two magnetic shelves that can be accessed from the humid hide and the top of the log hide on the warm side. Other than that I've got a dial thermometer and a dial hygrometer on the back side of the tank. I heat the warm side with a under tank heater, and I have a heat lamp over the cool side. Both the UTH and the heat lamp are plugged into separate rheostats so I can keep the temperatures where I want them to be (93-95 on the warm side and 79-81 on the cool side).

 

[Barbel]

Here is a picture of one of my tubs. I have a lot of geckos so I keep them in a rack system, but this can easily be translated into a tank. You will see that mine is REALLY simple. As long as you have the basics your gecko will be happy and healthy. The plants and other decor are mostly for your viewing pleasure. I use shelf liner as a substrate, tupperware for my moist hides and flower pot bottoms as my food/calcium and water dishes. The black hide is on the warm side, the moist hide is half on the heat tape and half off, and the dishes are on the cool side. I would recommend a separate cool/dry hide, totaling three hides.
The heat tape aka flexwatt is taped to a shelf and the tub sits on top of it so the geckos are heated from the bottom. It's work the same as an under tank heater on an aquarium.

 

[t04jas]

I agree the plants and all of that other stuff is a bit overkill, but every time my girlfriend makes me go shopping with her I end up in a pet store, and I can't help buying something for Dex while I'm there. I've got another box full of stuff that just won't fit in that tank. I admit, I have a problem :main_laugh:.

Here is a picture of one of my tubs. I have a lot of geckos so I keep them in a rack system, but this can easily be translated into a tank. You will see that mine is REALLY simple. As long as you have the basics your gecko will be happy and healthy. The plants and other decor are mostly for your viewing pleasure. I use shelf liner as a substrate, tupperware for my moist hides and flower pot bottoms as my food/calcium and water dishes. The black hide is on the warm side, the moist hide is half on the heat tape and half off, and the dishes are on the cool side. I would recommend a separate cool/dry hide, totaling three hides.
The heat tape aka flexwatt is taped to a shelf and the tub sits on top of it so the geckos are heated from the bottom. It's work the same as an under tank heater on an aquarium.

 

[Khrysty]

Just a quick note about the first setup: the hygrometer is in an ok place, but the thermometer should really be a digital thermometer with the probe taped so it's touching just above the heater. This ensures you'll know EXACTLY what temperature your gecko is feeling. The air temp, when measured that high up, doesn't really tell you much..

 

[t04jas]

Hi,

That's why I have two digital thermometers (One is on the top left, the other is the yellow one on the top right) which have probes on the floor of the tank and measure the floor temperature on the warm and cool sides of the tank. The dial thermometer was leftover from my sister's hermit crab setup so I stuck it in there.

Just a quick note about the first setup: the hygrometer is in an ok place, but the thermometer should really be a digital thermometer with the probe taped so it's touching just above the heater. This ensures you'll know EXACTLY what temperature your gecko is feeling. The air temp, when measured that high up, doesn't really tell you much..

 

[Khrysty]

ahh, good deal then

 

[t04jas]

Do you think I should get another digital thermometer to measure the air temp, or can I assume that if the warm and cool sides are okay the air temp is right as well? I know those dial thermometers are notoriously inaccurate.

 

[Khrysty]

IMO the air temp isn't all that important. It should be just a few degrees cooler than the floor temp beneath it.

Gregg M (who I don't think has seen this thread yet) would argue with me on that point and say that the air temp is just as important as the floor temp.

Essentially it's your call

 

[t04jas]

Thanks Khrysty, and to the OP, if you're looking for a digital thermometer, try to find one somewhere other than a pet shop, they cost quite a bit more there (as I learned after buying an Exo-Terra and a Zoo Med one ). If you do buy one a the pet shop though, the Zoo Med ones seem to be half the price of the Exo-Terras and just as accurate.

 

[osbain]

hope this helps

This is my setup, like everyone else said, Use a digital thermometer, they are way better then any other kind, mine was taken out for this picture, also unlike this picture of mine, some people say to use a background to make them feel more secure, especially if the tank will be in a high traffic area.

Hope you make the right choice,( i read through your other post) and get a leopard gecko... all tho corn snakes are cool, i wouldn't recommend them as a family pet, I've heard of them sometimes turning on there owners and biting them (usually if there hungry, mistaking a hand for food).