How is my set-up?

[EmilyB]

Hi everyone,
I'm new here and also new to the world of reptiles. This week I adopted 2 adult female leopard geckos for my middle son's birthday gift. He is crazy about reptiles and has been begging for one for years. For now, they are at my neighbor's house until his actual birthday, but I wanted to run my set-up past some experts to see if I've got it right.

First off, it seems like the previous owner did just the bare minimum for these geckos. She didn't have heat, a light, a humid hide, or even a screen top on the tank. Surprisingly, they look really healthy and happy. They are 3 and 4 years old and she had them their whole lives. They are friendly and used to being handled.

I went to ***** and talked to an employee who said he raised leopard geckos for 12 years. Based on his advice, here's how the tank is set up now:


30 gallon long tank

Repti-sand

Ceramic lamp with red reptile bulb (not sure about the timing on this, though. How many hours?)

UTH that I actually stuck on the side of the tank since the instructions said not to use underneath if it's going to be on a dresser. Will this make a burn mark on furniture? Should it be underneath or is it okay on the side? On 24/7.

"snake cave" w/ dampened repti-sand inside. This thing was $30 and I'm not sure if I could have just cut up a piece of tupperware to use as a humid hide instead. This is in the center of the tank.

1 piece of driftwood

2 half-log hides (1 on cool side, 1 on warm side)

Medium water dish

Food dish for mealworms

Screen top


I haven't really seen any poop or pee yet.

Also, how long should I leave crickets in the tank? They don't seem very interested in them. I put maybe 7 or 8 in there 2 days ago and it looks like they only ate maybe 2 or 3 of them. They did eat all the mealworms, though. I put about 5 of those in there 2 days ago. ***** guy mentioned that the crickets could actually bite the geckos, which I obviously don't want to happen. The previous owner would dump 25 crickets in their tank every 2 or 3 weeks. That doesn't sound right, though. I also have the calcium powder for the crickets.

Can they get away with not eating crickets at all? Crickets are going to be a huge pain, I can tell already. I got a separate tank for crickets (bought 50 of them so far) and have a couple pieces of dog kibble and a shallow water dish in that tank, per ***** guy's advice.


Any added info/advice would be greatly appreciated!!! I dropped almost $200 on supplies for their set-up (not including the geckos, tank, 1 log, and the sand, which all came with the geckos when I adopted them). I'm worried that I got ripped off when I see people online with their geckos in rubbermaid totes and tupperware humid hides! Argh.

Thanks for reading!

Emily

 

[ariana]

-sand is a no-no in my opinion they can ingest it and die.
-tropical fish food and carrots for the crickets are good, and a sponge as they manage to drown in the shallowest dishes
-dont need the lamp
-UTH under tank preferably it wont burn furniture
-tupperware wouldve been just fine for a moist hide
-dont leave crickets in there they will pester and bite the geckos, i personally think worms are the way to go as long as they stay in the dish

your set up is very good though
good luck with the girls!!

 

[EmilyB]

Thanks for your reply!

So I can get rid of the lamp altogether? My son's bedroom is somewhat sunny. They were basking under the lamp two nights ago, so I think they like it.

And I can get rid of the crickets altogether and feed them only mealworms? I saw something about superworms. Are those different (and/or better than mealworms)?

How about switching the sand w/ repti-carpet?

I'm going to return some of this stuff. I need to buy a thermometer anyhow so I will return the light and the snake cave. However, the geckos really seem to like the cave. They were snuggled up in it together yesterday when I visited them. Will they like a tupperware as much? It won't be as dark.

 

[Kellyr]

I agree, no sand. In the moist hide you can use a wet paper towel if you cannot get moss or eco-earth. I would take back the snake cave personally, there are so many cooler things you can get for your tank for the $30 by using a tupperware, the gecko wont mind. And if you cant seem to get the crickets out, depending on their size and how fast they are, you should atleast put a few small pieces of lettuce or carrot bits in there so they nibble on the veggies and not your pet. The lamp is not needed at all as long as you have a light source and a heat source. The lights should be on 14 hours a day during this time of year, off for 10. The heater needs to be on the bottom so the gecko gets belly heat to aid in digesting the hard exoskeletons of the insects that it eats. I know for a fact... the heater will not burn your furniture. I even have one on a cardboard box, the temp of ignition is way above 100 degrees F. . . Welcome to the forum!

 

[Foreverandever]

Repti carpet works. Tile is great for a more "professional" look

Paper towel works just as well

Ditch the sand

Yes, you can feed meal worms only. They are easier to deal with then super worms. Meal worms can be kept in the fridge and taken out to gutload and thaw out before feeding. Look them up for more info

Tupperware is good for the humid hide. You can paint the tupperware a dark color and use it as their warm/cool hides as well

You only need a heat lamp (red bulb) if you cant keep the warm side temp high enough. In actuality, dont need it at all

UTH goes on the bottom of the tank. It will not burn your furniture

Dont listen to the pet store employees...they arent the most knowledgeable LOL

Oh, and congrats on the leos and welcome!

 

[Khrysty]

You can cover the tupperware with black electrical tape, duct tape, reptile carpet--whatever you have handy, to make it darker. They'll like it just as much.

Yep, you can get rid of the lamp--they were probably basking in it because the floor under the lamp was warmest..if you move the UTH to the bottom of the cage, they'll bask over that. The UTH should have come with plastic "feet" to put on the bottom of your cage. If it didn't, just elevate it slightly with a deck of cards (one suit under each corner should elevate it high enough)

You can feed them mealworms as a staple, meaning you can feed them mostly mealworms, but its best to vary their diet a little. So once a month-ish you can let them indulge in some waxworms or superworms. Superworms are the gigantic overly-fattening cousins of mealworms. They're ok to feed once and a while, but not recommended to be fed all the time. Though there are some people on here who use them as a staple and have no problems.

Switching sand to repti-carpet is an excellent idea. You can also use tile, slate, or shelf-liner (without the adhesive).

 

[ariana]

yep basically listen to these guys
i love my geckos more than my other pets lol
and pet store employees may be knowledgable but they will tell you what will make them the most money. not whats best for the geckos.

 

[Crasher_Insane]

Repti-carpet is a very good choice, I have two different pieces so I can switch them out for cleaning. Tile is also another option.
As for the UTH (under-tank heater) it needs to be on the underside of the tank. If you just stuck it on let it get warm and then it will be easier to pull off. Leos need belly heat to digest. Make sure those little plastic 'feet' are on all four corners of the tank to provide air flow and prevent the glass from cracking. You also need a rheostat to regulate the temps. Between 88 and 95 degrees fehrenheit is perfect. This will not burn a dresser. (your body temp is 98.5) You also need a rheostat for the UTH. You can get a reptile rheostat or a 'lamp dimmer' from a store.

The lamp can be used on the warm side to supplement if it's too cold. (I use one in winter) However a ceramic heat emitter is best. Do not place the tank in front of a window or in direct sunlight as this can cause overheating.
I like the snake cave and I use damp moss for inside it. A tupperware can be used, but it's not dark and they like to feel secure when they hide.
You definitely need a thermometer so you can check the temps.

You can feed only mealworms, but variety is always appreciated in any creatures' diet. Superworms are perfectly acceptable for an adult gecko. Make sure though that both geckos get to eat. Even though they 'like' each other leos are not social animals. Get a scale (measuring at least to 1/10 of a gram) so you can make sure nobody is getting bullied and not being allowed to eat. I usually leave a dish of dusted (calcium and vitamins) worms 24/7 so they can eat as they please. Crickets can't be left in there all the time as they will nibble on your gecko and disturb them. Make sure all animals are gutloaded with good food. I use broccoli, carrots, and apples cut up and I change it out every 2-3 days. Do not let the food mold as it will kill your bugs. Remember - the nutrition you put in the bug goes in the gecko.

Hopefully this helps somewhat. I'm no expert but I've done a lot of research. Post some pics of the little guys, plus their tank so we can see whats going on.

 

[Kellyr]

How many brands of Repti Carpet are there?
B/c the one I used had loops in it where my geckos toes and teeth would get caught up in them. Which is why I wouldnt recommend it from my personal experience. If there is a better kind that doesn't do that I would like to know..???

 

[Foreverandever]

Also,

You need a small dish of pure calcium without D3 available to the girls at all times

I hope we didnt overwhelm you lol

Just break the info down piece by piece and you'll be ok :thumbsup:

 

[EmilyB]

You guys are awesome! So just to clarify, I can return the ceramic lamp and red bulb and use nothing but natural daylight and the UTH. Is that correct? For the record, I live in Southern California, so my house doesn't get too hot or too cold throughout the year. I would think that would be a factor.

I am going to return the $30 snake cave and lamp and get:
repti-carpet (or tile--where would I get this? Home Depot? My husband has a tile saw...),
some superworms (to be fed sparingly),
and one or two thermometers (one for cool side, one for warm side, right?).

Sound about right?

I spent so much $ on the gecko stuff that I told my poor kid he couldn't have a big bday party!

 

[Foreverandever]

Yes, that is correct; you dont need a heat lamp. One can be used though

Tile can be purchased at Lowes or Home Depot. Measure the inside of the tank, not the outside. They will cut the tile for you there if they have a tile cutting center

I personally only use a thermometer (with probe) on the side with the UTH

Yea, reptile stuff is expensive! LOL

Also, we LOVE pics! Please post some of your girls and your set up when it's complete

 

[EmilyB]

Oh geesh, now I'm back to thinking that I need the ceramic lamp thing and should keep the snake cave. Decisions, decisions...They do seem to like both.

I will move the UTH under the tank and get a cap of calcium w/o D3 in there (the pet store guy recommended that but I forgot that step).

What about feeding the crickets dog kibble? Is that okay? I will put some fresh veggies in there today, too.

Thanks again. I will post pics when I get to bring them to my house. Son's bday isn't for 2 weeks! I can hardly wait. He is going to be beside himself. He's the kind of kid who is constantly lying on the ground staring at every critter he can find.

 

[ariana]

lol sounds like me when i was younger. i used to bring in all sorts of animals and keep them till the parental units found out

 

[Foreverandever]

Yes, you can feed them dog kibble. I'm not sure what brand; but I do know it needs to be a "healthier, more natural" type. It also needs to be ground to powder or tiny pieces

I was also like that when I was little. I'm sure he's going to love it!

 

[lepgeckosrock]

You can also feed the crix crushed corn not corn meal but like chicken feed. As for the heat lamp you don't need it for heat with a uth but a red bulb on at night won't bother the girls but will let you be able to watch them during there more active time. I have them on all my tanks and love watching them roam around at night. As long as the room is very well lit during the day you won't need any light in day time I use a low watt bulb because the room isn't well lit due to position of my tv I keep one window covered for glare and have a A/C in the other. I have 2 that won't eat crix and 2 that will so I use meal worms and if you google for mealies they are really easy to breed and that can save some money and time. Good luck it seems your on the right track.

 

[EmilyB]

Okay, here are a couple of pics of my set-up and our new little friends. Thanks for all the help. I'm sure I'll have more questions soon.

 

[ariana]

great set up
i would personally add some hanging plants, the kind with suction cups but thats just me.
they are gorgeous emily
your son is gonna be ecstatic

 

[Kellyr]

:main_thumbsup: That looks perfect! I thought you meant you bought the LG size cave, thats a medium and you paid $30?? I got my med. on sale for $17... my girl loves hers too, never comes out of there.. so I guess if they are happy.. thats all that counts. You did a great job with your setup. :main_thumbsup:

 

[VTHokie]

Yeah, the only things I would say are get a good probe thermometer and possibly a rheostat. Make sure you can keep the substrate 90-95 degrees on the warm side. Air temps really don't matter all that much.