How many Geckos in a 29gal

[brillobee]

I have 2 female geckos in a 29 gal terrarium. I was thinking of getting some more. How many can I keep in this setup?

 

[sunshinegeckos]

I personally would only keep the 2 in there. I wouldn't add any more to that setup but thats my personal belief.

 

[geckogirl3]

some told me 10 gallons per gecko

 

[panthergecko]

1 or 2 at the most

 

[Russ S]

2

 

[panthergecko]

2 more if he uses height

 

[Russ S]

2 more if he uses height

It's all about floor space.

 

[panthergecko]

oh then 3 in 29 gallon?
i like the idea of using height

 

[Russ S]

I don't believe a 29 gallon has 3 times the floor space than that of a 10 gallon.

 

[TokayKeeper]

a 29 gallon should have the same footprint as a 20 long. The difference is that a 29 is taller than a 20 long. I'd house 2 at most.

If you want to put 3 or 4 in a tank, I'd suggest looking into a 40 gallon breeder or a 75 gallon. A 75 gallon is almost a 40 breeder doubled on all dimensions. Both would make AWESOME display tanks if setup nicely!

 

[wakeskate420]

Gallon sale at petco this week too so it would be a good time to buy

 

[M_surinamensis]

If you want to put 3 or 4 in a tank, I'd suggest looking into a 40 gallon breeder or a 75 gallon. A 75 gallon is almost a 40 breeder doubled on all dimensions. Both would make AWESOME display tanks if setup nicely!

Almost double the volume. Doubling each of the dimensions (length, height, width) of a forty gallon tank would result in a three hundred and twenty gallon space.

Tanks are sold with the internal volume (in gallons) rounded to a convenient to remember number, the actual measurements can vary depending on the manufacturer and line, as sometimes they are measured using internal dimensions and sometimes they are measured using external dimensions- and the plastic (or in older tanks, steel) frames can be upwards of about half an inch different from different companies. Height is especially a bit variable, most of them aim for standard length and width so that they can fit on stands.

A standard forty breeder is 36"l x 18"w x 14-16"h. A standard seventy five is 48"l x 18"w x 22-24"h. The seventy five, unless specifically constructed as a reptile tank, will also have much thicker glass and substantially more weight to counteract the additional pressure of water pushing out against the sides and bottom when used as an aquarium.

To the general topic of the number of animals that can be kept in a given space... the arrangement of the space and the needs of the species matter a great deal. Leopard geckos are terrestrial, while some of them will climb on terrarium fixtures from time to time, the only measurements that mean anything are the horizontal ones. The amount of floor space and the things that floor space is filled with will determine what kind of usable, meaningful space exists in a given enclosure. Shelves can make use of height, increasing the floor space in layers, but it's all about floor area and the arrangement of hides.

While leopard geckos can be arranged in groups that cohabitate successfully, the introduction of each additional animal to a group is not a linear change to the risks and difficulties, it's a cumulatively progressive increase. All the reasons to house them alone are benefits to the animal; no competition, stress or bullying, greatly lessened disease transmission vectors, more precise observation of individual condition (if you find some funny feces in an enclosure with one gecko, you know which gecko produced it, if it is in an enclosure with four...). All the reasons to house them together (for maintenance, rather than temporarily for breeding purposes) are only a benefit to us; it's cheaper to heat one enclosure than to heat six (debatable actually), we like looking at them all together and so on. If someone weighs the risks and the benefits, the concerns against their own ability to manage potentiall issues and decides to go ahead with multi-animal enclosures, that's fine... but the goal should not be to find out the absolute maximum number of animals they can cram together in a given space. (Insert Dilbert comic about the inhumanity of cubicles)

Also... I want to know where this "ten gallons per gecko" thing was said, because I have seen it twice in the last twenty four hours and it is a load of complete and utter horse$%!#. I don't really want to play whack-a-mole, telling individuals who don't know any better why it's a stupid method for choosing enclosure sizes, I'd much rather go to the source and beat them in the head with the reasons. Cure the disease rather than treat the symptoms.

 

[OnlineGeckos]

Also... I want to know where this "ten gallons per gecko" thing was said, because I have seen it twice in the last twenty four hours and it is a load of complete and utter horse$%!#. I don't really want to play whack-a-mole, telling individuals who don't know any better why it's a stupid method for choosing enclosure sizes, I'd much rather go to the source and beat them in the head with the reasons. Cure the disease rather than treat the symptoms.

lol I read them on quite a few breeder sites, but then people often forget breeders keep theirs in rack systems with small shoe boxes lol.

Having 8 leopard geckos and 7 tanks myself, I just can't see how people would want to put more than 1 leopard gecko per 20 gallon long tank. There's really not a lot of space for even 1 leopard gecko to walk around, along with the 3 required hides, water dish, and food bowl. I have one that walks the whole cage, and uses all the hides. I can't imagine putting another one in there.

 

[lovelovelove135]

Having 8 leopard geckos and 7 tanks myself, I just can't see how people would want to put more than 1 leopard gecko per 20 gallon long tank. There's really not a lot of space for even 1 leopard gecko to walk around, along with the 3 required hides, water dish, and food bowl. I have one that walks the whole cage, and uses all the hides. I can't imagine putting another one in there.

I agree. I have one leo in a 20 long and she's all over the place. She attempts to climb everything in that tank, even the walls. One minute she's on the hot hide, then the humid hide, then the cool hide, then back to the hot hide and it starts all over again xD I'm thinking about building her a second level or something because despite being a 20 long, it seems like there isn't enough room for her (my humid hide takes up a lot of space >.<). But if my humid hide was a bit smaller, I'd still say the 20 long should only house one leo.

 

[fl_orchidslave]

Every gecko is different. One may use the entire amount of floor space provided, while another may just hang out in certain areas most of the time. Some may do well in a small group setting, but if you're not experienced in keeping geckos, you would not recognize signs of distress until it becomes critical. Then some people will shortcut the quarantine (if one is used at all), only to end up with disastrous results, and argue with members on the forum about the need to separate. Minor aggressions between leos are indicative there is more to follow, and again, inexperienced keepers too often do not recognize and deal with this issue in a timely or proper manner.

Mardy, shoebox tubs are typically used for hatchlings, not adults.

 

[panicbess]

Don't add any more. They will have too compete for food..