I have a substrate question plz help

[Jeff876533]

hey ok im wanting a substrate tahts not messy, and keeps in moisture for a while (so i only have to possibly mist it about once a day) Does anyone know of a substrate that can do that? if i cant find one, i was also thinking i could just keep on using paper towel, but make a humidifier from this guide=http://www.reptilerooms.com/Sections+index-req-viewarticle-artid-101-page-1.html and put it on a timer, so it could mist it around twice a day for a short period of time. What do you guys think? should i get a different, non messy substrate or do the other way and make the humidifier??

 

[GeckoMandi]

I use the brown shipping paper from dollar general and papertowels for humidity in humid hides, I was using bed a beast stuff but I learned that geckos could get impacted very easily from it. Papertowels are the way to go I think I spray mine 1-2 times everyday sometimes 3 when they are shedding.

 

[Jeff876533]

ya but thats the thing im at school most of the day and when i do get out ive got football or track then hanging out with friends or homework lol so i cant spray it more than once a day. Papertowel requires 2-3 times a day. What do you guys think i should do? im leaning towards the humidifier

 

[Grinning Geckos]

You really don't want a high general humidity level, and misting several times a day leads to exactly that. High humidity leads to illnesses like respiratory infections. What you want to use is a humid hide. In the hide you can use paper towels, coco fibers, moss, etc.

 

[Jeff876533]

lol ya i was going to put it on a dial timer so it can go on for like 2 or 3 1-minute cycles. Would that work? im going to test it out in a different tank with no leos (if i do choose it) and check if it works well. Do you think that will work??

 

[BalloonzForU]

Just give it a humid hide with plenty of paper towels that you moist once a day and that will be enough. if you keep the whole viv moist the leo will get an raspatory infection

 

[Perefalcon]

umm, have you read much about leos?? the amount of moisture you're planning on putting into their home is more likely to cause a respritory infection than do any good. A humid hide is much better. a tupperware container with a hole and some moss is a good choice and not that messy.

if you want something that requires a lot of misting, may I suggest a chameleon, a leo however is a DESERT ANIMAL and lives in an arid climate

 

[Jeff876533]

no no i know they need a humid hide and i already have/had one. That is why im buying another different one, a ESU Creature Cubbyhole, drilling a hole into the top where the hose will go and put paper towel on the bottom. When it is on for that 1 minute twice a day, humidity will build up in there, which is what is needed.I am also testing it out to see if it will even work before i even put it into their cage. I know if there is too much humidity/moisture in the air it can cause them a lot of problems, that is why im putting in a on/off timer set for 2-3 1-minute cycles. If it becomes too humid, ill reduce the time it is on for. If this doesnt work out, i wont use it. Im just trying to get creative and problem solve, not put my leos in danger. Sorry im not trying to be rude or anything lol its just that ive heard it from other people on other forums too and ive explained it like 4 times lol

 

[BalloonzForU]

LOL, it came across as you were going to moist the whole viv....sorry!

 

[Jeff876533]

lol ya i didnt mean it like that i wouldnt do something that stupid lol

 

[gko reptiles]

We use moss for our males, and a peatmoss/perlite mix for our females. A paper towel does indeed need more misting, but our hides are misted once every OTHER day and do just fine! There are lots of different kinds of mosses in petstores and whatnot. We used Fluker's Moss for a long time (big frog on the front, you can't miss it.) That mister on a timer is actually an idea that I've had for a long time, except I would hook it up to about 20-60 boxes in a rack system; let us all know how it works out! Some simple tubing and mist heads should make it work out for you! Good Luck!

 

[Grinning Geckos]

Yep, you should have made that clearer! I don't see why it wouldn't work...but as already mentioned, I've never had a hide I needed to mist more than once a day.

 

[brandy101010]

I think the mister would add too much humidity. one minute is going to soak a small humid hide. you may end up with just a tub of mud. I use eco earth in a tupperware with a hole cut in the lid for the gecko to get into. usually it stays moist for 2 or 3 days. when It drys out I just throw away the dirt and put fresh in. the eco earth comes in a hard block. you take the block and put it in a plastic tub with some water. it exspands and and tuns to dirt. you drain out the water and you are left with moist dirt. keep the dirt in the tub with the lid on. It will stay moist as long as no air gets in. so when your hide dries out you can just take some moist dirt from your tub and replace the dry dirt in your hide with some freash moist dirt from your tub. no misting involved. I hope that made sence it's been a long night.

 

[GeckoMandi]

I have been only misting my papertowels only once a day, but I started doing it twice a day to my sick leo because she was having trouble shedding last time and I asked the breeder he said just mist 2 times a day, I think everyone gets their groove with it, I definitely wouldn't want to make mine sick!

 

[Golden Gate Geckos]

You really don't need anything elaborate... just a Cool-Whip container with a 2" hole cut in the lid. Keep some peat moss inside, and mist it (just damp, not wet) every day. Simple!

 

[Jeff876533]

lol yea, i just thought it would be a fun project. I dont know, if its going to be a lot of $, than na, but if it isnt, im going for it