Is this a ok setup for my Gecko???

[Ecocavy2005]

I just got her in June for my birthday and me and my girlfriend have been taking care of her. She gets crickets everyday and every now and then mealworms and the crickets have calcium powder on them about once a week. She is in a 10 gallon tank with the green reptile carpet. She has 2 rocks she can hide under both, one sits on top of her UTH and the other is in the other corner by her water dish. She also ha a green hammock she loves to climb on. The light is a blue light that is set on a 12 hr loop and i have a thermometer with a humidity gauge on it as well. Just wanted to make sure this is good for her or if i need to do some changing around for her. Thanks for all the help.

 

[leogecko88]

I would suggest dusting the insects with calcium every other day. A humid hide would be a good idea too.
Could you give some info on the temps on the warm and cool side? A picture of the tank would also be helpful.

 

[ReptarNDukeNukem]

You need a humid or moist hide.Here is a simple way to get a moist hide it may not look the best but it does the job get a plastic container,sphagnum moss,perlite,vermiculite or moist paper towels.I would have a calcium dish avaliable at all time so she can lick it or dust the crickets every day.Some people have gut-loaded meal worms with calcium avaliable at all times if she gets hungry at night.
Do not spray the tank a lot to raise the moisture because they do better in drier areas the only thing really should be moist is the moist or humid hide.Remember that the hot side should be 90-95 and the cool side 80-85.

 

[Ecocavy2005]

The whole tank stays at about 90. I have the thermometer in the upper right hand corner. Do i need to bring it to the ground and have separate thermometers for each side? How would a go about making a humid hide?

 

[ReptarNDukeNukem]

Well making a humid hide is easy.Get a plastic bowl or container and cut a whole on the top so it can go in and that is tall enough so she can climb in and you can put moist paper towels into it.The purpose of the moist hide so when she sheds we will go in their and the moisture will help her shed.If you do not see her shed do not worry she will eat it for a source of calcium.
Leopard geckos need ground heat more than air heat because the UTH helps them digest their food.

 

[Ecocavy2005]

Well i got her a UTH under one of the rocks. Do i just need to keep it moist in there for her? And I have seen her eat the skin every time she sheds.

 

[leogecko88]

Make sure you are measuring the temperature on the floor of the tank, not the wall. Geckos also need to have a temperature gradient where one side is warmer than the other. A thermometer should be on each side.

 

[Ecocavy2005]

ok ill go out and get another thermometer as soon as i can. What about the lighting? Is the one light ok or does she need a day time and night time light?

 

[ReptarNDukeNukem]

Well they do not need a heat lamp,but people who live in colder areas like me where I live around Chicago and I live in the basement so it sometimes can get down to 60 degrees so I keep a inferred 50w heat lamp to make it a little warmer.

 

[leogecko88]

I use a night red bulb in addition to the day blue bulb. It keeps the night temps from getting too cold.

 

[Ecocavy2005]

Its starting to get cold here like night time is low 40 and daytime like mid 50s but the gecko is right by the window on a desk. What would be the best thing for her?

 

[Ecocavy2005]

I use a night red bulb in addition to the day blue bulb. It keeps the night temps from getting too cold.

ok so do i keep both on all day and just turn off the blue on at night?

 

[leogecko88]

Run the blue light during the day, and the red light at night.

 

[Ecocavy2005]

Ok so run separate timers. And it will all be ok even with her UTH?

 

[leogecko88]

If you use both lights and an under-tank heater, just monitor the floor temp to be sure it doesn't get to hot.

 

[Ecocavy2005]

Ok. So warm side between 90-95 and cool side between 80-85?

 

[leogecko88]

That sounds about right.

 

[Ecocavy2005]

cool thanks for all the help. Ill get some pics of the tank up as soon as i can.

 

[leogecko88]

No problem. Can't wait to see the pix!

 

[Ecocavy2005]

OK i finally get to work on my leos tank today. Just wondering what watts the bulbs need to be? And should I just stick with my reptile carpet or change substrates? Also is it ok just to drop the crickets in her tank or do they need a feeder? And should the hammock be on the cool or warm side? Sry for all the questions. Thanks for all the help.