Lighting

[lilmidget865]

What is the best lighting that anybody has used for a leo? I am not sure that I have it right. I have a fluorescent bulb in a clamp on the cool side of my tank, and a ceramic heater on the other. I suppose it sounds right.......Also, what are the best times to run the light? I have the heater on all day, but I know they only need a certain amount of light a day.

 

[leegooman2323]

most ppl reccomend using 2 lights. A day bulb and a night bulb. The day bulb on the warm side for 10-12 hours a day, and the night bulb on the cool side 24 hrs. It is best to use a black, blue, or red bulb for the night bulb, because leos cannot see those colors. Hope this helped . Cheers.

 

[Wreptile]

Yeah, I have my lights going for 12 hours, and the heat emitters going 24/7.
You got it right.

 

[Dan K.]

my reptile room is a well lit so I just use blue night light's 24/7 in the center of the tank with a U.T.H on the hot end it creates a perfect temp. gradent 96F on the hot end down to 82F on the cool end

 

[leegooman2323]

Yeah, I have my lights going for 12 hours, and the heat emitters going 24/7.
You got it right.

Thanks

 

[lilmidget865]

Vet

So I had to bring one of my babies to the vet because he/she (too young to tell gender) is having a really bad shed (refuses to lay in the humid hide) and ended up scraping the skin on the side of its head pretty badly. Anyway, the vet's assistant told me that a light isn't necessary for geckos. Is this true? My room gets lit pretty well during the day (as long as it isn't cloudy ) but I was still wondering if this is correct. I have a ceramic heater for heat 24/7.

Also.....The tank is in my bedroom....is it ok to turn the light on at night (so I can see what I am doing) or should I try to avoid doing that. I know, I am so concerned about lighting HAHA....I just really want to make sure these guys stay with me a long time!

Thanks for any responses!

 

[lepgeckosrock]

The vet is right geckos are nocternal and the only reason to have a light (as long as you have a uth) is to give them the sense of daytime. My gecko room doesn't get a lot of light so I use a regular 60 watt buld for daytime and at night I use a red light so I can watch them. I turn the light on at 6 am and off around 9 pm in the summer as for winter I cut back on light to simulate the light outside

 

[lilmidget865]

Thanks for the response! I'm relieved to hear they were right about something! HA. It's also a relief not to need that light as I found that it was heating up the "cool" side too much even though it's not meant to be a heater. I have a ceramic heater and an uth because my house is usually on the cool side.

 

[stewy84]

Not sure but think the colored party lights are not the same as reptile night lights, like i said not sure correct me if im wrong. And i wouldnt go from pitch black room to bright light, it kinda startels mine last i remember. Maybe open door for a min with a light on in the other room or hall way to give them a heads up.

 

[EchoPet]

I just have a regular lamp in the gecko room on a timer. That way, they get a photoperiod but I don't have to worry about using heat lamps on the tanks. Besides, my UTHs get the temperature high enough that I don't need any sort of overhead heat source.

 

[JordanAng420]

I'm relieved to hear they were right about something! HA.

What have they been wrong about in the past? I can help you find another vet if you are unsatisfied.