My Last 6.5 Questions...

[TripleB]

Thanks for all your input and information over the past week or two. Your help has been tremendous and mush more helpful than probably any book I could have read.

I went out today and found almost all the items I would need to create a cozy habitat for a leopard gecko. I pretty much know what I'm getting and where I'm getting it...although I still haven't found a warm hide that I'm 100% happy with. Found one I like but I think it's a little too big to feel cozy for the leo.

In making my final decisions I believe I'm down to 6.5 last questions:
1) Would a coconut hide or a 'half log type thing' make a better cool side hide?

2) Idiotic question I'm sure but: When buying a UTH, do I get the one for a 10 gallon tank or the one for a 1-5 gallon tank? I guess I'm just worried the one for the 10 gallon tank may get too hot or make too much of the tank a 'warm' side.

3) I purchased a tupperware container for the wet hide (turn it up side down, put wet paper towels in it, right?). What's the easiest way to cut a hole in it so the edges don't hurt the leo?

3b) Is it better to put the hole in the side wall or in the top?

4) Is it best to sprinkle the non-D3 Calcium on the worms or have a small cap in the habitat with some in the cap?

5) When using a thermometer with a sensor (and wire), where is the best spot to put the sensor so it doesn't bother the leo or the leo doesn't bother it?

6) I put some items in a tank at the pet store just to see how things would look. After putting in a 3 hides, bowls, etc., the tank look pretty bare on the top half. What are some ways I could keep it from looking so bare on the top half of the habitat?

Thanks again for all your help and patience. I can't wait to get my first leo...I'll post pics.

TripleB

 

[acpart]

Here are some answers:

1. personally I like the coconut hides because they are only open at 1 end and I think they make the gecko feel more secure. That said, I have geckos who spend all their time outside the hides.

2. I have found that 10 gallon tanks with a 1-5 gallon UTH and ceramic tile seem to keep a good 92 degree temp without thermostat. For 1 gecko I think the 1-5 is sufficient. If you go with the larger size, it will heat a larger area, but you should get a thermostat so it doesn't get too hot.

3 and 3b. Use an exacto knife and cut a rectangular hole in what will be the top (the old bottom). I prefer the top at least for lay boxes so they can't kick stuff out, but I have to say that my humid hides have holes on the side. Either is OK

4. Supplementation varies between keepers. It's probably best to keep some calcium without D3 in a dish in the tank and to sprinkle calcium with D3 on the mealworms.

5. Put the sensor if possible under the warm hide. The side of the hide can anchor the sensor and you'll get the temp inside the hide which can hold in heat.

6. Several suggestions for that:
--leave it bare
--get a background. They do sell some deserty backgrounds (the shiny paper kind you attach at the back of the tank on the outside) along with the watery ones
--get one of those silly plastic plants and stick it in there somewhere

I hope this was helpful

Aliza

 

[t04jas]

I may be able to provide a little help with some of your questions:

1. I tried a couple of different hides with Dex, ended up going with the half log, but I put it up against the glass on one side and covered up that side with a piece of cardboard on the outside of the tank so only one end was open. He seems to like that.

5. I have the sensor in the warm hide but I'm having trouble with Dex lying on the probe (which is better than chewing on it, he likes to do that to the probe on the cool side) and causing the readout on the thermometer to drop to his body temp.

6. I have a desert background, it's a bit tacky, but I like it. I also have a couple of those magnetic ledges on the glass, I haven't seen Dex on them yet but they look nice.

Hope I could be of some help, my suggestions were almost the same as Aliza's but I thought I would chime in with my own experiences.

 

[jwurm]

To answer number 3, regarding not hurting the leos, when I make my moist hides out of something plastic, I will cut the hole and then take a lighter to the rough edges. I only burn the plastic long enough to melt the sharpness from the edges. Also, the plastic will sometimes split depending on what you use to cut it (I just use kitchen shears) and the flame can also reseal the area. I have had great results with this technique especially since I usually end up painting my hides to look more natural and the plastic burns in a wonky way that looks more like the opening to a cave!

A couple words of advice if you choose to take this plan of action:

1) Best to do this over a sink in case the plastic catches fire (don't worry, it doesn't burn fast, but having the water handy is a good safety measure)
2) The longer handled lighters used for lighting grills or fireplaces will work better than the small BIC-type lighters since holding those on for a while can give you a cramp and it puts your hand right in the line of hot plastic should a bit of the molten goo decide to drip
3) Rinse the plastic under cold water to set the plastic faster and make sure you clean away any soot marks before putting it in with your leos!

 

[mainelygeckos]

To answer number 3, regarding not hurting the leos, when I make my moist hides out of something plastic, I will cut the hole and then take a lighter to the rough edges. I only burn the plastic long enough to melt the sharpness from the edges. Also, the plastic will sometimes split depending on what you use to cut it (I just use kitchen shears) and the flame can also reseal the area. I have had great results with this technique especially since I usually end up painting my hides to look more natural and the plastic burns in a wonky way that looks more like the opening to a cave!

A couple words of advice if you choose to take this plan of action:

1) Best to do this over a sink in case the plastic catches fire (don't worry, it doesn't burn fast, but having the water handy is a good safety measure)
2) The longer handled lighters used for lighting grills or fireplaces will work better than the small BIC-type lighters since holding those on for a while can give you a cramp and it puts your hand right in the line of hot plastic should a bit of the molten goo decide to drip
3) Rinse the plastic under cold water to set the plastic faster and make sure you clean away any soot marks before putting it in with your leos!

If you havea wood burning dremel use that..is what i did...gets very hot and melted a nice smooth opening in the plastic for the opening to the moist hide.

Every leo likes something different. All of mine have dif types of hides..My adult male was more picky I guess (never seemd happy with the hides) and had to change them until he found the one he likes lol which ended up his warm dry hide being a ceramic log and his cool dry hide is the 1/2 log.. my juvies like their rock hides best..in the end its up to you but sometimes like my adult they kinda will pick it on their own lol