My Setup- Feedback appreciated

[fender120993]

I got my setup and leo today! First one!!!

Let me know if there is anything i need to change!
Please don't say the sand either. I have done a sufficient amount of ressearch about it.


And I also plan to add more decorations.. such as rocks and plants

 

[2bacop]

Alright well your research is crap but whatever when your gecko dies dont come crying to us. Just be prepared for everyone to comment about it, we just love geckos to much to allow nothing to be said.

 

[fender120993]

Jeez after one post i feel like my anus is already sore. i asked about my setup (e.g. hides and what not).

 

[JordanAng420]

Can I make a suggestion for the moist hide that's in the middle?(I think thats what it is, although I don't have my glasses on) You may want to use a substrate that holds water better than paper towels...like sphagnum moss or even that stuff that comes in the stores with the frog on the front of it...it holds water longer & the gecko usually enjoys it! The rest looks fine, congrats!

 

[OhioGecko]

Yeah, the sand will not gain you sympathy. What are you using for a heat source?

 

[fender120993]

Thanks JordanAng. And for a heat source I am using a 75 watt red bulb. And it gets the temp up to like 88.

 

[2bacop]

I'm sorry for being harsh but did you do any real research?? Besides the sand, leos need belly heat to digest their food. A UTH with temps. in the low 90's on the warm side is what will keep your leo as healthy as it can be on sand.

 

[pandress]

If you post in a forum where there are die hard enthusiasts, you are going to get a lot of flack about less than appropriate setups. Your thread title says "feedback appreciated". But you aren't listening to feedback.

If you have done your research, why do you still insist on sand? Are the aesthetic purposes more important to you than possible impaction and death in your gecko?

Also, 88 degrees in your hottest spot isn't really warm enough. I really encourage you to do some research, read care sheets, search the forums.. And please don't be too cocky! If it's your first leo, it could be the start of a great hobby, and you want to start off on the right foot.

 

[JordanAng420]

Thanks JordanAng. And for a heat source I am using a 75 watt red bulb. And it gets the temp up to like 88.

You're welcome. Are you using an under tank heater? 88 degrees is okay...ideal is about 90-95 degrees on the hot side...I just wanted to make sure your little guy/girl is getting some belly heat

 

[JordanAng420]

And guys, if he wants to use sand, then let him use sand.

 

[fender120993]

okay it is nighttime so is 86ish still bad?

 

[fender120993]

and i just checked like 10 websites and all of them said that a temp of like 88-90 is perfect.

I just dont know who to trust.

 

[pandress]

And guys, if he wants to use sand, then let him use sand.

I don't feel that my reply was mean or uncalled for. I think that most poor husbandry practices come not from lack of caring, but lack of knowledge.

I also feel that there are certain ways to go about things. If the OP had said, yes, I understand the risks associated with sand, however I remove my gecko from the enclosure to eat and check his feces daily, that would be one case. Being extremely defensive while at the same time asking for help isn't really conducive to things going smoothly.

All new herp owners have expressed concerns about the huge dichotomy in different types of care sheets, advice, etc. It can be extremely frustrating. I believe at some point you have to make decisions for yourself, and if sand is one of them, that is your right.

With that said, when someone says "I'm a new leo owner, please give me advice"; I am definitely going to give voice to what my personal thoughts are. If it saves one leo from impaction, starvation, poor temperatures, inadequate housing, or whatnot, than it's worth the 10 or 100 people mad at me!

 

[JordanAng420]

I just dont know who to trust.

I compleatly understand, and can relate. This is a matter of experiance with your gecko...understanding what he/she likes and at the same time taking into consideration what is healthiest for your little dude

From my experience, between 90 and 95 is ideal.

I'd really like to know if you're using anything UNDER the tank to provide heat...if not, you should get something of the like...leopard geckos rely on belly heat to be able to digest their food as well as a number of other things. It's really important.

 

[pandress]

and i just checked like 10 websites and all of them said that a temp of like 88-90 is perfect.

I just dont know who to trust.

Fender, I think personally that's a little low. You also have to take into account different factors. What is the ground temperature? Is 88 the absolute hottest it gets anywhere in the tank, or is that ambient air temperature in the middle? I personally follow GreggM's advice, which I believe is around 95-97.

Think of it this way.. If you have the tank a few degrees too cold, the leo can absolutely not heat up to ideal temperatures, and therefore can't properly digest food. CONVERSELY, if you have your hottest spot a few degrees warmer, that gives a nice spot for underbelly heat, and with lots of hides and a good temperature gradient, your baby can absolutely explore the rest of his cage! I'm not saying crank it up to 105, but in general, a few degrees warmer is better than cooler, IMHO.

 

[geckogramma]

First off...CONGRATULATIONS on getting your first leo! be sure to tell us more about him or her.

When I first got my leos all the people I talked to at the reptile show said to use sand as a substrate so I did. After reading the forums I changed the sand to ceramic tile for fear of geckos eating the sand when going into attack mode for their dinner. They seem much happier with the tile although one used to miss her digging until she found she could still dig in her calcium dish.

some people will tell you not to use sand but to use paper towel, reptile carpet or tile everyone has their own opinion and reasons for those opinions.

The temp of 88-90 that you are referring to is the floor temp not the air temp. What kind of heat are you using? Leo's do need belly heat and to get that the heat needs to come from the bottom of the tank. Again, you are going to find differing opinions about best temp. I use a temp probe that lays on the tile and daytime temp runs anywhere from 80 to 95 depending on what the air temp is (it is cold winter here). After all, even the desert doesn't have exact temps everyday. I also gauge the temp by my leos' activity level. I find that they are generally more active when the floor temp is 90 and the ambient temp is about 80, any warmer than that and they just stay in hides or lay around on the rocks and logs.

If the center hide is the moist hide I would put a lid on it then line the bottom with moss. I have found that moss holds the moisture better. Glad to see that you do have 3 hides, one for warm side, one for cool side and moist hide. Regarding the moist hide again you will get conflicting opinions about placement. Some people will advise you to place it on warm side, others will say cool side. Personally I place it on the warm side after experimenting. The moist hide I have is large enough that I could place it so it was half warm and half cool. My leos both would curl up on the warm side so warm it is for my leo girls. Being moist is ok but being cool and moist would be uncomfortable to me.

the major thing that I can see is to make sure that you have a UTH for what ever substrate you use. They really do need belly heat and don't get a heat rock, they can and do burn leos.

 

[Riyo]

I, too, would say to up your temps on the hot side, preferably with an under tank heater. (I keep my hot temps between 95 - 97 F)

Sand is one of those ticky subjects. Me, myself, I don't use it. It's messy, it holds onto bacteria, it's expensive, and you have to change it every week or two. Calci-sand is notoriously worse (from what I've read) than regular sifted play sand. In my opinion, there is a risk of impaction with sand and it just isn't worth that risk to me.

http://homepage.mac.com/exoticdvm/re...oAlbum181.html (warning, graphic images of dissection)

Also, I would get a digital thermometer with a probe to put ontop of the substrate over your hot side to properly measure your ground temperatures.

Can your gecko see over the lip of the bowl to see the water? Does it have a way to climb out if it goes in? (Kind of hard for me to tell the size of your gecko compared to the water thing)

 

[Wreptile]

Jeez after one post i feel like my anus is already sore. i asked about my setup (e.g. hides and what not).

That post was uncalled for Fender.

and i just checked like 10 websites and all of them said that a temp of like 88-90 is perfect.

I just dont know who to trust.

You posted on here asking for OUR help, not the other sites help. Please use common sense.

 

[reddmann]

I'm still pretty new to this too. One thing about the sand is that alot of people want it to look as natural as possible. When I first got mine I had sand in it for about 3 days until i read all the impaction incidents. What i did to keep it looking natural and make it safe was went to lowes and got some slate tile. my wife picked a tan/reddish color that looks natural. I had them cut it to fit the tank right in the store. we also bought some smaller tiles and large flat stones to build hides with. the total cost was less than 20 bucks. I put the tile in right on top of the sand so he has no contact with the sand. And the under tank heater still keeps the temp on the warm side in the low to mid 90's. Even when its freezing outside, the temp on the warm side at night stays at 85 and above. I also hung vines on 3 sides with the lowest leaves touching the floor so that he has hiding spots at any temperature he wants. Works for me and still looks natural. Besides, their natural habitat is more of a rocky desert than a sandy one. hope this helps.

 

[fender120993]

Okay you guys. I am sorry for the poor choices i made with teh posts. I understand taht you guys are here to help. Thanks.


And I went out today and I got a UTH so its all good. I got my temp up to about 94ish


Does my lil guy need something to climb on?