newbe needs help please...

[lisagr07]

can somebody give me the rundown on setting up a 10 gallon glass aquarium for a leopard gecko..... as stated its a 10 gallon tank, i have screen cover, heat mat to go under the one side of the tank, 2 hide areas, terrarium moss and feeder/water/calcium bowls....

i figure I'll just use paper towels as substrate for the moment.....

where should the moss be? where should the heat mat be, under the moss, and the moss be under a hide area?????

also i understand that they don't bask like chameleons, and are nocturnal, so what kind of lighting do i need?

i thought i had it figure out but evidently not....

some direction will be greatly appreciated....

thanks a lot,,, lisa

 

[LeopardShade]

They don't need moss for the whole tank substrate, only in the humidity hide. You can place some damp moss in a Tupperware container with a hole cut in it, place it on the warm side, and this provides an essential humid place for your gecko to shed. Stick with paper towels for the rest of the substrate.

The UTH (heat mat) should be placed on one half of the bottom of the enclosure, being that it is the appropriate size (ZooMed lists the sizes on the package I believe). Placing the heat source on one half of the enclosure and leaving the other half "cold" gives the gecko a chance to thermoregulate - aka. go where it feels comfortable. Make sure you use something small to elevate all sides of the tank from the surface it's being placed on once the UTH is running, or you're at greater risk of fire problems/etc.

Yes, Leopard geckos are nocturnal, I believe bright light can stress them out. You do not need any special lighting for leos, a UTH is all you'll need, as they absorb most of their heat through their bellies.

 

[lisagr07]

They don't need moss for the whole tank substrate, only in the humidity hide. You can place some damp moss in a Tupperware container with a hole cut in it, place it on the warm side, and this provides an essential humid place for your gecko to shed. Stick with paper towels for the rest of the substrate.

The UTH (heat mat) should be placed on one half of the bottom of the enclosure, being that it is the appropriate size (ZooMed lists the sizes on the package I believe). Placing the heat source on one half of the enclosure and leaving the other half "cold" gives the gecko a chance to thermoregulate - aka. go where it feels comfortable. Make sure you use something small to elevate all sides of the tank from the surface it's being placed on once the UTH is running, or you're at greater risk of fire problems/etc.

Yes, Leopard geckos are nocturnal, I believe bright light can stress them out. You do not need any special lighting for leos, a UTH is all you'll need, as they absorb most of their heat through their bellies.

this is kind of what i've done..... tank elevated with silicone "dots" at all 4 corners, heat mat placed on underside of left side of tank, moss on glass on that side with what looks like a piece of a log cut in half and hollowed out resting out on top of the moss, kind of like a wooden tunnel.... (i just don't know what to call it)..

paper towels from halfway over,,, to the right side of the tank and a "cool" hide area on that side... 3 shallow feeder/water/calcium dust containers inbetween....

so the enclosure doesn't need any lighting?????

thanks a ton,,, lisa

 

[nnoossss]

I give my leo a daytime and nightime, daytime heat lamp and a night time heat lamp regulated by a 12 hour period mine is 7 to 7.

 

[LeopardShade]

Day and night cycles controlled by lights are completely fine, but in my opinion all they need is a UTH, they can have a day/night cycle just by the natural sunlight that comes in the room.

 

[NinjaDuo]

I give my leo a daytime and nightime, daytime heat lamp and a night time heat lamp regulated by a 12 hour period mine is 7 to 7.

Unless it's very cold in your house a uth is all you need