Right size for gecko and racks question

[tiedxupxinxknots]

hi, well for starters i am getting some reptile enclosures next week and i was wondering if a 34 L x 12 W x 10 was a ok size for a 5 month old gecko, next what dimensions should the UTH i think it should be around 30% so a 12 x 11 should be good right? another question is that i will be housing another gecko there at 1 point so would it be best to have the heat in the middle and have 2 cool sides in the tank? one more thing i heard that u can use UTH on wood i have a thermostat too w but idk if u guys have experience with wood maybe i should get heat panels,well that basically does it for the enclosure questions lol, now i wanted to get racks as well but the thing is idk 1 thing about wiring so what would be the best heat source for me? is there such a thing that u can plug into a thermostat and ur ready to go on racks? cuz idk about heat tape.Also what is a good thermostat for racks? Finally how much floor space does a baby gecko need? sorry for so many questions lol, help would be greatly appreciated

 

[fl_orchidslave]

1. Your 5 month old would do fine in that size cage, plenty of space for lots of hides an another gecko.

2. 12x11 is good but on one end, not in the middle, unless you divide the tank for 2 geckos. Use a floor tile underneath if needed to press it to the glass without sticking it so you have that option to move it. A piece of foil can be put on the sticky side.

3. Personally, I don't like heating up wood furniture in case it could discolor the surface with prolonged use. I've put a towel, then a slate tile, then the heat mat to protect my furniture. It's not hot enough for a fire hazard tho, even with direct contact.

4. As far as racks go, there's a ton of threads in the DIY section with detailed diagrams and pertinent information. Lots of great ideas our members have demonstrated.

 

[tiedxupxinxknots]

oh the enclosure is made out of wood lol melamine to be exact, i seen it done before, and one more thing what would be a good thermostat

 

[rickmoss95]

1. Your 5 month old would do fine in that size cage, plenty of space for lots of hides an another gecko.

2. 12x11 is good but on one end, not in the middle, unless you divide the tank for 2 geckos. Use a floor tile underneath if needed to press it to the glass without sticking it so you have that option to move it. A piece of foil can be put on the sticky side.

3. Personally, I don't like heating up wood furniture in case it could discolor the surface with prolonged use. I've put a towel, then a slate tile, then the heat mat to protect my furniture. It's not hot enough for a fire hazard tho, even with direct contact.

4. As far as racks go, there's a ton of threads in the DIY section with detailed diagrams and pertinent information. Lots of great ideas our members have demonstrated.

agreed 100% on all of that...for thermostats, i will only use Spyder robotics' herpstats and Helix units. i have had issues with both Johnson Electric and Ranco's. plus i like the proportional ones alot better than the on/off type, they are alot more consistant in my experiences...proportional simply means that the unit constantly give the heating element enough heat to keep a consistant temperature. on/off types will raise the temps to a set degree and then shut off untill the temp probe reads a set "low temp" then it kicks back on...so the temps are constantly going up and down. although it may be minimal, it is still not as consistant. i do know a few people who use on/off types, and they are cheaper...but i wont use them ever again. i had one not shut off and lost quite a few animals...that is a risk i will never take again. it is always a good idea to have two ran togeather so one can back up the other incase of a failure. some of the higher end herpstats have alarms and you can set them up to notify your cell phone via internet programs....they are really amazing units, and the slightly higher cost is SO worth it to me.

 

[tiedxupxinxknots]

oh thanks for the advice, yeah currently i am using a zoo med one that is a on and off type and it isnt very good, as u said the temp goes up and down, but itll do for now since the temps is around 88-92.