Tank Location

[98XJSport]

Does it much matter where your tank is located? Im trying to figure out if it's just personality keeping my female pair from coming out of thier hide after dark, or tank location, or something else entirely.

I have a 40 gallon breeder with them in it. 2 hot and 2 cold hides and a humid hide. Hot side is ~90 BUT I know my UTH sucks and has cold spots. I have another one that should be here any day. ~72 on the cold side. The tank is set up in my living room (1 bedroom apartment). I have the tank set up with background on the long back side, which faces the wall. The short side that faces the TV (3-4 feet away) has background on it as well. There is no overhead light, only a lamp on the other side of the room. Its not high traffic.

They are virtually always in or near the bigger hide on the hot side. I rarely see them anywhere else, no exploring nothing. Maybe it's to soon for them to be comfortable now, 2 months maybe? With half that in the specific tank but same location.

I know, Im probably just paranoid. They eat if food is in front of them, but I haven't seen them eat from the dish yet, another reason Im wondering if they are just scared to come out. Plenty of pooping going on, healthy as far as I can tell. I bought them from a great breeder. I just want to make sure this tank location shouldn't be to stressful on them.

Any thoughts?

 

[andypg3]

I have a very similar setup, a 20L sitting next to the TV with the back (long side) and side nearest the TV covered with a background.

Our gecko (had for about 1 month and is roughly 1.5 months old) spends the majority of his time in the warm hide. He spends a day in the moist hide when he sheds and wanders behind the cool hide to "relieve himself" after eating (like clockwork, we make metamucil jokes about it)

Other than that, he rarely comes out and explores when I'm around.

At night, it seems like he's more active with no lights on at all (as opposed to leaving a red bulb on). The only evidence I have to that is that mealies are missing on the mornings after he's had no lights...

The other day, we pulled him out and let him wander around on the couch and he seemed to enjoy that although he was tense at times. It was the first time he wasn't in a panic to hide from anything that moved.

Afterwards, he just hung out in the entrance to his hide watching us and acting curious...progress? Maybe. I guess we'll just have to give it time.

 

[cullens]

my 2 leos i have them in a 50 gal breeder in the basement and i have one that lays on the hot side and my littler on will either lays on the cold side or in the hide or in the calcium dish lol. i think maybe mine stay out because there isnt alot of people in the basement so the lights are usually out and so i guess they feel safe but they will let me handle them.

 

[98XJSport]

I re-arranged some things to see if that helps. They don't like being picked up per se, but once you have them they calm right down and in general sit there looking around.