They don't use their hides

[Green_Snake]

My geckos, especially my male is NEVER in his hide. I don't know why. I just want to know if this is a common behavior, or if it is something I'm doing wrong. They have hides on both the cool and hot sides.

 

[Tommy13b]

hmm thats very strange, mine almost never come out of there hides

 

[breanna-banana13]

Draba, consider yourself lucky- it most likely means they are comfortable in their viv and dont feel the need to hide all the time. and Tommy- are you using a heat lamp? if you are- consider switching to a uth. i had heat lamps for both of my leos and i never saw either one of them. now that i have a uth they are rarely in their hides. just my opinion

 

[GeckoGathering]

To See Or Not To See?

They don't use their hides
My geckos, especially my male is NEVER in his hide. I don't know why. I just want to know if this is a common behavior, or if it is something I'm doing wrong. They have hides on both the cool and hot sides.

Most people would like to see them more..Each of mine behave differently..Concern questions whether mostly in or out of the hides would be....
.....Are they eating/pooping regular?..not losing weight..
Warm bellies? Humid hide misted regular? .....take care. HJ

 

[Green_Snake]

They poop regularly, and I am starting to feed them more often. I am working on setting up humid hides. I didn't have them because my female didn't use them. I mist the tanks instead....

I'm not upset about seeing them, I just know that it is unusual, and was wondering if I am doing something wrong....

 

[Green_Snake]

And I don't think it is the temperature, because the Male is on the cold side, but not under the hide there. The females are under the fern on the warm side, usually, but are often out during the day on the cool sides.

 

[Grinning Geckos]

My gecko that is in a display tank spends much of his time out in the open...that way he can keep an eye out for potential incoming food.

What are the surface temps in your tank? I'd say that even if you never see them in the hides that they still need to be there (humid hide included). They could be using them at night when you're not around. The problem with misting the tank is that it makes the whole tank humid...not just one area. That could cause respritory problems if it stays too humid for too long.

 

[GeckoGathering]

YOU MISSED IT

They poop regularly, and I am starting to feed them more often. I am working on setting up humid hides. I didn't have them because my female didn't use them. I mist the tanks instead....

I'm not upset about seeing them, I just know that it is unusual, and was wondering if I am doing something wrong....

Yeah, you really need the humid hides set up and they will use as needed. Since you mist the tank that's a good possibility why they are out...........I only slightly mist the tank when I see one is shedding and running the perimeter...... take care. HJ

 

[adhdkarate]

sooooooooooooooooo jealous. mine rarely ever come out of their replite den. not even for their worms.

 

[rcobourn]

Something to check out: examine the hides for mites. They might avoid the hides if they are being bothered in there. I noticed this is a pictus gecko that I had in quarantine after it was given to me. There were some just hatched mites flitting around in the hide... once I treated the enclosure and the gecko, she started using the hide normally.

 

[OHRobert]

My gecko spends most of her time sitting on top of her hide. The surface temps are fine, just under 90 and I made the hides out of tupperware and clean the tank at least once a week. It just seems to be where she is most comfortable so I don't think it is anything to worry about.

 

[Tommy13b]

i use an overlamp because my UTH dosent get hot enough.

 

[nats]

And I don't think it is the temperature, because the Male is on the cold side, but not under the hide there. The females are under the fern on the warm side, usually, but are often out during the day on the cool sides.

Please post a picture of your setup so we can figure it out

 

[LeapinLizard]

My leo doesn't use his cool side hide at all. It is a log hide, and he climbs over it all the time, but never goes inside. He also wasn't using his moist hide on the warm side because he didn't like the moss. I replaced it with paper towels that I mist several times daily. He likes it in there, I'll see his head pop out in the morning.

His tank is covered on three sides, so he probably feels very secure. He parks out in the open on the warm side in the corner closest to the front.

 

[beanx]

I have a 50+ gallon tank with 1 male and 4 females in it. They are almost never in their hides. They are either basking on top of their humid hide or climbing on the big peice of drift wood int he middle of their tank, or just laid spread eagle in any random spot in the tank, they really arnt picky. But if i were to put my hand in there and try to catch 1 of them they almost always try to hide from me , i just think its because they are really comfortable with their surroundings.

 

[Geck-O]

Draba, consider yourself lucky- it most likely means they are comfortable in their viv and dont feel the need to hide all the time. and Tommy- are you using a heat lamp? if you are- consider switching to a uth. i had heat lamps for both of my leos and i never saw either one of them. now that i have a uth they are rarely in their hides. just my opinion

Why does heat lamps and UTH's make a difference? Does the light from the light bother them? I went to a vet because there was something wrong with my leo's leg and he said that gecko's need UVB to convert their calcium they eat into something. Is that true?

 

[nats]

My leo doesn't use his cool side hide at all. It is a log hide, and he climbs over it all the time, but never goes inside. He also wasn't using his moist hide on the warm side because he didn't like the moss. I replaced it with paper towels that I mist several times daily. He likes it in there, I'll see his head pop out in the morning.

His tank is covered on three sides, so he probably feels very secure. He parks out in the open on the warm side in the corner closest to the front.

Yeah I know, mine dont use the cool end hide much either, even when it's like 80F.

 

[nats]

Why does heat lamps and UTH's make a difference? Does the light from the light bother them? I went to a vet because there was something wrong with my leo's leg and he said that gecko's need UVB to convert their calcium they eat into something. Is that true?

Your vet is grossly misinformed.
Leos are nocturnal. They do not get D3 from the sun. They need a calcium supliment to provide this.

Dont go back to that vet!! :main_no:

Only use a UVB if your tank is in a dark place where your leo cant tell if its day or night.
Otherwise, there is no need to have one at all.
You can have a small low watt red bulb so you can see your leo at night.