[gecko girl]

hi there! i have "mat's" house all set up, and i have two questions. the first being, is the wet side supposed to just be a corner or the aquarium, or the whole length on that side? my second question is, is the heat pad supposed to be under the dry side or the wet side? i'm hoping im doing this right. any info pls? i will have new pics up soon, hes gotten healthier and bigger already!

[gecko girl]

here's a new pic of mat... he's getting a lil friendly....

[Coleonyx]

Hello,

First off, I would suggest switching the substrate to fine sand. Those bark pieces could easily be ingested.

The moist spot should not be a whole side. This would lead to mold, among other things. The purpose is just so he can shed his skin correctly. In the wild, they hide in moist places, especially the young ones.

For a moist spot, I use an upside-down clay saucer (the kid you can buy for pots at a garden center). I break a whole in the side, for entry, and then place another one right-side up on top of it, filled with water. Because the clay is porous, the water soaks through and keeps the hide moist. Just keep the saucer on top full. Be sure that it is not plastic. It must be clay.

Good luck with the little guy, (he's definately a male)
Alex

[gecko girl]

thank you for you advice! =) at the reptile store i grabbed the bag of sand and they said not to use sand and talked my dh into getting the dirt with bark.... that bugs me, why would they suggest that? that is how they have their gecko's homes too. my dh thinks the sand is more likely to be ingested. any input on that? do you take your gecko out of his home to be fed each day? or leave him in the home with the sand while he feeds? sorry for so many questions! what about the heating pad underneath? moist side? or dry side? also, im very curious how you can tell he is a male already? he's soooo tiny, do you have any idea how old he might be? again, sorry for all of the questions! and thank you.

[Coleonyx]

Sand is more natural, and passes more easily through the digestive system if accidentally ingested. It also is easy to dig in. Crickets can hide in the back and irritate the geckos, and could potentially cause respiratory problems as well. I feed the geckos in their tanks. Just put the crickets in.

The heating pad should go on the dry side.

Sexing is very obvious with these, even at a young age. I can already see the hemipenal bulge in some of your other pictures of him. He's probably 3-5 weeks old already.

and don't worry about all the questions. (: What city was he found in?

Alex

[gecko girl]

thank you for all of your help!!! =) we live in surprise az, so basically pheonix.