lygodactylus williamsi help...

sky_6969 · #1 02-06-2010, 03:13 PM

hey guys,

a few weeks ago, i brought an adult male lygodactylus williamsi (electric blue) gecko, and am having real trouble finding out exactly what size viv it needs. also whether it is best in a wooden, or glass viv.

at the moment, due to lack of space (and money!!) we have him in a 8x3.5x3.5 inch all glass tank, with a heat mat stuck to the side.

obviously we need to make or buy a better enclosure for it, but what exactly do i need to get??

Also, how much do these little stunners sell for?

cheers, Danni x

hexentanz · #2 02-06-2010, 05:29 PM

Hi Danni,

A pair of Williamsi will do plenty okay in a 35x35x40cm vivarium. Exo-Terra for example makes this size.

The majority of folks keep them in glass vivariums, however you can use a wood one if you epoxy the walls really well to prevent mold/leaking.

There is quite a few care sheets out there for them.

Here are two, that I can think of off the top of my head:

Lygodactylus.com: L. williamsi Care Sheet
Lygodactylus Williamsi

sky_6969 · #3 02-06-2010, 06:32 PM

thanks for the reply. only thing is, being in England, our temps are quite low most of the year, so in a glass viv its hard to keep the heat. Also, exo-terra dont seem to do a double canopy for the 30x30x45 viv. only a single, so i wouldnt be able to provide both a UVB and a heat basking lamp.

how much do they sell for? i think its a real possibilty that we are going to have to sell him, as we dont really have the space for him in a bigger viv.

hexentanz · #4 02-06-2010, 06:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sky_6969

thanks for the reply. only thing is, being in England, our temps are quite low most of the year, so in a glass viv its hard to keep the heat. Also, exo-terra dont seem to do a double canopy for the 30x30x45 viv. only a single, so i wouldnt be able to provide both a UVB and a heat basking lamp.

A basking lamp can be provided through a 10w or 20 12v halogen lamp. If you go with the 20 and is too warm you will have to play with it a bit and put it on a timer, so it turns on and off during the day (either on 2 hours or off two hours every few hours). Just make sure to get the kind that reflects heat downwards and not upwards.

Quote:

Originally Posted by sky_6969

how much do they sell for? i think its a real possibilty that we are going to have to sell him, as we dont really have the space for him in a bigger viv.

I am not sure of the prices for them in England. The price will also depend on if it is captive bred or wild caught.

Chum · #5 02-08-2010, 02:20 PM

About the double lamp for the exoterra.

No, they only make single lamps, but one lamp only fills half of the top, so you can just get two and put them next to each other. In the wintertime you can have bulbs in both lamps (compact lights 2x 26W or a combo with 13W and 26W would heat up your terrarium just fine - unless you have it very cold inside.

In the summertime you can lower the temperature by removing one lamp and only leave the UVB bulb on.

For spring and autumn you can have both lamps on, but only one lid.

Just a neat trick for regulating temperature with just the light.

I do it like this and have temps vary from 22-28 degrees celcius in the winther time (with a 26W 5.0 and a 13W 2.0 compact bulb).

WingedWolfPsion · #6 02-08-2010, 02:59 PM

I have a pair in a well-planted 10 gallon tank, and they're doing quite well. I use a heat cord across the back to raise temps, and UVB light for basking. The heat pad idea isn't actually a bad one.

sky_6969 · #7 02-08-2010, 04:04 PM

we have managed to find space for it!!!

we are building a 60x45x15 wooden tank with glass doors and it will be fixed onto the chimney breast in our room!!

we are then going to fix a UVB and a 60W basking lamp to the roof of the box, then going to decorate accordingly..

how does that sound?

hexentanz · #8 02-08-2010, 04:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sky_6969

we have managed to find space for it!!!

we are building a 60x45x15 wooden tank with glass doors and it will be fixed onto the chimney breast in our room!!

we are then going to fix a UVB and a 60W basking lamp to the roof of the box, then going to decorate accordingly..

how does that sound?

15 is a bit on the small side for height, or depth (if you meant that as depth).

With williamsi you want something that is at least 40cm high and 30cm deep.

60 watts will most likely be too hot. I have 40 watts over a 50x50x80 tank and it does get pretty warm in there.

WingedWolfPsion · #9 02-08-2010, 05:10 PM

My 10 gallon is set up with a normal orientation--it's not very tall, but the geckos make use of all the area, and they don't spend all of their time up at the top, so I assume they are ok with it. They actually appear to appreciate horizontal surfaces more than they do vertical ones. They don't like to touch the ground, but they spend most of their time running around more like anoles than geckos, utilizing horizontal branches and bamboo rather than climbing up on vertical areas. When they use the cork bark piece, they like to bask on top of it, or hide behind it, but they don't spend time on the front vertical face. They sleep down in bromeliad leaf axials, in the sanseveria, or in between leaves of the pothos at night.

I've noticed some very real behavioral differences between these guys and more typical geckos like my mourning geckos. They can perform the same actions, but don't seem as comfortable upside-down or sideways as other geckos. They spend very little time on the glass. My mourning geckos spend most of their time on the glass when they're awake.

hexentanz · #10 02-08-2010, 05:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by WingedWolfPsion

My 10 gallon is set up with a normal orientation--it's not very tall, but the geckos make use of all the area, and they don't spend all of their time up at the top, so I assume they are ok with it. They actually appear to appreciate horizontal surfaces more than they do vertical ones. They don't like to touch the ground, but they spend most of their time running around more like anoles than geckos, utilizing horizontal branches and bamboo rather than climbing up on vertical areas. When they use the cork bark piece, they like to bask on top of it, or hide behind it, but they don't spend time on the front vertical face. They sleep down in bromeliad leaf axials, in the sanseveria, or in between leaves of the pothos at night.

I've noticed some very real behavioral differences between these guys and more typical geckos like my mourning geckos. They can perform the same actions, but don't seem as comfortable upside-down or sideways as other geckos. They spend very little time on the glass. My mourning geckos spend most of their time on the glass when they're awake.

A 10 gallon is more than 15cm high. From what I recall most 10 gallons in the USA are 24x12.5x12.5 inches which equals 60.96x31.75x31.75 centimeters.

I have seen these geckos in quite a few setups here, some quite high and the geckos have used every space available to them, including the top portions. Some even prefer the top more. I think where they go the most depends more on how someone sets up things.

And you are right, they do like to spend their time on horizontal space a lot. This same thing can be seen in most all day geckos.