Heating/Lighting

[lilynels]

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Hey there,

I am a brand new leopard gecko owner and have been fiddling with different combinations in order to decide which heating/lighting combinations are the best. I was looking for some input on a few different topics. I have an UTH on the right side/ warm side of my cage. I now have added a Ceramic heat emitter bulb which rests on the top of the screen because I was reading about how UV lighting can be harmful and a little bright for leos. My tank is a 20long tank and sits underneath a window in my home which lets in very little light throughout the day. While I have noticed my leo does come out a lot more during the day since I have replaced the UV light, his tank just seems so dark. I read somewhere that it may be beneficial to add a 15W incandescent bulb to the tank. I was looking for some input on my current set up and opinions on adding a 15W light. If so, where would I place that light middle, cool, or right side of the habitat.



Thank you so much!

Lily

[Elizabeth Freer]

Hi Lily ~

UVB light can be beneficial for leopard geckos. Certain brands far exceed other brands. @Geecko123 is using UVB for his leo in a 20 long enclosure. Maybe he'll stop by.

A powdered vitamin D3 supplement can be given @ 1 feeding per week instead along with 1-2 other supplements depending upon the brand you've chosen and the age of your leo.

How old is your leo? Otherwise, what is his total length?

How about sharing a photo.

My 14.5 yo leo lives in the corner of my living room. She gets daylight from a southern facing sliding door and eastern windows. But the southern side of my house is sheltered by old growth evergreens.

During the day I keep a 15 watt incandescent bulb in the center of her enclosure. That bulb is housed in a 5.5 inch diameter dome lamp. The bulb is controlled by a rheostat/dimmer and dimmed to half power. Even then it's further shaded from the leo by tall silk plants.

Because leos are crepuscular (active at dawn, dusk, and during the night) that's plenty of light.

[Geecko123]

hello! if you use the light I use ( I'll have links below ) than it doesn't produce much heat, I have noticed that he has become a lot more active and I have often come up in the evening to find him basking on his hide.

I have mine on the warm side because thats where he spends the most time. If you are just trying to light up the tank than putting it in the middle works well for that.

links
light: https://www.amazon.com/Zoo-Med-25156.../dp/B00A8RI8TK

and this is the dome I am using.
dome: https://www.amazon.com/Flukers-Repta.../dp/B0002DHODQ

hope this helped!

[Marillion]

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Some good info by Geecko123 above.

I myself use the Zoo Med 10.0 bulb as based on my correspondence with Dr. Fran Baines (one of the world's foremost reptile lighting experts.) If a Zoo Med 5.0 mini bulb is used at a distance of 10-12" through a mesh screen, there will be hardly any UV D3 generated through the skin of the gecko since there will not be enough UV light reaching them.

Even the 10.0 version (make note, I am talking of the MINI bulb here) barely supplies adequate UV to make a difference. Once a month D3 supplementation is still recommended even if your Leo takes advantage of basking.

If your only intent is to supply some light to your Leo, but supplement D3 a little more significantly. A 5.0 Mini Zoo Med bulb will suffice.

The full length bulbs supply MUCH more UV rays and so you should not go above a 5.0 version in that case.