[RawrBabee]

Douceboyz- What did you use for the bottom of your tank? It looks really cool.

[Douceboyz]

It's an easy DIY homemade all natural clay that I made myself. It's completely nontoxic and holds heat really well. It's an ongoing natural substrate project I'm doing. Down sides so far is that if gecko poops on it it will stain and leave an unattractive scar in the clay. She really likes it tho and it's cheap to make and looks great in my opinion! I'm hoping in the future I can add some colors to it that r safe and won't accidently dye the geckos abdomen.

[CRMason]

Originally Posted by RawrBabee

She always tries to climb up the side of the tank. And ive had her for 9 months, and she still seems to be trying to get out.

This is often a sign that all her needs aren't met.
If you decide to get something for her to climb on just remember leopard geckos aren't good climbers and could fall and injure herself.

[MauricesExoticPets]

Happy for geckos is not the same as happy for us. The things that make us happy like friends and relationships, things we collect to remember times gone long ago, and pretty trinkets or art that churn our imagination are all foreign to gecko sensabilities.

They desire most in life the simpler things, shelter, food, water, and if the timing is right to procreate. Its when we have total control over these things that we attach our likes and dislikes to our selection process.

For example I really really like avacado with cottage cheese and caviar, oh sushi is another thing I want next to my death bed, anyway, you might think "yucky". It is a matter of both personal preference and upbringing.

Geckos upbringing equates to their general needs, temps and such general care stuff, their preference for little crickets or catterpillars, or fast moving things that fly, or the seeminlg too small hide, and a particular area from which to hunt are things that make them happy.

Observe your gecko, its actions will tell you what it likes and what it feels is useless, like a cute hammock seems nice to you because its soft, to the gecko it makes a great vantage point, a tall rock would be just as nice if not more natural.

Geckos don't get bored like we do, they move about looking for food water warmth a place to void to secure their territory and to look for a safe place to rack out for the day. The more complex their environment the more activity you will see from them, mainly because their daily tasks are made more complex by their surroundings.

I didn't mean for my post to come off as overly simple, there are a ton of things you can do for the gecko, it just takes keen observation skills to see what works and what does not to achieve the goals you are looking for.

In so far as the geckos needs are met, I'm all for creating an environment that makes the gecko more active, just keep in mind they don't need lots of exercise to be healthy. And you can go too far with a ton of alterations too often, causing much stress.

Maurice Pudlo

[RawrBabee]

Originally Posted by CRMason

This is often a sign that all her needs aren't met.
If you decide to get something for her to climb on just remember leopard geckos aren't good climbers and could fall and injure herself.

Then what am i missing that she needs?

[RawrBabee]

[quote=Douceboyz;286586]It's an easy DIY homemade all natural clay that I made myself. It's completely nontoxic and holds heat really well. QUOTE]

IT looks really cool. Ive had repti-carpet, paper towls and now the calcium sand for substrates. She seems to love to dig in the corner of her tank. So thats why i thought she would like the sand. She has been digging in it. But i cant really tell if she likes it or not. Yes i know that my gecko wont tell me "hey i love the sand or not." But i like the sand also cause it looks more natural.

[Riverside Reptiles]

[quote=RawrBabee;286711]

Originally Posted by Douceboyz

It's an easy DIY homemade all natural clay that I made myself. It's completely nontoxic and holds heat really well. QUOTE]

IT looks really cool. Ive had repti-carpet, paper towls and now the calcium sand for substrates. She seems to love to dig in the corner of her tank. So thats why i thought she would like the sand. She has been digging in it. But i cant really tell if she likes it or not. Yes i know that my gecko wont tell me "hey i love the sand or not." But i like the sand also cause it looks more natural.

If you're going to use sand, use real sand. The calci-sand is bad news. You might want to take the time to read the stickied thread about substrates. It's a good read and very educational with lots of different opinions and options.

[RawrBabee]

Originally Posted by MauricesExoticPets

They desire most in life the simpler things, shelter, food, water, and if the timing is right to procreate. Geckos upbringing equates to their general needs, temps and such general care stuff, their preference for little crickets or catterpillars, or fast moving things that fly, or the seeminlg too small hide, and a particular area from which to hunt are things that make them happy.
Observe your gecko, its actions will tell you what it likes and what it feels is useless, like a cute hammock seems nice to you because its soft, to the gecko it makes a great vantage point, a tall rock would be just as nice if not more natural. The more complex their environment the more activity you will see from them, mainly because their daily tasks are made more complex by their surroundings.

I was giving her crickets. But i ran out of those and just havent got to buying them yet. But when i gave her crickets i would also put mealworms in her food bowl and i would occassionally give her wax worms. She seemed to really like the crickets. She always got excited when i gave them to her. Could that possibly make her "more happy" again? I want to build a little house outta rocks but i dont know how to make it. I feel like im not doing enough for my gecko. And i feel bad that shes stuck in the cage all day. I know i shouldnt becasue otherwise my cat would eat her. But i feel like she cant do anything.

[RawrBabee]

If you're going to use sand, use real sand. The calci-sand is bad news. You might want to take the time to read the stickied thread about substrates. It's a good read and very educational with lots of different opinions and options.[/quote]

I thought it was bad to use real sand.

[Riverside Reptiles]

There are different opinions about using sand at all. I've been using it for 20 years with no problems. But pretty much everyone agrees that calci-sand is REALLY bad. That's why I suggested reading the substrate thread...so you can educate yourself and make your own decision on what's best for you and your animal.