Enclosure and uth size

[4stop]

Hey guys, new member here. I have been doing alot of research on line, in preparation of getting a new leopard gecko, as I am going to be a first time owner. Based on my research, alot of gecko owners seem to be using an exo Terra 24x18x12. So, I went out last week and purchased this terrarium. I visited a local pet store today and the guy I spoke to said this terrarium is too small and that I will have nothing but problems when the gecko gets to adult size and that I will never achieve a good temperature gradient with this tank. Can anyone tell me if this is the case? Anyone out there using this tank with any troubles? Also, I purchased a Zoo med 30-40g under tank heater 8"x12" is this heater too big, too small or sufficient for this tank for a leopard gecko? Thanks in advance for any help!

 

[Elizabeth Freer]

Welcome to Geckos Unlimited! An Exo Terra 36 x 18 x 12 inch tall enclosure would be ideal. Could you exchange your 24 x 18 x 12 for the larger size? If your leo turns out to be a normal sized adult, your enclosure may work.

For an Exo Terra 24x18x12 inch tall enclosure I recommend Ultratherm's 11 x 17 inch heat mat. Place the 17 inch side along the 18 inch width. Ultratherms can be reused. They are top-notch. Be sure to connect the heat mat to a thermostat. If you get a 36 x 18 x 12 inch enclosure instead, use two 11 x 17 inch Ultratherms side-by-side. Inkbird makes a thermostat that accepts 2 heat mats when both are set to the same temperature.

That still leaves 13-14 x 18 inches for the cool end.

Amazon sells Ultratherms. I hope you can find a source where you live.

 

[4stop]

Exo Terra makes an 11x17 uth thats available where I live. Would that one work? are they a good uth do u know? I'm also planning to use ceramic tile. The guy at the store told me I'm better off with the 8x12 because it's going to be hard to get a good heat gradient with the tank I have and an 11x17 heat pad will only make it worse, I guess with it not leaving much room to cool down on the other end. Unfortunately, I can't return the tank. I'll be getting a juvenile anyways and if it outgrows it, I will have to upgrade. For now though, with the tank I have, I just want to make it work as best as I possibly can for the time being.

 

[Elizabeth Freer]

Exo Terra makes an 11x17 uth thats available where I live. Would that one work? are they a good uth do u know? I'm also planning to use ceramic tile. The guy at the store told me I'm better off with the 8x12 because it's going to be hard to get a good heat gradient with the tank I have and an 11x17 heat pad will only make it worse, I guess with it not leaving much room to cool down on the other end. Unfortunately, I can't return the tank. I'll be getting a juvenile anyways and if it outgrows it, I will have to upgrade. For now though, with the tank I have, I just want to make it work as best as I possibly can for the time being.

I don't know how reliable Exo Terra 11 x 17s are. Ultratherms are much better than Fluker's 11 x 17s. Could you order an Ultratherm online?

Be sure your ceramic tile has some texture for your leo to grip.

GU members who have 20 longs (30 x 12 x 12s) and 24 x 18 x 12s have used 11 x 17s with no problem. Since heat rises the heat pad basically just heats the area where it's placed and no more.

Temperatures - A temperature gradient from warm to cool maintains your leo's health. Here's a temperature guide for all leopard geckos as measured with the probe of a digital thermometer or a temp gun (and controlled by a thermostat set at 91*F/32.8*C).

Place the thermostat's probe and the digital thermometer's probe together right on top of the substrate underneath the warm dry hide. If you use a UTH + a CHE you'll need 2 separate thermostats, because ground and air temperatures are substantially different.

• Warm end ground temperature: 88-92 F (31.1-33.3 C) inside a leo's warm dry hide and his moist hide too!
• Cool end ground temperature: 70ish-75 F (21.1-23.9 C) Usually the cool end ground temperature matches the room temperature where the enclosure sits.
• no greater than 82ish F (27.8ish C) air temperature - 4 inches (10 cm) above ground on the warm end
• no greater than 75 F (23.9 C) air temperature - 4 inches (10 cm) above ground on the cool end

Leave the heat mat/UTH on 24/7. If you wish, during the night turn off overhead lighting/heating (~12 hours on and ~12 hours off) unless ambient room temperatures drop lower than 67ish*F (19.4*C).

 

[Klynn]

I am fairly new also and I have that tank. I really love it. It does seem A lot harder to achieve the proper heat gradient in this tank. I wondered if that was why it seems so hard but it is possible. I had mine at perfect temps for a month until I made some adjustments for a new enclosed hide and it’s all messed up again. The back rock wall on the tank is very cool. I had a hard time giving it up but the crickets and mealworms get under and behind it no matter how the crevices are sealed and die in there. The crickets also ate holes through it. I will be following this post to see if Others have achieved getting this tank perfect temps.

 

[Marillion]

I have a 20 long and use an undertank 11 x 17 heat mat on a thermostat along with an Arcadia Reptiles Deep Heat Projector bulb overhead also on a thermostat. I can confirm that the temps on the cool side do not get affected by the 11 x 17 mat. I have a nice temp gradient from warm to cool.