Leopard Gecko is ALWAYS in his humid hide?

I

IsiahTheRocker

New member
Hi peoples I've had my leopard gecko for about a week now. I want to get one or two more but I want to work out all the problems with this one first:) Right now my gecko is about 3 inches long. He is eating very well(about 4 small crickets and 2 mealworms a day). He appears to be healthy but the only problem I have is that he is ALWAYS in his humid hide... Does this mean I need to increase the humidity of his whole tank? If so, how could I do that? My email is isiahtherocker@yahoo.com...thanks for ur help:)
 
jfitz

jfitz

New member
NO, do nottt increase the humidity of your hole tank, that can cause respiratory problems and kill him. first off your feeding schedule sounds like it's a bit too much, try cutting it down a bit. Secondly it could also mean that your tank is too hot, try either getting a probe thermometer that can measure inside the hides and report them here, because when a gecko is never in its warm hide, its probably because its too hot. Thirdly do you have just a cold hide? because if you don't you should put one in ASAP because if the gecko is too hot and has to refuge to the moist hide to cool down, then it can develop respiratory problems.

kk so lets recap
1-Geckos have small stomachs, cut down the portions a bit.
2-Get a probe thermometer and check the moist and hot hides, post them here after.
3-Make sure to provide 3 hides 1)Hot hide, 2) Moist hide, 3)Cool hide

hope i helped :)
 
lemonjello

lemonjello

New member
The feeding is probably fine. If it is three inches long, it is growing, and can do with a little extra food. ;) But it also depends on the size of the mealies and crickets too.


He probably just likes it the most in that hide. If a gecko never goes in his warm hide, it can also mean he just doesn't like that particular hide--- You may want to replace it with another. :)They do have preferences sometimes. :)
 
jfitz

jfitz

New member
yeah but don't forget leopard geckos are desert species and only need humid hide sometimes, too much can cause death.
 
I

IsiahTheRocker

New member
the misfits are awesome! LOL...anyways I want him/her to be as happy and healthy as possible so I will try all of these suggestions. The place where I got him from had thehalf-log hide so I got that one... Which i use on the warm side and I also have a humid hide on the warm and cool side and another regular hide on the cool side...and another hide right in the middle. I guess the half-log doesn't provide that much security so maybe I'll try the half-coconut hides...they seem to work well for baby leos:)
 
jfitz

jfitz

New member
in the email you said you had a 75 watter, that may be too much depending on the tank size... What tank size is it?
 
I

IsiahTheRocker

New member
the tank size is 2 1/2 feet wide 1 foot deep and 1 1/2 feet tall...does anyone now howany gallons this tank is? And I do have an under tank heater on one side and I put the 75 watt incandescent(red) bulb in the middle...the bulb is 1 1/2 feet away from the bottom of the tank so I don't think it raises the temps that much? I'm gonna try moving the damp paper towel to a different hide and see if he is still always in the hide that used to have the paper towel...maybe he just prefers that hide:) and do u think that the shpagnum moss or coconut fiber works better than paper towels? Thanks:)
 
C

combadao

New member
I also think that the feeding is probably fine (if the size is ok). Leos do learn the amount of suitable sized preys that they can eat.

IsiahTheRocker said:
so I don't think it raises the temps that much?
Click to expand...

You should measure the temps first, don't guess. Then you can start changing things. ;-)
 
I

IsiahTheRocker

New member
I do have two of the stick-on thermometers but I have heard that they are very innacurate(after I had already bought them)...it makes me mad that pet stores sell stiff likethermometers that aren't accurate an heat rocks that could burn your animal! So I've been looking around for the thermometer with the probe:) the Temps from the stick-on thermometer is 88 on the warm side and 78 on the cool side...
 
C

combadao

New member
The cool side is ok. the warm side could be warmer. In my opinion you should increase the temp on the hot side to 90-95F.

Perhaps you should change your hot hide. They prefer to be hidden in a small hole/hide and in my experience the half-log hide doesn't have much privacy in a simple setup. But you can change it.

Bear in mind that some leos really like to spend much of their time in the humid hide (as already said). Just getting out, at night, and not much more.
 
jfitz

jfitz

New member
kk i did the calculations with the numbers you gave me (28 gallon) and a 75 watter with UTH is a bit too hot in the hot hide, and don't use those dial termometers, i had them also and they never seemed to work. When i had my 75 watt bulb running, i place my probe thermometer in the hot hide (But also my UTH is directly under the hot hide, and the lamp directly above it) it got to about 110. But i was also using one of these hides->https://www.pet-supply-store.co.uk/prodimages/575081-300.jpg
and im sure that the heat just builds up in there. (I'm currently using a 22 gal.)
Try changing to a 50 watt, and if you don't already have one and are buying one, try getting an infrared if thats not what your already using, easier on their eyes ;)
 
I

IsiahTheRocker

New member
k I'm using one of the coconut hides for the humid hide...and it's on the hot side but not directly on top of the uth...and the 75 watt bulb(it is infrared lol) is in the middle of the tank...so far I've been to two pet stores and walmart and the pet stores were out of stock of thermometers with probes...would a human thermometer get the job done? And the answer is probably yes but does music affect the leopard geckos sleeping?
 
jfitz

jfitz

New member
by human thermometer do you mean like a mouth thermometer lol?
and idk what your talking about with the music, but if you have loud blasting music during the day (They're nocturnal) Then yes it will disrupt their habbits.
 
C

combadao

New member
If you don't want them to breed now or soon put the male in other container for now.

Or you can buy only females and an adult male later on when you want them to breed.
 
I

IsiahTheRocker

New member
well for now I only have one which is about 3 inches long so he/she isn't sexable yet...I'm getting a second gecko when the local petstore gets some more:)
 
K

KingSancho85

New member
Have you looked at night? My geckos don't leave their hides either until at night or morning when there awake and running around. During normal day hours there mostly all in their coliseum hide. Though every now and then they come out to sleep outside the hide, but a lot of times they just like it in their hides. My only annoyance is that one's outside the hide sleep spot is in the corner they poo in. Also if you've only had him a week he's probably not used to you and the new environment and feels safer in his hide.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top