Naturalist Leo Terrarium?

[theturvs]

I actually only used the foil on the back...the part that touches the glass. I used it because it peeled off easily. The way the great stuff comes out of the can actually looks like rock, especially after its painted over with concrete, therefore there was barely any effort beyond spraying the gs and then painting over it.
I'm not saying that the spray paint would necessarily be bad for the gecko, I just personally didnt know how much I trusted it.
I'll post pics on here just as soon as it is done, it's still a work in progress...should be all set and ready to go within the next week.

 

[Wind Dancer]

I actually only used the foil on the back...the part that touches the glass. I used it because it peeled off easily. The way the great stuff comes out of the can actually looks like rock, especially after its painted over with concrete, therefore there was barely any effort beyond spraying the gs and then painting over it.
I'm not saying that the spray paint would necessarily be bad for the gecko, I just personally didnt know how much I trusted it.
I'll post pics on here just as soon as it is done, it's still a work in progress...should be all set and ready to go within the next week.

cool. ok, i just figured i'd repeat what i'd heard(about the spray paint):lol:. any chance i could get you to post pics of it as-is if you have the time? i honestly have no clue what it looks like straight out of the bottle, and i'm kinda curious;-).
i've been searching all the gecko forums i can find for ideas and these few threads/ideas/mediums have really jumped out at me. any input on how to put it all together would be great!
this one is AMAZING! same kind of spray paint idea in this one that i'd like to use(same brand, even, just a different color!). this is what gave me the original idea for the covered humid hide. i really like this idea with the set in/pull out approach, but i think i want something more natural......

so, i still really like the tupperware/greatstuff humid hide idea. i'm working on the bottom of the tank still, the bowfront makes it harder and all the solid things(like the one in the first link) make me wonder about cleaning and such. the backgound is giving me some trouble too, i'm not sure what to do with it. i'd really like something that makes use of the verticle space but still looks natural........

thanks for all the help guys, bouncing the ideas around is really helping!:biggrin:

 

[theturvs]

Its at my hubbys parents house in their barn right now. They have the area to work on it and I do not in my house, so I've been doing it there. I'll be going over on Thursday or Friday to do at the concreting and whatnot. I will take pics before I mess with it, so you can see what the gs looks like, and I'll add more pics after I get it finished.

The first pic you put, the vivarium 3000 or whatever looks amazing, but I can see why it took 2 years.
The last link you posted looks the most user friendly out of the ideas you put, and I feel like it would create a pretty great backdrop.
The greatstuff created a pretty fabulous looking backdrop (in my opinion), and it was pretty decently userfriendly, but I actually had to do it twice as I've NEVER worked with gs before and didnt realize how much it would expand. All in all, it was a learning experience, and the first one only cost me about an extra 6 bucks. When I get done with it, I'm going to do a post on things I learned to do and NOT to do. lol.
I would definately make sure everything is easily removable, though. Geckos are not messy, but thats not to say they cant make a mess. this is why i did the gs outside the tank, so i could put it in and take it out at will.

I'll make sure that I give you a heads up when I post my thread on my vivarium and how to deal with greatstuff.

 

[Wind Dancer]

ok, thanks!

 

[missinasworld]

I just got done with my "naturalistic" leo tank. I got the idea from this post: Faux (fake) Rock BG for Geckos: Build Log with Pics. - Vivarium Forums
and here is how mine turned out-ok not as pretty but I didn't want sand and I can't pant so I used the dyes to make the color look more ok.

because I made the hide to and I didn't take into consideration the light and no ability to really hide, I did this hehe

All I did was just what the guy in the link did, I took stryrofoam and cut it and glued it into place, although for mine I did a styro backwall so I can remove the fixture if I have to or wish to redo it later with less clean up.
I also have this one made from scratch for my beardie but the link that inspired this I can't find right at the moment

For the dragon cage-well I will never make one this way again, that is to say I hate using Great Stuff. I really wish we had made the whole thing with styrofoam-its SOOO much easer to build with and the glue dries fasater!

Anywho I hope this helps a little.

Missina

 

[theturvs]

For starters, Missina - I LOVE the beardie cage. It looks amazing. And the leo cage isnt too bad at all...not anywhere near as bad as you give yourself credit for! I actually thought it looked pretty good.

Wind dancer - as requested - pics of gs. The foil is there covering balloons and cardboard for hides. Inside the styrafoam cup I have leaves which are connected to stems I have embedded in the gs...they are wrapped in a cup to keep them clean. I've been putting the concrete on with my hands (with latex gloves on) and I've just been pushing it into the crevices - so far is looks pretty good imo. I'm going to work on it some more today and tomorrow and hopefully get it finished up...I will post more pictures as I go.

 

[Wind Dancer]

ooo, another floridian! hi Missina!! those cages look super and the link has some great ideas!
thanks for the greatstuff pictures! i think i have the basic idea for the tank design down-
-foam insulation as a backing for the greatstuff background spray painted stone gray(this way i don't have to try to cover the tank and spray it in there!).
-eco-earth bedding.
-ziplock humid hide, covered in greatstuff over the top and down the side for climbing and painted the same as the background.
-another ziplock container(this one not humid) sunk into a mound of eco-earth on one side of the tank, lid covered in greatstuff and painted too.

i made this in the paint program on my computer, which kinda shows what i'm thinking of.

thoughts?

 

[Allee Toler]

I'm from central Fl. Longwood to be exact. I made a naturalistic tank a while back but tore it out when I started breeding. Now I just have shelf lining. So easy to clean.

 

[Wind Dancer]

hey, cool!
weird question for y'all-how much does feeding you geckos cost(and number of geckos)? my mom wants me to figure out on-going cost before either of us commit to this thing(ie before she says 'yes' to a gecko)........
thx

 

[missinasworld]

ooo, another floridian! hi Missina!! those cages look super and the link has some great ideas!
thanks for the greatstuff pictures! QUOTE]
Yup! and another forum member who breeds leos and fat tails lives down the road from me-I met him at a show and relized we were neighbers lol
One thing, if you end up using great stuff, be sure to sand it down or at least chip away at it to ruff it up some. I made the mistake of not sanding some parts and my bearded dragon has managed to tear some of it off

As far as feeding, I have 13 leos and 1 bearded dragon right now and have started breeding my own crickets and meal worms so right now it cost me um..less then $20 a month because I only buy food for the food.

Missina
Missina.cjb.net

 

[theturvs]

hey, cool!
weird question for y'all-how much does feeding you geckos cost(and number of geckos)? my mom wants me to figure out on-going cost before either of us commit to this thing(ie before she says 'yes' to a gecko)........
thx

I have one leo...prob am more along the lines that you will be for a while. It might be a little bit more difficult for you to convince mom to let you breed bugs. lol. As far as ongoing costs, I'll give you a general idea of what I've got going on.

Cricket Dust - $3 - $5 once every other month (give or take a bit)
Wax worms - 50 ct - $2.50, bought once every month to month and a half. Some do die, but he has one every other day or so.
Mealworms - 50 ct - $2.50, bought once every other week, give or take a bit
Crickets - $.99 a dozen. Mine usually eats 1-2 dozen a week, but this will considerably slow down as he gets older.
Packet of moss - $3 - $5, depending on the size. Bought once every month to 2 months
Light bulbs - $6 - $10, depending on the brand and whatnot. Usually need about one a month.
Fluckers Cricket Quencher - $3. Once every other month
Crystalized Cricket Water - $3. Once every other month
Feed for the bugs - honestly, i just use leftovers. I go through the kitchen and take a little chunk of lettuce and a piece of carrot or brocolli or whatever i get my hands on, and my crickets are doing great on that. I bought wheat grain for the mealies...very cheap. I give the wax worms a little corner of the end piece of bread.

Most of your cost is going to be upfront one time stuff...Lights, UTH, substrates need to be changed rarely, decor, ect.

Hope that helps.

 

[Allee Toler]

I have one leo...prob am more along the lines that you will be for a while. It might be a little bit more difficult for you to convince mom to let you breed bugs. lol. As far as ongoing costs, I'll give you a general idea of what I've got going on.

Cricket Dust - $3 - $5 once every other month (give or take a bit)
Wax worms - 50 ct - $2.50, bought once every month to month and a half. Some do die, but he has one every other day or so.
Mealworms - 50 ct - $2.50, bought once every other week, give or take a bit
Crickets - $.99 a dozen. Mine usually eats 1-2 dozen a week, but this will considerably slow down as he gets older.
Packet of moss - $3 - $5, depending on the size. Bought once every month to 2 months
Light bulbs - $6 - $10, depending on the brand and whatnot. Usually need about one a month.
Fluckers Cricket Quencher - $3. Once every other month
Crystalized Cricket Water - $3. Once every other month
Feed for the bugs - honestly, i just use leftovers. I go through the kitchen and take a little chunk of lettuce and a piece of carrot or brocolli or whatever i get my hands on, and my crickets are doing great on that. I bought wheat grain for the mealies...very cheap. I give the wax worms a little corner of the end piece of bread.

Most of your cost is going to be upfront one time stuff...Lights, UTH, substrates need to be changed rarely, decor, ect.

Hope that helps.

I'd have to disagree. I bought calcium 8oz multivite 8oz and Flukers all in one cricket feed & hydration the same day i brought mine home a year ago. We're a little over half used on the supplements and about two weeks from needing cricket feed & hydration. As for food i spend no more than 10 a month. Bulbs usually last a few months. It's been a little over a year since we brought her home. What your numbers are at i'd say you're using way too much or you're wasting it.

 

[theturvs]

I'd have to disagree. I bought calcium 8oz multivite 8oz and Flukers all in one cricket feed & hydration the same day i brought mine home a year ago. We're a little over half used on the supplements and about two weeks from needing cricket feed & hydration. As for food i spend no more than 10 a month. Bulbs usually last a few months. It's been a little over a year since we brought her home. What your numbers are at i'd say you're using way too much or you're wasting it.

I didn't buy the huge container of cricket feed/hydration, so I'm not expecting it to last a year, but you're right, I havent been through it yet. I'd guess mine will prob last 6-8 months on reconsideration. As far as calcium, I keep a calcium dish in his vivarium, changed out once a week, and I also mix a wee bit into my mealworms food. I stand by my every other month or so on that one...if you use it as I do. If you dont keep a calcium dish in the tank, that number would be WAY different, I agree. As far as food goes, it depends on big your leo is and how much they're eating. If I recall, yours are adults, Allee. From what I've read on adults, they eat a LOT less than babies. My SoCo is still taking out 10-15 bugs a day cuz hes still young. I think I mentioned something about age making a difference in the orig post. I'm also sure it will make a difference when I can buy bigger crickets...he'll prob get full on fewer of them. However, right now hes not big enough for the bigger crickets.
Light bulbs, it depends on the lightbulb. I had one blow out on me. I'm paying $6 for the red, $9 for the blue day, so i'm figuring each of them every other month...which was why i estimated him 6-9 a month.

I wasn't trying to make a science out of it...just giving a halfway decent estimate. Obviously different leos have different eating habits and whatnot, but thats what I'm working with.

 

[Allee Toler]

GiGi is barely an adult. Just turned 1 not even a month ago. I got her at 3 weeks. I was simply saying your costs are ridiculously high for one leo. I was paying a max of 10 a month as a hatchling for food and expenses. Now that she's slowing down it's less. I live on a budget of 200 a month for food clothes hygiene etc. so i know how to budget and I know where my money is spent. I couldn't imagine spending what you say. As for the cacium, i have a dish in her tank. And I feed all the feeders with organic vionate that i made my self. You should think about where your money goes and try making your own supplements. And as far as the size of my containers, my Fiancé corrected me. 2oz, not 8oz. And the multivite has been replaced once this passed January.