New tank setup and Gecko's acting weird!

[Izzy's Mom]

Okay, so I set up my first vivarium using some of the advice I got on the forum. I used gravel for a drainage layer, covered with mesh and then I put a layer of cypress mulch, topped with a mixture of organic potting soil and vermiculite (sp?). I planted some philodendron, some dracaena, an orchid (left in the pot) and another taller plant that I forget the name of... I also used the driftwood and some other stuff from Izzy's old cage.

Anyway, last night I put Izzy in her new tank, and she seemed a little freaked out. I think it was her first time touching dirt (she had only cypress mulch before) and she accidentally got some in her mouth and spent the next 20 minutes trying to spit it out! Also, this morning, instead of being asleep on the ground under her log like she usually is, she was hanging upside down on the driftwood. I turned on the tank lights for the plants, but then she got up and started walking around during the day (which she never does). She also now has some new black spots on her back. Is this just her color changing in reaction to her new surroundings? Is it normal for a crestie to get up during the day like this? Or is she just acting weird because she doesn't know where she is??

 

[Scarlet.Escapist]

Oh no! Where are the pictures?!:biggrin::nana:

It could be that she isn't used to the different substrate. You can always put another layer of the cypress mulch on top to cover the soil to make it like usual. I also find that my geckos don't really like the feel of soil. I think it gets stuck inbetween their pads and it bothers them so I cover the top of the soil with a layer of wide bark pieces. They really don't bother going to the ground unless they're hunting or laying.

Sometimes my geckos are up and about during the day. So I'd say its not too abnormal to see them up and about. The black spots can be dirt? Or newly grown dalmation spots (can't tell ya without a pic ;P). She can be confused about the new surroundings. Just give her a while to adjust like when you just brought her home and she should be alright.:biggrin:

 

[Izzy's Mom]

The black spots are definitely not dirt - I tried to wipe them off with no success So, maybe they are part of her coloring... just as long as there is no 'black spot disease' that I'm not aware of, then I'm sure it's no big deal. I'll try to get a pic of her tomorrow.
In the mean time, here are some pics of the new tank setup...
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hope you can see those... but anyway, the background is a bit boring right now. I might order some air plants to attach to it somehow to spruce it up a bit. Any suggestions are welcome.

Also - I put 2 crickets in the tank tonight and it seems like it takes Izzy forever to find them. Should I put more in at a time? How long does it usually take for your geckos to find and catch the crickets you put in?

 

[midget]

in a viv i always use feeging bowls it makes a huge difference. good luck

 

[Izzy's Mom]

What do you mean by a 'feeding bowl'? Do you mean you put the crickets in a bowl? Don't they jump out of it easily? I would think that any bowl deep enough to keep the crickets in would be too tall for the gecko to get into or see that there are crickets in it. Do you have a picture of what kind of bowl you're talking about?

 

[Scarlet.Escapist]

The set up looks great so far! Try adding some more decor or plants to help cover the tank sides. It'll make her feel a bit more secure. It'll take a while till the plants grow to cover it... so just pop in a few of the plastic ones to cover up for now. Or you can make one of those backgrounds and attach branches and potting areas for plants. You can find some ideas in the DIY section of the forum.

I agree with Midget that bowl feeding makes it easier. It also decreases the chances of substrate impaction. Umm I can't get a photo of the "bowl" I use atm (I'm supposed to be studying for a midterm atm haha:shock:...).

Basically, you can use any container big enough so that your gecko can climb in and out, tall enough so crickets can't get out. Perferably it is opaque so the gecko doesn't see through the sides and decides to keep lunging at plastic/glass. Set this container close to the driftwood near the highest peak, so when the gecko climbs on the highest point it can look down into the container and see the crickets. It also helps if this container is put on a slight slant so its easier to climb in/out of.

It sometimes takes a gecko a while to get used to this idea of feeding out of a container lol, though some take to it right away. Some ideas for containers are.... tall margin tubs, coffee tins (smell free), Water tofu containers....Some of the taller snack/ dry good storage containers... ahh I think thats it for now.. lol hope that helps .

 

[zohariels]

Keep in mind that crested gecko's are arboreal, so prefer to have a vertically oriented tank. Since it is longer and lower that could be why she's on the ground so much. Also if possible try to add a couple plant in there, usually walmart will sell some for $2, and as long as you rinse them well they're good to go! Than you dont have to worry about waiting such a long time for the tank to grow in, and your gecko will feel more secure.
The dots are quite likely just some dalmation spotting showing up, one of my boys who is usually quite dark will lighten up every now and then and has a ton of spots, so no worries there!
For my vivariums I don't use a feeding dish mainly because I just dont have any bare ground space. To make up for it I always feed them at night when they're up and about, as well as have a couple spots of repashy powder for the crickets to feed on- keeps them gutloaded and makes them easy targets for the geckos. It's very rare that there's any crickets left in there by the second day, even with the hiding spots.
Anyhoo, she probably will be a little stressed after the move, that is normal though and she should settle in soon.

 

[MsShlee]

I believe I saw in another post by you that you just got her

So this means that you moved her once already and then moved her again into this tank?

She's probably very stressed out from all of the moving

probably confused too

 

[Izzy's Mom]

She seemed to be stressed for a night or two after i first got her, but then she settled right in... she let me pick her up easily and climbs up our arms without trying to jump off. She is a very calm gecko and will even lick food off our fingers. I waited about 2 weeks before putting her into the new tank... so hopefully it wasn't too much stress all at once. Last night she seemed a bit more calm and was stalking the crickets Today I think I will add some more moss to the ground in case she doesn't like walking on the dirt, and I will try to fill in the tank with some more plants for her. I will try the crickets in a tall container and see if it works.

 

[jamncristian]

instead of gravel as a drainage layer use hydro-balls, it helps increases humidity and if you make a water fall will act as a biological fliter
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[kaikara]

What do you mean by a 'feeding bowl'? Do you mean you put the crickets in a bowl? Don't they jump out of it easily? I would think that any bowl deep enough to keep the crickets in would be too tall for the gecko to get into or see that there are crickets in it. Do you have a picture of what kind of bowl you're talking about?

I normally use a terracotta bowls that you put under plants. There are ones with a smooth surface and as long as you keep them clean they will have a hard time jumping or climbing out. You can also pinch off one or both of the back legs. That way they will stay put for sure.

 

[Izzy's Mom]

I tried the feeding bowl idea a couple of times now... I'm not sure if it's working or if the crickets are just escaping. Last week, I put 3 crickets in a margarine tub into the tank overnight. The first morning after, there were 2 crickets left. The day after that, there was one left, then none. BUT... a few days later, I found a cricket running lose in the tank, and then one in my basement! GRR.. I have NO idea how one got out of the tank.

This week, I tried it again - I put 3 crickets in the tub. The next morning, there were 2 left - one alive and one dead. How do I know if my gecko is eating them?? She seems to be eating lots of her other food... should I not be giving her any of the CGD while I'm offering crickets? Does she even need crickets??? I kinda hate them. :?