Is this enclosure too large for a Super Giant?

[JIMI]

I have a 12 month old Super Giant leopard gecko that is about 12 inches long. He is currently housed in a 40 gallon breeder aquarium that I know he has outgrown. It's also been a pain for me to control the air temps on the cool side and keep the humidity above 40% for longer than an hour even using a humidifier (I live in a very dry climate):-x. The environment in his tank is also not very stimulating because he needs large hides and they take up a lot of space. This sucks for him because he is very active and loves to climb everything.
For all of these reasons, I've decided to build him a a large wooden enclosure! I found a nice tv stand on Craigslist that I would like to convert into an enclosure. The dimensions that the seller provided are 60" in length by 24" in height (didn't mention the width, but looks greater than 12"). My question: Is this size too big for a single leo? Based off of the dimensions provided by Elizabeth's caresheet, the minimum size of enclosure I should provide for my leo is 48" long. If adequate heating and ventilation is provided, would an enclosure of this size cause him to stress?
All opinions are valued

 

[Completeleopard]

Sounds fine , however the width seems quite small, leopard geckos prefer more ground space than height but he should have enough floor space because of the length!

 

[JIMI]

Yes, I'm hoping the width is not that small! I want to fully utilize the height by creating a large climbing rock wall against the back. Hopefully that could also make up for the lack of width.
Thank you for your reply Completeleopard

 

[Completeleopard]

Maybe try building levels within the enclosure? This will maximise the space

 

[JIMI]

I want to do that too. I would like for it to be like a playground that mimics the environment that he strives in. I have to be careful with the height though. He tends to jump off ledges to get back down instead of going back down the way he got up or using other methods that I provide for him :shock:. He's a bit of a dummy lol. I just don't want him to become stressed by the size of the enclosure and have all of that hard work and money wasted. I've heard very conflicting arguments regarding large enclosures for leopard geckos. I don't like feeling like I'm depriving him so I want to give him the best that I possibly can

 

[Elizabeth Freer]

I have a 12 month old Super Giant leopard gecko that is about 12 inches long. He is currently housed in a 40 gallon breeder aquarium that I know he has outgrown. It's also been a pain for me to control the air temps on the cool side and keep the humidity above 40% for longer than an hour even using a humidifier (I live in a very dry climate):-x. The environment in his tank is also not very stimulating because he needs large hides and they take up a lot of space. This sucks for him because he is very active and loves to climb everything.
For all of these reasons, I've decided to build him a a large wooden enclosure! I found a nice tv stand on Craigslist that I would like to convert into an enclosure. The dimensions that the seller provided are 60" in length by 24" in height (didn't mention the width, but looks greater than 12"). My question: Is this size too big for a single leo? Based off of the dimensions provided by Elizabeth's caresheet, the minimum size of enclosure I should provide for my leo is 48" long. If adequate heating and ventilation is provided, would an enclosure of this size cause him to stress?
All opinions are valued

I want to do that too. I would like for it to be like a playground that mimics the environment that he strives in. I have to be careful with the height though. He tends to jump off ledges to get back down instead of going back down the way he got up or using other methods that I provide for him :shock:. He's a bit of a dummy lol. I just don't want him to become stressed by the size of the enclosure and have all of that hard work and money wasted. I've heard very conflicting arguments regarding large enclosures for leopard geckos. I don't like feeling like I'm depriving him so I want to give him the best that I possibly can

1. Your Super Giant leopard gecko measures ~12 inches at only 1 yo. For sure he will grow more.

2. Any chance to verify the width? 60 x ( width ) x 24 inches high is excellent!

3. How tall is his current 40 gallon breeder?

4. Ventilation in a wooden enclosure needs to be low on the cool end and higher on the warm end (I think) for proper air flow. This is going with a solid top.

5. Humidity control will be easier in a wooden vivarium.

6. As you have noted, some leos do well climbing up, but tend to "fall" down. Gotta be real careful that any background does not pose dangers.

7. Heating a wooden enclosure is different than heating a glass tank. Go to posts #60 and #63 (wooden enclosures) after my Leo Care Sheet, especially for ideas heating a melamine enclosure by mod Hilde.

8. Check GU's DIY subforum for more ideas.

 

[JIMI]

1. It seems like he only keeps growing! The person I bought him from told me he was probably not going to get any bigger (he was 5 months and about 11 inches long). And to think that if I didn't buy him he would have remained in a 20 gallon long with 2 hides all his life!
2. I will contact the seller and ask him/her of that. I think that I'll leave out the part about me gutting their TV stand though :lol:. I guess then that large enclosures really don't bother leopard geckos? I've heard of people saying that their leos would go on hunger strikes, stay hidden, or that they would stray away from the heat source. I assumed that if 1/3 of the enclosure is properly heated then chances are that he will not stray away from the heat source. My main concern was the possibility of a hunger strike. Maybe it all just depends on the preferences and personality of the leo?
3. His tank measures 36 x 18 x 16 inches. I read somewhere here on GU in a post that the high glass walls of the aquarium make it difficult for the heat to escape which is probably why I've been having trouble keeping the air temps of the cool hide low. I wish I knew that before I bought it :|.
4. That is correct because heat rises! I read that on your care sheet I was thinking about possibly installing a laptop fan (I find them all the time at garage sales and thrift stores!) to aid with the ventilation since it is such a long enclosure.
5. Which is exactly what I want! Darn you Vegas...
6. I like the style of Zelda's amazing enclosure! The possibility of falls are eliminated and he'd get to climb to his heart's content!
7. Will do so, heating wood puzzles me...
8. I will keep doing that!
Thank you for your input!

 

[Elizabeth Freer]

You are welcome. It is apparent that you've been scouting out GU threads. :cheer:

1. So his growth IS slowing.

2. As long as your enclosure meets a leo's needs, leos appreciate more space.

3. How are you heating your 36 x 18 x 16 (tall) vivarium? (Exo Terra also makes a 36 x "18" x 12 inch "low".)

4. Well, IF the info is in that care sheet, it MUST be true. ;-)

6. Zelda's enclosure is truly A-M-A-Z-I-N-G! Glad that I "captured" her creativity at that time.

7. One GU member heats large custom wooden vivariums with radiant heat panels. Check The Bean Farm for those. In general, wooden enclosures seem to be more popular abroad than in the USA.

9. There is an advantage to the 24 inch height: providing some UVB via a Zoo Med Reptisun 5.0 tube fluorescent. In a vivarium that size it should be easy enough to do such.

 

[JIMI]

Yes, it is slowing, but I think he still has a little more room for growth. Okay, then I will go as crazy as I can with the dimensions:biggrin:. I have been looking around on Craigslist for free stuff and have found many good options. I love free stuff:yahoo:

To heat his enclosure, I am using a UTH, controlled by a thermostat, that covers a 1/3 of the floor. The floor temps range from 89-92 degrees. To raise the air temps on the warm side I am using a 120 wattage CHE in a 10 inch diameter dome fixture raised about 3 inches above the tank on a lamp stand. I found that at this height the temperature on the warm side never exceeds 85 F. Now that it's getting pretty hot though I am going to get myself another thermostat to keep those temperatures stable. That'd be a good investment for this Vegas heat. My cool side on the other hand is very difficult to just keep below 80 F! I wish that I could drill holes along the bottom of the cool side just so that some heat could escape:-?

I checked out those heat panels and they are preeetty expensive. I was like :yikes:. I thought about perhaps cutting out about 1/3 or maybe 1/2 of the bottom of the enclosure and making a slit along the rims of that cut out to slide in a piece of recycled glass from an old aquarium and sealing that with aquarium silicone. Just an idea. I don't know if it would affect the temperature gradient, but it'd definitely be cheaper.

That's an intriguing thought! I like that I wouldn't have to play the guessing game with supplements containing D3. I could also add some (non-spiky) natural plants to the enclosure to help with the humidity. I just don't have any experience using UVB lighting so I'll do my research on that. Would it be best to have a tube that only spans along 1/2 of the enclosure or the whole enclosure? And wouldn't I have to invest in a UV meter?

Thanks again

 

[Elizabeth Freer]

JIMI ~

1. Free stuff rocks; CPU fan too!!!

2. What are the ambient room temperatures at the maximum point in the day right now? Without some sort of cooling, obviously the cool end of the enclosure can't be cooler than that.

3. Are you turning off the overhead dome at night?

4. Heat in 36 x 18 x 16 inch: Excellent idea to get a 2nd thermostat to control the overhead dome!
---Try dialing down the thermostat's setting to 91*F
---120 watt CHE: Warm air temps can be somewhat cooler than 85*F
---See whether that lowers the cool air temperatures

5. Not surprised that radiant heat panels are pricey.

6. Properly shielded UVB in an enclosure at least 48 inches long would be better for yout leo. It is "more natural" than powdered supplements.

cricket4u provides UVB for her 3 leopard geckos in vivariums 4.5 feet x 2 feet x 2 feet with one enclosure possibly larger. Zoo Med Reptisun 5.0s are recommended. Don't know what length she uses.

I do use Reptisun 5.0 tube fluorescents for my 3 Phelsuma barbouri (day geckos). I replace the tubes annually. I don't have a UVB meter. (Also pricey.)

7. Maybe plants might work?

 

[JIMI]

2. What are the ambient room temperatures at the maximum point in the day right now? Without some sort of cooling, obviously the cool end of the enclosure can't be cooler than that.
For today, I believe they were 80 F. I realize that, but unfortunately I am not at liberty to touch the thermostat.

3. Are you turning off the overhead dome at night?
Yes, I am. The temps drop about 5 degrees.

4. Heat in 36 x 18 x 16 inch: Excellent idea to get a 2nd thermostat to control the overhead dome!
---Try dialing down the thermostat's setting to 91*F
---120 watt CHE: Warm air temps can be somewhat cooler than 85*F
---See whether that lowers the cool air temperatures
Okay, I will do that right now!


6. Properly shielded UVB in an enclosure at least 48 inches long would be better for yout leo. It is "more natural" than powdered supplements.

cricket4u provides UVB for her 3 leopard geckos in vivariums 4.5 feet x 2 feet x 2 feet with one enclosure possibly larger. Zoo Med Reptisun 5.0s are recommended. Don't know what length she uses.

I do use Reptisun 5.0 tube fluorescents for my 3 Phelsuma barbouri (day geckos). I replace the tubes annually. I don't have a UVB meter. (Also pricey.)
Then I think I will do that!
7. Maybe plants might work?
If they would help even in the slightest to boost the humidity I will give them a try