Cold humid hide

[IHaveNoIdea]

Hello, I placed my geckos humid hide next to the heat rock (so it is on the warm side). I put wet paper towels inside the cave, but the towels are still after a while really cold. Is it bad or it doesn't matter? The rock doesn't help too much.
Thank you

 

[kholtme]

Yes it is bad, you do not want a wet and cold gecko. The humid hide needs to be on the warmest spot above the heat mat. Heat rocks are dangerous and usually result in a burned gecko, I would remove it if i were you, do you have a heat mat under the tank, or just the rock?

 

[IHaveNoIdea]

I have just the rock (and a nightlight, which produces some heat too, but I guess that doesn't count). The rock itself is fine, it has an thermostat in it, so it doesn't get too hot. I'm worried about putting the wet towel on it though, I don't want to destroy the rock. Is there some other alternative?

 

[Elizabeth Freer]

Welcome aboard.

Really, really, it's best to remove the heat rock just like kholtme recommends. Leos need 3 hides in order to feel safe: a warm moist hide, a warm dry hide, and a cool dry hide. At best the heat rock provides heat, but no cave.

An under tank heat mat (UTH) will heat the floor of the vivarium evenly from below. That's much better.

As you mention "The rock doesn't help too much." Sometimes pet stores will accept returns if they sold you something that does not meet your pet's needs.

• What size is your vivarium and how old is your leo?
• What are temps on your warm end and cool end?
• What type thermometer have you?

 

[IHaveNoIdea]

Hello and thank you for welcoming

Dimensions of my tank are: 40x30x30 (cm). My gecko is about 3 months old. The tank is rather small, so there isn't much of a difference between the hot and cool end. I'm using regular cheap thermometer. I plan on getting him bigger terrarium when he grows up a bit.

I ordered the rock online so if I sent it back, it would cost me 3rd of the rocks price. Furthermore, I read some reviews and this eshop doesn't like to accept returned items. So I guess I will keep the rock (or sell it to someone) and buy the UTH.

 

[IHaveNoIdea]

I changed some things in the terrarium today. This is what it looks like now. There is a heatrock with the skull on it (warm hide), the cave on the left side is the cool hide and the box is the moist hide (how do you keep the wet paper towel warm?). Do you think it is sufficient? I keep the heatrock 24/7 on. There is a thermostat built in it, so it doesn't get too hot. From 9PM to 9AM there is a night bulb on, which heats the terrarium too. Here are pictures of my set-up and my gecko.

 

[Elizabeth Freer]

You're welcome.

If your leo does not have giant genes, a vivarium this size would make him a good forever home: 76.2 x 31.75 x 31.75 cm. In the USA we refer to that size as a 20 gallon long vivarium.

The heat range you want is 31-34*C warm side floor temp to 21*C on the cool end floor.

Best for the warm dry hide and the warm moist hide to have small entrances.

It might be a good idea to upgrade now, rather than buying things twice. In that case (using the above dimensions) I'd get an 11 x 17 inch UTH (under tank heater).

Be careful about placing the skull on top of the heat rock. The skull "looks" heavy. I would not want anything falling on your leo.

PS: That box makes a great warm moist hide!

1. Turn the box over and use the lid as the "ceiling". That way the bottom will hold more paper towels or maybe even sphagnum moss.
2. Make sure the edges of the doorway are smooth.
3. Place wet/damp paper towels inside.
4. Place this hide as close as possible to the warm side.
5. Some leos eat paper towels, but others eat moss and coco fiber too. :razz: I'd try paper towels first.

 

[IHaveNoIdea]

I won't yet be able to get all these things for him. So now I'm pretty much looking for a temporary solution. That UTH is really pricey for me. I will think all through. Thank you for your help.

 

[Elizabeth Freer]

I won't yet be able to get all these things for him. So now I'm pretty much looking for a temporary solution. That UTH is really pricey for me. I will think all through. Thank you for your help.

I'd really recommend getting a Zoo Med digital thermometer with a probe right away. They cost about $10 USD. You could get a smaller UTH mat.

Part of the advantage of an UTH is that both the warm dry and warm moist hides can sit right on top of it. Leos need to have sufficient warmth in order to digest their prey.

What size dome have you for the overhead heat? Maybe a 5.5 inch dome would be large enough to help keep the moist hide warm.

The lowest you want to go at night is about 20*C.

 

[IHaveNoIdea]

This is what it looks like. It's 20x7cm. I think I will just save some money and buy the UTH. The middle sized one most probably. My dad has 26 gallon aquarium in his garage, I will try to convince him to lend it to me. But isn't it too much for such a small gecko?




Inside the skull, there might be about 26°C and everywhere else there is about 23,5°C the whole day, even during the night.

 

[kholtme]

26 gallon will be fine, the bigger the better. My gecko is in a 40 gallon breeder tank. But also look at the dimensions of the ground of the tank, height isnt necessary with leopards.

 

[Elizabeth Freer]

This is what it looks like. It's 20x7cm. I think I will just save some money and buy the UTH. The middle sized one most probably. My dad has 26 gallon aquarium in his garage, I will try to convince him to lend it to me. But isn't it too much for such a small gecko?

View attachment 35911


Inside the skull, there might be about 26°C and everywhere else there is about 23,5°C the whole day, even during the night.

Like kholtme says, "the bigger the better"!

How tall is your dad's empty 26 gallon? About 32 cm is good. If it's taller, it still would work.

The temperatures you report inside the skull are too cool for proper digestion. However, is your leo growing?

Get a digital thermometer with probe first to sort out the temperatures you have right now.

I recommend a thermostat for your UTH to keep the temperatures constant and your leo comfortable.

 

[IHaveNoIdea]

Well, I got my leo for a week and sth so I can't really tell if he is growing. But, he eats well (4 roaches or 3 crickets a day) and he poops every day. So I think he has no problems with digestion.
The aquarium is about 80-90x30x30 (it is 100 litre, so about 26 gallons) , so I guess it would be ideal for him. I will get the digital thermometer as soon as possible.

Is proper ventilation a must? Like I said, it is regular aquarium.

By the way, what about heat cable? Isn't it better than the heat pad?

 

[kholtme]

I currently have a 11x17 heat mat for my 40 gallon breeder and it only heats 1/4 the tanks floor. Im actually going to switch to heat cable very soon to get a bigger heated area. Heat cable would work great. Just snake it back and forth tightly on the underside of the tank and tape it on with aluminum tape. Then a thermostat is another great product to get the heated floor to the exact temp you need. Hydrofarm makes great ones found onlind for $35 USD. Heat cable and heat pads, their isnt a better selection really, its just prefference. I cant find a heat mat that is the right dimensions for the bottom of my tank, thats why im switching to cable.

 

[Elizabeth Freer]

80-90 x 30 x 30 cm is ideal for your leopard gecko's vivarium. Then your gecko will have a big "playground" for exercise. :biggrin: Disinfect it thoroughly with a 10% bleach solution. That's 1 part bleach to 9 parts water. Then air dry for at least 24 hours to get rid of the bleach fumes.

You are resourceful and handy.

Proper ventilation is very important. Can you make a screen top?

• :idea: Is hardware cloth available where you live? It's a metal mesh that comes in different grid sizes. 1/4 inch grid works for leopard geckos.
• Click: HDX 1/4 in. x 2 ft. x 5 ft. Hardware Cloth-308231HD - The Home Depot

Heat tape is great. It's easy to customize heating that way. Tape it down with heat resistant aluminum tape that you can buy at a hardware store. I'd go for heat taping 1/2 the floor of the large aquarium. When you have a good gradient from warm to cool, your leo should be more active. Overhead heating may help as well if your home is not dry or if it's too cool in the winter.

Please reread post #7. I edited it a little.

Here is my leo's 76.2 x 31.75 x 31.75 cm vivarium just as an example:

 

[IHaveNoIdea]

Thank you both for your replies. I think I will rather get the heat cable/tape then. About the disinfection - I have already bought this Wipe Out 1

I don't know how to translate hardware cloth into my language, but I guess I know what I'm looking for. Is is sufficient though? If there isn't any of this cloth on the bottom of the tank, there won't be no air circulation. Regarding to my physics textbook, the gecko's farts will go up, but there will be no fresh air coming inside from the bottom. I hope you understand me

I'm not sure if my home is dry, but in the tank there is about 40% humidity at the moment, so I guess that is ok. And I read the post No.7 and I will do as you say. I will use the towels though. It is rather embarrasing, considering that I have lots of carnivorous plants, but I have no sphagnum moss and local gardening shop has none either.

You have really pretty vivarium Although it would look much better with some coconut fiber substrate. You are not a fan of it? I heard they can poop it when they accidently eat it.

 

[Elizabeth Freer]

Replies between the lines in blue:

Thank you both for your replies. I think I will rather get the heat cable/tape then. About the disinfection - I have already bought this Wipe Out 1

GOOD.

I don't know how to translate hardware cloth into my language, but I guess I know what I'm looking for. Is is sufficient though? If there isn't any of this cloth on the bottom of the tank, there won't be no air circulation. Regarding to my physics textbook, the gecko's farts will go up, but there will be no fresh air coming inside from the bottom. I hope you understand me

hardware "cloth" = metal screen

A glass tank has no ventilation/screen on the lower sides. The "hardware cloth" or screen is actually a grid (like graph paper), but metal. That would cover the top of the aquarium and provide enough ventilation.

• Cut it a little wider and a little longer than the opening.
• Bend the edges down to form a lip.
• Your tank is only 30 cm high. I think that will be enough air flow.

I'm not sure if my home is dry, but in the tank there is about 40% humidity at the moment, so I guess that is ok. And I read the post No.7 and I will do as you say. I will use the towels though. It is rather embarrasing, considering that I have lots of carnivorous plants, but I have no sphagnum moss and local gardening shop has none either.

40% humidity is good for leopard geckos.

You have really pretty vivarium Although it would look much better with some coconut fiber substrate. You are not a fan of it? I heard they can poop it when they accidently eat it.

Thanks. It could look better with tiles throughout. You can't really tell, but there is an irregular piece of black slate in the middle. Eco Earth's coconut fiber substrate is really designed for crested geckos, day geckos, and such. It is easily eaten. It expands when wet. It will also raise humidity. Leopard geckos like it dry.

I once had a Hemidactylus garnotii eat peat moss when she caught a cricket. She died. I opened her up and found her esophagus full of peat moss. Peat moss is similar in size to coconut fiber. That's one reason I like using clear glass feeding dishes for all my geckos.

I originally kept Oedura castelnaui on a sand/peat moss or a sand/coco fiber mix and did not use feeding dishes. One of those ingested a little. The result was a prolapse and a late night trip to the emergency room. This gecko survived, but uses a 10 ounce bar glass for bugs.

If you join the FB Gecko food! Feeder Insects group you'll be able to see this video: https://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=420810677967088&oid=359607730781688

 

[IHaveNoIdea]

Okay, thanks for the info. I will not use it of course if it is dangerous. I planned on using it when he grows, but I will not use it even then.
By the way, do you feed your geckos worms? I heard they can cause impaction (some specific species), even the guy I bought my leo from said that few of his geckos died because of chitin impaction. I feed him just crickets (I was told to look out for some sort of mold) and turkestan roaches (but I ran out of roaches yesterday).

 

[Elizabeth Freer]

I feed my leo mostly crickets, some Blaptica dubia, and once in a while hornworms.

I only used mealworms when I hatched one leo.

 

[IHaveNoIdea]

Okay, thank you.

==> No plain calcium, calcium with D3, or multivitamins inside a vivarium <==

Why don't you recommend it? I apologize if I have too many questions :lol:

Oh and, is the thermostat really neccesary when using heat cabels and mats?