First Ever Gecko (Tokay) Need Help

[rari6]

Hey there guys! Nice to meet you all I just got my first ever gecko today but I did a lot of reading beforehand so that I am ready for it. The terrarium is a quite big plastic box (looks perfect for a terrarium honestly, most walls are transparent but 1). I got a Tokay Gecko and from what I've read they're nocturnal and don't need much light at day, I'm thinking of getting one of those blue night lamps so I can monitor it at night without disrupting it. I collected some insects from a forest near my city so I've got it a bit of food as well as 50 crickets from a breeder. I put coconut substrate as that's what the shop suggested me and I put quite a lot of nice live plants and rocks in, she has 3 hiding spots, 2 on the cold side and one near the rock on the hot side. My biggest concerns are: ventilation, temperature & humidity. I got those basic humidity & temperature plastic meters and the humidity hasn't moved from the 80% since I first misted the enclosure this morning when I got it. Temperature almost hasn't moved from 75-80 F so I think I'm good with that (maybe meter is broken though?), for ventilation I've drilled quite a lot of holes on the top, pretty much covering all the plastic in rows of holes. I would really really appreciate you guys' help with telling me how to lower the humidity and maybe I haven't set up my meters properly if the humidity level barely moves... or maybe my ventilation is off and I'm doing something wrong, also is the coconut substrate supposed to be quite damp with water because I've left it pretty much dry aside from the misting and spraying a bit on the substrate itself. I know there's quite a lot of questions but I would really appreciate the help, you'll help me take care of these beautiful creatures with proper care, I would never purchase any animal if I know I can't care for it correctly..

I will upload pictures in imgur later so you guys can tell me how the ventilation is and such, I also ordered a small heating mat (the shop advised me to put it on one of the walls for a Tokay Gecko) and a blue night bulb already. As far as I've read, I can leave it with no light or just a plain household bulb for monitoring it during the day.

Edit: Setup - Album on Imgur - Here's the enclosure, sorry for bad quality of pictures, I'm installing a heat mat on one of the sides on Tuesday when it arrives.

 

[rari6]

Hey there guys! Nice to meet you all I just got my first ever gecko today but I did a lot of reading beforehand so that I am ready for it. The terrarium is a quite big plastic box (looks perfect for a terrarium honestly, most walls are transparent but 1). I got a Tokay Gecko and from what I've read they're nocturnal and don't need much light at day, I'm thinking of getting one of those blue night lamps so I can monitor it at night without disrupting it. I collected some insects from a forest near my city so I've got it a bit of food as well as 50 crickets from a breeder. I put coconut substrate as that's what the shop suggested me and I put quite a lot of nice live plants and rocks in, she has 3 hiding spots, 2 on the cold side and one near the rock on the hot side. My biggest concerns are: ventilation, temperature & humidity. I got those basic humidity & temperature plastic meters and the humidity hasn't moved from the 80% since I first misted the enclosure this morning when I got it. Temperature almost hasn't moved from 75-80 F so I think I'm good with that (maybe meter is broken though?), for ventilation I've drilled quite a lot of holes on the top, pretty much covering all the plastic in rows of holes. I would really really appreciate you guys' help with telling me how to lower the humidity and maybe I haven't set up my meters properly if the humidity level barely moves... or maybe my ventilation is off and I'm doing something wrong, also is the coconut substrate supposed to be quite damp with water because I've left it pretty much dry aside from the misting and spraying a bit on the substrate itself. I know there's quite a lot of questions but I would really appreciate the help, you'll help me take care of these beautiful creatures with proper care, I would never purchase any animal if I know I can't care for it correctly..

I will upload pictures in imgur later so you guys can tell me how the ventilation is and such, I also ordered a small heating mat (the shop advised me to put it on one of the walls for a Tokay Gecko) and a blue night bulb already. As far as I've read, I can leave it with no light or just a plain household bulb for monitoring it during the day.

Setup - Album on Imgur - Here is the enclosure.. Sorry for the bad pictures, temperature dropped to 70F but humidity still the same

 

[Aimless]

hi - congrats on getting a Tokay, they're awesome!

I have some concerns about the enclosure. this configuration isn't really set up for a large arboreal gecko. I feel like you need something in the other orientation and taller.

what is your heat source?

yes, those stick-on temp and humidity readers are notoriously inaccurate a temp gun that you can find for ~$30 is better, but I'm not sure where you live?

if the substrate stays damp but not wet, it's OK if your temps are in the right range. Tokays live in a place that is tropical; think hot and sticky weather.

ok, that is at least a start to your questions.

 

[rari6]

hi - congrats on getting a Tokay, they're awesome!

I have some concerns about the enclosure. this configuration isn't really set up for a large arboreal gecko. I feel like you need something in the other orientation and taller.

what is your heat source?

yes, those stick-on temp and humidity readers are notoriously inaccurate a temp gun that you can find for ~$30 is better, but I'm not sure where you live?

if the substrate stays damp but not wet, it's OK if your temps are in the right range. Tokays live in a place that is tropical; think hot and sticky weather.

ok, that is at least a start to your questions.

This is what I'm currently working with as in enclosure, I think a friend of mine will be able to give me an actual wooden framed, glass enclosure the coming weeks. I may be changing things up a bit on Tuesday when I'm installing the heat mat. Do you think I should flip it vertically so it has around 90cm height and instead a smaller boxed ground area? I can put up taller sticks and make some hideout high as I read these types of gecko like to stay high. Currently no heat setup, I'll try to evaporate humidity with a exo terra heat day lamp till Tueday(25W though). I can definitely get myself a temperature gun as well.. guess I'll have to get a digital humidity thingy too so I can easily check humidity and temp. at different areas of the tank. Also how is the ventilation (if you can call it that lol)?