How I Made A Last Minute Baby Crestie Tub Under $20

Pocket!

New member
Hello! I bought my first crested gecko two days ago, but s/he was a lot younger than I was planning on (only 3 months!), so I had to do some last minate DIY-ing. I stopped by dollar tree on my way home from the show and got the following supplies:
6qt Shoebox Tub
Mesh Screen
Little Cup Thingie For A Hide™

Things I already had:
Wood Burner
Leaf Decor
Bottle Caps
Paper Towels
Xacto Knife
Hot Glue Gun
Bamboo

So, here's how I did it!

I started with an empty tub and marked out my holes for ventilation. Then I made a hole with the wood burner for each of the holes, but going from the inside so it was smooth (Do this outside so you don't breath in the fumes!). Then I marked a rectangle on the lid, and cut it out with an Xacto knife. I then hot glued the screen to the hole on the lid. Now the tub itself was done!

As for the inside...
I cut a hole in the Little Cup Thingie For A Hide™ and used it for, well, a hide. Then I cut bamboo sticks to size and wraped them together with some string. (I hot glued the ends just to sure it doesn't unravel) Then I cut some extra leaves from one of my snakes tanks and washed it really well to put in there. Then I just used some paper towel for the bottom, and bottle caps for dishes!

That's really all! This was a really easy setup, and I keep him on a shelf where it stays mid-70's, so no heat source required! Thanks for reading!
 

Hilde

Administrator
Staff member
Do you realize that a 6qt shoebox tub is nowhere near adequate for a crestie, not even a hatchling?
They are arboreal, which means they need height more than floor space.
Please move your gecko into something taller. Most tubs don't work well for arboreal geckos, unless you make a lot of modifications, which are nearly impossible to do with a shoe box.
 

Pocket!

New member
Do you realize that a 6qt shoebox tub is nowhere near adequate for a crestie, not even a hatchling?
They are arboreal, which means they need height more than floor space.
Please move your gecko into something taller. Most tubs don't work well for arboreal geckos, unless you make a lot of modifications, which are nearly impossible to do with a shoe box.

I don't mean to argue, and I agree with you, but the tub s/he's in has well enought room for them to climb around a little bit I think. It's not nessisarily shoebox-sized, and a bit taller. Also, this is only until s/he is around 6-7 months old (because I have another tub WAY larger and taller). I realize they are arboreal, and I've provided them with bamboo logs and leaves to climb in/around. IMG_7269.jpg IMG_7268.jpg It was either this or a taller one with very little floor space. Thank you for your concern! If this is wrong, I can definatly switch them.
(I'm not sure if it's 6qts lol, just an estimate ;-) I'm really bad with that stuff.)
 
Last edited:

acpart

Active member
Do you realize that a 6qt shoebox tub is nowhere near adequate for a crestie, not even a hatchling?
They are arboreal, which means they need height more than floor space.
Please move your gecko into something taller. Most tubs don't work well for arboreal geckos, unless you make a lot of modifications, which are nearly impossible to do with a shoe box.

Actually, I regularly have used 6qt shoeboxes with my crestie and garg hatchlings, and even used one with my leachie when I first got it at 7 grams. It was recommended to me by Steve Cemelli of Leapin' Leachies. These guys were so small when they first hatched that with a coconut shell hide and a piece of cork bark angled diagonally off the hide, they felt as if they were in an arboreal setting. Of course, I moved them to something bigger as soon as they started growing and reached a reasonable size. However, there are many acceptable ways to do things.

Aliza
 

Aimless

Super Moderator
I'm with Hilde on this. for an arboreal gecko, I really think it should be taller in proportion to promote less stress.
 

Pocket!

New member
20180201_175611_Film1.jpg
Better? Is a 3 gallon tank. The sides are the cardboard that came in the box, I'm making sheets of black cardstock to cove all sides except one.
 

Aimless

Super Moderator
I think he'll appreciate the height. you might want to pack the foliage a little more up high?
 
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