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Would this work?

Tim L. Oct 26, 2003 08:18 PM

Is it ok have a moist paper towel soaked with dechlorinated water instead of a moist soil inside the humid hide? And also, are both dry and humid hides required for the housing, or just humid one?

Tim
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Extinction is forever. Endangered means we still have time.

Protect the global wildlife.

Replies (14)

Rob Jenkins Oct 26, 2003 08:32 PM

>>Is it ok have a moist paper towel soaked with dechlorinated water instead of a moist soil inside the humid hide?

What's dechlorinated water? I've actually used damp paper towels in a humid hide when one of my leos lost her tail. It worked well, because she didn't get any BedABeast on her regrowing tail. I don't see where it would be necessary for an adult, though.

>>And also, are both dry and humid hides required for the housing, or just humid one?

More is better. If you have the room, it'd be best, but not absolutely necessary. It's useful for thermoregulation, because your humid hide is usually on the warm side and they will have a dry hide on the cooler side. Some seem to feel safer in the hides, so having one on each side at each temp would probably be better.
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Rob Jenkins
Have you seen the GeckoCam?
Charity Gecko
Email Me

CHARITY GECKO!!

Tim L. Oct 26, 2003 08:40 PM

Dechlorinated water means having normal tap water treated so that fish or any kinds of animals are able to live and drink it. For instance, since I have a fish tank, I use tap water, but I remove the harmful chemicals such it with a dechlorinator.

Tim
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Extinction is forever. Endangered means we still have time.

Protect the global wildlife.

Rob Jenkins Oct 26, 2003 08:52 PM

Wow, I guess I knew that existed, but not that anyone used it for their pets. I imagine some fish need that, huh? Special species?

I suppose you could use it, but it wouldn't be necessary for leos, unless you've got some pretty hefty chlorine in your tapwater. I've had mine on tapwater for 6 yrs now with no problems that we can tell. That's on tapwater in Washington State, Nevada, W. Virginia, and now Maryland.
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Rob Jenkins
Have you seen the GeckoCam?
Charity Gecko
Email Me

CHARITY GECKO!!

angl2001 Oct 26, 2003 09:12 PM

i always use paper towel and it sems to work great! i have a large jelly bean jar and i line it with paper towles (leaving enough room for him to get in and out and move around) and i have never had a problem with shed hope this helps! good luck
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~~~~~~~HEATHER~~~~~~~

Demona Oct 26, 2003 09:29 PM

Paper towels should work fine. I use peat moss, which I like because it stays pretty moist.

RedQuake Oct 26, 2003 09:52 PM

I have to start using treated water or at least start using a Britta water filter cause i've noticed that theres a white film left in the dishes. I put a calcium water conditioner in it for them to increase their calcium intake and that may be whats causing the white film but i'm not sure.

I use moist papertowels for all my humid hides. Seems to work good

Red
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Crested Gecko Zeek:1.0
LEOS: Boo: 1.0 normal , Bronx & Nala: 1.1 blizzard,
Lily: 0.1 patternless, Abby: 0.1 albino, Zoe: 0.1 reduced pattern, Dot: 0.1 hypo
Chip: 1.0 papillion (small dog)
2.0 bettas

Demona Oct 26, 2003 10:42 PM

Icky...I wouldn't like to clean out that white film....maybe it's the calcium, though. Of course, when I'm at home they get our water out of the Mississippi, which has so much...um...yuck in it that they add enough chemicals to kill a horse. I use a water filter in that situation for my -own- health, not to mention my gecko's :P

RedQuake Oct 26, 2003 11:00 PM

Whatever it is, it isn't slimmy or anything, just hard to get off the bowl. I only noticed it after one of the bowls dried up (put it to close to the warm side). I know for a fact we have hard water...so its more than likely that. I'm going to buy a britta water filter container just for the geckos hehe.

Red
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Crested Gecko Zeek:1.0
LEOS: Boo: 1.0 normal , Bronx & Nala: 1.1 blizzard,
Lily: 0.1 patternless, Abby: 0.1 albino, Zoe: 0.1 reduced pattern, Dot: 0.1 hypo
Chip: 1.0 papillion (small dog)
2.0 bettas

buffysmom Oct 26, 2003 11:56 PM

In all my pre-leo-purchasing research, everything I read said you need to use dechlorinated/"stale" water; water that's been treated w/ a dechlorinator or left out in the open for at least 24 hours. This is all I use for all my herps.
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0.3.0 leos, Geo, Tang, Ginger
1.0 Blue Tongue Skink Indigo (Indy)
0.1.1 frogs Buffy the Cricket Slayer, Butrose Butrose Froggy
0.0.5 firebelly newts Wayne Newton, Isaac Newton, Fig Newton, Juice Newton & Olivia Newton John
1.1.0 cats Gus & Mena

RedQuake Oct 27, 2003 08:04 AM

Wouldn't the chemicals used to dechlorinate the water eventually make them sick? I have a large bottle of water for the geckos i leave out so its not so cold.

Red
-----
Crested Gecko Zeek:1.0
LEOS: Boo: 1.0 normal , Bronx & Nala: 1.1 blizzard,
Lily: 0.1 patternless, Abby: 0.1 albino, Zoe: 0.1 reduced pattern, Dot: 0.1 hypo
Chip: 1.0 papillion (small dog)
2.0 bettas

buffysmom Oct 27, 2003 09:10 AM

It's intended for use in fish tanks, etc so is safe for amphibians to take in through their skin. However, I have the same concern as you, so I only use stale water that's been exposed to air for at least 24 hours. This exposure causes the chlorine to evaporate, but it won't help with hard water problems such as people are describing above. You'd need filtered water for that. Bottled water will also work for both purposes.
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0.3.0 leos, Geo, Tang, Ginger
1.0 Blue Tongue Skink Indigo (Indy)
0.1.1 frogs Buffy the Cricket Slayer, Butrose Butrose Froggy
0.0.5 firebelly newts Wayne Newton, Isaac Newton, Fig Newton, Juice Newton & Olivia Newton John
1.1.0 cats Gus & Mena

Tim L. Oct 27, 2003 03:00 PM

Yup, I'm thinking that bottled water such as crystal geyser would be appropriate, am I right?

Tim
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Extinction is forever. Endangered means we still have time.

Protect the global wildlife.

buffysmom Oct 27, 2003 03:15 PM

Certainly.
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0.3.0 leos, Geo, Tang, Ginger
1.0 Blue Tongue Skink Indigo (Indy)
0.1.1 frogs Buffy the Cricket Slayer, Butrose Butrose Froggy
0.0.5 firebelly newts Wayne Newton, Isaac Newton, Fig Newton, Juice Newton & Olivia Newton John
1.1.0 cats Gus & Mena

NateDiggity Oct 27, 2003 02:47 PM

I also had that question when I began keeping leo's. Leopard Gecko keepers rarely talk about it.

It really depends on your area and quality of water. I have kept many amphibians that require it or they will die, including my Red Eye Tree Frogs I currently breed.

In some places the water has high amounts of chlorine that would be bad for reptiles also.

Personally, I'd rather be safe then sorry....

Only the best for my Gex.

Peace

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