Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hey all.. this is a picture of someone's Leo tank set up.. I want your feedback on it. He originally had sand substrate, no UTH... I advised him numerous times to ditch the sand and get repticarpet or paper towels for a juvenile.. advised him to put a dish with some calcium supplement, a humid hide, a cool hide, and a warm hide as well as the UTH...

He just sent me this picture asking for my feedback. My initial thoughts are: what's the substrate? why not a non-ingestible substrate like I suggested? Where's the humid hide? Where's the calcium dish? However, I'm feeling like my suggestions are just one voice. so... if you have suggestions (whether the same or different).. please post them.. I am going to refer him back to this forum for assistance...

The guy who owns this leo is very new to geckos, and needs all the beginner info you can give him.
Thanks!

I would recommend a much smaller hide than that.
I could fit in there
From my experience, leos like to cram themselves into smaller spaces, at least a low ceiling. I have an assortment of flat rocks in the tank with 2 of my adult females and they find the tightest, hardest spots to get into. They rarely hide in the bigger areas under the rocks.

My $0.02
-----

The following sentence is true.
The above sentence is false.

4.4 Leopard Geckos
1.0 Marbled Gecko
1.1 Red Eared Sliders
0.2 Siamese Mice

He still needs a moist hide and calcium powder.

I've used alfalfa pellets for the last 5 years. They're completely safe if inadvertently ingested (although my leos always spit them out if they get one in their mouth) and they allow the gecko dig if they feel inclined. To my knowledge they are the only truly safe granular substrate.

-Alice

It looks like there is 2 basking bulbs (a CHE, and a regular bulb). There should only be one so the leo can thermoregulate.

M.N

I was just about to say that. I would ditch the regular bulb and just keep the ceramic heat emitter, as long as its getting at the right temps (88-90) on the hot side. They are nocturnal so they don't particularly like light anyways.
-----
~Melissa~
1.3 Leopard geckos
1.0 Bearded dragon
1.0 Hog Island Boa
0.0.1 crested gecko
1.0 Ferret
0.1 Chinchilla
1.0 Chinese Praying Mantis

Melissas Menagerie

It looks like this person is really into having a leopard gecko though. I mean, that tank is decked out (just not with the right stuff). Maybe what you can do is show some pictures of other people's tanks, so he'll know what you're talking about.
-----
chickabowwow

3.2.3 leopard geckos (Rosie, Locke, Lisa, Caesar, Tommy)

There's plenty of room for the juvenile in there, and as long as he/she can find the food dish etc, then that's a good thing. I like the low branch, some leos really seem to enjoy exploring in 3D. The water dish is a nice size. The hide is in a good location, but I agree that its pretty big for such a little leo. A clay pot saucer (not the pot, the saucer) makes a nice inexpensive hide about the right size. I also think the tank has a nice, clean look to it.

Leopard geckos do need a moist hide in their cage all the time. Unlike snakes, leopard geckos may not show any signs of shedding until a few hours before they actually shed.

While adults will lap calcium from a dish, babies and juveniles won't always do this. Its important to dust prey animals so you can avoid calcium deficiencies.

I like paper towels as substrate, partly because I have so many leopard geckos. I've never used alfalfa but it looks like its too large to be eaten accidently, and as long as its removed before it gets moldy (should it get wet), it seems like a reasonable choice.

Sounds like you and your friend are doing a great job.

-----
Andrea A.

and a non-granular substrate just may have not been in his mind, and I couldn't blame him.

As everyone else has said, the hide is much to big and I would say that the tank is somewhat large for a baby. If I were him, I would raise the baby in a simple setup just to play it safe and grow him fast to adult hood then give him a real nice setup.

I would go with a vivarium mix of two parts natural sand (crushed granite or some other natural sands that can be found at a rock yard) and one part ground coconut shell. Then design a tank with a ground cover of mostly assorted sized uneven and irregular rocks that somewhat match the substrate. You can make small hides and caves with the rocks and rocks with dips can serve as a water dish, just make sure anything that is movable be safley fastend with hot glue or silicone (be sure to cure it). Add a few narled pieces of wood and a few nice desert succulants or other desert plants and your set. Drench the substrate then let the top dry. Doing this should create a hard crust and a moist underground and you will find your gecko will dig burrows with this setup. Lightly spraying the tank will reinforce the burrows and simulate morning dew.
-----
Bradley Baquial

i dont think the tankelf is too big,i raised 2 babys in at the time the only tank i had,which was a 40g breeder. They are both big fat bigs and i could never down grade them.

yes they looked lost in thier but if you place everything nearby they should be fine,just monitor them as they move around and eat and make sure they drink.

i'd use paper towels in that tank as thier cheap and effective and nothing is easier to clean.

good luck,

kali
-----
1.3 Leopard Gecko's
1.0 mali uromastyx
0.0.3 tokay's(adults unsexed)

I know what you mean, I've raised two baby leos(at different times) in a 30g tall, which isn't as big as a 40g, but.. My point is, there is nothing wrong with it. I have had no problems at all and they found the bathroom corner safely in time, lol. I always say the bigger the better. =

Anyway, I won't bother the forever on-going "substrate" agrument stuff..(GO PAPER TOWELS!). Lol, Looks good, but I do think that the set-up should be alot more simpler for him though. I keep seeing him falling off the top of that huge branch.. Ouch.. it still hurts.. ANYWAY, lol. Take care and I'm glad you talked him into the UTH, waterdish, etc. Needs that moist hide though and the calcium dish.. Very vital. Alright, Talk to you later!

-Britney
-----
1.1 Leos(Ron and Raine), 2.1 Kitty Cats(Bubba, Angelo and Cookie) and 1.1 Rouen Ducks(Buddy and M.J.).