hello everyone! :)

ice gecko

New Member
Messages
20
Location
madison wisconsin
hello guys! just went and picked up my new baby crestie today. ill be posting pics up soon of it. i named it cleo because of the beautiful cream colors it has. hope i can learn lots from you guys and make my crested happy
 

ice gecko

New Member
Messages
20
Location
madison wisconsin
thank you :) i have my first question already. my crestie is downstairs and it gets a little bit nippy at night down here. i was wondering what light you suggest for keeping them warm enough at night around that 75 degrees area? i believe at night its about 60ish downstairs. its not a tall tank yet either (its more of a long 10 gallon tank) so id have to place it above the screen top. suggestions on wattage and bulb?
 

ice gecko

New Member
Messages
20
Location
madison wisconsin
a 60 watt night time bulb like one that glows blue/purple or a red one or a white one? i bought a 60 watt daytime bulb but im going to be returning it tomorrow to just buy the nighttime one. would it be alright to run the nighttime bulb all day just to keep the temp at a constant?
 

darkridder

Melissa the Scientist
Messages
733
Location
Toledo oh
60 watt will be too warm. If you want to give him a basking area go with a 15 watt bulb max. But I would highly suggest 2 things for you, one I would move your gecko into something smaller. Small geckos do better in smaller enclosures, babies often get lost in 10 gallon tanks. Having it in something more like 2.5 gallons or a med kritter keeper works before for these guys until they are about 10g, then they can be upgraded to a 10 gallon tank. But even your 10 gallon needs some work. You want to have the tank covered in at least 50% plant cover. Granted this is a much bigger tank, it will give you an idea of what I mean
DSC05220.jpg


You want to get plant cover on 3 of the 4 sides, plants/sticks in the middle of the tank, and a single hide spot on the floor.

Also unless these guys are 20g or larger I highly suggest keeping them on paper towels. Cresteds are terrible hunters and smaller geckos can easily get impacted on particule substrates.

But most of all, thats a cute gecko :)
 

ice gecko

New Member
Messages
20
Location
madison wisconsin
i went and purchased a 40 watt 24 hour red bulb for him and seems to be doing fine. so i need to take him out of the 10 gallon and put him in a small critter keeper? i didnt think it would be a problem since ive seen him roaming his cage and already knows were the food and water is.
 

darkridder

Melissa the Scientist
Messages
733
Location
Toledo oh
No a medium kritter keeper, but the 40 watt will be far too hot for him. And do watch your temps with the 40 watt with either a digital or a mercury base thermometer, you want to have him around 68-70 at night, they do not need to be much higher than that, if you start pushing 78 degrees you will want to cut back. Remember the point is to produce a basking area, not heat the whole tank, which is why I said go no higher than a 15 watt which will give you a basking area around 70 without warming the whole tank.
 

ice gecko

New Member
Messages
20
Location
madison wisconsin
yeah, i keep checking on it and its fine. my basement stays down in the low 60's so giving it the light helps balance it to give cleo a good temp were cleo wont be to cold.
 

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