My 75 Gallon Leopard Gecko Habitat

[Sphex]

So, setup a new Terrarium for a new leopard gecko picture below of the habitat and well spot till we come up with a better name. It is a bioactive setup with springtails, a small army of isopods, and some meal worms that wiggled out of the food dish. Temp sits about 87 on the warm side about 74 on the cooler side, humidity is about 36 currently.

To the question though, previously my leopard gecko was well older when I got him, and they had a tendency to come out if the lights were on or off. Usually more off than on, but now and then they still got curious and came out when they were on and would now and then chill under their basking lamp. This one however, if my tank light is on, he's in his hole. Really its more of a cave that he's dug down the edge line of the background I built for the tank, he's sort of using it to hide under which just happened to make a nice cave to the far corner of the tank. Which is ok I guess no big deal there other than he's impossible to get out from said hole but long as he feels safe it's no harm no foul.

But my wonder is if maybe the lights too much for him? Currently it's about 12 inches above the basking light. But my thought was maybe he'd be happier if it was a bit higher, so it wasn't quite so bright or perhaps shading the light in some way. Though I haven't quite come up with a good means to filter the light. Other than his constant hiding he seems healthy, not entirely sure he's happy, though he no longer tries to eat me when I feed him so that's a plus.

 

[BLUSH50]

Hi,
His constant hiding may be due to the fact he is in a new environment or just his personality. I would just give it time. What is the temp in the hide he spends the most time in during the day?

 

[Sphex]

Hi,
His constant hiding may be due to the fact he is in a new environment or just his personality. I would just give it time. What is the temp in the hide he spends the most time in during the day?

I honestly have no idea. He has dug himself a cave, flaw with having well a soft bioactive soil-based bottom. Leopard gecko's dig. I have never had one dig this much or ever seen one dig this much.. But he moved in dug himself a cave and appears to move back and forth down the length of the cave which now stretches the entire length of the tank and comes out in two of the hides. The cork bark hide doesn't have a door to his cave system since it is just a full hollowed log. I've seen him at venture to both hides and at the far corner of the tank throughout the day though. I imagine he just goes wherever he wants depending on how he's feeling at the time. If I assume the glass is about the same temp as the interior, looks like it is 70 degrees even at the far corner.

 

[acpart]

It's not unusual for juvenile leopard geckos to hide a lot. Also, some geckos just don't like to be "out". It's hard to tell what plants you have in there, but some of them look as if they belong in a more humid environment. I guess you'll find out soon which ones need it wetter.

Aliza

 

[Sphex]

It's not unusual for juvenile leopard geckos to hide a lot. Also, some geckos just don't like to be "out". It's hard to tell what plants you have in there, but some of them look as if they belong in a more humid environment. I guess you'll find out soon which ones need it wetter.

Aliza

Yeah some would thrive in a more humid environment the ferns especially but the tank itself was up for over a month before the gecko was introduced then the gecko's been in the terrarium since july 17th. So they're all living fairly well maybe not thriving but growing at least. I just kind of treat them like I would a bonsai tree, mist every other day, then water just the roots rather than the entire enclosure seems to keep the humidity at a reasonable level. So far so good at least. Think I just annoyed Spot though didn't notice he'd come out and he just got splattered with mist and then kind of glared then walked back grumpily to his cave, he's going cloudy though, so a little water is good for him in anyways he however didn't seem to appreciate it.

He's back out now though so must not have annoyed him too much I should see if he wants some worms or maybe a cricket or two, he's not very good at catching crickets and due to shedding doesn't really want held but least he's cool at taking them from tweezers.

 

[BLUSH50]

He has dug himself a cave, flaw with having well a soft bioactive soil-based bottom. Leopard gecko's dig. I have never had one dig this much or ever seen one dig this much.. But he moved in dug himself a cave and appears to move back and forth down the length of the cave which now stretches the entire length of the tank and comes out in two of the hides.

Nice . What are you using as far as heating?

 

[Sphex]

Nice . What are you using as far as heating?

Just a ceramic heat emitter above the tank. Then a t5 strip for daylight, however I'm obviously pondering this a bit. I wish I had picked up a more complex thermostat that had a 24 hour timer but ah well not too much trouble in the end to lower the temp at night.

 

[BLUSH50]

Did your other Leo thrive with the high end temp of only 87F? Just asking because usually the ideal temp is 88-92f basking spot. Is that a UVB bulb?

 

[Sphex]

Did your other Leo thrive with the high end temp of only 87F? Just asking because usually the ideal temp is 88-92f basking spot. Is that a UVB bulb?

Yeah I've never had issues with either one digesting food. The 87 is also more of an air temp rather than directly under the lamp where its a bit warmer. Far as ideal temp's go, Its my bet that the answer there is likely going to depend on who you ask and what search they happened to use on the internet.

Long as the rock is warm, they're digesting their food well and are nice and active (if only at night) figure he's ok in the end is kind of how I look at it.

There is a UVB bulb over the tank, mostly cause that what came with the fixture though and I just did not see any need to replace it. I'm actually plotting to swap to a carolina custom fixture that I have, it in theory would be a better light setup honestly than the zoomed setup I have currently. Which is why I was pondering lifting it up a bit. Since I'll be doing a little construction in the first place.

I'll toss pictures of that setup when I get it all sorted. Wanting to clean up the wiring a bit and want to finish the cabinet under the tank which is home to my cricket box, meal worm box and springtail breeding setup.

 

[BLUSH50]

, Its my bet that the answer there is likely going to depend on who you ask and what search they happened to use on the internet.

88 to 91f is based on personal experience. The 92f was based on a family member's Leo. I suppose they all have their personal preference , at least this is what I've noticed. Look forward to future pictures

 

[Sphex]

88 to 91f is based on personal experience. The 92f was based on a family member's Leo. I suppose they all have their personal preference , at least this is what I've noticed. Look forward to future pictures

Out of curiosity the 88-91 you're mentioning is that your air temp, or the temp taken with an infrared gun or something else?

 

[BLUSH50]

Out of curiosity the 88-91 you're mentioning is that your air temp, or the temp taken with an infrared gun or something else?

I'm glad you asked because I forgot to specify. 88-91 was the surface temp where they lay. I used both an infrared gun and a thermometer with probe(for accuracy).

 

[Sphex]

I'm glad you asked because I forgot to specify. 88-91 was the surface temp where they lay. I used both an infrared gun and a thermometer with probe(for accuracy).

If I use the infrared gun it sits at 89 on the rock. So we're likely about in the same ballpark really I just rarely bother with my infrared gun and just go by the air temp which is really probably bad practice truth told I should stop doing that.

 

[BLUSH50]

I finally found this thread again . Where did you get this enclosure from if you don't mind me asking.

 

[Sphex]

I finally found this thread again . Where did you get this enclosure from if you don't mind me asking.

It's just a 75-gallon aquarium, I just made the background added a drainage layer some substrate and a decent chunk of stone.

 

[BLUSH50]

Oh! My eyes are playing tricks on me. I thought I saw the edges were wood. I'm thinking I've never seen a glass tank with a wooden exterior.

 

[Sphex]

Oh! My eyes are playing tricks on me. I thought I saw the edges were wood. I'm thinking I've never seen a glass tank with a wooden exterior.

Oh nah not wood just plastic made to look like wood is all. Though I did previously keep a blue tongue skink in a custom setup I made out of wood and glass that basically looked the same except it was fully framed in.

New terrariums won't have side glass walls just the front door really which will be hinged and swing open in theory. Might have them lift up or down. Haven't quite fully decided on how those are going to go. Goals to have them up by spring but we'll see how that goes.

 

[BLUSH50]

How is the little guy(name?) holding up?

 

[Sphex]

How is the little guy(name?) holding up?

He's good so far, seems to like meal worms more than crickets. I keep thinking about adding dubia roaches to the list of foods but just haven't yet. Still plotting the construction on the new enclosure to get him out of the 75 and into something more like a 30x30x24, I think deeper enclosures just look better.

Doesn't seem to enjoy being out in the light and for whatever reason if I add a little calcium bowl he decides to poop in it the next night. So guess he just gets the Calcium and D3 on his crickets /shrugs/. Not sure why he does that...

But all in all doing good, shedding well and he's stopped trying to eat my finger so thats a plus.

 

[BLUSH50]

He will gain more confidence with age and size. However, I prefer the light and shade method for Leos. This is the benefit of longer enclosure verses height and width. Is the long tube across the entire enclosure necessary for the plants? I've always used fake plants.