How should I make my setup?

[DontShootMe]

Ok I have been out of the leopard gecko seen for about 7 years. The way I used to keep them I never bred them or anything just kept them as pets. Now I plan on breeding leo's. I have a 46 gallon bow tank which is 3 feet long. I was wondering can I use Reptilite calcium sand (I know paper towels is better but this tank gets viewed alot and I'd like to get a more natural looking enviroment). It seems to be alot finer then all the other sand I see out there like calci sand and all that stuff. I know that I need to make a humid box now my question is this. What side of the tank do I put the humid box on the cooler side or the side with the heating pad? Also where should I put the regular hiding box? How many dishes should I have total since my tank is big. I plan to keep about 4-5 geckos in there. 1 water, 1 worms, 1 calcium powder? Should I use any type of heat light or ceramic heater on the tank since I have the heat pad already? How many thermometers do I need and how low should I place them? Can I use a flourescent light on them and should I set it on a timer so they can distinguish day and night? I know these questions sound kind of noob, I just want to make sure everything is right. All info is much needed and thank'd!

 

[Reptileking636]

No calcium sand, it will cause impaction like no other. There are much better and cheaper methods that will still be visually pleasing. I know that this doesn't answer all your questions, but I answered the one that i feel comfortable answering. You came to the right place to find the info you needed!

 

[DontShootMe]

No calcium sand, it will cause impaction like no other. There are much better and cheaper methods that will still be visually pleasing. I know that this doesn't answer all your questions, but I answered the one that i feel comfortable answering. You came to the right place to find the info you needed!

This substrate seems to be like powder. It seems to me like the calcium supplement actually. What other ways can I make my tank look nice like a natural look habitat?

 

[ByRandom]

Ok I have been out of the leopard gecko seen for about 7 years. The way I used to keep them I never bred them or anything just kept them as pets. Now I plan on breeding leo's. I have a 46 gallon bow tank which is 3 feet long. I was wondering can I use Reptilite calcium sand (I know paper towels is better but this tank gets viewed alot and I'd like to get a more natural looking enviroment). It seems to be alot finer then all the other sand I see out there like calci sand and all that stuff.

You could use tile for a substrate. I know a few people on here have done that. It holds heat better than sand and can't cause impaction. Go to Home Depot/Lowes and get the stone-like tile. Enough to fill the bottom of the enclosure.

I know that I need to make a humid box now my question is this. What side of the tank do I put the humid box on the cooler side or the side with the heating pad?

Humid hide goes on the heated side of the enclosure. Make sure you have one for each gecko.

Also where should I put the regular hiding box?

You should have a few hid-boxes around the entire enclosure. One for each gecko.

How many dishes should I have total since my tank is big. I plan to keep about 4-5 geckos in there. 1 water, 1 worms, 1 calcium powder?

I personally would put a few water dishes in the middle between the warm and cool side. Put a few dishes for worms, and a few dishes for calcium. Just make sure you have a variety.

Should I use any type of heat light or ceramic heater on the tank since I have the heat pad already?

It depends on how cool your house gets. Below 70's, then I would put a heat light or something to that affect to raise the ambient temperature.

How many thermometers do I need and how low should I place them?

The only thermometer you should buy would be one to control the heating pad's temperature. A Rheostat or something to that affect. You could also by a temperature gun. Which you could purchase at http://www.bigappleherp.com

Can I use a flourescent light on them and should I set it on a timer so they can distinguish day and night? I know these questions sound kind of noob, I just want to make sure everything is right. All info is much needed and thank'd!

You could use a fluorescent light, there shouldn't be anything wrong with it. And yes, if you were to use it then you would want to put it on a timer.

If you want this to be a display tank, then this will be good. Put a few large rocks in there so they can climb on them. A decorative background on the glass. Something to that affect. Something to just make it look nice.

 

[DontShootMe]

Ok I have changed to sand to vinyl tyle. I need to get a temperature stat changer thing so that I can control the temperature because it gets over 100 degrees. I really like sand alot better (it looks so much more natural) but I guess I have no choice to stay with this tile which I don't mind having. Do people prefer the slate tile instead of the vinyl tyle? Also where can I get a temperature controller for my heating pad for a low price thanks

 

[ByRandom]

The vinyl tile is slicker than the slate, obviously. So you might want to try "rough-it-up" with some sand paper. Also I read somewhere whenever I was breeding beardies that vinyl gives off fumes for the first few days from the heat, but I never tried it. http://www.bigappleherp.com has the best/cheapest I know of. That's where I order(ed) all of my heating supplies from.

 

[DontShootMe]

Ok now how do I make my hideboxes? What should they consist of and what should I have in the humid box? I have 4 geckos in the tank.

 

[ByRandom]

For the hide boxes you can use just normal tupperware containers. Cut a hole in the side and flip it upside down without the lid.

Like so..

<img src="http://www.geckophiles.com/images/hide1.jpg">

Humid hide you use a tupperware container with a hole cut in either the side or lid and I use moist paper towel in it.

Like so...

<img src="http://www.geckophiles.com/images/hide2.jpg">

Also, are all these geckos from the same person or have you had them for a while? I would make sure to quarantine them for a 3 month period first, to make sure they don't have parasites and such in any other case.

 

[geckogrl6]

OK, watch me get roasted for this, but.....
use the freakin sand dude! If you honestly do know what you are doing, you can take enough precautions so that you should not have a problem with impaction. I have a 45 gal display setup with plants and the whole shebang, and I use a combo of eco-earth and sand. My plants are sitting directly in the mixture, no heat pad due to the 4-6 inches of substrate in there. Lights only. This setup has housed my breeder females for two years now, and given me some lovely ladies and healthy mommies! I did post pics at some point, if you care to look it up here.

 

[DontShootMe]

Let me ask everyone this is it easier for younger geckos to get impacted then older geckos? Also I heard that the colors of the geckos would start to fade if they were kept on sand ( I was told this so don't yell at me) if it is wrong please correct me. Thanks

 

[Reptileking636]

It is much easier for the youngsters to get impacted due to the fact that they haven't really honed their hunting skills. This leads to a lot of sand in the mouth, and a lot of times no cricket. And the loss of color isn't really losing color, it is just the dust from the sand that gets on the animals, thus dulling the colors. And I agree with the humid hide instructions from Josh, you could cover them with the sand to hide the fact that they are tupperware, and make them look like sand dunes with a hole in the side.

 

[ByRandom]

You could even get flat-river-stones and epoxy them to the plastic to make it look more "natural". Just an idea.