Reptile Forum, Reptile Classifieds - CaptiveBred

[captainmerkin]

Morning all,

I have decided to obtain a few leopard geckos after uhming and ahhing about where to start, after seeing a friends collection it made my mind up they are awesome!

I am planning on purchasing a 36 or a 48 inch vivarium and setting it up with live plants, maybe have a look at my idea and see if it is appropriate?

Planning on 1 male and 2 females (have heard that this would be fine together)

The back walls of the viv will be made into rock faces with planters and ledges for them to explore and a few little caves.

One end will consist of a shallow pond going into the cliff with a pump in the corner and some mesh protecting things from the pump, water will flow from an outlet in cliff back into pond.

On the "river bank" I was planning on planting some day lillies and marsh grass.

I am going to insert some bamboo into the cliff sides filled with substrate in which a few hanging plants will be planted (not sure what yet), and along the cliff bottom creeping fig and wondering jew plants which should hopefully scale the walls nicely (probably around 8 cuttings of fig).

Other end will have some branches going across between the end and back cliff edges where they can bask, these will be embedded into the rock face so they are secure.


One thing I am not sure about it lighting, I was thinking of a 15 - 20 inch strip light fixed to back wall above the cliff for the plants, a basking lamp at the other end and something less intense for night time at the pond end. I am not sure about night time requirements really but assume that a "natural" temperature drop will be required perhaps up to 10 degrees C, but will make sure to clarify this all before fitting things!

Going to set up the middle areas of the tank with some branches and hopefully seed some moss (maybe too hot though), also building a small tower with an indented top to put food in for them to climb up and eat it.

Ferns always go in my tanks as I really like them so that will be a space filler as well.

Any thoughs or critisisms?

[dantro]

Im no expert of Leopard geckos but are they dry habitat lizards? ...
putting a pond and that in there with marsh plants is a bit strange ...
plus i dont know about the humidity levels that will create ... and that could lead to respiratory problems ...
Im not 100% but im sure the other more knowledgeable people on here will be able to help ...
_________________
Cheers
Dan
1.1.0 Ackies (10 eggs cooking) 4.9.6 Stenodactylus S. (22 eggs cooking)

[captainmerkin]

hmmm you may well be right, hopefully some more clarification could be given from folks here later!

Pond can easily be scrapped, but plants are a must really cant have a good tank without some nice plants!

[MJ]

Sounds more like a dart frog setup really

but any how here's a few suggestions...

on a 4ft viv 18-24' strip light wont do much at all you would need a full lenght light probably for than one for correct plant growth.

If you plan on using a wooden vivarium you will encounter major warping and rot issues in what you are describing as its will be a high humidity enviroment which leopard geckos will not accept any how.

Have a good read through this forum (the gecko bit) and then the vivarium section, I'm sure with an hour of reading you will have a better idea on how to keep these geckos.
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Paul

For all your Tropical plant and Naturalistic Vivarium needs please enjoy Urban Bromeliad

[captainmerkin]

ha I think you are right, I do like my froggies

The main issue I have is having some plants growing in the tank, I really want to make it look great but still work for the lizards.

I will have a look around at people set ups, but kinda hard to view pictures hosted on imageshack etc from the office

thats for pointing out the warping I had totally forgotten about that being a true dumbass..

[MJ]

eh the excitment of a new viv blurs some things

You can still do plants they just need to be arid/savana plants that will do well in that sort of set up

short on time right now but I'll sort out a list of good stuff that would do well a little later today.
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Paul

For all your Tropical plant and Naturalistic Vivarium needs please enjoy Urban Bromeliad

[captainmerkin]

[ukgeckos]

Get some hardy desert plant species (not spiky cacti) but more like rock plants etc
The Herpetoculture of Leopard Geckos- Ron Tremper this book has a natural set up in it that was used for breeding for years and looks very good!
Its also worth having the book as its the most indepth ive seen for leos!
you can still do rock walls etc but leave out the moisture/pool

[Exalted Gecko]

Most plants would die in the heat as suggested. You do realise you need a good 1/3 of the viv to be 90F for most of the day?

I commend your enthusiasm and desire to create a nice natural viv, but I would buy a book and read up on them first, before you start planing uber habitat constructions. I'd recommend The Leopard Gecko Manual, published by Advanced Vivarium Systems.

I'd also chill out on the idea of having a colony living together initially. I'd seriously recommend getting to know how to care for one leo fully before you get into groups.

What if one female doesn't get along and needs to be permenantly separated? It's not unlikely.

I keep my male and my female in separate viv's for a reason.

Hope that helps a bit, seriously get that book and read it first
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Kind Regards,

Chris

[Phil1988]

Yeah as said above I wouldn't really jump in there with a group or pair and would start off with the one. As for the pond idea I think that would make it too humid especially with putting some heat over it at night.

Good luck with the set up though and make sure you post pics