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geckolove I'm new here...
Joined: 22 Sep 2007 Posts: 7
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Posted: Wed Feb 13, 2008 7:12 pm Post subject: Cresties - what are your temps/humidity |
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As a relatively new crestie owner - I have read caresheets and the temps seem to vary. I keep my cresties in exo terras, I have babies and adults plus a juvie. (In different exo-terras). My tems at present are 73 - 75 between the 4 exo terras. I try to keep the humidity up but struggle with it. Also, the cresties don't eat very much, especially the babies, which I hand feed to make sure they get some cgd. I've read they will eat more if the temps are higher, but I'm afraid to use heat mats as I know there is a temperature limit with rhacs.
What are your temps and do you use a heatmat? If you do, are you constantly checking the temps? I know you can use thermostats with heatmats, but I don't really understand the way a stat works. I have one on the bearded dragons incubator, and the probe into the incubator and it is set at 80 degrees on the stat dial. However the light comes on and goes off periodically, I presume according to outside temperatures, so I would be afraid of the temperature getting too hot in the exo-terras with me not there to keep an eye. Can anyone help.
I want to boost the temps so they will eat more, but am afraid to do it incase they go to high. Also - with four exo terras, will I need four stats? (Three are small exo's and one is large).
Thanks in advance for any help. |
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crouchy Key Member
Joined: 18 Jul 2006 Posts: 320
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Posted: Wed Feb 13, 2008 8:01 pm Post subject: |
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You could bump up the temps with a heat mat but with temps already at 75 there really isnt any point. Id just leave everything as it is and enjoy watching them.
However i dont recommend hand feeding animals on a regular basis. If you do it more than twice a week the gecko will get used to being hand fed and it wont even try to find its own food. I used to hand feed once a fortnight with my young just to make sure they were eating but i dont even do that anymore and they are doin just fine.
In summer my temps are about 80 during the day and about 68 at night _________________
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Mememe Site Moderator
Joined: 23 Dec 2005 Posts: 2141
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Posted: Wed Feb 13, 2008 8:08 pm Post subject: |
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Quote: | Yes, I do worry about the hand feeding thing, but I do worry about them not eating too! I know you are right, but if I don't see lick marks in the cgd, I worry! How do you keep cresties and not worry? They are absolutely adorable, but they worry me terribly!
| ...said geckolove.
They accidentally posted a new topic rather than message
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crouchy Key Member
Joined: 18 Jul 2006 Posts: 320
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Posted: Wed Feb 13, 2008 8:28 pm Post subject: |
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i used to worry that they werent eating when i first got cresties but i quickly learnt that by hand feeding them i was causing more harm than good by getting them into bad habits.
Just make sure they are pooing and weigh the geckos every few weeks. I weigh mine once a month as this gives the young ones chance to put on some weight _________________
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negri CaptiveBred Addict!
Joined: 05 Jun 2006 Posts: 585
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Posted: Wed Feb 13, 2008 9:00 pm Post subject: |
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i wouldnt say hand feeding is so bad . .
i wouldnt do it everyday but if done weekly with cgd you know they at least getting something . especially when they are small . .
they spend 8hrs plus exploring there tank so there is a great chance they will bump into there food dish on occasion . and if they have been hand fed with the same stuff they will know to eat it . .
one thing about babies is they need such a miniscule amount that most of the time you wont have even seen if they have ate or not .
i also feed small crickets dusted in cgd . all my cresties are bug mad .
but as crouchy says if they are alert and active and doing the toilet ok i wouldnt worry so much . weigh them too if you have scales . pretty inexpesive on ebay for a set . 12-15 pounds . _________________ Eyeless frogs welcome...
Crested Geckos 1:7:4 + 8 Eggs
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Green Anole 0:0:1
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negri CaptiveBred Addict!
Joined: 05 Jun 2006 Posts: 585
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Posted: Wed Feb 13, 2008 9:17 pm Post subject: |
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and to reply to your original question ,
my room very rarely gets above 82 and maybe hits 68-70 at night and i have no extra heating on my vivs . the adults tank has a uv light .
the humidity ranges from 55-85 dependant on when i last misted which i do nightly . _________________ Eyeless frogs welcome...
Crested Geckos 1:7:4 + 8 Eggs
White Treefrogs 0:1:0
Green Anole 0:0:1
Fire Belly Toads 5:6:0
Bearded Dragon 0.1.0
Leopard Geckos 1.1.2
Albino Cali King 1.1.0
And a Fish Called George... |
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geckolove I'm new here...
Joined: 22 Sep 2007 Posts: 7
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Posted: Wed Feb 13, 2008 9:44 pm Post subject: |
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Mememe wrote: | Quote: | Yes, I do worry about the hand feeding thing, but I do worry about them not eating too! I know you are right, but if I don't see lick marks in the cgd, I worry! How do you keep cresties and not worry? They are absolutely adorable, but they worry me terribly!
| ...said geckolove.
They accidentally posted a new topic rather than message
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Sorry, I'm having a bad day, thanks moderator peep! |
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geckolove I'm new here...
Joined: 22 Sep 2007 Posts: 7
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Posted: Wed Feb 13, 2008 10:32 pm Post subject: |
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So the - babies may be eating on there own, but if its a really small amount, then I won't notice it missing? I didn't think they were looking bad on it.
I didn't actually think that they were eating the crickets as most have escaped and are running happily round the living room, but oddly enough, the babies are now positioned on the log at the bottom of the exo looking at the floor, so I take it they are waiting to spot a cricket!
Right, so, if my temps are ok-ish, the humidity is the same as yours negri, but I spray three times a day - dusted crickets are on offer and cgd every day, then I'm not going far wrong?
(So, why am I worrying so much??)
Thanks for your replies folks. |
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crouchy Key Member
Joined: 18 Jul 2006 Posts: 320
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Posted: Wed Feb 13, 2008 10:37 pm Post subject: |
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negri wrote: | i wouldnt say hand feeding is so bad . .
i wouldnt do it everyday but if done weekly with cgd you know they at least getting something . especially when they are small . |
Once a week would probably be fine but i wouldnt do it anymore than that. U just dont want them becoming dependant on hand feeding so less often you do it the better in my opinion.
The only time id hand feed now is if its a newly bought gecko that has been fed on different food before or if they gecko has lost weight.
As for my humidity, i have a number of live plants, coco fibre substrate and i mist about twice a week and my humidity stays pretty constantly between 70 and 80%. I want to try and reduce that though so i might slow down or stop the misting in my vivs _________________
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mike h CaptiveBred Addict!
Joined: 18 Mar 2006 Posts: 778
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Posted: Thu Feb 14, 2008 1:19 pm Post subject: |
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I've not got my cresties yet, but I am looking forward to hand feeding as well as letting them hunt
The interactive hand feeding is what I am most looking forward to, assuming they let me.
mike _________________ Check out my albino royal python website! |
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