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Good place to start would be to get a 55 gallon tank used. People sell them dirt cheap on Facebook market place and whatever all the time. That's a good tank size for now, in years down the road I believe getting an even larger tank might be necessary but that should be good for a a few years. They need uvb lighting and a place to bask in it.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B002O09MYE/ref=cm_sw_r_apan_glt_fabc_GYYDAAZPRK0DDRTR1E4R
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08S6RRMVS/ref=cm_sw_r_apan_glt_fabc_KMXHW2VTDTCND7QDX6SS
There's other options out there but those are some cheap bulbs that I have used and thought did fine, as well as in my opinion the best looking/ best size and easiest basket spot you can get. You literally just put it on top of the tank and put the heat bulb above it.
It looks good, but there are a few things I would add/change.
Right now there's not much depth, especially at the top. It's more "2d" than "3d" if that makes sense. Adding some of those fake vines or something to fill out the space so the gecko has more usable space to explore in.
Also, you should really ditch the analog thermometer/hygrometer for a digital one. The analog ones are known for being wildly inaccurate and unreliable, the digital ones are much better and only.
Also, when you say "geckos coming Tuesday" do you mean singular or more than one? Crested geckos can never live together, no matter age or gender.
It can be hard to tell when theyre dehydrated, or just being wrinkly boys. I'd like to hear someone else opinion on it, but she does look dehydrated to my uneducated eye.
The temps are a tad on the high side, you want to stick to 72-75f as much as possible, although as long as its not getting over 80f it's probably not an issue. Are you using a thermostat to control the heater? With any heating device for reptiles, you absolutely *need to have them hooked up to thermostats like this to ensure your not overheating or burning your animals.
Also, just a word of advice, you really should ditch the red heat lamp.
Red (and to some extent the blue/purple) "nighttime" heat lamps are actually pretty harmful to reptiles. In a nutshell, they can still absolutely see the light as light, so it disturbs their day/night cycle. They need absolute darkness at night. Their eyes also wont react to red light properly, giving it the possibility of burning their eyes out.
You should switch it to a ceramic heat emitter, or deep heat projector. Both of which emit zero light, which is necessary for all reptiles at night.
Immediately: CHE for heat ($10), thermostat to control heat ($20), digital thermometer/hydrometer ($10).
Soon: larger water dish, more hides, fresh substrate.
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Use a CHE (ceramic heat emitter) for heat. Found cheaper on amazon than at a pet store. Doesn't emit light, probably the best source of heat and provides a better ambient temp than a UTH can. UTH's seem to only work well if the room your snake in is already at like 75 degrees.
All heat sources should be tied to a thermostat -- this regulates the heat so you don't fry/overheat your snake. Try this for $18.
Get a digital thermometer + hydrometer; digital are more accurate and you want to stay away from anything with an adhesive (most analogs have this). Try this for $10.
Get a water dish big enough for that snake to soak in. Search the kitchen section of a store -- possibly cheaper than a $20 dog bowl.
Cardboard hides are fine; they do the job. Give snake another on the other end of the cage. Toss them if they become soiled or mold. Poptart boxes do the trick at my house.
If you want to replace that substrate, aspen works fine. If you don't have the cash for that, paper towels also work.
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I used to use the Tiny Friend Farms one, but all the Amazon reviews said they changed their formula and it became too dusty. I don't know if that's true because I switched.
Now I get ZooMed Reptisand: https://www.amazon.com/Zoo-Med-ReptiSand-Pounds-Desert/dp/B0002DIZKC/
It's actually cheaper per pound as well. Tiny Friends is ~$3.86/pound, and ReptiSand is ~$1.81/pound
Just make sure that the second that little guy starts growing, you either get a bigger tank with a lid, or placed the lid on that. When I first got my red eared slider, I didn’t know they were good at climbing and one escaped. Another suggestion would be to get a basking area that stays in the middle of the tank. That is because turtles have it much harder trying to climb out if it’s not on land, here’s an example (https://youtu.be/QrvfthrHYMI) Make sure whenever you buy him a new item for his tank, that you watch him carefully to make sure he doesn’t do anything that could injure/kill them. If you are getting them a new basking station make sure the water level is high enough for them to get on, as young turtles don’t have a lot of strength in their legs. I would not recommend one of these as a basking area, as these do not stick to the bottom of the tank and can be used for your little guy to escape. (https://www.amazon.sg/Penn-Plax-Reptology-Floating-Basking-Platform/dp/B004PBCFG2/ref=sr_1_2?dchild=1&keywords=Turtle+basking&qid=1624665217&sr=8-2) I actually used a very big rock (65 kg) for my turtle basking area, I placed it against some strong bricks and placed it near the middle. This way my turtle can’t escape using it but they still have a basking area. If you ever decide to put his new tank outside, remember to drill a hole in the side of it. Because if it rains, the rain water will raise the water level and if the water doesn’t escaped it will just keep rising till it’s high enough that you’re turtle can escape. Sorry if the English and grammar were not great, English is my second language. Edit: after posting this i rewatched the video, keep that box of wires around 30cm away encase water splashes from the tank on them.
That is a great rec, I think you can get a pre-made above tank basking area for $45 on US Amazon
If you go on youtube you can also look up how to DIY one if you're outside the US and it's either too expensive or not available. If you do DIY just be sure to secure any way the turtles could possibly get out, even if it doesn't seem like it should be possible. Some are surprisingly good climbers.
It is. It's hard to find online, but Petco and Pet Supplies Plus always seem to have it when I go in person. Its on Amazon, but it's $20 rather than it's typical in store price of like $10.
Here's a link to the exact one I use: Zoo Med ReptiSand, 10 Pounds, Desert White https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0002DIZKC/ref=cm_sw_r_sms_apa_i_wpGdFbEKGDEBF
You can get a thermostat like this to use with your heat lamp so that it stays just the right temperature all the time!
I know The reptile carpet isn’t the best for them and I’m working to get a bio build going as soon as I can, hopefully in the next couple months! I don’t want him getting his toes hurt on the carpet 🥺
I’ve got a CHE going almost 24/7, it keeps the air temps around 75 at the lowest (it averages 55-60 degrees indoors in my current situation so it’s the best I can do to combat that cold!)
I have a heat mat to supplement the CHE that’s controlled via this heat mat controller too, set to turn on at 88 and turn off at 91 degrees.
I recently learned they need a solid back wall to feel more secure so that’s the foam rock wall added in the back as of today!
I appreciate any points and tips!
https://mycotek.org/index.php?threads/1537/
Brought me years of success.
https://www.amazon.com/Zoo-Med-Eco-Earth-Pack/dp/B0010OSIHW
Or if you buy a big brick of coir, the bricks used here have an average mass of 600g.
You can check my older posts about modified monos.
Heat mats should always be used with a digital thermostat, with the probe right next to the mat (both under the enclosure). That way you will never get a runaway overheat situation.
Some people get a pretty small wattage mat so it just never gets very hot. But it's safer and better for the snake if all heat sources are (each) regulated by their own thermostat.
Here is my favorite:
Under 20 bucks and easy to set up.
I use Zoo Med Reptisand, which I buy from my local Pet Supplies Plus Store. It's also available on Amazon. Zoo Med brand Reptisand is an all natural terrarium sand with no added dyes/chemicals/calcium. Reptile sand is a great choice for hamster sand baths, but you need to make sure you are only using the calcium-free kind which tends to be less common.
Sounds good, I would try switching to a coconut husk of some sort as it will hold the humidity way better (I prefer eco earth) and a thermostat regulates temperature (a thermometer measures it). So you plug your lamps/heat mats into the the thermostat and place the thermostat probe in your enclosure, and it will regulate the heat by turning the lights/mat/heat emitter, etc on and off to stay at a consistent temperature. Otherwise they could run too hot and injure your snake. Here is an affordable one many people use - https://www.amazon.com/Century-Thermostat-Controller-Germination-40-108°F/dp/B01I15S6OM/ref=sr_1_7?dchild=1&keywords=thermostat+jumpstart&qid=1610396946&sr=8-7
Great! Yeah it looks smaller than it is haha. With the 55 make sure you have lots of plants and stuff to kind of make it not feel so open. As for bioactive I personally don’t but I know two people who have gotten kits/supplies from Josh’s Frogs.
Jumpstart thermostats work good on a budget, I really like this one from amazon https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01I15S6OM/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_cGJxBb08D86B4
You can get the reptisand on amazon. They have a 10lb bag. That’s how I get mine regularly since it’s cheaper than the pet store here.
The biggest thing to keep in mind is they usually crap out after three months but based off a few reviews supposedly this one lasts about a year. Here's the amazon link.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01CO9582Y?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share
Here's some for $7.50 on Amazon.
Three pack of 650g blocks.
Actually there is! They’re called heat pad thermometer stats, here’s one
I can't speak for that particular model, but I use these ones: https://www.amazon.com/Century-Thermostat-Controller-Germination-40-108%C3%82%C2%B0F/dp/B01I15S6OM They're cheap and reliable. The Jumpstart ones are good too but cost a smidge more. It's normal for the thermostat to turn on and off. The turning on and off is how it maintains the temperature. Heat mats don't have much of an effect on the ambient temperatures. If you need to get the ambient temp up, you'll need to either raise the temp of the actual room or put some heating lamps in.
This is the enclosure that you’re going to want. If you’re looking to save money, you can DIY this pretty easily. The correct light will also probably cost you $50-$80 (USD). Plus any medications that you’ll need since the cham most likely has mbd. I’ll leave it to the mod to give you more specifics since they’ll have better info than me.
Good luck, I hope he can pull through
Poor guy ! Get him a humidifier if you haven't already and if keep his humidity above 70 till he starts to look better.
I recommend this for your tank. Fill the water up to the line on the ramp. If that's a 55 gallon, around 12 inches wide, this can sit directly on top.
Children's play sand or reptile sand will do just fine! (You can find this at hardware stores) There are videos on sanitizing play sand for hamsters on youtube.
Just make sure whatever you buy doesn't have dust and check the reviews to see if others have used it with their own hamsters.
It’s actually a fogging machine, so it releases less moisture but at a steady pace vs. the misting machines that spray everything wet. Here’s the link to where we got it from. 😉
Amazon also have a 3 pack for $6.59 next day shipping but I had to really dig around their website to find. Here's the link - https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0010OSIHW/ref=ppx\_yo\_dt\_b\_asin\_title\_o03\_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07VVNP7F3/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_glt_fabc_KB34C0WVB681DECDZ667 This is a new humidifier I got, generally I just leave the humidifier on it's lowest setting and have a fan within the grow tent.
If you don’t want to sanitize and don’t mind spending a little extra, reptisand works well. But it has to be that brand, others have calcium added
No problem!! Here’s a link to the cage:) Zoo Med ReptiBreeze Open Air Screen Cage, Extra Large, 24 x 24 x 48-Inches https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001PHABI8/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_glt_fabc_KNB8RFF4822HKP5CJ3XW?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1
I would recommend switching to a direct heat source like a ceramic heat lamp with a temperature reader (see below suggestion). Tower heaters are best not left unattended for long periods of time since they're a fire hazard (heat lamps are too, but run less risk). Tower heaters in my experience tend to also malfunction or stop working after a few years depending on brand since they want you to have to buy a new one.
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Recommended temperature control to plug a ceramic heat lamp into: https://www.amazon.com/Century-Thermostat-Controller-Germination-40-108%C3%82%C2%B0F/dp/B01I15S6OM/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?dchild=1&keywords=TEMPERATURE+CONTROL+HEDGEHOG+CAGE&qid=1620257134&sr=8-1-spons&psc=1&spLa=ZW5jcnlwdGVkUXVhbGlmaWVyPUEyNDBDMUROWVhHNVg3JmVuY3J5cHRlZElkPUExMDA2Mzc5RTRaMkNMSVFORjNIJmVuY3J5cHRlZEFkSWQ9QTA4ODY2MTQxMTQ4V0M5T1dCSVE5JndpZGdldE5hbWU9c3BfYXRmJmFjdGlvbj1jbGlja1JlZGlyZWN0JmRvTm90TG9nQ2xpY2s9dHJ1ZQ==