I am looking to get some fat tailed geckos soon. Of course, I will be doing research as to their care and needs, but do you guys and gals have any tips on keeping them? Some of the stuff I was wondering about was...
Substrate: They need a very fine particulate substrate, right? Like sand? But a tank full of sand weighs a ton. Would it be possible to fill their tank with a few inches of coco fiber, and top it off with sand to cut down on the weight and costs? Or is it easier to just use straight sand, or some other substrate? I kinda want to avoid stuff like paper towels, because I would like a naturalistic terrarium for them, not just some lizards in a glass box with some newspaper.
Light, Heat, and Humidity: They need a source of UV, right? So, they need a UV lamp. But what kind of humidity is best for them? I know they need a moist hide-box, and of course a water dish. Anything else? Would an under-tank heat pad work well with a UV lamp? Should they be on the same ends of the tank, opposite ends, or maybe they lamp on one end, and the mat in the middle?
EDIT:Kingsnake.com says they need no extra lighting, as they are nocturnal. Correct? Also, does this mean they are not active during the day? Will I be able to keep their tank at the recommended 80~ degrees F with just UTH?
Tank decor: Besides the moist hide box, what else goes well in their tank? Do they climb much? Is it safe for them to climb much? Are certain woods, like pine and cedar, bad for them? Also, how deep a tank do they need? I have several wide, flat Exo-terra cages. Would they work, or do they need to something taller?
Feeding: They need their crickets dusted with vitamin powder, right? Do they need a special formula? Can they take roaches too? I was thinking of starting a dubia colony, would they be able to eat them?
How many should I get? I was thinking of using a 10-20g tank, and wanted at least 2 geckos. Is a 10g large enough?
What are some good gecko forums and books?
Are there any cool, but affordable (~<$60) color morphs to look for? What are general prices for them? They are mostly CB, right?
Thanks for the help! Like I said, I will be researching it all on my own, but its nice to get input from people on here that have experience with them as well.
Substrate: They need a very fine particulate substrate, right? Like sand? But a tank full of sand weighs a ton. Would it be possible to fill their tank with a few inches of coco fiber, and top it off with sand to cut down on the weight and costs? Or is it easier to just use straight sand, or some other substrate? I kinda want to avoid stuff like paper towels, because I would like a naturalistic terrarium for them, not just some lizards in a glass box with some newspaper.
Light, Heat, and Humidity: They need a source of UV, right? So, they need a UV lamp. But what kind of humidity is best for them? I know they need a moist hide-box, and of course a water dish. Anything else? Would an under-tank heat pad work well with a UV lamp? Should they be on the same ends of the tank, opposite ends, or maybe they lamp on one end, and the mat in the middle?
EDIT:Kingsnake.com says they need no extra lighting, as they are nocturnal. Correct? Also, does this mean they are not active during the day? Will I be able to keep their tank at the recommended 80~ degrees F with just UTH?
Tank decor: Besides the moist hide box, what else goes well in their tank? Do they climb much? Is it safe for them to climb much? Are certain woods, like pine and cedar, bad for them? Also, how deep a tank do they need? I have several wide, flat Exo-terra cages. Would they work, or do they need to something taller?
Feeding: They need their crickets dusted with vitamin powder, right? Do they need a special formula? Can they take roaches too? I was thinking of starting a dubia colony, would they be able to eat them?
How many should I get? I was thinking of using a 10-20g tank, and wanted at least 2 geckos. Is a 10g large enough?
What are some good gecko forums and books?
Are there any cool, but affordable (~<$60) color morphs to look for? What are general prices for them? They are mostly CB, right?
Thanks for the help! Like I said, I will be researching it all on my own, but its nice to get input from people on here that have experience with them as well.
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