# gecko Q



## skhjb5 (Oct 27, 2008)

This is my first post and i am getting a gecko v soon. an was wondering the following:
- i have heard some people say you need a day and a night light whats this because my pet shop says this is not needed and the heat buld will do both jobs?
-i was considering having a heat mat and a heat bulb and was wondering what wattage the mat and bulb shoul be? also if i just use a bulb or just use a mat does that mean the wattage needs to be lower?


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## cooljules (May 20, 2008)

what type of gecko? i have 4 differant

i used spot lights in day


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## Dan Dan The Reptile Man (Nov 8, 2007)

a leo perhaps?

if so..... heat mat statted, simple as really.

you can have bulbs but most leopard geckos seem to do better with heat mats.

there is also no need to turn temps down at night, but you can if you wish.

i personally have my stat set to 90f and leave it at that all the time.

Dan


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## skhjb5 (Oct 27, 2008)

yes sorry i having 2 female leopard geckos


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## skhjb5 (Oct 27, 2008)

also sorry this might be thick but what do u mean by spot lights?????


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## Dan Dan The Reptile Man (Nov 8, 2007)

although 2 females are better you will still want to watch out for fighting.

also if your getting them from different sources, you will need to quaranteen.

as for spotlight, a bulb providing heat basically.

but most leo's do better with heat mats, as they get their heat from their stomach.

Dan


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## cooljules (May 20, 2008)

Dan Dan The Reptile Man said:


> although 2 females are better you will still want to watch out for fighting.
> 
> also if your getting them from different sources, you will need to quaranteen.
> 
> ...


leos do fine with a spot light if done right.

a heat bulb is a spot light. or they could mean just to warm the air


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## skhjb5 (Oct 27, 2008)

ok does the wattage matter? and i have had them both from the same place and they are in the same cage at the mo aswell.

while i am on how ling can you make the crickets last for before they die?


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## Dan Dan The Reptile Man (Nov 8, 2007)

yes leos can do fine with bulbs and a lot do, but a heatmat is really recommended.

just have a look at a few caresheets to realise this. not disregarding bulbs mind 

as long as you gutload them well etc they should last a good while.


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## cooljules (May 20, 2008)

skhjb5 said:


> ok does the wattage matter? and i have had them both from the same place and they are in the same cage at the mo aswell.
> 
> while i am on how ling can you make the crickets last for before they die?


lep gex come out at night, when no sun....

so i heat my sand and rocks and pebbles, so when the lights to out, they hold the heat for hours...

no the normal way for newbies, but more realistic in nature, plus i like it.


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## skhjb5 (Oct 27, 2008)

ok well if i decided to use the mat and the bulb just to be safe would i need 2 stats, 1 for bulb 1 for the mat?


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## cooljules (May 20, 2008)

skhjb5 said:


> ok well if i decided to use the mat and the bulb just to be safe would i need 2 stats, 1 for bulb 1 for the mat?


you dont want a light at night....

if done right, you wouldnt need a mat at night, but some people do.

and i dont use stats, so im no use there


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## skhjb5 (Oct 27, 2008)

aaaahhh i am confused because the guy in the shop said all i need is the heat bulb which i can leave on all the time and this will supply all the heat an light needed this right? oh and its red by the way


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## Dan Dan The Reptile Man (Nov 8, 2007)

if using both yes stats for both.

i personally would just use a heat mat and stat it.

works for me and leos seem to thrive on it.

Dan


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## Dan Dan The Reptile Man (Nov 8, 2007)

skhjb5 said:


> aaaahhh i am confused because the guy in the shop said all i need is the heat bulb which i can leave on all the time and this will supply all the heat an light needed this right? oh and its red by the way


hes just trying to get more money out of you lol. he will want you to be a reptile specialist bulb and then a dimmer stat which cost a lot more.

and if you were going with a bulb to replicate daylight etc red doesnt suffice, you would need a standard spot bulb.


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## cooljules (May 20, 2008)

Dan Dan The Reptile Man said:


> hes just trying to get more money out of you lol. he will want you to be a reptile specialist bulb and then a dimmer stat which cost a lot more.
> 
> and if you were going with a bulb to replicate daylight etc red doesnt suffice, you would need a standard spot bulb.


yeah someone had been buying 7.99 bulbs for years cos the pet shop told em too, i use 40p ones!


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## skhjb5 (Oct 27, 2008)

ok so if i get the matt then i would just need a bulb to give light for 12 hours? no other bulbs, no red bulbs etc..

and by the way he day mention dimming the bulb just said leave it on no change 24 hours a day

i am going bulb mad lol


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## Dan Dan The Reptile Man (Nov 8, 2007)

no, you dont need a bulb at all if your going with the mat, just make sure youve got light coming in through the window, this will give them a day night cycle pretty well.


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## skhjb5 (Oct 27, 2008)

ok thank you lol its just everyone says different on every care sheet and every breeder hard to know whats right


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## skhjb5 (Oct 27, 2008)

can you suggest a good site for care sheets and other info?


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## cooljules (May 20, 2008)

skhjb5 said:


> can you suggest a good site for care sheets and other info?


only seen some really shit caresheets...and i kept mine before the internet and access to good info..

as i keep mine in big vivs, with spot lights, i cant tell you much how to do with heat matts...as i dont use them or a stat but im sure someone will soon


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## Dan Dan The Reptile Man (Nov 8, 2007)

ill just give you the basics lol to lazy to search around lol

viv - 2x1 minimum
hot side - 88-92f
cool side - room temp will suffice, will actually be a bit higher with the heat mat aswell.
1 hide either side
also moist hide.
use tiles, kitchen roll etc as substrate to avoid impaction.


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## Dan Dan The Reptile Man (Nov 8, 2007)

food wise

i use a variety. locust/crickets/mealworms.

but you can feed solely on any of them.

just make sure you gutload them well using the likes of oats/bran/fishflakes. with green veg (darker is better) and fruit like apples.

Dan


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## skhjb5 (Oct 27, 2008)

brill thanks for all ya help x


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## Dan Dan The Reptile Man (Nov 8, 2007)

no prob, need any more help feel free to PM me, will do what i can.

Dan


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## LindaE (Apr 20, 2008)

if they are babies they might be ok but if they are adults or even youngsters they will fight, it is best to get 2 females or 1 of each


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## Dan Dan The Reptile Man (Nov 8, 2007)

i am sure on the first page the OP states its 2 females if i am not mistaken.

and 1 of each is not really recommended, as breeding will occur to early if kept together from an early age, and the male will constantly harass the female, causing stress.


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## Chimp (Sep 23, 2006)

depending on the size of the viv i would use either a night bulb and a heat mat for a large viv over 2ft 

or for a smaler viv under 2ft just a heat mat 

hope this helps, Rich


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## citizen_smithi (Jul 11, 2008)

Hey, not wanting to hijack the thread but I have similar issues and want to check your thoughts on my set up.

I have a heat mat under one side covering a third of the floor space, lino floor which seems to heat up nicely, on that side is the magnetic cave hide thingy which he (my adult male leo) has been in since he arrived yesterday. Behind the tank out side the glass is a red incandescent 15w bulb for a slight raise in daytime temp which gets turned of at night, allowing for a night time temp drop to encourage the day night cycle, and he is by a window with thin curtains closed so there is day light but not too much.

This sound fine people?

Cheers, ad again apologies for jumping aboard!:blush:


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## Dan Dan The Reptile Man (Nov 8, 2007)

citizen_smithi said:


> Hey, not wanting to hijack the thread but I have similar issues and want to check your thoughts on my set up.
> 
> I have a heat mat under one side covering a third of the floor space, lino floor which seems to heat up nicely, on that side is the magnetic cave hide thingy which he (my adult male leo) has been in since he arrived yesterday. Behind the tank out side the glass is a red incandescent 15w bulb for a slight raise in daytime temp which gets turned of at night, allowing for a night time temp drop to encourage the day night cycle, and he is by a window with thin curtains closed so there is day light but not too much.
> 
> ...


if your heat mat is on a stat and set to 88-92 then thats perfect.

i wouldnt worry about him not wandering either as it can take a few weeks for them to settle in.

there ia an argument that leos can not see red light so if you want to replicate a day night cycle, buy a energy saving one, its very low wattage and gices off little heat.


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## citizen_smithi (Jul 11, 2008)

Stat is in the post, but I check the temps every half an hour when I 'm home, and as I'm at work all day I have turned the bulb off to stop it getting too hot while i'm out. When I left this morning the cheap thermometer (exoterra speedometer type one!) read 21c in the centre, think I'm gonna get a heatmat that covers half instead of a third of the floor coz that would mean the cold end is about 18c, possibly lower (gets cold in my flat) and I think that's too low even for the cool end?

Thanks for the help!


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## Dan Dan The Reptile Man (Nov 8, 2007)

possibly a bit to low yes.

your heat mat on the floor at the hot spot should be reading around 30c.

maybe once that heat is reached the cold side temp may be bumped up


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## citizen_smithi (Jul 11, 2008)

The heat at the hot end is definitely fine, you can tell just by resting the back of your hand on the floor that it's easily 30c there, it was just the cold end I was concerned about, but my thermostat arrived this morning so tonight I can have a fiddle and see where I really am. Lookin at getting a wooden viv soon also to hold the heat more effectively.


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## Dan Dan The Reptile Man (Nov 8, 2007)

let us know how you get on


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## Fcukangel (Oct 26, 2008)

We use a day glo bulb for our leos, hope this helps.


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## citizen_smithi (Jul 11, 2008)

Ok so here's what I got - heat mat under the tank, and a 40watt red lamp also outside the tank (no light fitting in my viv, looking for a better one) lamp is going to the stat, temp is set to hover between 30 and 32c which it is doing nicely, and my leo has been moving between his hides at fairly regular intervals and is active and happy, so he's thermo regulating nicely.

He still hasn't eaten yet and I got him on sunday, should I be worrying yet or is that an ok time for leos that can be just put down to settling in?


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## citizen_smithi (Jul 11, 2008)

All is well, he is eating VERY well, and moving as he should, and making me envious every morning by making sure he is fast asleep is his log as I get up for work :2thumb:


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