Leopard gecko enclosure question

[ikkie78]

Ok so I'm looking at also getting a leopard gecko soon before I get my beardie this spring but I had a question about enclosures. I was thinking about building a smaller crossfire enclosure but I had a question about how I would use a UTH? Could I put one under the tile and would it get warm enough? Also the UTH would be on top of the wood of the enclosure and under the tile...would this be safe or would it be better to stick with a glass enclosure? I was looking at one of the glass tanks where the front opens up otherwise...think Exo terra makes it maybe? Just wanted opinions on what route to take.

Thanks!

 

[ringfinger]

The UTH would definitely get hot enough, maybe too hot. You'll notice on the warnings for a UTH that they recommend against sandwiching it between something like wood and tile. I personally woudln't go that route, but I'm pretty cautious anyway.

Are you installing lighting as per the instructions? How about using a ceramic heat emitter in the bulb socket and connecting that to a lamp dimmer? This is what I use for my Leos.

 

[ikkie78]

The lighting probably wouldn't be the same...I was gonna rig that a little different but never thought about a CHE on a dimmer...that might work pretty good. Just tryi g to price things out a little bit and see what the cost would be to build something like this. I know the Exo-terra large low terrarium I was looking at runs like $140 so I'm hoping to come in under that but if it's close I might just buy the exoterra one...then I would just run an UTH. I like being able to access the enclosure from the front do that's why I am looking at both of these options.

Thanks for the advice...I'm pretty cautious myself so that's why I was worried about the UTH.

 

[Jess]

I have two of the Exo-Terra 24x18 low tanks for my geckos. I got them on. Sale at Petsmart for $70 each! If you wanted to do a wooden viv, I know that some people make a false bottom with the tile that they put the UTH on.

 

[ikkie78]

That's a good price! How to you like the Eco terra enclosures? Are they pretty nice?

The false bottom is a good idea too...thanks for the help!

 

[Jess]

I absolutely love them! They fit perfectly side-by-side on top of my beardie's viv, and the 24x18 actually has more floor space than a 20 gal long does.

 

[ikkie78]

Maybe I'll just pick one of those up then...already will be building an enclosure for my future beardie so at least it'll save time and they did look pretty nice. Hopefully I'll catch a good sale like you did too.

Thanks for the help Jess...I appreciate it.

 

[SammyJayne]

I've found with my Leo's that they prefer the wooden vivs over glass tanks of any kind. They're more comfortable in the wooden viv I guess because they don't feel so exposed and I see them wondering around, climbing their rocks etc since moving them to a wooden viv. I have my heat mat in the viv on the wood and then have repticarpet or lino over it. I've had it this way for a few years now and no one has been burnt or anything and my temps are spot-on all year round whereas with the glass tank I found when it got colder I had to turn the thermostat my heat mat's plugged into up. Hope this helps.

 

[ikkie78]

Thanks for the input...thinking I might build an enclosure...priced it out and figure I could do it pretty cheap...think I might do part of the wood viv with a cutout and put a piece of glass in the floor for the UTH to sit on kind of like Jess mentioned I think...figure it's kind of the best of both worlds.

As far as lighting, obviously I wouldn't need a basking light...do you think those rope LED lights on a dimmer would work? I would probably wire in a CHE just in case I needed to bump the temp up a bit but I figured the rope lights along to top edge would light it without being too bright for the gecko. Would that work?

 

[SammyJayne]

Are you putting the lights in just so you can see the gecko at night or are you doing it for additional heat source?

 

[ikkie78]

The lights would just be to see the gecko...I figure I could wire in a CHE on a dimmer or thermostat in case I need additional heat.

 

[SammyJayne]

If it's just for viewing I recommend getting a red or yellow 25w bulb or in the past I've also used a 15w sign lamp, all three emit enough light for viewing the gecko and don't seem to affect them.

 

[ikkie78]

Would the rope light be to bright? I figured with a dimmer on it I could keep it low so it wouldn't be too lit up for them...I'll look into the smaller wattage red or yellow as well though...thanks!

 

[SammyJayne]

I don't think the rope light would be too bright but from what I know of them is that they can get quite hot and it would interfere with having a gradient temperature that's all I was thinking.

 

[ikkie78]

Ok I'll have to look into that...I figured with it being an LED there would be minimal heat output if any at all...maybe I'll buy some and check the heat output before I do anything.