![]() ![]() Natural rocks like slate are perfect for this, so are heavy artificial ornaments. Leopard geckos love the warmth coming from their basking lamp but they also appreciate secondary belly heat which will radiate from warm objects. If you plan to keep the gecko in a bio-active enclosure a nutrient rich soil and clay mix with some sand for aeration would be perfect. If you prefer a more natural looking decoration a soil / clay mix would be perfect. In store we normally use a coarse beech woodchip as it is clean, cheap, easy to spot clean and dust free. When selecting a bedding we try to ensure that the pieces are unlikely to increase the enclosures humidity. Leopard geckos thrive in a low humidity environment with hard decorations to climb over and bask on. To achieve this we would provide partial and full hiding spots throughout the enclosure. At times the gecko may desire some time in an area with no light. In this configuration we achieve a temperature gradient along the length and a UV gradient along the width meaning that whatever the dragons requirements they can find the perfect position within the enclosure. This should provide a nice UV gradient from the back of the enclosure towards the front. Whichever lamp you choose we would advise mounting it to the back of the ceiling, close to the warm end. They are around half an inch in diameter, last 12 months and have an effective range of 18-24 inches. The T8 lamps are around 1 inch in diameter, they must be replaced every 6 months or so and they have an effective range of 9-12 inches. UV tubes are currently available in 2 sizes, T8 and T5. Albinos or any gecko with less pigmentation would be on the lower end of that spectrum while a common leopard gecko could have a wide 5% tube or a short 7% tube. We recommend somewhere between 2-7% over a small portion of the enclosure depending on the gecko. Leopard geckos are not afull time basking species by nature so they don't need an intense UVB source. A simple dial thermometer on each side should be sufficient but digital probe thermometers are much more accurate. A 5of variance on the basking spot is nothing to worry about as long as your cool side is still cool. Though the thermostats we sell are very reliable it is always best practice to monitor your temperatures with a thermometer. The heat mat will only begin to heat once the temperatures have dropped below 80of at night time. During the day your temperatures will be much too warm and the heat mat thermostat should keep it off automatically. The heat mat is buried under around an inch of bedding, the sensor for the thermostat is then rested on the bedding covering the heat mat so that it can track the surface temperature of that patch of floor. To make sure that the heat mat remains the correct temperature it is controlled by a simple on/off thermostat set to 80of. The heat mat will warm objects around it providing a warm patch of ground for the leopard gecko to rest on. ![]() To provide this warmth throughout the night without introducing light to the enclosure we lay a heat mat under the basking area. Though at this point the sun has gone down, there would still be rocks, paths and roads that have warmed up in the day and that will radiate heat for much of the night. This should make sure that the gecko has a clear day night cycle. At night, all of the lights should go off and the enclosure should be completely dark. The basking lamp is left on for 10-12 hours per day. Leopard geckos will be able to reach the top of their enclosure without decorations to climb on so the basking lamp must be surrounded by a guard. This is controlled by a dimming thermostat to make sure that the temperature is kept correct throughout the day. To achieve this we attach a basking lamp to the ceiling of the enclosure on one side. We try to provide this heat over 1/3 of the enclosure while letting the rest of the enclosure cool to 70of on the opposite side. Naturally, leopard geckos would experience temperatures of around 90of in the sun. Animals at Northampton Reptile & Fish Centre.Tortoise & Turtle Setups Expand submenu. ![]()
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