tank size

[RaVeNo888o]

Hey, im goin to the store tomorrow to see what i can get ready for my crested gecko.
About the tank, i know an adult needs a 20 gallon, and i going to get a 20 gallon tall, or just a regular and put it on its end.

Is it really too big for a baby? i will be feeding crickets very rarely so they wont have to hunt for them. i would feed baby food and the CGD, so if their have a food dish, would they still not be able to find it?

What if i had a 20g tank on its end. If i didnt put branches that reach too high, then would that be better? it would be like a smaller tank, cept that they could climb the walls higher than the 'funiture' would allow..then when they are grown, just put taller stuff in? get what im saying?

i might have more q's but thats all for now.
Thanks,
Kyle

[Bartman]

why dont you just split the tank in half with some piece of wood?
i think ur short branch idea would work well.
just a thought

[RaVeNo888o]

ya, i think so too.. it would be reducing the 'active' space in the tank so that it was like a 10 gallon with some empty air above it..the only difference being that they could climb higher on the glass than the branches allowed them too.

anyone have any ideas or comments on this idea?

[CDN-Cresties]

Personally I raise my babies in a a critter keeper, until they are a juvi, then i move them into a tank.

-Steve-

[RaVeNo888o]

how big is your critter keeper? i have this little thing that i used to have my baby mouse in, that is like 9x5x5 inches..i just assumed this would be too small.
In the critter keeper do you have small twigs and stuff to climb on?
if possible could you take a few pics of the baby enclosures, since the one i am getting will be a week or two old.

Maybe i will just buy one of those plastic critter keeper things, like the ones you see in reptile kits....how long b4 i have to upsize from that?

[CDN-Cresties]

Maybe i will just buy one of those plastic critter keeper things, like the ones you see in reptile kits....how long b4 i have to upsize from that?

That exactly what i meant, i have branches and leaves in there. Ill try to get a pic. To upsize depends on the growth of the gecko,
Hope this helps. :D

-Steve-

[RaVeNo888o]

what are the dimensions of yours...do you have only the one in there?

[CDN-Cresties]

I dont know the exact dimensions, its the biggest critter keeper you can get (height wise). I only have 1 cresty for each critter keeper.

-Steve-

[RaVeNo888o]

well, im on my way now..i plan to find a critter keeper, then go over to the branches and find one that fits nice and has lots of different directions for it to climb on.then get 2 or 3 plants that can fit up into the branches..
Do they need ground hides? or is the leave cover in the brances good. Also, do you guys provide a water dish , or is misting enough. Do you mist 1 or 2 times a day?

[RaVeNo888o]

ok, i got it.. the tank is one of those plastic critter keeper things, with the black top with the clear plastic opening. I got 2 grape vines that set up some nice climbing areas, they are perfect for what i was thinking. then i got one plastic plant, that goes up between the vines so there is leaves all over. I got one of those fake half log type things for a ground hide, and a thermo. The store doesnt have any of the CGD, where have you guys had luck getting it? but they do sell cricks and worms so thats good..

oh man, they have a ball python there that looks amazing, but its like $250. a bp will be my next pet, maybe after another crestie, we will see

[CDN-Cresties]

Awesome start. You should be ok without a ground hide as long as you have other cover with leaves and such. I provide a water dish at all times but not to deep, baby cresties can drown if too deep. A lite mist twice a day, it depends on your house's humidity. You are on the right track :D

-Steve-

[CDN-Cresties]

I highly recommend that you use paper towel as a substrate. In my setups i leave most of bottom free from leaves and other cage furniture, i only do this so my cresties can find food more easily. If you want to get some CGD try these stores: Port Credit Pets, Reptilia and The Reptile Store. I would stick to crix for a baby crestie, mealworms may cause impaction. When do you get your cresty? Can you post a pic of your set up and your cresty?
Thanks

-Steve-

[RaVeNo888o]

yep, i plan on using paper towel. I thought i was getting one in a few weeks because they hadnt hatched yet, but i was mistaken by what he had said. I asked when the next bunch would be born, but turns out he has some already lol..so he has 4 dalmations and 2 fires..i told him i was interested in one of the fires and for some pics and stuff..so it could be really soon if we can get a way of getting it to me.
I would love to take some pics because i really like the way the branches fit but not sure how soon i can get some (gotta use my dads cam)
Should i just take the ground hide out? i could put it in when i upsize but i dont know if it will be big enough for him when he is larger, only a few $ anyways.
Where in your tank do you put ur thermo? it is all one temperature anyways, so does it even matter?
I didnt buy a humidity monitor (cant remember the name)..do i need to? or will misting 2 times a day be fine..my mom has a dehumidifier on most of the time in the basement (where my room is) so i dont have to worry about excess humidity.

[RaVeNo888o]

oh ya, when you feed them, do you just take off the whole lid? cause it would be pretty tough to reach around the branches and stuff through the tiny opening in the middle of the top. i dont have to worry about him escaping while i put the food in do I?

i almost didnt buy the critter keeper and went for a 15g tank, cause they were only $23, and the keeper was $14..but i figured whats the point, ill get a tank later, and then i will have a keeper to fill lol

[RaVeNo888o]

this is bugging me having a completely set up tank with no crestie lol. everything is how i want it..i had the vines perfect in the store when i was setting it up to make sure everything fit nice, then i couldnt remember how i had it, but i just figured it out and now its awesome..there is vine and/or leaf in every corner now:)

update: I am officially going crazy. If i dont get the crestie in that enclosure soon, i am going to commit my self to the mental hospital :mad: :eek: >(

[CDN-Cresties]

RaVeNo888o,

Should i just take the ground hide out? i could put it in when i upsize but i dont know if it will be big enough for him when he is larger, only a few $ anyways.

Its completly up to you, if you like the way it looks then go for it :D

Where in your tank do you put ur thermo? it is all one temperature anyways, so does it even matter?

I have a digital device that tells me the temp and humidity, i just place it in one of there enclosures and it does the rest. I highly recommend this sort of device because it also displays the mininim
and maxium temp and humidiy levels that day. Which can help you adjust if your levels go to high or low.


when you feed them, do you just take off the whole lid?

Yep

i dont have to worry about him escaping while i put the food in do I?

Kinda but not really. if he does get out just pick him up and put him back in.


Hope this helps:D

-Steve-

[RaVeNo888o]

yep thanks...maybe i will invest in one of those digital thermos with the probes and i can use it for both my cal king and my cresties...that is if i put them beside each other (i would put cardboard so they cant see each other)..might just put the crestie on the desk

i will wait and see about the ground hide..it takes up a bit of the ground space, but if he uses it i will leave it in. if not, ill take it out.


like, i said before,. this empty cage is driving me nuts...i think that getting some mealies to start breeding will tide me over for a day or so though lol

[RaVeNo888o]

I am leaving soon to go pick up my baby crestie, about 2 inches the guy said.
I just have one more question for now. Is there any sort of acclimation period for cresties, like when you get a snake, where you should just leave them alone and not feed them..i mean, i wont try to handle him till he is settled in but do i start feeding him right away like tomorrw? or do i wait 2 or 3 days first? my guess is no, but just making sure

[CDN-Cresties]

Try not to handle him/her for 2 weeks, let it acclimate to its new surroundings. You can start feeding it on the night you get it. Congrats on you're new cresty :D good luck!!!

-Steve-