hi everyone

[drums'r'cool]

hi people,

how are you all,
i live in australia and i have 3 fish tanks but i do not have a lizard tank and i really like them and i have a 20 gallon spare.

would this be big enough for maybe 2 small geckos( i want the type that lives on sand and rocks and no plants) what type should i get?

what things do i need to get started, i have the tank, stand, top glass (will this let out too much heat?) and a flurescent light(will i need a different one?).

also what do i feed them with,can i play with them, how much ground space do they need,do they need a wading pond thingy.

also do they need any back grounds. i have one but i would like to see all sides of the tank.:bounce:

sorry for all the questions:rolleyes:

cool thanks

[Youkai]

Fist, I'd get a screen lid.

I could reccomend a pile of smalle geckos to suit what you have, but my understanding is that you're subject to very strict herp laws.
First thing I'd suggest to you are a couple of leopard geckos.

They don't need backgrounds, but will require a humid hide. If you start with juvies, no sand until they're at least 5-6".

For leos, you don't need flourescent light, but a spot light or under tank heater.

[Katatonic]

Leopard geckos, African Fat-tails, Sand Geckos, Helmeted Geckos.
You'd need a sand substrate for virtually all of them, a heat pad, and not necessarily a different flourescent.
Play time depends on the species, figure that one out first. Not many species of gecko take up a considerable amount of space and you don't need a wading pool for most types of gecko...
What do you want to get out of this experience??

[Katatonic]

Aside from Crested geckos *another good choice of lizard*, geckos feed primarily on crickets and other LIVE insects.
LATER.

[drums'r'cool]

i always loved geckos but i could never get one but since a new lizard/fish/turtle shop opened i saw them and i realized i could get some

what does a screen lid look like and do?
i already have gravel in the tank(it was a former fish tank).will this do?

i have live insects at my pet shop so that aint a prob(crickets or meal worms)

i was going to have the tank as a a room divider

also what is a humid hide?, sorry for the dumb questions but im new!
thanks for any replys

[marisa]

A screen lid is just that. a flat lid, that securely fits into the lid on the top of your aquarium. The black border on top that is. It fits snug in there and has a turn knob on it usually to secure it in place.

Gravel won't really do for any geckos I know of and fish gravel is really difficult to clean. The good news is that most geckos do well on paper towel, "Forest Floor" although I don't think you have that there but its a multch basically. There are a few other options too that I cant think of right off my head...

Humid hides are used by many species of gecko and their importance depends on the species you choose. But basically its a butter dish, tupperware dish or something similar with lid, a hole cut in it....and filled with a wet medium/substrate like wet paper towels, multch, moss etc. You keep it wet in there and check it often for mold or drying out. When you research the species you decide on caresheets should give you information to that geckos humidity needs and if it will appreciate a humid hide.

Hope that helps!
Marisa

[drums'r'cool]

ok so the gravel wont do, and i need to get rid of the top glass.
and i need to get rid of my old aquarium light(is this right?)

[drums'r'cool]

also ive got a stick on thermometer on the tank already it is fairly close t the top should i get a new one(and do i need a thermometer.)

also can someone maybe post a pic of there lizard tank so i can see what the humid hides etc looks like.

thanks

[DragnDrop]

As you probably know, Australia has very strict laws about reptiles in captivity. It's illegal to import most foreign, and export all native species, so you're limited to what you can keep. We could recommend all kinds of great pet species, but chances are you won't be able to get a hold of them. Even common ones like leopard geckos were illegal in Oz not long ago, and I believe still are. However, depending on the state you live in, you can most likely keep bearded dragons, various native skinks (blue tongues are big, but great pets), and geckos --- any Oedura, Nephrurus and Underwoodisaurus. Others might be legal, you'll have to check.
Even suggestions for setting up your enclosure could be way off, since we have no idea what the environmental needs are, and what your house temperatures, seasonal variations etc. are.

Check this link for some initial guidance on permitted species, permits if needed, and some idea of prices and supplies available in Australia.

"How To Purchase" - ULTIMATE REPTILE SUPPLIERS PTY LTD (http://reptile.senet.com.au/purchase.html)

No matter how well meaning we are, chances are what we do here won't cut it Down Under.
There are also some Australians registered here, you might want to get in touch with them for some help.

[drums'r'cool]

ill talk to my lizard shop owner about what types he has( he has a few.

[Katatonic]

Good idea, it'd spare us giving up improper advice that might jeopardize the well-being of your lizard. We don't mind helping, so let us all know what you decide on eventually, once you talk to your local herp supplier.
LATER.