Want To Have A Pet Gecko? Know How To Set Up The Enclosure
Have you always wanted to have a gecko for a pet, but not sure what is involved to take care of one? If so, it will help to know the following tips to ensure that you are setting up their enclosure in the proper way. The key to making a habitat for your gecko is to create an environment that matches what they are used to in the wild as closely as you can. Geckos live in environments that are dry, hot, and rocky, so that should be your goal as well when you keep a gecko in your home.
Heat The Enclosure
Since geckos cannot produce their own heat to remain comfortable, you have to provide the heat with a heat lamp. It's important to have an enclosure that is wide enough so that you can heat half of it, which gives your gecko the choice of if they want heat or not. The heat lamp should be connected to a thermostat so that you can maintain a steady temperature, where it doesn't get too hot. However, at nighttime, you will want to turn off the heat lamp and use a heat mat that will warm the closure from underneath the enclosure.
Line The Floor Of The Enclosure
You'll want to line the floor of the enclosure with a special substrate material, often referred to as reptile carpet. This is a thin layer of material that prevents the gecko from overheating. You do not want to use wood chips, bark, or anything that can be eaten by the gecko while they are in their environment.
Create Hiding Places
You can create hiding places in the geckos' enclosure that give them places to hide from natural light or sleep. You'll want a variety of places for your gecko to go, such as a small enclosure that has an open bottom against the reptile carpet, and one that is enclosed with damp moss inside it. This gives your gecko different places to go to improve their comfort.
Control The Humidity
You do not want the enclosure to get too humid, since it should match your home's humidity and be somewhere between 30% and 40%. If the enclosure gets too humid, then you need to increase the ventilation so that the humidity can escape. Use a digital hydrometer to monitor the humidity, and make changes as necessary to improve your gecko's comfort.
To learn more about taking care of a gecko, contact a business that has reptiles for sale.