#End of 2 months quarantine, need help building enclosure

1 messages · Page 1 of 1 (latest)

left dawn
#

Hello, I'm sorry for posting a lot of questions but i want to make it right for my baby.

She is 9 months old now and i need to build her enclosure, is there a guide with steps and what type of things to buy (soil, etc...)

lavish latch
#

thats a link to the pinned message with different commands which might help you

left dawn
#

Okay i'll try some

#

!enclosuresize

violet oarBOT
left dawn
#

!guides

violet oarBOT
left dawn
#

!bioactive

violet oarBOT
#
Bioactive

Bioactive enclosures are a system of multiple components working together to create an ecosystem. This includes plants, clean up crew (cuc), and proper loose substrate to be a true bioactive system. When one of these components is not there, it is not a true bioactive tank.

In order to get started with setting up a bioactive tank for a leopard gecko, you should have proper overhead heating in the form of a halogen or DHP, UVB, and most likely will need an LED for plant health. Choose plants that will do well in an arid environment and that are safe. Common clean up crew includes temperate springtails and powder oranges/blues, darkling beetles or giant canyons.

Substrate should be the same loose substrate we advocate for, a 70:30 mix of organic topsoil without additives and play-sand, with possible additives like excavator clay and leaf litter. Please note that baking topsoil kills microorganisms and beneficial bacteria within the dirt, meaning that dirt can become overwhelmed with bad bacteria. Because of this, we do not recommend baking dirt before adding it to your bioactive tank.

When starting a bioactive tank, we recommend quarantining plants outside of the tank and culturing cuc as well. It is ideal to then let the tank establish for at least a week once you put those components together. However, that is not possible for all keepers, and that is okay. You will just need to keep a close eye on temperatures, humidity, cuc population, and plant health.

still ember
#

You looking to get her a new tank or just knowing what to change inside since her quarantine is over ?

left dawn
#

What to change

#

My tank is 85x45x45 which should be enough ?

still ember
#

if it's 85 that would be a lil smaller than the thriving min, should be 90x45x45 in cm NTA

left dawn
#

Okay so i'm adding this to the list of things i need to change

#

But there is so much info, i'm honestly super lost

still ember
#

it's okay, if all your other husbandry is good and your quarantine is over, you can have 70% top soil mixed with 30% play-sand for substrate NTA

left dawn
#

It's my first reptile, so I'm really cautious and probably stress over every little things

#

She hasn't eaten for a week now, people tell me it's normal but i'm still giga stressed about it

still ember
#

NTA yeah mine has gone for 3 weeks without eating, ik it's the mating season which can be linked to that but it's also good to check if all your husbandry is also ok (temperatures, humidity, etc). I believe also if she's not like losing 10% visible weight then she should be ok

left dawn
#

When i mesure her weight she hasn't lost any, and her size is good

#

I'm more concerned about calcium

still ember
#

for calcium without D3 do you have a bowl with some that you leave there in her tank ?

left dawn
#

I did it at first but people told me not to and put it on her food

still ember
#

NTA she should have a lil bowl with calcium without D3 in her tank at all times. You will still yes dust her food with calcium, multi vitamin or calcium with D3 depending on her feeding schedule.
Does she have a UVB light ?

left dawn
#

Yes she does

#

10 hours a day, i'm gonna put it to 12

still ember
#

Alright and just to make sure it's a linear one right?

#

like this

image.png
left dawn
#

Yes

still ember
#

Okay good, so for the calcium you can add a lil bowl of it, only calcium without D3 tho and leave it in her tank. Calcium with D3 she at least has her uvb to get some from, it's mostly the vitamin that she won't get until she eats again. Can still try to offer food and see if ever she'd be interested in it NTA

left dawn
#

Yeah i have a small thing where i can put worms and they can't escape, and i try to offer her crickets or red runners

still ember
#

Alright then for the subtrate for your tank you can either use reptilsoil and reptisand which are more expensive options or topsoil and playsand at hardware stores which would be cheaper for bigger quantity. If you take topsoil make sure that there are no fertilizer or manure in it. NTA