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 #1756458


Ditzzy
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 Double Checking... again.

It’s been about a year since I’ve decided to get a CG. And I’ve been researching, saving up the money, and begging my parents for one. I have enough money now and my parents are finally considering it. I have done my research for a very long time and I just want to make sure my information is as accurate as possible and if ya’ll have any tips ya’ll wanna toss in for me I would be forever grateful. Please correct me if I’m wrong and please answer the questions and give me your opinions- I want things to be as comfortable for my Cresty as they can possiby be.-----
I am planning on getting a six to ten month old Crested Gecko, I will put it in a 20 gallon tank (probably one of those square ones with a door) with paper towels for the substrate (I would use one of those coconut fiber bricks but this being my first CG I want to prevent impaction.) I will load it up with fake plants, vines, and branches. I will have a shallow water dish just in case it doesn’t drink off the water droplets. I will keep the temp and humidity at 75. and boost the humidity up to around 80-90 when shedding. I will feed it repashy CGD and give it calcium dusted crix once a week- so it can hunt and exercise. Give it a little fruit (non-citrus, right?) every now and again for treats. I will keep the tank covered the first two weeks so that it can calm down and get settled- only bugging it to clean, feed and mist.
I might be forgetting some things- anyway- here are some things I need help understanding.----- What is the ratio from water to CGD? How long should I keep the CGD in there before changing it? I can feed 4-6 calcium dusted crix no bigger than their head to a CG 6-10 months, right? Feed the crix all at once or throughout the week? Feed them crckets in the tank- or in a seperate feeding bin? How often and how long do they shed for? Really its just feeding and shedding that I had trouble understanding- I’m sure I’ll have more questions to ask as I go. Thanks for being patient with me- at least- I hope you will be patient with me. I just want to care for my Cresty as well as I can. Thanks.
06/09/08  10:12pm

 #1756474


Xpantherx
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   Message To: Ditzzy   In reference to Message Id: 1756458


 Double Checking... again.

Sounds good.

The ratio for the diet is 1 part diet to 2 parts warm water. You can generally keep it in for 48 hours, assuming it stays fresh.
My sub-adults can eat pre-wing to adult crickets, and I’ve never had a problem, even if the cricket is slightly bigger than the length between the eyes. And it’s up to you on feeding them throughout the week or all at once. I keep feeder insects in bulk, and generally feed them 3-4 times a week for hatchlings, 2-3 times a week for juveniles to sub-adults, and twice a week or less for adults. I have several geckos who will gladly eat 15 in one sitting, while others will only eat two. It all depends on your gecko and how often you buy crickets.
Feeding crickets in the housing unit of the gecko generally is best, and is less stressful. Just make sure that your gecko isn’t "over-consuming" substrate, though even with coir fiber it shouldn’t be a problem.
Shedding is usually once every few months in adults, and as often as a few times in a matter of weeks for hatchlings. It shouldn’t last any longer than 36 hours.
Good luck!
K
06/09/08  10:33pm

 #1756708


Ditzzy
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   Message To: Xpantherx   In reference to Message Id: 1756474


 Double Checking... again.

Thank you very much, you pretty much cleared everything up for me. Thanks!
06/10/08  09:21am

 #1758297


Rrrragdoll
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   Message To: Ditzzy   In reference to Message Id: 1756708


 Double Checking... again.

You don’t have to worry about impaction on EcoEarth if you put it in correctly. I use about an inch of gravel, then about 3 inches of EcoEarth and I pack it down so it isn’t fluffy and loose. I use real plants, sometimes use the fake suction cup ones for the top of the tank. The natural tank is so much easier to maintain and the humidity stays consistant.

Generally I put in new food M-W-F and leave it till the new goes in again (2 days) and on Sundays throw in crickets. You can mix up enough diet for a week and then I use about 1 tsp for each serving.

I’d recommend www.petsolutions.com for the tank, you can get the zoo med glass tank for $99 (18x18x24), then add all your stuff to it, they’re prices on EcoEarth and cage decor are really good and they also have the nice digital Zilla gauge too.

Link
06/11/08  09:06pm

 #1759409


Ditzzy
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   Message To: Rrrragdoll   In reference to Message Id: 1758297


 Awesome!!!

My parents have finally gone insane and have allowed me to get one! The only catch is that I have to wear my contacts and if I don’t wear them almost everyday they’ll get rid of one of my pets (Gieko, my Emp. Scorp., Evy, me and my sister’s cat, or the gecko) of their choosing- which will most likely be the cat. Anyway- we went to town and I bought all the stuff I put it together- we’re going to get the Cresty next week. I’M TOO EXCITED! Anyway, please comment and offer any suggestions to make it better.
Front View


Door Front View


Front Left View


Right View


Back Left View


Top View



Also- this is what I am going to use for calcium supplement for dusting the crickets is this the right stuff?
"TetraFauna ReptoCal"


Anyways- I’m still super excited!
06/12/08  11:54pm

 #1759441


S.
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   Message To: Ditzzy   In reference to Message Id: 1759409


 Awesome!!!

It all looks good to me but I don’t know and have never seen that tetrafauna stuff but I know tetra has started making reptile stuff lately. Not sure how good it is. Good luck!!!
06/13/08  12:39am

 #1761976


Ditzzy
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   Message To: S.   In reference to Message Id: 1759441


 One more question...

Just one more question: If I am feeding them a complete diet and occasionally calcium and D3 dusted crickets, and have the temperature and humidity just right- do I need to provide any special lighting? Like a UVA/UVB lamp? I already have the lamp, I just want to know if I have to use it. Also, what brand of CGD and Calcium Dusting do you use. Is that TetraFauna stuff (in the thread before last) good? Yeah, I know, that was three questions... Thanks anyway. (I’m getting my Cresty next Thursday, I’m probably gonna have to come back and ask ya’ll for ideas on names)
06/15/08  06:51pm

 #1762317


S.
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   Message To: Ditzzy   In reference to Message Id: 1761976


 One more question...

That is a topic of major debate. Most people will tell you no you don’t need any UV lighting. I think it is good for them in a few different ways but it is up to you.
06/15/08  11:46pm

 #1762342


Ditzzy
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   Message To: S.   In reference to Message Id: 1762317


 One more question...

Okay. I guess I’ll go ahead and use the night lamp for them I’m just going to have to watch the temperature extra carefully. Thank you, S. you’ve been a big help.
06/16/08  12:31am

 #1763385


Ditzzy
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   Message To: Ditzzy   In reference to Message Id: 1762342


 Okay I’m sorry, more questions-

Alright I just have some more questions. (I’m getting my Cresty this Thursday so I’m just trying to get everything straight) I’m thinking about feeding it crickets in a seperate tank because I’m just too terrified of it getting impacted on the EcoEarth stuff. Can I use this spare ten gallon tank I have (it used to house my emp. scorp until I got him a bigger tank [I cleaned it with bleach and water and rinsed it out thoroughly]) to feed him in and put him in for full tank cleanings? I’ll add egg crates and paper towl rolls later on, this pic is just for you to see what I’m doing...


Do you think feeding in the actual tank is better, despite the risk of impaction? How do you treat impaction if you can’t go to the vet as readily as you might like to? The nearest vet that treats reptiles is in Houston and that’s 64 miles away from where I live, no way am I going to get my parents to drive all the way to Houston to save a gecko (they might want to but with gas prices the way they are they can’t)
Sorry for all of these questions (believe it or not I did do my research I’m just asking everyone’s opinion and verifying my information) Thanks to all. No doubt I’ll think of more questions soon!
06/16/08  10:42pm

 #1763407


Koiscale451
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   Message To: Ditzzy   In reference to Message Id: 1763385


 Okay I’m sorry, more questions-

Mine don’t eat in a separate tank, except the babies because I’m afraid of crickets injuring them (they’re just soo small!) OR: you could take a glass or plastic jar or container, one the gecko can get out of but the crix can’t, and put it in the cage. That way the gecko goes in the container for the crix, and can’t get impacted! That’s what I do for the geckos I have in naturalistic terraria.
One good thing is you can see how much they eat in the jar, whereas the crickets in the cage are just a bit too hard to monitor.
06/16/08  10:55pm

 #1763706


Guido1090
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   Message To: Koiscale451   In reference to Message Id: 1763407


 Okay I’m sorry, more questions-

i do the jar thing too. get a glass mason jar and bury it on an angle in the dirt. the gecko can get in and out of it but the crickets cant. just watch for when the gecko is shedding because they have trouble climbing glass. thats why i put the jar on an angle. my gecko will use his tail to push himself up and out of the jar when he is shedding. just make sure the angle isnt too far sideways because then the crickets can get out.
06/17/08  09:06am

 #1764406


DJames
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   Message To: Guido1090   In reference to Message Id: 1763706


 Okay I’m sorry, more questions-

heads up, im newer to crested geckos and dont know how the calcium with d3 is for them, but i know with the beardies, water dragons, etc, the calcium with d3 is only supposed to be dusted once a week, and if they have uvb they dont need it at all, also i do know that specific brand of the calcium powder because i actually looked at it at petco the other day (they didnt have the kind we usually use), but it does have d3 in it, someone with more experience needs to clear that up, but i know my others can od on the d3 because they have uvb and a lot get natural sunlight...
so just a heads up...
06/17/08  09:43pm

 #1856681


M.
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   Message To: Xpantherx   In reference to Message Id: 1756474


 Xpantherx need help!

Sorry for ambushing a string
You used to give me advice about my crested gecko .... his name is Tank. I lost access to my old name after my email network accidentilly deletted me and I can’t get it back so I had to generate a new one. I am having major trouble with mites. What can I do to kill these things. Mites HELP!!!!!!
I have recently rejoined this wonderful community and need some MAJOR help. Recently I found what appear to be small white insects within my reptiles enclosure. I have one herp and it is a Crested gecko. I feed him crickets and use a crushed coconut husk substrate. The substrate is ideal for crickets laying eggs. I however have not seen the roughly pin head sized creatures jumping so I assumed they were pest. I have used my isolation tank after spraying Tank but have not had any success. I also heavily sprayed the entire area with insecticides to kill the insects. The habitat tank has been sprayed and sitting in direct sunlight for the last four days or more. All items were sprayed with a bleach - water mixture or cooked in the oven at 300 degrees. The bedding was placed at the rear of my backyard. My stress comes from just finding three of the insects on my isolation tank. First how do I eradicate these creatures and two stop them from coming back. I have read about PAM and Olive oil and will use them today.



09/11/08  08:12am

 #1856788


EchoRukia
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   Message To: M.   In reference to Message Id: 1856681


 Xpantherx need help!

There are certain reptile sprays that you can treat your reptile with that you can buy at just about any herp/pet store. I haven’t dealt with mites since I was 9 with my 7foot iguana, but I know I see it in pet stores all the time!
09/11/08  12:41pm

 #1857069


Dragonlover78
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   Message To: Ditzzy   In reference to Message Id: 1759409


 Awesome!!!

contacts?!?! why out of anything is it that you HAVE to wear your contacts? and theyll even take your CAT?!?!?!!? i mean, a smaller animal i can kinda understand (i do believe in equality for animals and humans) but a cat is a very closely bonded animal, i really think that is not right...



09/11/08  06:50pm


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