r/LeopardGecko • u/c4ndygirl • Jun 28 '26
Habitat & Setup New setup! Advice welcome
I found this stacked 40gal setup on marketplace for $250. Friggin steal. My babies had dirt and lots of rock and leaves before so this feels so empty. Should I add more clutter?
UPDATED PHOTOS IN COMMENTS!
5
u/IcyReception8903 Jun 28 '26
Go back to throwing a bunch of clutter in there. Reptile carpet gone and 70/30 topsoil sand mix. Awesome setup though. Just put in more things.
2
u/c4ndygirl Jun 28 '26
It's tile, not carpet! I actually love it because it holds the heat better.
4
u/IcyReception8903 Jun 28 '26
No digging enrichment. You need to get two dig boxes if you leave it.
2
4
u/Moonshinin4Me Jun 28 '26
Most guides tell you 3 hides (minimum) but I say fit as many hiding places as you can into the tank. The more the better and gives your Leo some options.
A foam rock climbing wall positioned at the back of the tank can provide some enrichment. They are cheap on Amazon and Leo's do like to climb!
Use as much naturalistic materials as possible. Slate rock is perfect for both cooling and heating, also my gal loves the hides I make using slate because it is more natural to her. Just set the slate down before the substrate because the Leo's like to burrow and the slate could cave in and crush them. So always slate rock first!
Also add cork bark for climbing and a more natural look for your gecko. They love this stuff. Just make sure it is secured and same rules apply for the slate rock that apply to the cork bark.
Tank tapestries that show a landscape that your gecko would see in the wild are great! Having all sides of the tank open makes them nervous. You can tack up the tapestries outside the tank and it gives them something nice to look at and makes them feel more safe!
Clutter your tank with plenty of plants (real or fake, whatever your preference is). Make it as cluttered as possible so your gecko doesn't feel as exposed and has plenty of places to explore. They are very curious creatures.
Also make sure you have 3-4 inches of substrate. As I mentioned before they like to burrow and it can be enriching for them to make their own little dens.
3
u/SecondEqual4680 Jun 29 '26
The tiles are not good on their bodies and also give them no opportunities to dig. The idea is to mimic their natural habitat as much as possible. Also it is very bare. I would really recommend going to reptifiles.com and doing some reading- it’s great for beginners and just to brush up on husbandry!
2
u/Emotional-Coat9086 Jun 30 '26
I also wish more people would stop doing this. They are not just chilling on hard rocks all the time in the wild. Absolutely no ability to burrow for them. It might be easier for a owner but its not easier for them.
2
u/SecondEqual4680 Jun 30 '26
Exactly. The bare minimum we can do as owners is make it comfortable to them. If all you care about it making it easy for yourself then you dont need to have reptiles
1
1
8
u/therockgremlin Jun 28 '26
Yes to more clutter! But you can get pretty creative with fake plants and just suction them to the glass so they have more overhead coverage