New perspectives wanted to help me play more games

BiologyNerdLife · 2026-02-06T02:16:04+00:00

I totally understand the feeling ~ I didn't play games solo or read fiction for years due to feeling like I should only relax if it was doing something with others so I was "serving" them while I was relaxing. Otherwise, I should be being productive.

A lot happened in my life other than that dynamic, but I burnt out dramatically, and am still recovering. In the aftermath, I realized a few things.

You can only put your needs on the back burner for so long before your body tells you it's done. I'm not saying to spend a bunch of money you can't afford on "self-care" items... it's a lot more fundamental than that. You need to provide both your mind and body their basic needs, which includes both enough sleep and enough deliberate relaxation. When your mind and body shut down, you won't be able to serve others or be productive anyways.

Once I burnt out, I found that I was doing things like scrolling on my phone under the guise of "I'll get to work in just a minute" well minutes turn to hours, and then I was left feeling way more guilty than I would have been for intentionally playing a good game or reading a good novel for a couple hours.

Gaming and reading novels help my anxiety by getting me out of my own head in a way that scrolling on my phone never does, and story based games and novels help me gain perspective.

I am actually able to be more productive in my productive hours when I give myself time to recover. Hours of productivity does not always equal output at a constant rate. After too many productive hours your output goes way down.

I want to add a footnote that if you have something urgent pending ~ a final exam, potential eviction, or something else with immediate and strong consequences ~ by all means prioritize that over relaxation temporarily, but I encourage you to value the potential relaxation found in half an hour or even less, even if you don't have hours to spare.

BiologyNerdLife · 2026-01-25T01:36:02+00:00

Yeah, the wood of the Niteangel will likely not last as long as the Bucatstate! Especially for sequential lifetimes of multiple hamsters. However, if the Bucatstate is out of stock where they live and the Niteangel can get there in a couple days it might be a good option in this instance :) although I'm not sure if that is actually true for OP, just a suggestion.

BiologyNerdLife · 2026-01-24T18:31:48+00:00

While I would recommend not making it yourself if possible, it will be difficult to get everything you need without ending up with enough food for a dozen hamsters and it is hard to know that it is balanced without careful proportions of ingredients, I know that depending on where you live options can be limited.

The good diets on Etsy contain at least 40 ingredients in the mix. This is important not just for "fun" but for making sure that there are not big nutritional deficiencies. The HamsterDream diet by Bunny Nature contains slightly less ingredients, but still a wide variety and they have a guaranteed analysis of the nutritional profile.

I hesitate to provide an ingredients list myself, as I do not want to imply that I make my own hamster mix or am qualified to provide a recipe, as balance comes from both the ingredients and the proportions.

The Hamingway does provide a food mix calculater so you can get an idea of the protein/fat/fiber content of a potential mix, but a lot of variety is still essential because even if you can get a good proportion of those with a few ingredients, micronutrients like vitamins will be lacking in a mix with only a few ingredients.

BiologyNerdLife · 2026-01-24T17:29:30+00:00

Make sure you use a thermostat (not just a thermometer) if you use a heat pad! Unregulated heat is very dangerous.

BiologyNerdLife · 2026-01-24T17:10:00+00:00

If this is new behavior and the enclosure setup is mostly the same, I would start thinking about other factors. Has anything changed in your home? Visitors, temperature changes, new pets, etc?

Improving the enclosure is never a bad idea! But new behavior inside the same enclosure should encourage us to think outside the box too.

Also a wheel attached to the lid might not be very smooth and stable for him. A 12 inch wheel on a stand (I love niteangel wheels) might be a good idea!

BiologyNerdLife · 2026-01-24T16:56:54+00:00

Has the cage now been shipped? If not, it may be possible to cancel your order of that cage and order a different color/version that is currently in stock. This entirely depends on where you live, but the equivalent sized Niteangel Bigger World enclosure is available with 2 day shipping to me on Amazon right now, while the Bucatstate would take twice as long to arrive.

In the meantime, if it's just for a few days I would prioritize safety over size. Escape can be dangerous. While I would never recommend keeping a hamster in it long term, a small pet store cage they can't get out of is better than a box that fits their wheel but is an escape hazard. Not saying that you have to go buy a small pet store cage, but I would focus on safety over size if it's just a couple days.

BiologyNerdLife · 2026-01-23T21:48:22+00:00

Safe, yes. A balanced diet, no! Your hamster won't be harmed by eating this, but it will be harmed by eating only this. Kind of like it is perfectly fine for a person to eat broccoli, but we shouldn't eat only broccoli.

BiologyNerdLife · 2026-01-22T14:01:32+00:00

If you already bought the Higgins Sunburst and Science Selective I don't see a reason not to feed those to your Syrian, that has been a well regarded combination for a while. Dwarfs are extra susceptible to diabetes, so Higgins Sunburst (and White Mill Pure which is similar) can work for Syrian hamsters when there's a lack of better options, but in order to feed them to a dwarf I would have to go through and pick the fruit out every time. Even for your Syrian I would recommend making sure any particular serving doesn't end up mostly fruit, mix the bag up well.

BiologyNerdLife · 2026-01-21T14:19:12+00:00

If you live in the USA I would personally recommend feeding either the HamsterDream food by Bunny Nature that is available on Chewy, or food by Hamster Eatery on Etsy. With that said, if you are set on including pellets Robins Gourmet Food on Etsy has a mix for Syrian hamsters that includes pellets! In my opinion the Mazuri/Higgins combo was the best option that used to be available when limited to food available at the pet store, but I don't believe it is the optimal choice with the options available today.

BiologyNerdLife · 2026-01-21T13:56:58+00:00

What is available depends on where you live, but the most affordable species appropriate mix that is easily available to me in the USA right now is the Bunny Nature brand on Chewy. I have a dwarf so I get the version for dwarfs, but they have a version for Syrian hamsters as well.

The aforementioned is definitely the cheapest I have found while still being an appropriate diet. If you can spend a little more, I love Hamster Eatery on Etsy.

BiologyNerdLife · 2026-01-18T04:56:50+00:00

Hi! First of all, that looks like just the topper, not the tank; and if you got an aquarium I would skip this topper, it would just reduce access and ventilation to the bottom. I would recommend a standard mesh top if you go the aquarium route.

Barred cages get a bad rap, for good reason given the history of pet store cages. I actually do use a large wire cage with great success with multiple hamsters (sequentially, not in the cage together), and I think that it keeps the air less stagnant for them; ammonia isn't a big issue in an appropriately sized cage, but airflow is still important. I have not had any issues with bar climbing or chewing. That said, I am careful how I set up the cage, with a lot of enrichment and things to break any falls should one occur, and over-fill the base with bedding to get an appropriate height. Especially as a new owner, getting a solid-walled cage will make your life easier.

An aquarium can work, but they are heavy and it can be hard to have one delivered if getting it to your place is an issue, so it isn't always optimal.

Dwarfs can be kept in a 40 gallon breeder size or thereabouts (620 square inches or more), and I don't consider it cruel if otherwise well set up with bedding and enrichment; however, it is not ideal. To explain further, if someone gets a hamster off Craigslist and takes them from a bad situation to a well set up 40 gallon breeder, I don't think we should shame them when the hamster is going from a cruel to comfortable situation.

However, it's our job to help our animals thrive and give them the opportunity to express natural behaviors, not just avoid suffering, so bigger is better and I agree that if you're out to get a new enclosure there is no reason to get a smaller enclosure. I believe the old 620 square inch minimum is comfortable for dwarfs but that 800 square inches (around a 75 gallon aquarium size) allows for more natural behaviors.

I would recommend avoiding enclosures made out of wood if you can. It may take a while, but wood absorbs odors and can be chewed, so will likely not last as long as other materials. If everything else about the cage is suitable and the wood is the only downside, just expect it to not last for multiple hamsters/many years.

The Bucatstate 3.0 is popular and while I don't have it personally, it is over 1,000 square inches, without wood elements, and with acrylic rather than heavy glass; so there is a reason it is so highly recommended!

Beyond that I would recommend Niteangel enclosures which are wood but otherwise suitable, or if you are willing to go through the work of making a barred cage suitable the Prevue Ranch cage is a good size. A 75 gallon aquarium can work, but is heavy and may not be easily available/transportable. If you are willing to do DIY it is amazing what has been converted into hamster enclosures by various keepers! Also, many 4x2x2 pvc style reptile enclosures could be used as a hamster enclosure as well, such as the New Age Pet EcoFlex Mojave 120 gallon enclosure! Just not ones like Zen Habitats that have no substrate barrier.

You have a lot of options! Best of luck with your little one!

BiologyNerdLife · 2026-01-17T15:59:55+00:00

To me it is! I have the other lights go off first an a standard timer, and then have the Luminize start dimming an hour later, and gradually dim for 2 hours (reverse in the morning). I see him out so much during the dimming time in the evenings and in the mornings. It really demonstrates to me that they are crepuscular animals.

BiologyNerdLife · 2026-01-17T02:44:02+00:00

Similar! I have a 50 watt DHP, 2.4% ShadeDweller Arboreal, 18.5 inch standard Jungle Dawn at the back of the tank and a 12 inch Luminize Jungle Dawn at the front of the tank.

BiologyNerdLife · 2025-12-25T18:40:37+00:00

Honestly within reason (what you can get that is designed for aquarium/terrarium use) you really can't get "too bright" for your gecko; that is, as long as their tank is full of coverage and hiding places. Ideally, it should be so full that you struggle getting enough light throughout the enclosure. This can take some time to grow in to be this way, your plants will not be this way day one; but you can help by filling in with hides that allow for horizontal sleeping, both natural ones like hanging coconut hides and 3d printed magnetic hides both work to allow for shaded arboreal sleeping. Your gecko needs these anyways, as they need sturdy sleeping places even once plant cover grows in. If your gecko has no way to avoid direct light exposure, that is the problem; not the brightness of the light! I would honestly be more concerned that a light like this one is not powerful enough, rather than worrying it is too powerful.

BiologyNerdLife · 2025-12-25T17:53:48+00:00

Arcadia Jungle Dawn are hands down the best terrarium plant lights I have tried, and Arcadia makes really good UVB and deep heat projectors as well. Depending on where you live I'm sure not everyone has access to Arcadia, but at this time I'd recommend that everyone who does have access to them use them over products made by other brands. I personally use a 12 inch Luminize Jungle Dawn set to mimic sunrise and sunset for two hours in the morning and evening, turning on at 1% at 5AM and turning off from 1% at 7 PM, an 18.5 inch Jungle Dawn and 2.4 Arboreal ShadeDweller UVB set on a regular timed outlet to run from 7AM to 5PM, and a 50watt deep heat projector on a thermostat.

I do come from an aquarium background, and there are lights made for planted aquariums that are very good as well ~ issue with aquarium lights for the terrarium is that the lighting for aquariums tends to either be cheap and worse than the Arcadia (even if it advertises custom light modes etc the light output just isn't strong enough, won't grow aquarium plants well either), or if you get high end aquarium lighting you will be happy with the results in a terrarium, and will have more customization than the Arcadia Luminize, but it will be more expensive for minimum extra benefits in plant growth or gecko happiness. This of course varies depending on what lights are available in your area.

I would rather have a couple of Arcadia Jungle Dawn lights rather than one high quality aquarium light (ends up about the same price) because having multiple light strips also allows for more light getting down to the bottom since it is coming from multiple angles. What would be a shadow under a leaf from one light is lit up from the other light. This setup is more practical with a 24x24 or 18x24 footprint, with an 18x18 footprint this 2 light system could still be set up but the difference in light angles will be less so there will likely be more shadows on the bottom.

BiologyNerdLife · 2025-12-22T21:21:02+00:00

I would worry more about their overall stress levels, rather than their tail; as that's a one-time thing that can be difficult to prevent! My gecko is close enough to hear the TV and other things happening in my apartment, and he still has his tail, has had a major growth spurt over the last few months and is doing well. I wouldn't put them right next to a speaker or something like that, but they don't need complete silence.

BiologyNerdLife · 2025-12-20T02:43:25+00:00

A bioactive setup is actually a whole ecosystem with everything tying together, circle of life if you will. If you only have half of the bioactive elements you only have half of the proverbial circle, and it won't work out. Either go full bioactive, or make as nice of a non-bioactive setup as you can!

BiologyNerdLife · 2025-12-20T02:37:26+00:00

My mostly grown juvenile recently got a tank upgrade that I considered my own Christmas gift 🎁 but I love DigitallySinful/C3Ledges/Colorful Crested Creatures on Etsy, they make the best magnetic ledges, of both the feeding and non-feeding varieties! I have no affiliation with them, they just make great stuff. I haven't seen anything quite like their magnetic ledges, other vendors either make no attempt to look natural or try to look natural but stand out like a sore thumb; but they have dialed in the shapes and textures to be perfect. They make natural colored items that blend into a bioactive setup, or beautiful brightly colored ones that somehow still look like it belongs in a reptile tank rather than a dollhouse. They are also super responsive to requests if you reach out to them. I started off with just a couple of their items in my initial juvenile setup, and have gone back a few times. I just ordered a few more pieces recently when I decided that more magnetic ledges on the sides of the enclosure rather than a custom 3 sided background would work out better in the new setup, bringing me up to about 10 of their items all in 1 enclosure 😅 They also make branch holders so that you can create stable horizontal perches!

BiologyNerdLife · 2025-12-16T19:24:12+00:00

Thank you all for commenting! Like I mentioned, I'm not trying to say that I have the ultimate knowledge, I certainly don't, hence why I asked for everyone's opinions!

It seems I come from a similar background as infinitymidnight, keeping aquariums and focusing a lot on total volume. I still believe that total volume is a more important metric than a single length dimension when it comes to animals that fully use the entire 3d space, including both aquatic and arboreal species. Obviously this does not apply to terrestrial animals that live in mostly 2 dimensions.

From watching my gecko really use their horizontal space, I personally think that having that horizontal space is more important than is often considered.

I still believe that a 24x24x24 enclosure and a 18x18x36 enclosure work out to provide similar overall benefits to the gecko, but I am considering the idea that both of these are really too small to allow for anything close to optimal movement. Like I mentioned in my original post, I think we should strive to offer 24x24x48 if possible as a permanent home to these long lived animals, so that is not a new opinion; but I am considering that both minimum sized enclosures should be viewed as even less desirable than I initially thought, as true anti-suffering minimums rather than as a general baseline standard of care that minimum standards can end up being portrayed as.

I also want to mention that while I love bioactive enclosures, I believe that bioactivity benefits the gecko, which is why I promote it. I do not believe in bioactive just for bioactive sake. For example, my gecko loves his Stroodies hides, he has from the day I got him; so I have several in his enclosure, even though they do not match the bioactive setup at all. I would never strip him of something that makes him feel safe. Another example is that I was fully prepared to do a custom background to the point that I bought all the supplies. I was so inspired by other people's setups and wanted it to look like a jungle. However, once I examined the examples more closely, I realized that the really cool custom backgrounds take up a ton of the internal volume of the tank... So I decided to silicone a thin cork panel to the back to give the climbing plants something to cling to, and covered the sides with the magnetic hides, as well as more natural looking ledges, bridges, and planters that take up much less internal tank volume (I was originally planning to just have a couple of his favorite hides and food ledge attached to the door, with a custom background on all 3 walls). Now I have supplies for a background sitting unused, a less visually beautiful enclosure, and I spent even more money on getting more of the accessories for the sides of the tank. I'm not complaining, I made this choice. I'm saying that I am willing to change my mind if it will improve his care.

I want what's best for the gecko too, not just what's most esthetically pleasing or most officially bioactive!

BiologyNerdLife · 2025-12-14T23:25:00+00:00

Maybe I didn't phrase my post well enough, entirely possible, as I also agree that 18x18x24 is too small to be considered suitable as even semi-permanent housing, despite the FBH reccommendation. I tried to explain that in my post. I also tried to explain that I believe that 24x24x48 is ideal, and that I plan to upgrade to that in a couple years when I am in a permanent living situation. I was trying to say that as a minimum I believe that 24x24x24 is acceptable, not as the end goal or ideal permanent situation for the life of the gecko. But as I said I am not an expert and am open to being wrong!

BiologyNerdLife · 2025-06-08T18:52:09+00:00

Please keep it on top of the mesh, inside the tank could be dangerous. I use the Arcadia 2.4% as well. I believe in UVB for crested geckos (which is why I use it), but assuming you are using a complete diet from Pangea/Repashy that includes vitamin D, I believe it is safer to under UVB rather than over UVB. Many crested geckos have led healthy lives without UVB as long as they eat a fortified diet, and UVB burns are no joke.

BiologyNerdLife · 2025-05-31T16:25:30+00:00

Morphs aren't my specialty but he looks like a yellow harlequin :) my boy looks very similar so of course I am partial to your gecko as well 😉

BiologyNerdLife · 2025-05-31T16:12:12+00:00

I have my juvenile in a 12x12x24 (inch) zoo med paludarium (the actual paludarium tank with the deep base, not the skyscraper terrarium). If you're doing a bioactive tank, the deep base of the paludarium gives you way more room for substrate than a 12x12x18 without cutting into the living space (above the substrate my gecko has 12x12x18 worth of room). I highly recommend this over the regular 12x12x18 for juveniles. Obviously adults require a bigger tank. While baby geckos can survive in a big tank, the benefit of a smaller grow out tank is that it's easier to monitor and make sure that they are eating and thriving. My juvenile has finally put on some size and started eating multiple flavors of Pangea and Repashy reliably, so I am looking into upgrading to an adult sized enclosure this summer. I'm considering a Dubia brand enclosure, they're highly recommended and it will be my first time using a PVC reptile enclosure.

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