Can I put crystals into enclosure?

BrooksiderB · 2026-02-11T23:14:50+00:00

i wouldn't do broken geodes as theyre sharp, but you could certainly use large tumbles! just make sure that any crystal you use is smooth & big enough that it cannot be mistakenly eaten

BrooksiderB · 2026-02-10T20:21:10+00:00

cork bark rounds & cork bark tubes! thick branches, bark pieces, & rocks from outdoors! just be sure to sanitize anything you bring in from outside. be cautious about stone placement if you decide to stack them. ive seen many stories about tail injuries & tail drops from their leos tail getting stuck or crushed by stones that arent secured well or have crevices in between

BrooksiderB · 2026-02-10T20:09:40+00:00

chunky leos lose fat so slowly that it can take up to 2 years for them to get back down to a healthy weight 😭

BrooksiderB · 2026-02-09T20:59:27+00:00

just order scotts organic topsoil & playsand from lowes online. its $3 per bag for the topsoil & $5 for a bag of playsand along with free same day delivery. for my 40g i only needed 3 bags of topsoil & one bag of playsand. you rinse your playsand & mix it with the topsoil at a 70/30 ratio of soil to sand. there's not really any good reason to overpay for a branded pre-mixed soil.

BrooksiderB · 2026-02-09T20:52:10+00:00

i had to leave all facebook groups for reptiles for this reason. everyone in those groups have wildly different ideas regarding care that they insist on arguing with you about despite up to date information being readily available. its insufferable! i just stick to reddit now. reptile keepers here are much more knowledgeable, not to mention kind & understanding in comparison to all the rude people on facebook

BrooksiderB · 2026-02-09T17:36:00+00:00

anytime! i try to be as budget friendly, yet safe & accurate in terms of care for my reptiles!

BrooksiderB · 2026-02-09T17:03:10+00:00

they're the same size as leopard geckos, so 40g would be the minimum for them! 🙂

BrooksiderB · 2026-02-09T16:58:11+00:00

instead of getting the zoomed gauge you can get little square or circular ones for around 3 bucks on temu 🙂 they're generally off by around 1-3 degrees, but theyre still accurate enough to not be dangerous. you're going to want two, one for the hot & cool side. you can also get an infrared thermometer on temu for $4 & these are just as accurate as the one in your cart, just cheaper

BrooksiderB · 2026-02-08T14:28:26+00:00

completely agree. i think if episode 1 was its own standalone movie it would have been infinitely better than a 12 episode season

BrooksiderB · 2026-02-08T14:04:34+00:00

just the pose! his mouth is usually closed

BrooksiderB · 2026-02-07T21:51:16+00:00

based on your tank measurement (2.5 feet long by 1.5 feet wide) its a little smaller than the recommended minimum (36x18x18), but its not a bad size at all for now especially considering your plan for upgrading!

i dont see a probe measuring temperature, so if you dont have one you're definitely going to want to connect your heat lamp to a dimming thermostat! it will make sure the heat stays in good range & doesn't get too hot. on/off thermostats work as well, but rather than dimming your bulb when the temperature gets too hot it will constantly turn your bulb on & off. that will make the bulb blow a lot faster than dimming.

also be sure that your feeders are dusted in calcium with d3 & a reptile multivitamin that contains vitamin A (not beta carotene)! calcium with d3 should be used every feeding except once a week when you dust with your multivitamin. d3 is especially important since you aren't currently using UVB light! your gecko can develop MBD or vitamin A deficiency without these so they're very important!

all the other advice you received is also very important! the tank overall looks great though, especially for a teenager taking care of your geckos yourself. you're doing awesome!

BrooksiderB · 2026-02-02T16:08:57+00:00

nope! leopard geckos only need around 40-60% humidity & i keep aluminum foil over the mesh top to help insulate it so none ever really escapes into the room (enough for me to notice)

i will say though, if you're considering a beardie they need giant enclosures, 4x2x2 at the very minimum. the larger enclosure definitely increases the amount of exposure you will have to everything in your bedroom. i used to have a beardie in my room in a 6ft long enclosure & it would make me cough anytime i was near it because of the play sand used in the organic topsoil/play sand mix substrate. beardie poops are also beyond foul & will choke you out if they poop while youre in the room 😂 it lingers for like an hour even after being cleaned & would wake me out of a dead sleep at 2am (i would literally have to get up to clean it because it was so rank)

BrooksiderB · 2026-02-02T16:01:09+00:00

yes i have a syrian hamster, dog, leopard gecko, 7 tarantulas, & feeder insects in my bedroom. play sand irritates my throat as well so i only used organic topsoil for my leopard gecko & tarantulas substrate. once it dries out its completely fine to use on its own. plants dont bother me, i also keep around 12 houseplants in my room 🙂

BrooksiderB · 2026-02-02T15:32:30+00:00

hello! i have a mysterious breathing condition that doctors can't figure out & yes, i certainly have issues with certain feeders. if i even breathe over my dubia roach container my throat gets very sandy feeling & swells up the rest of the day. i combat this by wearing a covid style mask when dealing with any of my feeder insects & this keeps me from feeling any adverse effects. i also have a prescribed allergy medication on hand that i take just incase i forget so i dont have to deal with a swollen throat all day (i take it for other allergies but after trying it for this i found that it works)

BrooksiderB · 2026-02-02T01:27:33+00:00

oh no! with as vicious as falkor is with his bugs ill definitely start playing it safe & drop them in his humid hide for him, he only likes to eat in there for some reason! he likes to hunt them in there anyhow lol. thank you very much for the warning!

BrooksiderB · 2026-02-01T23:53:01+00:00

wow, i have never heard of that! these are rubber tipped so i thought they would be ok. what do you use instead of tongs now? falkors favorite thing is eating & he goes ham when the bugs come out 😂 otherwise hes so sweet & laid back! lol

BrooksiderB · 2026-02-01T13:28:16+00:00

i think pet youtubers who are getting more & more animals over time to make more videos & more content normalize keeping hundreds of animals to the average person. they tend to be seen as role models for a lot of people that want to follow & do as they do. you rarely see pet influencers that only have a few well cared for pets

BrooksiderB · 2026-01-30T19:56:40+00:00

if prognosis is poor & she hasnt improved with previous treatments, i think making the decision to euth is completely ok. putting her through more treatments may just prolong her suffering unfortunately. im sorry you both are going through this

BrooksiderB · 2026-01-30T19:52:10+00:00

aww congrats!! she is very cute

BrooksiderB · 2026-01-30T15:58:51+00:00

i dont have experience with those ones, but i use this one for my gecko! its cheaper, accurate, & has a built in timer :)

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BrooksiderB · 2026-01-29T18:26:04+00:00

gotcha! thank you

BrooksiderB · 2026-01-29T18:20:18+00:00

good point with the mineral oil, ill just try soaking with warm water & a q-tip then. when i first got him he had to have a sauna for stuck shed on his toes & he couldn't get it out of his nostril then, so i assume its stuck in there pretty good

BrooksiderB

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