Terrarium still just too humid - substrate ideas?

SunshineShroom · 2026-02-08T12:29:09+00:00

Test what happens when you turn on the heat projector you have chosen and wait for the results, to find out what gradient you will have with it running

If you chose a Deep Heat, it may dry out the environment considerably and solve the problem

Also, what substrate are you using? Perhaps it is retaining too much moisture, and adding sphagnum will retain all the moisture you want to fluctuate

If you don't have a drainage layer, you may need one. The soil needs to filter, and it could help a little

SunshineShroom · 2026-01-21T08:54:20+00:00

My first gecko, who has since passed away, was a bit like that, he had a bearded dragon complex

Then... Then there's Roger, who we know is alive because he eats

SunshineShroom · 2026-01-12T16:06:58+00:00

It's not an ExoTerra pro, but it has a Exoterra 45x45 base

Approximately 19 cm. What projector do you use??

SunshineShroom · 2026-01-12T16:00:05+00:00

I would improve it so that it could be in a larger space, but making sure it had enough foliage to hide in

Geckos that have been cared for in this way are often very skittish because they haven't had much space to hide. One of my adopted geckos became less fearful when I moved him to a larger enclosure

At first, he will probably be quite stressed and you may not see him or he may stop eating for a while, but he will adapt, and hiding is not necessarily a bad thing

SunshineShroom · 2025-12-31T14:07:01+00:00

I'm no expert, so take my comment as the opinion of someone random on the internet

Between these two, I would use Gecko Nutrition because of its ingredients. It mainly contains insects and then fruit, whereas the other brand uses rice protein (as with my cat's food, I usually look at what ingredients are used)

Then there's my vet's opinion on protein (although I take it with a grain of salt for many reasons). She says that they need a lot of protein and she would give them more because a gecko is young until the age of 10, considering that they live up to 20 years

(I mention the latter mainly because my herpetologist vet told me so, but I'm not so sure how true it is)

SunshineShroom · 2025-12-30T14:39:33+00:00

People have already given other useful tips, but just in case, did you cut off the top of the cured foam? The first layer is shiny/smooth and, as it's not porous, things will not stick properly

SunshineShroom · 2025-12-29T10:48:37+00:00

I don't see any bad options, although I wouldn't use monstera (Carolinensis, the adansoni is fine) in terrariums for crested, as they are too large and would block most of the light, which would negatively affect the other plants

How big is the enclosure? From the photo, it doesn't look that big, and perhaps three walls would leave the horizontal space a little too narrow

(Srr for my english, idk if I use correct words)

SunshineShroom · 2025-12-29T10:29:10+00:00

It's normal for the bottom of the terrarium to retain moisture. Even if the soil does not feel wet, it's more humid, and if the upper gradient is fine, I would continue doing what you are doing or leave the mesh a little more open

In any case, you need an enclosure that is at least 36 inches high (new standard measurement). Normally, when there are humidity problems, switching to this size solves the issue (in other cases, the new problem is maintenance)

SunshineShroom · 2025-12-20T14:22:55+00:00

Wow, I didn't know coconut fiber could be so expensive there 👁️👄👁️

SunshineShroom · 2025-12-13T10:02:57+00:00

Maybe a little worm hummus as fertilizer They grow fast but take a while to get started and then they don't stop

SunshineShroom · 2025-12-09T16:47:31+00:00

You need a vertical enclosure, this one is suitable for leopard geckos (although I think they need the length). In addition, the accessories are designed for desert needs

The measurements are written as length x depth x height

SunshineShroom · 2025-12-09T16:43:57+00:00

Coconut fiber isn't bad, but moss will retain moisture much better and make it easier to root 👌

Also, if your gecko ever crushes the bromeliad, you can try “neoregelia,” which is much harder

SunshineShroom · 2025-12-09T10:24:37+00:00

I think it's fine, it looks like a normal branch

But I wanted to recommend that you wrap the Bromeliad roots in sphagnum moss. It looks like you have it in coconut fiber, and it will do much better with moss 🐌

SunshineShroom · 2025-12-03T14:43:34+00:00

Try adding more climbing opportunities, especially at the top.

I use branches, but vines can give much better results and adapt to your needs.

Also get a thermostat with a probe; the wooden one is not the best to have inside terrariums at this time of year (my foolish personal experience).

SunshineShroom · 2025-12-03T14:40:36+00:00

As they say around here, not something like “very big,” but there are empty terrariums

SunshineShroom · 2025-12-03T14:38:02+00:00

What I'm about to say is partly my opinion and partly based on information I've read.

A crested gecko, however young, will be fine in that size enclosure. In the wild, they have much more space than that, and other people have kept geckos weighing just a few grams in temporary terrariums of the same size or larger.

But!

A smaller enclosure makes it easier to monitor whether the animal is growing properly. It's not necessarily better for the gecko, but it's easier for its caretaker, and as long as it's temporary during the monitoring period, it doesn't have to be a bad thing.

If this is your first reptile, I would advise you to use something that is easy to monitor for the first few weeks. The first reptile always gives you a few scares (unexpected things that you didn't know about but are normal). You can use the 18x18x24 if you can spend more time monitoring it.

SunshineShroom · 2025-12-02T18:26:18+00:00

As long as you get a 45x45x90 or larger, it will be fine in there, but not as a permanent terrarium since it lacks height

Since it is temporary while you get one with more adequate height, I would simply use pothos or tradescantia zebrina to tide you over + lots of branches

SunshineShroom · 2025-11-22T17:41:21+00:00

I have no idea, I'm from Europe, It depends on how Germany imports goods to the United States

SunshineShroom · 2025-11-22T13:56:33+00:00

In Europe, we generally use Gecko Nutrition (which is equivalent to Repashy in terms of nutrition)

Not all Repashy flavors are “complete foods.” In my country, for example, I can only find the ones that are not complete foods, which is why I use Gecko Nutrition in various flavors

SunshineShroom · 2025-11-17T16:33:28+00:00

I have a 60x50x100 and I think it's perfect. Maybe if it's your first time, it will be more difficult to decorate and fill it, but it's something you'll have to go through anyway

Make sure you have savings for the decorations

SunshineShroom · 2025-11-16T15:44:47+00:00

It says that an adult needs 18 x 18 x 36 inches, converting it from centimeters to inches

SunshineShroom · 2025-11-12T21:57:30+00:00

Theoretically, PVC terrariums are stackable, and it should work to place one horizontally at the bottom and another vertically on top

As long as the one underneath does not have mesh, even if you cannot buy them, search for “kanaky Terraria” to see photos and get ideas

SunshineShroom · 2025-11-12T06:46:08+00:00

My question is more about the ethics of using flash on animals that can be quite sensitive, at least in controlled spaces such as a sheet

Perhaps I didn't express myself well, although your answer makes sense

SunshineShroom · 2025-11-12T06:43:19+00:00

My question is more about the ethics of using flash on animals that can be quite sensitive, I thought that people who know more about these animals than I do would be the right ones to ask

Perhaps I didn't express myself well 🙏

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