vencrypt wrote:So I recently acquired an African fat tailed gecko about 3 days ago, and he hasn't eaten since I've gotten him? I've only held him twice, once to put him in the tank and the second was to clean his tank. This is him.
I'm a bit worried for him, and I've read on several articles that they don't eat when stressed or going through puberty. I'm going to assume he's about 6-8 months old by how big he is. I don't have a scale yet, so this is just a guess-timate.
I've put about 7 mealworms in his dish and he hasn't eaten any, so I'm worried for him.
I also have a serious question on what type of heat lamp/bulb I should get for him.
So I just purchased this aluminum reflector to put in his tank, since the house right now is about 70 degrees which is good for me but not enough for him. I've been trying to gather information online almost everywhere, but people are saying they can/can't see red light emitted from true red light bulbs at night and I'm not sure what to get! I don't know what kind of light/heat lamp I want to get and I'm so very confused on what to get for him. I do have an 8 watt heating pad in his tank as well, but I don't think that's enough to sustain him.
More: Would a ceramic heat emitter work as well? I'm looking at this one and I'm not sure if black or white would be better.
I'm also wondering if having a night heat lamp is also ok to use during the day. I'm just so confused and want the best for him.
Thank you for any tips!!
If you've only had him 3 days, he's still settling in. Moving into a new environment, especially after traveling, is very stressful for a reptile. They typically don't eat while stressed, so it's recommended to give them a week or two without any interaction besides changing water and feeding and cleaning poo. And then begin to work on taming him. He should start to eat as he settles in and becomes lessstressed.
Don't get any sort of colored bulb, ever. They're never suitable for reptiles. For night time, you'll want a ceramic heat emitter only. There's no differecent besides color for the black and white heads. You also need a ceramic dome for the ceramic heat emitter, as the other domes are not suitable for such high temperatures. You also need a dimmer to go with it, to control the amount of heat it emits, or the temperatures wI'll be too high.
During the day you'll want a halogen floodlight bulb, not spotlight. They'll last longer and are cheaper than bulbs marketed for reptiles but serve the same purpose. Wattage depends on your house and ambient temps.
Or you can look into heat mats/heat tape, which I prefer and recommend for this species, and cut out lamps altogether. Just place a heat mat (on a thermostat! Measured with a temperature gun!) overy 2/3-1/2 of the bottom of the tank for the warm side temperatures and if needed, use a ceramic heat emitter to get the ambient cool side temperatures up to where they need be.
Honestly, this stuff should have been set up and regulated before a gecko was ever brought home to the tank, so it should be done asap. Going without proper heating will prolong the amount of time the gecko won't eat, and if he's not getting the proper heat gradient he cannot digest his food and so should not be fed until the right heat can be provided (provided that it's done within a couple days, as it should be anyway)