🌿BIOACTIVE VIVARIUM FOR A LEOPARD GECKO | TERRAQUAMAN

[@BraydenmF]

One of my new favorite KZbinrs right now

[@terraquaman]

You’re one of my favorite subscribers right now 😀

[@MalzyHD]

Wow awesome work! Supernew to the channel and just built my own terrarium for my first leo gecko :)

[@terraquaman]

Thank you very much! 😀 That's awesome!

[@bluebottle1449]

awesome setup and very pratical. underrated build!

[@terraquaman]

Thanks, glad you like it! 😀

[@DoorsToHideBehind156]

Only thing I'd say is I don't think the drainage layer was necessary because you won't be spraying the tank down heavily in a leopard gecko enclosure.

[@terraquaman]

Yeah thanks you’re probably right but better to have one anyway. It doesn’t hurt right ? 😊

[@LukeMcGuireoides]

Nah, not at all

[@Countrysidechickenfarm]

This video is amazing! The DIY leopard gecko shelter is impressive. The step-by-step instructions make it easy to make at home. The attention to detail, from choosing the right materials to ensuring the gecko is comfortable, is truly outstanding. This is the perfect combination of creativity and practicality. Thanks for sharing such a helpful and inspiring video!

[@LukeMcGuireoides]

Great video. Your channel is kickass. I am worried that habitat might be too humid for a leo. It should be fine as long as it doesn't get respiratory problems though.

[@LukeMcGuireoides]

Tank looks great. I saw you say you intend to only water where the plants are. That will work great. I've just never seen anyone make a build like this for a leo. I think it will work great though, all in all. Looks supercool

[@terraquaman]

Thank you very much 😀

[@SCMI7Y]

Should have gone with some black dirt clay bottom. They will normally have a picture of a leopard gecko on it. Plants should be desert plants, not high humidity plants. I used all the Leo-recommended materials for my Leo but still had humidity problems. It slowly got more and more irritated and would hide a lot. Now I have added a dual fan that circulates the air and lowers the humidity. Now it is so much more active and happy. My Leo loves its heat spot (30°C, 40%) every morning when it turns on. I see it just absorb all the heat, and when the fans turn on to lower the humidity, it comes out for fresh air.

[@terraquaman]

That’s very interesting! My Leo is hiding all the time. He comes out in the night time. Since I released this video I have done some changes. It’s not as humid as it was in the beginning but he is still hiding. Maybe he’s just old he’s almost 13 years old.

[@gerardogaytan76]

Quedo muy bien, si se llega a comer algo del sustrato y de los isopodos no tendra problemas?

[@terraquaman]

Thanks ! Yea that could cause problem. Luckily I haven’t had a problem with it.

[@KIMO933RBX]

I’ve got a lepoard gecko for myself and I think it’s perfect humidity.

[@terraquaman]

I’m glad you think so 😊

[@Gemma-sb1ti]

Good job

[@rowenchaos]

What paints, spray fiam and any thing is safe for reptiles?

[@terraquaman]

Spray foam that is sold for ponds is safe. Paint I’m not sure. Silicone for aquarium is safe.

[@The.Anole.Keeper]

Hey! So I am bored with my 10 gallon brown anole tank, and I was wondering if you could make a video on that

[@terraquaman]

Super cool animal! At the moment I don’t have the space for more animals. I’m kind of maxed out. But maybe in the future if I move to a bigger house 😀

[@Cxwzzz]

I really like the setup can you briefly tell how much everything cost together?

[@terraquaman]

Thanks! I think around 5-600 euro. 😄

[@ToastLord42]

Thank you so much for showing us the whole process of construction! For my first reptile I am going to be buying a chinese cave gecko and with a few modifications this will make the prefect enclosure!

[@terraquaman]

I’m glad I could inspire you! That sounds like an amazing plan 😊 Best of luck !

[@francescobaiesi2332]

hi, can I ask you how long the terrarium was and how many packs of expanding foam did you use in total? thank you

[@terraquaman]

Hi, It’s 90 cm long. I think I used 2 cans of foam 😊

[@francescobaiesi2332]

@@terraquaman thank you

[@Mae_with_shark]

Incredible diy 😍but can you do a full video for the substrate please!😢🙏🏻

[@terraquaman]

Thanks ! I might do that in the future 😀

[@birdsong6382]

What about about toxins from the foam spray and glue. Is it not a concern?

[@terraquaman]

Once it cures it’s totally harmless.

[@alejandroaragon1518]

What was the mixture of the substrate, coconut fiber with? 6:31

[@terraquaman]

Sand and moss 😊

[@IShowGoatYt]

You’re growing fast man best of luck to you❤ don’t miss me

[@terraquaman]

Same to you ❤️

[@Will-tl2sj]

Nice video man I enjoyed your editing with it as well hope to see more builds from you thank you for sharing this

[@terraquaman]

Thank you very much!! I’m working on many projects atm next will be a new house for my rainbow boa 😊

[@Zoemexia]

Beautiful ! I only wish it was bigger

[@terraquaman]

Thanks. The new setup is a bit bigger. In the future (when I have a bigger house) everyone will have enormous enclosures 😊

[@americano7643]

good video!

[@terraquaman]

Thanks ! 😊

[@richardsanchez5444]

So in the futtue im thinking of getting a leopard gecko. And i know they need more length than height but instead of going 36x18x18 I'm thinking of going 36x18x24. I know they do climb but do you think they'll climb that much if i give them two feet?

[@terraquaman]

I just got a new enclosure for mine and it’s 36x18x24. I think he will use the whole space. Let’s hope so at least 😀 Good luck with your future gecko !

[@richardsanchez5444]

@@terraquaman thanks. I'll be looking forward to seeing you build it.

[@souallei]

What is the spray products?

[@terraquaman]

Expanding foam. You can find it online or at the hardware store.

[@Baba-ro6le]

what kind of sand do you use? is beach sand viable?

[@terraquaman]

I think it was aquarium sand. As long as the sand is free from contamination it’s fine.

[@Quint-h3s]

what are all the things you used so i can get a idea for what i need nice video

[@terraquaman]

Thank you ! Well you need a terrarium, leca, some sort of weed fabric or window screen mesh, coco fiber, organic topsoil, sphagnum moss, plants, decoration like stones or pieces of wood, at least two hides, expanding foam, heat light or heat mat, uvb light (some say you don’t need uvb), spring tails and isopods, water dish, food dish. That’s basically it 😊

[@Quint-h3s]

@@terraquaman Ok thank you hope you can make more videos on nice kind of thing you good at it😁 also do you remember how much of coco fiber sphagnum moss, sand, and organic topsoil did you get. as well as do i need to put real plants in because i have been watching videos and i'm puzzled if i need real ones or i can put fake ones

[@talionjohns8462]

How much foam do you use?

[@terraquaman]

Two bottles 😊

[@spazmops1210]

Nice build!

[@terraquaman]

Thanks!

[@SheriffVR-gtag]

Also love your work👍👍👍👍👍

[@terraquaman]

Thank you very much !😊

[@SheriffVR-gtag]

👍👍👍👍👍

[@albanyn.9305]

awesome setup, it looks super cool! i think there’s some things that you should be aware of for leopard gecko keeping though. not sure if you have a heat matt already in there but i’d put a thermostat at least on the light, making sure the little guy is getting enough heat or making sure it doesn’t get too hot. i’d recommend heat mats any day over heat lamps. heat lamps can be helpful for their circadian rhythm but it’s harder to pin point the exact temperature, whereas the heat mats connected to a thermostat (always use a heat mat with a thermostat) can actually detect and give an exact number and this temp can be controlled and set. leopard geckos need heat radiating under them rather than over head to digest their food properly. the heat mat should be around 91 degrees fahrenheit and the overall tank temp should be around 80 to 85. i hope this helps!

[@albanyn.9305]

also i’d just like to mention, without proper heating your leopard gecko is more prone to impaction, which can eventually lead to malnutrition and in severe cases, their colons can burst if they can’t pass it which results in death. so it’s really important to make sure you’re providing proper heat. another side not (i’m nitpicking at this point) but i’d recommend feeding smaller meal worms to your leo, the rule of thumb for them is anything larger than the space between their eyes is too big and they might choke on it if given the chance. super worms can also bite so be aware of that too and they don’t provide as much nutritional value as regular sized worms. sorry for the info bomb 😅

[@dollfacedkilla693]

Why not just use slate with a heat lamp so it maintains heat and creates its own heat mat?

[@albanyn.9305]

@@dollfacedkilla693 you can do that, but in order to keep it from getting to extreme temperatures, you should use a thermostat. i like using heat mats because they can provide a good heat source at night as well, and the leo can choose between basking and moving into dark hides while still getting warmth.

[@terraquaman]

Reptile care can be very confusing. Everyone seems to have different opinions. My Leo seems to be doing great with the setup. He eats good and goes to the bathroom good. The only thing though he’s not out of his hide so much. Don’t know if I can change anything to make him more comfortable outside his hide. I would like to see him more. To be fair he has had o lot of different owners before me. He is around 13 years old. Don’t know how they kept him. But they where about to put him down because they didn’t want him anymore so we decided to rescue him. Anyway I would be glad to do everything in my power to care for him the best way possible and make him as comfortable as possible.

[@albanyn.9305]

@@terraquaman he might not be out as much because it might be too cold. but most leo’s aren’t out very much in general. they’re crepuscular which means that they mainly come out at dusk and dawn. they will sometimes be active at night too. leopard geckos aren’t the most entertaining compared to other reptiles lol.

[@BunkGarage]

I love this setup, good idea for me, I currently have 3 leopard geckos in a 40g, they’re super small right now, I am going to build a custom one later on once they get bigger, 7’x2’x2’ so I can house all of them together since they females and all get along. They hunt for their food as well and for some reason decide to poop only on the cool side of tank above their cool hide.. it’s. Soil/sand substrate, fairly easy to clean. Large rock humid hide, large half log hot hide. I’m making the back walls but Velcro so I can remove for cleaning… etc. I’m doing ledges. Where did you buy or find that wood piece?

[@terraquaman]

Thanks! Sounds like an amazing setup. I’ve heard that housing multiple Leo’s together is a bit controversial. But if it works it works I guess. 😊

[@BUZZSAW09]

So you install the drainage layer the bedding that hides mosses everywhere and then you carve the background you're kind of did that backwards

[@terraquaman]

Yes I was a noob when I was building this (still am) I’m learning every day and I like to share the process 😊

[@bryangonzalez413]

Hello, what is the name of the Gecko?

[@terraquaman]

His name is Arturo and he is 12 year old. He was gifted to me by a family that no longer wanted him. I have had him for almost a year :)

[@bryangonzalez413]

@@terraquaman It's actually very cute and it's domestic that's why I would like it 😙🥰

[@skorpion90dm]

What are the dimensions of the terrarium? Greeting

[@terraquaman]

90 cm 45 cm 45 cm 😊

[@monwhopperdopy1973]

Will the micofauna and isopods be able to escape from the tank??

[@terraquaman]

Technically they could escape through the ventilation holes but I don’t think they will. They like it in the soil. One could cover the ventilation holes with super fine mesh or something 😊

[@dontmindmeiamjustadeadpige2682]

They will die before. A leopardgecko doesnt need as much humdity like isopods and springtails do. Otherwise they dont escape. I got some for my snake

[@richardsanchez5444]

​@@dontmindmeiamjustadeadpige2682there's some species of springtails that don't need much humidity.

[@gustav1585]

vad heter ormbunken i terrariet? älskar hur de ser ut men vet inte vilka som är reptil säkra

[@terraquaman]

Jag tror den heter Spjutbräken 'Green Lady' 😀

[@gustav1585]

@@terraquaman okej tack så jättemycket 🤝 Jag funderar på att plantera sånna hos min basilisk

[@k.henderson9274]

What gallon tank is it?

[@terraquaman]

48,12 gallons.

[@izzyxplayz2822]

What tank do you use?

[@terraquaman]

It’s an exo terra 90x45x45 cm ☺️

[@Ishwolv]

I thought leopard geckos are found in the deserts of places like Pakistan and Afghanistan though. Shouldn't they have an arid enclosure?

[@terraquaman]

They are found in more humid areas as well 😊

[@skateflip7048]

What tank size is that

[@terraquaman]

It’s 90 cm long 45 deep and 45 tall 😊

[@LorianCaesar]

Disclaimer: I skipped through parts of the video so I didn't watch every second. Not to hate but you could've done so much more with the background, for example sprinkled stuff like coconut fiber, moss, bark and other stuff on the expanding foam while it was still wet to create a very naturalistic look. On top of that, your DYI hide still had some rough edges which you said you were going to burn away so keep that in mind for the next time to perhaps melt the edges away some more. On top of that you were talking about perhaps adding a UVB but that's not how leopard gecko's work. You need to add UVB light like really, don't go overboard with it tho and go for like a UVB 5.0 (5%) more than that could burn the gecko and also mind the distance. Now here comes another very important thing for leopard gecko's, you need to have multiple hides for leopard gecko's: a hot hide, a moist hide and a cool hide. The "hot" hide comes on the warm/hot side of the tank, the cool could be on the opposite of the tank and then the moist aswell. Fill the moist hide with moss which you need to spray down once or twice a week to keep it moist which has enormous benefits for their shedding. Indeed add a water bowl as leopard gecko's do drink which some people don't know (I heard you said something about the water bowl perhaps you don't have it in house a.t.m. so it's okay but then think of a temporary solution because they will die without access to water. Overall decent build and I'm curious to know how your builds will look like in the future!

[@terraquaman]

Thank you for the tips. I fixed everything before the gecko arrived. 👍

[@albanyn.9305]

bro did not watch the video lmfao.

[@Sdub976]

the music at the beginning make me want to shout "HECTOR!"

[@terraquaman]

Hahahaha 😆😆😆

[@Guadalupeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee]

I wonder if it fits a blue tongue skink

[@terraquaman]

I’m not familiar with blue tongue skinks requirements but I think it too small.

[@Guadalupeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee]

@@terraquaman a baby one i meant

[@Strawberry-vm7mv]

I have a leopad gecko❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤it is soo cute

[@terraquaman]

That’s amazing 🤩

[@GrupDuck]

leo’s need a dry arid climate with humidity between 30-40%... this is a great video. just a little worried about the specs

[@terraquaman]

No need to worry i don’t mist the tank just spot mist where the roots of the plants are. ☺️

[@LorianCaesar]

This isn't completely true, leopard gecko's do not need a dry climate. You most likely never done research about leopard gecko's and have no idea where they live. Leopard geckos originally live in countries such as India and Pakistan and spend most of their life in the jungle and humid areas, from time to time they move to the tundra and drier areas but they don't live in like real deserts such as the Saharah as some people might think. I'm currently working on a new enclosure for my leopard gecko's but once it's done I might show you how a proper recreation of a real leopard gecko environment looks like. So no, misting the tank is not a bad thing at all.

[@Belena711]

@@LorianCaesar Now where on earth did you read that? I HAVE done research, and have never seen, read, or heard that they live in "jungle and humid areas".

[@LorianCaesar]

@@Belena711 this sums the research up pretty well. Won't be discussing any further you do you without background information and research and I do I, with. kzbin.info/www/bejne/gmPQoJR7pMSDZpIsi=9XciZl_08WcrnZmX

[@Inverts4Introverts]

I wouldn't use the word jungle to describe where they live. But they do like it more humid than you'd think. But in the wild, they do live in arid regions with fairly low humidity in the hot seasons. But during the warmer months, they retreat to humid pockets to keep cool and thermo regulate. So ideally you'd want thier ambient humidity to be anywhere from 30-50% and then have at least 1 humid hide where they can go to hydroregulate. I know my leo practically lives in his humid hide and his ambient humidity is 50%.

[@uwuana-ni6ku]

Ministro. Tiene La carrocería De la limosina Negra y vieja la Limosina) 3:00 %

[@gordosinquerer]

Isn't the gecko from the desert?

[@terraquaman]

They are found in all kinds of different environments including grasslands 😊

[@Trolanders]

I have a leopard gecko to! no kidding!

[@terraquaman]

That’s great what’s it’s name ? 😀

[@AdamBöhme-v3i]

hej man, are you swedish i recognize the brands

[@terraquaman]

Hej japp det är jag 😁

[@alliemackowski]

Looks cool, would look better if you covered the foam with real dirt or moss, plus I hope all the stuff you were using is reptile/ animal safe!😅

[@terraquaman]

My scape skills has improved since this setup. Yes of course everything is safe 😊

[@sandrasantos9575]

❤❤❤❤

[@terraquaman]

❤️❤️

[@nick92028]

Thats way to humid for a Leopard Gecko.

[@Mossy.Arrøw]

Too* and he knows what he is doing, he’s been doing this for over 10 years so don’t doubt his experience lol

[@terraquaman]

Hope you enjoyed the new setup.

[@Saygoodgnigth]

The natural ligth is enougth for uvb😂 you dont need those expansive ligth

[@Mossy.Arrøw]

Yes you do, please learn some spelling and it’s better to have uvb than to not, the basking bulb doesn’t provide uvb so you need an added uvb as they have it in the wild, there’s no point taking something away from them that WILL benefit them.

[@richardsanchez5444]

Uv rays don't penetrate glass very well or mesh. They do need some uvb

[@SheriffVR-gtag]

Can we please trade enclosures? And I’ll add an extra 300 bucks please🙏

[@terraquaman]

Thanks for the offer! I'm not looking to trade enclosures right now, but I appreciate your interest and support. 😁

[@SheriffVR-gtag]

@@terraquamanAlr Ty have a great day

[@Meeri_11]

U should smoothen the hide properly😁

[@terraquaman]

Yes I know I was a mood back then (still am haha). I’m planning to redo the whole tank soon 😊

[@alhartman8524]

Should maybe research your plants for maintenance purposes

[@terraquaman]

Why do you think so ?

[@dogan.kaymak]

Leopard geckos as a desert animals... But there isnt a desert biome. so much humidity in here...

[@BUBBLECAT439]

They don't live in The sandy desert they live in the mountain areas and has a lot of plants and no sand

[@Tuxxo1]

False. Leopard geckos live in grassy rocky terrain. While a less humid environment is more natural for them, it doesn’t change anything.

[@Cartone_yt]

Yes the leopard geckos is my favorite Reptiles, my englisch is no perfect im italian😂 🇮🇹

[@Oscar..Landeros]

Muy bonito, pero no es el biotipo ideal para esa especie

[@terraquaman]

¡Muchas gracias! Es difícil crear el biotopo “ideal” para un gecko leopardo porque se encuentran en diversos entornos. Por lo general, se encuentran en áreas secas y rocosas con poca vegetación, pero a veces se pueden encontrar en pastizales más húmedos. Si quisiéramos crear el ambiente perfecto para nuestras mascotas en general, necesitaríamos recintos mucho más grandes para crear microclimas en los vivarios, que es exactamente como planeo mantener a todos mis animales en el futuro. 🙂

[@nick92028]

Dude has so many commercials in his video you cant even watch it.

[@terraquaman]

I can really recommend KZbin premium.

[@Kasyapeu.002]

I have 3 savannah monitore aer you want them

[@terraquaman]

Savannah monitors are super cool. I don’t think I have enough space at the moment. Thanks anyway 😀

[@ADCheese]

my gecko looked at me and sighed

[@MusicIsKindaDope]

😂

[@MusicIsKindaDope]

You can always slowly pimp out your lil homies cage

[@Guadalupeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee]

You are not smart thatd too small!! It needs like 100000 gallons for one gecko

[@terraquaman]

I appreciate your concern. The enclosure is actually appropriate for a leopard gecko's size and needs according to care guidelines. Thanks for sharing your perspective.

[@DavidNixon-i6k]

Hi

[@terraquaman]

Hello ! 😊

[@hickersa33]

bets youtuber

[@terraquaman]

Thanks so much for the kind words! 😊

[@hickersa33]

nah

[@terraquaman]

What do you mean ?

[@Italiainota]

Die Tiere tun mir leid. Das Thema verfehlt würde ich behaupten.. Sand, Höhle, viel mehr Licht, die Rückwand ist EKELHAFT und sehr schlecht gemacht. Du solltest nicht weiter machen mit diesem Hobby☝️

[@terraquaman]

I have upgraded him to a better setup now. Thanks for your input.

[@jessicalamarre3345]

Leaving the background as just raw spray foam seems lazy and also cruel for the animals... must smell super toxic to them.

[@terraquaman]

I agree! It is a bit lazy. I skipped the silicone coco fiber part because i thought it looked cool at first plus I hate the smell of silicone. However now I can't stand to look at it any more and i will change it ASAP. When the foam is cured it does not smell anymore.

[@viperluciano6328]

And that is how we all learn. We always learn as we are going along with the builds he tried it and said now it's not working for him and will change it. I like your video's keep up the good work. We all learn and updrage as we go

[@MichMat421]

Hey jessicalamarre3345,if u have nothing nice to say don’t say a thing at all.this dude worked hard to build this awesome tank don’t diss in it because it seems “lazy”

[@VolcanixAquatix]

I agree, this is well done, and above and beyond wonderful compared to literal thousands of people who just plop them in a bare tank with a bowl of water and a stick. ​@MichMat421

[@MicahRagsdale-k3q]

Cry about it please

[@bird6566]

you 100% need a calcium dish and linear uvb for this animal, wtf. do you want mbd

[@terraquaman]

Yeah thanks, I have all that now 😊

[@MrEmory1980]

You know there’s a way to relay this info without being a complete prick about it.

[@bird6566]

@@MrEmory1980 There was no update on if he decided to do UVB and a calcium bowl later on in the video, content creators, especially ones who make their content around the care of an animal, have a responsibility to display the minimum requirements for an animal. Otherwise a lot of abuse and neglect can happen because of the subpar information. Any other creator would get the same response.

[@chrissherping9331]

had my leopard for 3 years without either shut up🥱

[@bird6566]

When was the last vet check@@chrissherping9331

[@YouDepaTube]

Spray foam & silicone.....BIO???

[@terraquaman]

The bio active part is the substrate.