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Learn how to setup your reptiles terrarium to ensure your reptile lives a wholesome & happy life. Shop at your local Petco for all reptile terrarium needs.
Updated on November 20th, 2025
Learn the importance of UVB light for your reptiles and the right reptile lights for your pet’s habitat.
Updated on November 20th, 2025
Learn about live insects for reptile feeding, recommended diet & habitat setup. Find the right food, supplies & equipment at your neighborhood Petco.
Updated on November 20th, 2025
Tropical and desert terrarium plants are not only beneficial to terrestrial environments, but they also bring a more natural appearance to your reptile’s habitat.
Updated on November 20th, 2025
When it comes to reptile habitats, one of the most essential elements to creating a happy home for your pet is including the appropriate type of lighting. Zoo Med helps outline which lights are right for your pet.
Updated on November 20th, 2025
Choose the largest cage your space and budget will allow. At minimum, a 55 gallon enclosure should be considered. Acceptable substrates include slate, reptile carpet, decomposed granite or large gravel. Yes, setting up a bio-active environment for beardies is possible. It will take a bit of research and effort to get it right.
Updated on August 12th, 2025
Ideally, the UVB light source should run the entire length of the tank. A thermometer/hygrometer should be on each end of the tank to confirm cool and warm sides. Use a digital thermometer to verify temps. Those little ones you have can be inaccurate. Provide a hide on both sides as well. Personally, I would remove the fake grass as it has the potential to cause eye injuries. Your tank looks good otherwise.
Updated on August 12th, 2025
Leopard geckos can be very finicky. I probably wouldn’t change his substrate unless he is having problems with the current one. You can attempt to change it but you need to monitor his activity, appetite and attitude closely. I also don’t recommend any sand substrates as they commonly cause intestinal obstruction because they like to eat it. Honestly, the best substrate is an AstroTurf type material because they can’t eat it and it is easy to keep clean, but this can be a big change if he isn’t use to it. I hope this helps!
Updated on August 12th, 2025
You must treat both the environment and the pet. You can try some over the counter products but many can be ineffective if the environment is not treated concurrently. Ivermectin can be dispensed by your veterinarian to use systemically or topically. Do not treat with ivermectin without the advice of your veterinarian as it is quite easy to overdose. A 30 minute soak in a diluted Betadine bath can remove most mites and may soothe irritated skin. Remove the substrate, bag it and take it outdoors. Clean and sanitize the cage, bowls and tank furniture. You can use hot, soapy water followed by a 1:30 dilution of bleach and water followed by a thorough rinsing on the tank, bowls and non porous surfaces. Discard anything that cannot be sanitized. You may need to clean and sanitize the enclosure weekly for several weeks. The pet may need multiple treatments as well.
Updated on August 12th, 2025
Thanks for your question about Smaug, and thanks for the photo as well! I think that you have a good start to your set up, and that we can tweak a few items. First, your lighting situation appears adequate - I see a UVB light (please change this bulb every 4-6 months), a basking light, and a ceramic heat bulb. I would ensure that your temperatures are appropriate for this species, and that you are monitoring them using digital thermometers (I think that you see both a digital and analog thermometers currently) at the level of Smaug. Analog thermometers are inaccurate, so I don't recommend using them (also, they are high up on the sides of the enclosure, so they wouldn't be giving an accurate temperature read for Smaug). For the cage furniture that you have, I like that you have places for Smaug to climb and hide. However, I would recommend having a hide on both the warm side of the enclosure and the cool side so that Smaug has choices. Same for the climbing structures. I may have misse
Updated on August 12th, 2025