Here we go again... another naturalistic/bioactive vivarium build! In this demonstration, I show you how I made a new and improved setup for my Crested Gecko, Henry. Henry was my first Crested Gecko and the reason why I like these little guys so much. I felt like I owe it to him and Crested Geckos at large, to make another video demonstrating how to set up a suitable vivarium. As I usually say, you do not need to make something this elaborate to keep a happy and healthy animal, but there's no reason not to!  

I'm making three more videos for this series, so if I didn't cover something in this video, chances are that I will in one of the others. I will say though that I have a fan and UVB lighting included in this setup (I know those will be two common questions). I'll expound upon these items in a later video. 

Understand that Crested Geckos are arboreal (spend most, if not all of their time in trees), so when creating a setup, design it in a way that accommodates this aspect of their habitat. Although this tank might not look like it just yet, when it grows in, it will very much mimic a dense canopy. You can't go wrong creating a setup that mimics an animal's natural habit. Good plant choices include large leafed plants and hardy plants that can take a beating. Do a little research and you can easily pick out a good selection. 

Something else I should mention is that this type of background can be done without making three panels. If you want to make a single background panel, follow the same procedure, but make it slightly larger than the width of the inside of your enclosure (roughly 1/8” wider). You could also create it outside of the enclosure like this and silicone it in place. This of course will attach it to the tank, but you could still get the benefits that come with making a background outside of the enclosure.  

If your wondering what tank this is, it's a DIY plywood enclosure that I made myself. If you want to learn how I made it, check out this link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lbbhz2XtX34

Below are some links that could be of use: 

Tropical (ABG) Substrate Mix:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bmSr17J2jho

Background Tutorials:
https://youtu.be/cOb4uLQz-Dk?list=PLGPT1t4CqpfjjZtOScSnR-AmvX-ojvDqK

Housing Henry 1.0:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hFwpeg-gxSI

Vertical Vivarium Series:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iCnMiLnc_1g&list=PLGPT1t4CqpfieoohuiuDh5oVJUJSwt2Nz

Culture Your Own Springtails: 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c7UgKFtSjD0

#crestedgecko #vivarium #serpadesign