| Hide boxes are far and away the most important | | | | tank and make sure it is adequate. |
| feature of a good leopard geckos habitat. That's | | | | Not to have to move from its hide box during the |
| primarily because these lovely creatures are | | | | 'day'. In the wild, the leo will hide during the day and |
| nocturnal, meaning that they are only active at night | | | | only venture out to feed at dusk, when it's safer for |
| and have an overwhelming urge to hide during | | | | them to do so. That means you shouldn't try to feed |
| daylight hours. Without hide boxes, your leo will feel | | | | your leo while its tank light is still on. If for some |
| very exposed, unhappy and under threat as long as | | | | reason you need to do this (for example if you're |
| it's light in its terrarium. | | | | going out in the afternoon for the rest of the day), |
| Here's exactly what your leo needs: | | | | then put the food right near the door of the hide so |
| At least two hide boxes - one cool and dry, one | | | | that it can just stick its head out to grab it. |
| warm and humid. If you give your leo only one box, | | | | Otherwise feed your leo in the early evening once its |
| then it'll be forced to use it during the day no matter | | | | tank light is off (it's ok if the lights in your home |
| what. This prevents it from choosing the | | | | remain on, your leo will still react to the light going out |
| temperature and humidity level that it feels like it | | | | in its tank). |
| needs. Remember that in the wild, these cold-blooded | | | | A dark environment inside its hide boxes. There are a |
| creatures seek out different temperature and | | | | lot of possible options for hide boxes. There are a |
| humidity conditions in order to self-regulate their | | | | wide range of commercially available hide boxes and |
| temperature and to make it easier for them to shed | | | | if you want to make your own that's not hard to do |
| when they need to. | | | | either. The important thing with any kind of hide box |
| Large enough hide boxes. If you can fit them in the | | | | is that it's something your leo feels safe inside, and |
| tank, then large hide boxes are much better than | | | | that means that it needs to be dark inside of it. For |
| small. That's because larger boxes will have a | | | | this reason, choose a material that's relatively dense |
| temperature gradient inside them while small ones | | | | (thin plastic won't do it), and make sure that |
| won't. A temperature gradient means that your leo | | | | doorways are no bigger than they have to be. |
| can move around inside the hide box to get exactly | | | | Of course there are other items of importance in the |
| the temperature it wants. If you can't fit large hide | | | | leopard geckos habitat but we'll go into that in |
| boxes in the tank then you can use smaller boxes in | | | | another article. In the meantime, do ensure that |
| different locations, however, look at the size of your | | | | you've got the hide boxes right. |