Orchid/gecko viv
 

Everyone's having frogs but I'm going to have small green day geckos. They're like jewels in orchid jungle. I have added myself on two different sites of reptiles but not felt wellcome. Nobody comments my guestions etc. Here everyone has made me feel like home and now I'm asking your help to get perfect home for both. It's kind of funny that even at home my best friends are from gardening sites. Maybe plants are such therapy people have energy to be nice to each other!

Has anyone heard that conifer wood would cause geckos health problems? I'm going to have crushed bark on the bottom and now afraid that if that's too fresh and aromatic oils in it problems could occure.

Here is my sketch for vivarium.
http://i73.photobucket.com/albums/i2...eakaappi-1.jpg

How do you think of it? There's couple of heating stones and on the top fluorescent tube lights.

On the bottom there's going to be water circulating via filter and a waterfall to keep vivarium moist. Above it strong grid and mesh avoiding surface material dropping down. Surface material is crushed bark deep enough to plant the orchids. There also a big branch geckos climb around and orchids on it. Back wall is covered with material I can use suspending more orchids.

yeah, I know pine and cedar is a no no for any mammals, not sure about reptiles, but I would assume similar since it's basically an irritant. plenty of non-degrading woods to choose from besides cedar, how about teak?

I love geckos, friend was into them for quite a while. I still have a rule against having pets which require live food that isn't a worm (fish and worms I'm ok with)...

That doesn't mean I can't appreciate your geckos! be sure to take pics! What kind of food do they like? Will you be taking it out and playing with it?

Hello, both of you any many, many thanks for your information :bowing . This is just what I suspected. I don't have geckos yet but making preparations to get them and trying to do everything right in the first place. This is so me... always trying to think all aspects before acting.

I have big silver willow blocks, there's plenty of bark on them. Maybe I could crush it and use with mosses? There's also plenty of different mosses in the forest near me. Is there any wood type orchids wouldn't like?

I have heard that geckos like flowers ( I could be wrong ) ... you may get the plants to bloom only to see them eaten as a meal for your geckos .. :hmm .. something to consider and further look into ... :nod:

Heeh, it is much posible geckos are very willing to have a taste of orchid flowers. We'll see if honey drops elsewhere keep them interested enough or not. Well, who wouldn't like orchid flowers :lol: . It shows only they are very sophisticated and like gourmet food.

For ventilation there's going to be one fan low blowing in and one on the top sucking out. I thought lower fan could be quite near "water fall" and UV- lamp there quite near also, then it would maybe rise the moist upwards.

I knew there was a reason why I liked geckos ;)