Recommended Plants For – Page 2

Leopard geckos are a rare yet special kind of tropical pet. The leopard gecko’s tank must be set up correctly to provide the most natural environment possible. Choosing what plants to put in your pet’s terrarium or vivarium can be a confusing task. And, chances are, you’re torn between picking real or fake plants. For the sake of survival, every pet leopard gecko needs a bioactive tank that contains organic materials such as living plants. It can also have fake plants because geckos can hardly tell the difference. But if you’re choosing live ones, any plant that is safe and non-toxic for geckos will do. Succulents are great plants for the leopard gecko terrariums. Leopard Gecko in terrarium with fake plants. Photo by Jessi Swick So, which one do you think you should go with? The first thing you’ll need to figure out is how you want to set up your leopard gecko’s terrarium. Fake plants are always a great option if the decoration isn’t a priority. How To Choose The Best Plants For The Gecko’s Tank? The choice of safer plants is a must for your gecko’s terrarium. Even though the chances of your pet eating one of the plants are slim, you still want to be sure they don’t eat the wrong thing. Putting similar plants together gives you the best chance of making the terrarium livable and attractive. Some tips will help you figure out what plants you can use in the gecko’s environment. Because they aren’t going to care what kind of plants they are, you can pick the ones that are the most decorative. They must, however, be safe. Ensure they are safe and non-toxic. You can look up guides listing every plant that can be toxic for your leopard geckos, such as this one.Putting plants of similar species together. Suppose, when you put succulents together, it will help you provide for the same needs for every plant. This will also make the job easier for you.Choose plants that require temperatures similar to or close to your gecko. If you choose plants that are native to places where the gecko is too, you can cut the hassle of heat and temperature. These are the basic guidelines you can follow when you’re choosing plants for your leopard geckos. It’s good to remember that the plants are mostly there for decorative purposes. So, if all the requirements are fulfilled, you’re free to customize your terrarium as you like. Best Types Of Plants For The Gecko’s Terrarium The list of plants that you can keep in your leopard gecko’s living space is huge. But you can narrow it down to plant types that fit your needs. Succulents, aloe types, and snake plants are some varieties that are generally good choices for any reptile terrarium. The best kinds of plants in a leopard gecko’s terrarium depend on many things. But most owners of these terrariums and experts agree on these following types to be the best choices. Aloe Types Aloes are some of the easiest plants to take care of. The most common aloe that you can find is the aloe vera plant. They are tough and require around 6-8 hours of sunlight. Besides that, there is a huge variety of them to choose from. Aloes grow very slowly. And, they sometimes have a small growth from their roots, which you can snip off easily too. Some of the prettier and efficient aloe plants are mentioned here: Sunset AloePink Blush AloeTiger-toothed AloeGolden-toothed AloeLace Aloe String Types String plants are a unique type of plant that can hang inside or lay on the floor of the terrarium/vivarium. The style of these plants is what makes them a good decorative addition to the gecko’s habitat. String-type succulents include strings of dolphins, pearls, and bananas. String-type plants live best in cooler temperatures, but that’s only for growth. When you keep them in the tank with your gecko, they can survive the warm temperature just fine. If you put them around the floor of the terrarium, it can be a natural carpet. Here are some string types to consider: String of PearlsString of DolphinsString of Bananas Grass Types Carex and Sedge grass are some types of grass that can recreate a gecko’s natural environment. They can grow to a height of anywhere from 6 to 30 inches. Easy to maintain, they can thrive well at any temperature. Additionally, it can create a good hiding place for your leopard geckos. Echeverias Echeverias are succulents that grow in rounded rosettes with warm shades of color. These plants are very good decoration pieces for the tanks and grow quickly. But, their maintenance takes a bit of work. And, they need a lot of sunlight. You can use the echeverias as contrast plants inside the terrarium because of their bright colors. Among them, many species can be safe for your geckos. Echeveria lauii and Echeveria subrigida are some examples of brighter echeveria plants. Other Succulents The general need for a terrarium is succulents. So why stop at the ones listed here? Besides the ones given here, Elephant Bush, Cactus types, and Living Stones are some plants that can add a striking look to your leopard gecko’s tanks. Here is a list of other types of plants you can add to the tank. They are all safe, and approved of by experts! Elephand BushSnake PlantsAir Plants (Tillandsia)Money/Jade Plant (Crassula ovata)Lithops or Living Stones Taking Care Of The Terrarium’s Live Plants Regular maintenance is critical to ensure plants in your leopard gecko’s tank are alive and well. Not all plants will need the same kind of care. But some general maintenance tips will help you take care of the plants regularly. Some quick pointers will help you keep the plants in check. This includes adequate sunlight, watering, and heating for every plant in the tank. As you can recall, similar plants in the caging will make for easier care. Check the soil moisture each week. You can add water by spraying the soil with some of it every week.Give them enough sunlight. Every plant will need some sunlight depending on its species. Try to keep the terrarium in a place where plants can get the amount of sunlight they require every day.Keep them at the right temperature. Temperature is an important part of a plant’s survival; especially succulents. A quick tip in this part would be to choose plants that can thrive in the temperature your gecko needs.Keep their growth in check. Since plants need some snipping weekly or monthly, make sure they don’t overrun the floor space of the terrarium.Clean the plants on a daily basis. You’d need to clean the tank as well as the plants for their survival. Fake Plants Are Still An Option People put fake plants inside the terrarium for decoration, just like they use real plants in a bioactive terrarium. Although they are less bright and lively, they are cheaper to buy and maintain. And the best thing is, your leopard gecko won’t be able to tell the difference. The geckos will usually look to the fake plants for hiding places and accessories. So, the best choices of fake plants for your gecko’s tank would be vine leaves, finger cactuses, spider orchids, and boxwoods. If the maintenance of live plants is too much work for you, you can always opt for this easier and cheaper option. Conclusion Admittedly, choosing plants for your leopard gecko’s tank is a strenuous job, I admit. But, when you have a general idea of what your options are, the job is much easier. Looking over the maintenance guide and plantlist can help you decide how you want to decorate your pet’s space. Hopefully, you’ll have a great time picking them out!