Journal

Answers to the questions reptile keepers ask most, with the figures from welfare charities, vets and material data sheets.

• How many hides does a leopard gecko need?

  At least three: a warm hide under the heat lamp, a cool hide at the other end, and a humid hide with damp moss or substrate for shedding. The RSPCA asks for many hides at both ends, so the gecko never has to choose between the temperature it needs and feeling safe.

  Read the answer

• What size hide does a ball python need?

  One the snake fills when it coils, so its body touches the walls and the ceiling. Keepers' guides say a good hide barely looks big enough. Give it at least two, one at the warm end and one at the cool end, as the Royal Veterinary College advises.

  Read the answer

• Can resin or 3D-printed decor go under a heat lamp?

  Keep printed plastic out of the basking spot and off heat mats. A common PLA filament starts to bend under load at about 55 °C (131 °F), and PETG holds out to roughly 60 to 80 °C, depending on the grade. Resin pieces should also stay out of direct contact with lamps, mats and basking bulbs.

  Read the answer

• Is Nocturne Habitat a real shop?

  Yes. Nocturne Habitat is a brand of FreeTitle, Inc., a Delaware corporation based in Los Angeles. You pay through Shopify's secure checkout, every order goes by tracked air mail, and a damaged or wrong piece is replaced or refunded with nothing to send back.

  Read the answer