Rating: 5/10
Overall, this Zilla Starter Kit wasn't bad. I got one for my leopard gecko when she was just a baby, and it was the perfect starter size. It came with the basking light and night light with the right wattages, a terrarium liner, a temperature & humidity gauge, the terrarium, and the terrarium screen cover with clips to secure it. For the price of around $75, this option didn't break the bank, but it didn't come with many of the necessary features, and the cost of those items added up quickly. Let's break down the pros and cons.
Pros:
Proper Size (for babies)
Being 10 gallons, the terrarium was the perfect size for a baby leopard gecko. It provides plenty of room for a juvenile to explore.
Proper-Wattage Basking Light
The basking and night lights that came with the kit were each 50 watts, the perfect wattage for a leopard gecko—not too hot, not too cold!
Open-Air Screen Cover w/ Secure Clips
Leopard geckos appreciate fresh air, so having the entire lid to the terrarium as an open-air screen cover is helpful for ventilation. The secure clips were a plus as well; you don't want your scaly friend escaping!
Temperature & Humidity Gauge
The temperature and humidity gauge seems to be calibrated correctly and is a must when monitoring the environmental conditions for your leopard gecko. It's important to keep the humidity low and the temperature high!
Cons:
No UVB Bulb
Where is the UVB bulb?! Leopard geckos still need UVB even though they're nocturnal!
Low-Quality Bulbs
Unfortunately, I've found that Zilla bulbs burn out pretty quickly, especially the night lights. They don't even make it to the 3 month mark before you have to replace them.
No Hides
How can a leopard gecko go about their day without a hide? They are prey animals, which means they spend most of their day hiding in the rocks of their natural environment. Not including the hide just makes you pay more after you've already bought the kit!
No Heat Mat
A heat mat is a must for a leopard gecko, and in fact, it's a better idea than including a night light. By not including this, you pay more out of pocket for something that should be automatically included in a starter kit.
No Enrichment
Although some people would argue that this does not need to be included in a starter kit, I strongly believe the opposite. Promoting proper care should be the goal of all starter kits, and enrichment is an essential to all animal care. Enrichment encourages natural behaviors, which is extremely important to the development of your animal. Having to research and buy your own enrichment after already buying the kit is a large annoyance and inconvenience.
No Water Dish
Seriously, why is a starter kit allowed to be sold on the market without a water dish? Leopard geckos will not drink from your hand! They need a water dish to be refilled each day or they will dehydrate!
Have to Upgrade for Adults
While 10 gallons is a perfect size for baby leopard geckos, this is unacceptable for adults. After purchasing this starter kit, you'll have to replace the terrarium with a 20 gallon tank less than 2 years down the road. It's a big annoyance and another hit to the wallet.
Reptile Carpet
You should NEVER use reptile carpet! Although impaction can be a concern with loose substrates, reptile carpet can hurt your pet in many different ways, such as damaging scales, teeth, and nails!
Suggestions
If you're looking for a good starter kit, Zilla is not the worst way to go, but the better suggestion I have for first-time owners is to put together the terrarium yourself. Go to the pet store when a 20 gallon fish tank is on sale and buy that. They are the exact same quality tanks as the reptile tanks most companies will sell you in starter kits. Then purchase your other items individually, searching for the best prices as you go. You can purchase your lights and their domes online for cheaper than in-store from almost any reptile company. It's also good idea to get a pack of light bulbs so you have extras when they burn out down the road.
If you would like help DIY'ing your leopard gecko's terrarium, visit my other blog article: DIY Leopard Gecko Terrarium.
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