Preparing Your Home Before Your Animal Arrives
The setup checklist we wish every new keeper ran through before pickup day.
The single biggest predictor of a smooth first month isn’t the animal — it’s whether the enclosure was fully set up, heated, and stable before the animal came home. Here’s the checklist we run through with every placement.
Set up early, run it empty
Build the enclosure days ahead and let it run empty. This lets you confirm temperatures hold, humidity settles, and nothing needs a last-minute parts run.
Dial in the gradient
Every species on this site needs a temperature gradient, not a single temperature. Verify the warm and cool ends with real thermometers — not the dial on a heat device.
Reduce the pressure
New animals are stressed animals. Give hides, cover, and quiet for the first several days. Resist the urge to handle immediately; let them eat and settle first.
Have food ready
Know what your animal is eating and have it on hand. A feeding schedule interruption on day one is an avoidable stressor.