What substrate are you using? - Page 41

gumbii · #**401** 09-07-2010, 04:07 AM

i think i'm going to start using construction paper and tape... i'm tired of crickets and meal worms dieing under paper towels and stinking up the tank... no bueno...

but only on one side... the other side with the UTH is tile...

**Elizabeth Freer** · #**402** 09-07-2010, 06:02 AM

Don't use tape. Heard that it is not good for some geckos.

Prey should be contained in a feeding dish, not allowed free reign of the tank. The latter could stress your geckos.

gumbii · #**403** 09-07-2010, 10:54 PM

crickets and baby madagascars run/jump out of the bowl... also, when i throw worms, they're messy eaters... after one goes for a bite, i see a worm or two out of the bowl...

i'm cutting down on crickets and feeding more dubia...

anyways... on subject of crickets...

i didn't get to read all 40+ pages... but we just came from a shop and i picked up a raptor.... they have some sand in their tanks with the leos... they say it's a special sand that they re bag... i believe them that they do rebag... but is it just simple play or blasting sand...? from like home depot...? it looks the same... i don't want it, but my friend does...

thx in advance...

**Elizabeth Freer** · #**404** 09-07-2010, 11:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gumbii

crickets and baby madagascars run/jump out of the bowl... also, when i throw worms, they're messy eaters... after one goes for a bite, i see a worm or two out of the bowl...

i'm cutting down on crickets and feeding more dubia...

anyways... on subject of crickets...

i didn't get to read all 40+ pages... but we just came from a shop and i picked up a raptor.... they have some sand in their tanks with the leos... they say it's a special sand that they re bag... i believe them that they do rebag... but is it just simple play or blasting sand...? from like home depot...? it looks the same... i don't want it, but my friend does...

thx in advance...

For the dubia and maybe even the crickets, use a bar glass (short) or other sturdy container with slippery sides to prevent the feeders from escaping. As for the crickets, you can amputate the back legs at the "knees" and the front legs at the "elbows" to keep them in the dish.

You can check the sand out under a microscope. In my book silica-based sand is always bad news because the particles can accumulate in the gut. That may include even the finest of beach sands! That is one thing that causes impaction. On the other hand, the risk is less with quartz-based sand (rounded granules). Calcium-sand is NEVER good.

Read this for an account of an impaction in a 2-3 year old leopard gecko which proved fatal despite the best first aid: My dear Peach

At least for the first year of ownership and/or the first year of a leopard gecko's life, paper towels and/or slate tile is the preferred substrate.

MauricesExoticPets · #**405** 09-08-2010, 10:18 AM

To answer your question about the sand, none of us could likely answer that without working where you say they re-bag the product.

That being said, if you use sand I believe the common practice is to sieve regular old play sand through a screen with about the same size openings as regular window screen. I've used it in the past with zero issues, and so have many others. Why it sometimes leads to impaction I can only guess as I have no real hard and fast proof that other factors are not also involved.

Your point is valid when refering to crickets and such getting under the papertowel and passing away there, yet, this is also a function of regular maintenance that is easy to fix.

As I have stated in a prior post, I am using slate cut to fit the enclosure with any small gaps filled with fine sand to keep any insect feeders from finding a place to escape the leopard geckos hunting.

Your baby hissers will have less ability to escape a feeding container if it has a thin layer of calcium covering the base, in my enclosures the feed dish doubles as the calcium dish too. You don't need alot.

Maurice Pudlo

Glass_ · #**406** 09-09-2010, 01:20 AM

I'm using partly sand that is glued to the bottom of the tank with mod-podge, and partly great stuff foam with grout. There's no leopard geckos in there yet(getting them in 2 weeks), but I'll update to see how it goes.

KombiLad · #**407** 09-15-2010, 09:26 PM

this type of question is all over the internet, personally i use textured tiled slate to give my tank that rocky flooring effect

visionking89 · #**408** 10-15-2010, 02:05 AM

I use non-adhesive shelf liner over sand. The sand keeps it from getting too hot from the UTH but its covered by the shelf liner so theres none of it getting in their mouth when they lunge for dinner.

Oracle127 · #**409** 10-20-2010, 10:45 PM

We (myself and my sister) use sand but were changing back to calcium sand because one of our geckos has been acting odd.

**Elizabeth Freer** · #**410** 10-20-2010, 11:01 PM

Hi ~

Do NOT use calcisand! Calcisand is NEVER recommended as a leopard gecko substrate.

Put your leopard gecko on paper towels as a substrate until you figure out what is wrong. Later you could switch to slate tiles for a better look.

At the top of the leopard gecko subforum there is a sticky which is a substrate thread. Click here for the leopard gecko subforum: Leopard Geckos | and other Eublepharis - Geckos Unlimited

What are your temps, food, and are you using a phosphorous-free calcium powder with D3 to lightly dust your crickets as well as leaving a small dish within the cage? (I like the Rep Cal brand.)