Leopard gecko bites Carpet

[ET2.0]

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Hi guys. I have a small problem. I want to move my Leo to a more naturalistic style terrarium but he’s a very over eager eater. By that I mean when he goes for his food he also gets the carpet underneath. He lets go fairly quickly and then eats his meal but I’m afraid if I put him on eco earth or another substrate he would accidentally gobble that up too. I’ve tried to get him to eat from a dish and he’s not a fan and likes the hunt for his food so I can’t use a dish. Anyone have any ideas how to fix this?? Thank you in advance.

[Fanatic]

Hello ET2.0!

I personally recommend loose substrates unless you are dealing with a sickened or already impacted gecko that needs to stay on something other than a soil or sand substrate.

Are you sure he won't accept food from tweezers? My gecko does not like to hunt down her food, so I put it near her with a pair of blunt feeding tweezers. I was really worried about her consuming loose substrates too, but if you have ideal husbandry, which means the proper lighting, heating, and monitor the activity, she should be fine, a little soil will be digested easily, as for ours.

I'll let the more experienced keepers chime in as well, hopefully you get a good answer.

[DaGeckoMan0260]

I just keep all of my leos on repti-carpet. I have tried naturalistic/bioactive setups, but none really work good.

That being said, they can be done but they'll cost a lot. I personally think that leos don't necessarily like the natural setup more than the standard, safe 20 gallon long with reptile carpet and a few hides (although I sometimes spoil mine with a hammoc).

[Newbreeder]

I would always recommend avoiding loose substrates as a precaution. I had this argument with someone who wanted to buy a gecko from me and the stubborn cow would not listen to a word i said. Because she had had a previous gecko in sand she was adamant she was going to keep this one on sand also. No matter how much i tried to explain the risks of it she woulf not change her mind. YES a gecko might live fine on sand ect. But is that a risk really worth taking? Personally i wouldnt risk it at all. In the end i refused ti sell her one as she clearly didnt have much of an idea how to look after them anyway.

What i use is non adhesive draw liner. You can buy a roll for aroud £7 and would be enough to cover a few vivariums. It is safe as theres nothing loose. Better than carpet as it doesnt fray which avoids the leos getitng their claws possibly stuck, it is easier to clean and if you get the right colour it looks good. I got a sand colour.

[Fanatic]

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I would always recommend avoiding loose substrates as a precaution. I had this argument with someone who wanted to buy a gecko from me and the stubborn cow would not listen to a word i said. Because she had had a previous gecko in sand she was adamant she was going to keep this one on sand also. No matter how much i tried to explain the risks of it she woulf not change her mind. YES a gecko might live fine on sand ect. But is that a risk really worth taking? Personally i wouldnt risk it at all. In the end i refused ti sell her one as she clearly didnt have much of an idea how to look after them anyway.

What i use is non adhesive draw liner. You can buy a roll for aroud £7 and would be enough to cover a few vivariums. It is safe as theres nothing loose. Better than carpet as it doesnt fray which avoids the leos getitng their claws possibly stuck, it is easier to clean and if you get the right colour it looks good. I got a sand colour.

I agree with you, but within a reasonable range.

There really isn't anything wrong with keeping your gecko bare bottom, or on tile or linoleum, but is that natural? No, not really, so there's always that. I like to offer my gecko with the best of care that I can possibly give, and that requires the proper supplies.

I had a huge argument and disagreement between me and someone else on whether to use loose substrates or not, and I was against loose substrates, but now that I realize why impact happens, it was really worth the switch. Geckos don't just eat the substrate once, and you immediately think "Oh no! Now my gecko will become impacted!" They would need to lack a source of heat to aid in digestion, not get a proper diet with balanced minerals, or be in the right environment.

So, it all comes down to personal preference when loose substrates are used or not, but I personally am all for them.