A Couple of Questions about C. variegatus

[Anubis77]

I caught a couple of male Coleonyx variegatus this weekend. I just have some questions which I couldn't answer with caresheets. I've read that sand is suitable for them, but isn't sand usually considered a bad substrate since impaction can occur? Right now the two are in quarantine and are going to the vet very soon, so should I wait to use sand as a substrate until the quarantine is over? I'm keeping them on paper towels right now.

Here is a picture of their enclosure:

Here are the two geckos:

 

[Lvbandeds]

I use sand in my C v variegatus tanks and I have never had a problem. If you supplement enough w/ calcium and vitamins IMO, they wont try to eat the sand.Great looking bandeds btw.I like the brown bands in the 2nd pic. LV

 

[Coleonyx]

Fine sand is fine to use as a substrate. None of mine have ever been impacted. I also keep hatchlings on sand. I leave a dish of calcium and worms, and I often see females eating mouthfulls of the dust! Unless there is an obvious problem with the gecko, I see no reason why it should have to go to the vet. These guys are so small that it may actually do more harm than good! They seem to adjust into captivity very easily and are usually unproblematic.

By the way, those are nice geckos and a nice enclosure as well! Good luck with them!

 

[docszoo]

Hi Vash!!!!!!

 

[Anubis77]

Fine sand is fine to use as a substrate. None of mine have ever been impacted. I also keep hatchlings on sand. I leave a dish of calcium and worms, and I often see females eating mouthfulls of the dust! Unless there is an obvious problem with the gecko, I see no reason why it should have to go to the vet. These guys are so small that it may actually do more harm than good! They seem to adjust into captivity very easily and are usually unproblematic.

By the way, those are nice geckos and a nice enclosure as well! Good luck with them!

Thank you for that information. That is what I had been thinking of. If there weren't any signs of illness that they could do fine. These two are both active, eat well, and show no apparent signs of illness. I've been given constant advice to get a fecal test done though. Maybe I should just do that since it isn't that expensive and stressful on the gecko?

Hi Vash!!!!!!

Hey doc. Kind of surprising to see you here, but then again you like geckos a lot.