Substrate change ok ?

OffshoreMetal

OffshoreMetal

New member
Hello everybody, I am planning to change substrate for my Leopard Gecko and want to know your advise.
Right now i am using Repti Sand from Zoo Med and i want to order some clay substrate. The main reason i want to change for clay is because it is their natural substrate in the wild and i want to prevent impaction. I love her too much to risk impaction.
So heres the link and tell me if its a good product and a good price ( it is in Canadian dollars ).
Ande i also want to know how much i will need for a 20g High tank. Is a 10lbs bag ok or should i but 2 ?
Thanks

Capitaine Dragon, Captain Dragon, reptiles, Montreal, quebec, canada, Discus, Arowana, salon, toilettage, grooming, montréal, anjou, Saint Leonard, Rosemont, Petite Patrie, Mercier, Hochelaga, Maisonneuve
 
Riverside Reptiles

Riverside Reptiles

Administrator (HMFIC)
Do a search on here for this stuff. I've not used it personally. But I've read quite a bit of negatives about it. There are a couple of people on here that use it though. In any case, there's been multiple threads about it. So search for it and see what others have said. And just FYI, the thought that leos live in a clay environment is only partly true. They live in a HUGE range that contains rocks, clay, and yes...sand. It's just not pure sandy desert like many people think. But that does NOT mean that there's no sand. They live among plenty of it in the wild.
 
OffshoreMetal

OffshoreMetal

New member
Ok ill search that , Thanks.
I forgot to say that the sand i use right now is Pure , Very fine Quartz desert sand. Is that good or bad? It sais on the bag "Natural colors ! No added dyes or chemicals'" And " Better than silica sand " But as i readed calci-sand i really bad. Is silica sand the same thing?
 
dravabonieila

dravabonieila

New member
I know I'm a rather poor newbie here, but have you considered doing slate tile? It's pretty cheap (around 5-8 USD depending on where you go for a 16in x 16in tile) and it's easy to clean. You also don't have to worry about impaction on it so far as I've found.
 
OffshoreMetal

OffshoreMetal

New member
Yeah i tought about this but i cant find any. The only good canadian site i know is CapitaineDragon and they do not have any.
I also have another question, I want to buy suplements and vitamins for my gecko ( i already have some but since i want to order soon , Ill get what i need or will need soon )
So the question is With or Without vitamin D3 ? Ill buy Herpivite Multivitamin and i have to mix it with calcium to dust my crickets but theres 2 choices of calcium. With or without, Theres no price difference. It is for a Leopard Gecko.
Thanks.
Added: I also have the same choice to do for cricket water cristals...
 
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dravabonieila

dravabonieila

New member
Assuming you looked into slate tile, the reptile sites wouldn't carry it; they'd just have the typical substrates (sand, liners, that kind of thing). You'd have to check at a home improvement store or a flooring warehouse.

I use with D3 for dusting, but too much isn't good, either, so I use calcium without D3 for a free choice powder I keep in the cage with him. I also feed my crickets with D3.
 
Allee Toler

Allee Toler

Member
I use Excavator. I love it, personally. It DOES over heat where the UTH is. I simply solved it by putting slate over the UTH area, and clay in the rest. Still looks really natural. With the slate over the UTH, I've had no further problems.
So my only two flaws with it is the over heating, and that you have to spray it once a week or so to keep it from crumbling. I spray the tank biweekly anyways, so it really wasn't a change. And when it's sprayed, it doesn't make water puddles, it absorbs it rapidly so there's really no water on the floor.

I mixed more water than it said to, so I could make the flooring harder. I don't need my leos in that tank to burrow, I'd be too afraid of it crumbling on them. Once it dries, it's as hard as a rock. Looks really natural when it dries and cracks.
 
OffshoreMetal

OffshoreMetal

New member
Ok, Son i fact you say that if i want to use clay i will have to put a slate on the top of the uth. Over or below the clay ? I currently use all natural Quartz sand and that is what i do, I putted the flat rock over the sand so the rock get some heat from the Uth and my gecko love it. But im not sure anymore into changing the substrate, I think sand looks really good, Easy cleaned and disperse heat quite well. Like riverside reptile told me , I looked into sand substrate debates and found out that alot of people use it with no problem. If what i readed was true , There was only a few cases where the gecko got impaction by eating too much sand , and that was mostly because they were not well cared.
And i readed that is it ok to keep adults on sand.
http://www.geckosunlimited.com/comm...lution-colors-shed-after-shed.html#post248823
Heres the link of my gecko and can you tell me if hes big enough.
Please people , Dont make a big debate to argue if sand is good or not. This thread was not made for this purpose.
 
Allee Toler

Allee Toler

Member
If it's calci-sand, I'd suggest switching to play sand. Cheaper, and doesn't clump as much.

I put my slate directly on the glass, then put the clay on the sides of it.

I say at about 8 months of age, it's old enough to use sand. I would never put a baby or juvi on it.
 
OffshoreMetal

OffshoreMetal

New member
ok. I dont know how old she is right now. And my sand is not Calci-Sand. I heard it is one of the worst sand you can use. I use really fine , Pure natural Quartz sand. No chemicals and it is really fine.
 
OffshoreMetal

OffshoreMetal

New member
Ok Ill do this tomorow , When it will be handling time ( i handle her every 1-2 day ).
but theres a picture of her in a Magnetic cave. The cave is Exactly 8 1/2 Inches Long , So that can help a little.
 
C

confuddledleo

New member
I had sand and I didnt like it. Of course I am concerned about my geckos well being so I dont want to hear it. However I switched to Ground English Walnut Shells and they look great and my leo loves it. Also all of the pet stores nearby use it and recommend it. There were a few sand colored rocks added into my tank so it looks very natural and beautiful even better no impaction! As stated earlier this substrate has been used for years in nearby pet stores and I know I could trust these people. But forum gossipers hate the idea of a loose substrate. Go with what you want.. you'll be happier in the end.
 
Riverside Reptiles

Riverside Reptiles

Administrator (HMFIC)
If you think that sand is a possible impaction problem, you're really in for some issues if/when your leo ingests some walnut shell! I've been using sand for many years with no issues. But ground walnut shells are asking for trouble.
 
OffshoreMetal

OffshoreMetal

New member
I finally made my choice , readed many peoples opinions and i got to the conclusion that i will keep my sand. Im pretty sure it will be fine, And thanks to RR for telling me they DO have sand in their natural habitat. If in their natural habitat they would never see sand , i would understand switching. Anyway i saw that i use one of the best kind of sand, Realy fine , Doesnt clumps alot , And doesnt contain calcium so my gecko wont voluntary ingest some.
@ confuddledleo , There's alot of opinion about sand , But for walnut shells , i only heard bad of it.
 
C

confuddledleo

New member
Well my leo always licks the sand never the walnut shells. I did plenty of research as well and although reading a lot of peoples opinions on walnuts shells most of it is just forum gossip. Before people say anything bad try it at least.
 
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