Ideas for a "Dig Box"

[TifaBea]

So, I've had Oscar for about a month and a half. He's settled in quite nicely, eats like theres no tomorrow, and his tail is plumping up.

But last night he started a new habit. After changing out his bathroom area he went to inspect it like he always does. I heard him pulling on something after a few minutes. He was tearing into his bathroom area with his mouth. He noticed me watching and went to his hide. Today, I decided to clean his entire cage and found in his rock hide, that it was all torn up. (Substrate is Paper Towel, realized I didn't put what it was when I proof read this)

I'm sure he's not eating it. I looked up reasons because I figured it was a nesting thing. Turns out he wants to burrow and dig.

Problem is, he's a juvenile and I really don't want to run the risk of impaction.
I thought about a dig box but I can't think of anything good for him at this point without him ingesting it.

So has anyone ever had this happen? Any ideas on helping him get his "digging" impulses out on something?

 

[Allee Toler]

For all my humid hides I use bed a beast. Geckos can dig in it. Give it a try. Replace his current humid hide with one with bed a beast in it. I have one male who digs in it constantly.

 

[TifaBea]

I will have to try that. It will probably make him loads happier to dig and get somewhere

 

[bwoodfield]

I have forest moss in the moist hide. Buffy has now decided that she really like digging in it as well. I usually have a mess to clean up every couple of days as she usually spread 1/3 of the moss across the tank.

 

[Riverside Reptiles]

I've used sand for many years with no issues. A gladware container with a hole cut in the lid, filled 1/2 way with moistened sand makes an excellent humid hide/dig box.

 

[norea]

i feel that sand does not hold water as good as say... coco peat or moss... im also going to make new moist hides for my geckos because i have problem with them digging too and i dont like cleaning the tank all the time... im going to make entry to the moist hide on top instead this time...

 

[Allee Toler]

i feel that sand does not hold water as good as say... coco peat or moss... im also going to make new moist hides for my geckos because i have problem with them digging too and i dont like cleaning the tank all the time... im going to make entry to the moist hide on top instead this time...

Hopefully your geckos don't do what mind do when the hold is on top- knock the whole box on it's side. :lol: Then all the bed a beast comes out when they dig. Silly little critters.

 

[norea]

Hopefully your geckos don't do what mind do when the hold is on top- knock the whole box on it's side. :lol: Then all the bed a beast comes out when they dig. Silly little critters.

hmmm funny u mentioned that... thats exactly what my friend told me yesterday when i was building mine... but so far what i did was use a small cylindrical container... about 4++ inches in diameter and about 2++ inches high... i hope its not too confine for them but so far ive seen 1 of them inside :biggrin:

 

[Ozymandias]

Hopefully your geckos don't do what mind do when the hold is on top- knock the whole box on it's side. :lol: Then all the bed a beast comes out when they dig. Silly little critters.

funny mine don't do that though thay do make a mess if the whole is on the side.

 

[norea]

funny mine don't do that though thay do make a mess if the whole is on the side.

when mine was a baby it did not... only after it turned a juvie... typical youngsters i guess... :fight:

 

[TifaBea]

I've come across that problem. He finds ways to kick it out no matter what I do. Oh well. I'd rather clean and have him happy than have a boring life for him