Natural leopard gecko substrate

[Derrek97]

I'm looking for a natural and SAFE leopard gecko substrate. i'm currently using slate tile but would like to get some plastic plants and bury the base of them to look as real as possible (clearly cant do that with tile :lol. I've looked and looked and can't find anything...

So is there such a thing? Or should i just suck it up and stay with the slate tile?

 

[evilkarot]

I've heard great things about Excavator Clay. You can mold it to form cliffs and tunnels and it hardens like concrete, so the gecko can't swallow it and it looks very naturalistic.

 

[Riverside Reptiles]

Jurassic sand is used by many keepers and is considered very high quality.

Welcome to Jurassic Sand!

IMO it's not so much the sand that is safe or not safe, it's the fact that people A) use way too much of it. Leos live in rocky area that have sand particulates...not in total sand deserts. So, a little sand is ok but they don't want to be living on top of 3 inches of the stuff buried up to their knees in it... and B) people don't provide proper husbandry for their animals which causes secondary impaction issues.

 

[Derrek97]

I heard excavator clay's color will run if it gets wet after hardened? If this is true it'd be a problem cuz my leo likes to run through her water, she'd have a brown belly!:crackup:
If that's true i'd probably go with jurassic sand...

 

[acpart]

Anything you choose that has particles will be criticized by someone. That said, I have just about all of my leopard geckos on beige, slightly textured, ceramic tile which looks pretty good. I have one 26 gallon bow front aquarium containing 3 retired leopard gecko breeders and as an experiment their substrate is a mixture of coco fiber mixed with a relatively small amount of desert sand and some leaf litter from the outdoors. This was done along the lines of people who have tried "bioactive substrates" with their geckos. I'm an experienced gecko keeper and breeder (and don't recommend some of this for beginners) and some would criticize me for:
--using a particulate substrate
--using items from the outside without sterilizing
--allowing crickets to breed in the enclosure (there is a dish of gutload in the enclosure; they haven't bothered the geckos, there's food all the time, and when I run out of tiny crickets for my smaller geckos, there's an easily available source)

It's working, though and the geckos are thriving. I do have to put down a temporary piece of tile when I feed them superworms, though, or else the superworms bury themselves in the substrate before the geckos have a chance to eat them.

Aliza

 

[mrhoyo]

Lucky reptile desert bedding - it sets rock hard if you wet it and comes in grey or red.

Sent from my HTC Desire using Tapatalk

 

[bsamps]

I'm really liking what others have done with foam board & grout. Looks very realistic. My son & I will be trying it in the spring. Seems cost effective as well.

 

[Riverside Reptiles]

I'm really liking what others have done with foam board & grout. Looks very realistic. My son & I will be trying it in the spring. Seems cost effective as well.

Keep in mind that that's great for the "looks" but not so great for cleaning. Most grout is porous and allows a perfect place for bacteria to hide and grow. Just something to keep in mind when making your plan.

 

[lukelightwalker]

natural Viv

I have my Leo's and fat tail, basilisk and curly tails all in Live planted Vivs. I use 100% organic soil and flat rocks and rocky rubble on the surface between the animal and soil. This takes care of the impaction issues from ingesting substrate. All the following plants are quite safe in a viv for any reptile.

List taken from Mellisa kaplins herp care collection

Bromeliads (Aechmea, Billbergia, Guzmania, Neoregelia) - clip spines
Chinese Evergreen (Aglaonema commutatum)
Creeping Fig* (Ficus pumila)
Corn Plant (Draceneas - until they outgrow enclosure)
Dwarf Schefflera (Brassaia actinophylla)
Earth Stars (Cryptanthus)
Gesneriads (Aeschynanthus, Nematanthus)
Orchids (Dendrobium, Epidendurm, Haemaria, Oncidium)
Pea**** Plant (Calathea stromata; Marantaceae)
Peperomia (Peperomia obtusifolia, Piperacaeae)
Ponytail Palms (Beaucarnea recurvata)
Pothos (Scindapsus aureus, Epipremnum aureum)
Rosary Vine (Ceropegia woodii)
Sanseveria trifasciata, including the following cultivars: Bentel's Sensation, Laurenti, Moonshine, Gray Lady.
Sanseveria parva, including cultivars: Hahnii, Hahnii "Loop's Pride", Hahnii Silver Frost, Golden Hahnii.
Virginia Creeper (Parthenocissus inserta)
Virginia Spiderwort* (Tradescantia virginiana)
Wandering Jew* ( Tradescantia zebrina)
Weeping Figs* (Ficus benjamina)

I have attached some pics of my Vivs

 

[Harley_Davidson]

Walker your vivs are so beautiful. One day you and I will get together and build mine LOL