Leopard Gecko: Question Regarding Sand

[BnK]

I know this has been posted quite frequently as I am an occasional viewer of the forums but I do wish to get an honest opinion.

I currently have my leopard gecko on repti carpet and I like it, the only problem is when he poops it sometimes sticks to the carpet and it also make it smell a little bit. I am wishing to put minimal sand into the viv with him in the spot that he poops so it easier to get the poop out by just scooping the sand. It will also create a little bit of a natural look.

I am going to be feeding him his crickets in a separate space just so there is no harm and cause of impaction.

I guess my question is what kind of sand should I buy for just a little bit in viv? I am looking to either bye it a petco or petsmart just because it's convienant for me.

Thanks for your help!

 

[utahboy]

You mean youre going to put the sand in one corner as a litter box? I use one sheet of toilet paper where he poops and just change it out everyday. Plus youremsupposed to clean repti carpet once a month with mild detergent and warm water.

 

[Riverside Reptiles]

There's no harm in having some sand in the enclosure if that's what you want to do. Anything but calci-sand should work fine. Try to avoid the crazy colored stuff as well. Stick to natural sand that isn't dyed.

 

[cricket4u]

In my opinion even playsand is a bad idea. Leopard gecko are susceptible to eye infections and sand is a contributing factor.

 

[Riverside Reptiles]

Again, I've been keeping leos on sand for many many years and never had one get an eye infection. I can't imagine that a small amount of sand at the end of your enclosure is going to cause any troubles. They don't live in sterile plastic boxes on paper towels in the wild and yet somehow they manage to survive. And I think that it's absolutely ridiculous (almost to the point of being animal cruelty) to keep them in such a way in captivity.

 

[Elizabeth Freer]

I know this has been posted quite frequently as I am an occasional viewer of the forums but I do wish to get an honest opinion.

I currently have my leopard gecko on repti carpet and I like it, the only problem is when he poops it sometimes sticks to the carpet and it also make it smell a little bit. I am wishing to put minimal sand into the viv with him in the spot that he poops so it easier to get the poop out by just scooping the sand. It will also create a little bit of a natural look.

I am going to be feeding him his crickets in a separate space just so there is no harm and cause of impaction.

I guess my question is what kind of sand should I buy for just a little bit in viv? I am looking to either bye it a petco or petsmart just because it's convienant for me.

Thanks for your help!

BnK ~

Would you please share a couple things with me? Have you had leos and/or other geckos in the past? Experience keeping leos plus the age of your actual leos (> than 1 yo or not) is a huge factor when considering substrate.

Sometimes it is stressful to remove a leo from his/her cage for feeding purposes. Depends upon the leo. Yours may or may not adjust to that.

It is a good idea to keep the reptile carpet very clean...sterilizing it with a 10% bleach soak post laundering. Be sure to let it air out prior to replacing it in the cage.

 

[cricket4u]

Again, I've been keeping leos on sand for many many years and never had one get an eye infection. I can't imagine that a small amount of sand at the end of your enclosure is going to cause any troubles. They don't live in sterile plastic boxes on paper towels in the wild and yet somehow they manage to survive. And I think that it's absolutely ridiculous (almost to the point of being animal cruelty) to keep them in such a way in captivity.

How natural is it if you have to remove them from their home to eat or feed them from a dish? You said it yourself, these geckos from now are not half what they use to be. I don't know if it's poor breeding or simply all poor husbandry, but geckos die everyday from impaction, infections, ect. We have no idea the experience of the person or capability when they ask. A problem as simple as cheap equipment can end up fatal to the gecko.

 

[XoVictoryXo]

Just get some slate tiles from home depot! if he poops on it you take the tile out rinse and its good as new.

 

[NicKtheGreeK1997]

It's always better to be safe than sorry. The leo may eat the calcium sand if it needs the calcium, something that will bring impaction (my leo's case). The same thing applies to all kinds of sand and matterials that can be swallowed accidentally. You can use kitchen paper and change it whenever you want. There are other changeable substrates like dry moss or wood barks (too big to swallow) that don't cause impaction. For more natural look, you can use wooden or rock hides.

 

[Riverside Reptiles]

It's one thing to be cautious, it's another thing to become completely bat shit paranoid. After 25 years of keeping leos on sand without a single occurrence of impaction, I have a hard time believing that, when used properly, sand can't be a perfectly viable and safe substrate. Especially in a case like this where the owner is only talking about having a small amount in one particular area of the enclosure.

 

[NicKtheGreeK1997]

Maybe in a corner it's ok I guess. However, using sand as a substrate can be fattal. I have no idea how you manage to keep leos on sand without problems, but there are many reports with impacted leos. What's the problem with using paper anyway?

 

[Riverside Reptiles]

Maybe in a corner it's ok I guess. However, using sand as a substrate can be fattal. I have no idea how you manage to keep leos on sand without problems, but there are many reports with impacted leos. What's the problem with using paper anyway?

There's nothing wrong with paper if that's what you want to use. It's a matter of personal preference. There's more than one single way to keep a leo. And that's ok. Not everyone has to keep their animals exactly the same. Trust me, leos come from a place that has a high level of particulate both on the surface of the ground and in the air (think dust storms etc). Yet they manage to survive. The problem comes when other husbandry needs are not being met properly. Also, people often simply use way too much sand. These animals aren't meant to live in 6 inches deep all across their enclosure. A thin layer is what should be used if using it. I personally like to use slate tile with a fine layer of sand across it these days. It's natural looking, it conducts heat well, it's fairly simple to clean, and it's cheap.

 

[thebiz34]

Why is calcisand so bad. Calci sand isnt actually sand its just calcium carbonate in rock form. It is water soluble, and you are supposed to keep calcium in the tank 24/7, so why is there a huge issue with this. I personally dont use it but it just doesnt make sense to me.

 

[cricket4u]

Why is calcisand so bad. Calci sand isnt actually sand its just calcium carbonate in rock form. It is water soluble, and you are supposed to keep calcium in the tank 24/7, so why is there a huge issue with this. I personally dont use it but it just doesnt make sense to me.

One of the problems with calcium sand in itself is the danger of too much being ingested accidentally. When too much is digested it can cause a reduction in peristalsis (movements of ingesta), constipation leading to impaction. Other problems arise with improper temperatures, dehydration, parasites, ect.