Excavator clay?

[Toreo]

Hello!

This Saturday I'm getting my first leopard gecko! Some reptiles finally got legal in Norway recently, so most of us have very little knowledge about how to keep them healthy and happy.

I got a question about using excavator clay. I've read lots of places that sand is dangerous for geckos, especially when they're small. Does excavator clay count in as harmful for them as well? And would it be better to have tiles on the hot side and the clay on the cold side since I've read that it heats up a little too well?

Sincerely,

Tora

 

[PoppyDear]

Hello! I am so happy to hear you are getting a Leo! If you have any questions, don't hesitate to ask! Here is a fantastic Leopard Gecko care sheet, if you would like a condensed version (Bare bones), click the table of contents on the top and scroll down to post 87 and click the link.
•http://www.geckosunlimited.com/comm...-4-jan-2013-update-post302242.html#post302242

You are correct in saying that sand is bad for most lizards, not just when they are small, but also as adults. It is mostly impaction and prolapses that can result due to sand. However most of the time it is husbandry issues that cause impaction, it is better safe than sorry so I would not use sand.

Excavator clay has a moldable sand texture when wet and dries hard, in the dry form it is safe. However I have heard it can be a bit crumbly. From what I know, Excavator clay should not be placed above the heat mat, tiles as you said, will work perfectly for heat conduction.

Tile is a safe and more natural substrate than some other thing out there. Easy to clean too! That brings me to my next point. It is difficult to clean and you will likely have to tear it down at one point or another for a full clean, or make any hides you make have a removable top for easy cleaning. You may also want to wait a week before making your anything with the clay, you want to know where your gecko poops and build your clay around that area for ease of cleaning. For example, if your gecko (Which poops in one spot) poops in the cold side of the tank in the left corner, you may put a small "bathroom tile" above the excavator clay so you can easily remove it for cleaning.

Tell us how it goes!