Reptile Forum, Reptile Classifieds - CaptiveBred

[Xx_JoJo_xX]

Yesterday I put some new substrate into Spuds viv.. I've used "Terrano- expanding humus" (one of those brick things.. you know the ones!) Up until now, she has been on kitchen roll but I decided to go for something more naturalistic/moist/etc..
Anyway! I tried to make it as compact as possible but I'm still worried about Spud eating it. I watched her try to catch a cricket and she missed and got a gob full soil! (or humus should I say)
Well.. she didn't get that much in her mouth, but I'm worrying that if she does it everytime she tries to catch a cricket then it will do her damage...?

Is she ok to consume a lil bit of it and it won't do damage?

She's 7 grams now, by the way!
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[Cleef]

At that size she should be fine. Just imagine them catching insects in the wild, they would ingest allsorts no doubt.

I think moss is the biggest problem, and getting it tangled in their mouthes, also vermiculite when they are hatchlings/very small.

A bit of soil type medium should not cause any problems unless they eat a lot of it in my opinion.

I've seen all 3 of my cresteds get small amounts of dirt in their mouth, sometimes they swallow a bit, but usually most of it is kind spat out (they juggle it about until it falls out). Either way no problems occur, I would imagine it's harder passing insects than soil anyway, I may be wrong though
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Steve P

[Jackie]

You can bowl feed the crickets to her. Use a high sided bowl. Just make sure it is deep enough that the crickets can't jump out but your Crested can get in and out easily. A dogs water bowl is ideal.

With the expanding brick, just make sure it is fully expanded.
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Best wishes, Jackie

3:4 Eublepharis macularius
1:0 Gekko gecko
3:4:1 R. auriculatus
1:3 R. ciliatus
1:1 R. chahoua
1:1 R. leachianus henkeli

[minno]

i use peat moss and i pressed it down enough so taht it wasnt solid but it wasnt anything near soil, and hes had a face full of it 2wice as to what iv seen and just shakes it off n jumps about more, some reason he likes to dig it out and put it in the water dish lol

[funky]

I was wondering about this, as I have all my Cresties on soil type substrate. I took the view as well, that in the wild all kinds of stuff would get in their mouths. I watched my pair chasing crix and the male had a mouth full of soil, but just let it fall out of his mouth.

[Exalted Gecko]

On questions like this, as others have said, try and view if form the wild and how they would hunt.

I use a mixture of soil, coconut mulch (humus stuff) and small bits of bark and ground down moss. Never had a problem yet.
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Kind Regards,

Chris

[Lumo]

When I had my crested she used to eat the substrate when she ate anything, it worried me too but it was fine. She never had any problems with digestion or anything so don't worry about it

[Xx_JoJo_xX]

Well I've had no problems so far with it I know I bought it from a reptile shop but you can't always put ur whole trust in shops..

As for the subtrate being natural to them, I thought about this and its partly why I asked the question - because in the wild I think most cresties would stay and hunt up in the trees rather than ground level, therefore wouldnt really be munching on soil.. plus I don't know how many soil-induced deaths there are in the wild lol.. plus I cant fit a whole tree in her tank .. plus I'm a worrier!
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[funky]

Anything else Jo Jo??

[bloodycurtus]

i dont think impaction is as big of a worry as is made out, if you read some peoples advice it seems that if you keep them on soil/sand they will die of impaction. granted there is always a risk but if you had a percentage of howmany reps are kept on these substances and how many suffer compaction i would imagin it bein quite a small percent