Reptile Forum, Reptile Classifieds - CaptiveBred

stubeanz · Key Member Joined: 03 Jan 2007 Posts: 350 Location: herts

hi i was wondering what people use as substrate for their geckos? as i was using calcium sand but got told it was bad for them (impaction and all) and so they have been on newspaper for couple of months but id like to get something more natural for them to be on.
what sand would be best?
what other substrates work well and will not cause impaction?
thanx stu
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Jase · Posted: Thu Jun 14, 2007 2:49 pm Post subject:

I used T-Rex calci sand for years without any problems. I now use newspaper which is easier to replace. I find the crickets hide underneath the newspaper though, which is annoying. I'm considering moving to a sand/soil mix.
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Exalted Gecko · Posted: Thu Jun 14, 2007 7:40 pm Post subject:

I have always found the idea of calci sand to be a bad one and have never used it.

However I do use sand, I get big bags if kiln dried sand from B&Q as it is a fine grade.

I'm switching to the exo-terra stuff next time because it matches the colour of the new background etc i'll be using, a tad expensive but I like my natural looking vivs!
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christophermchale · Posted: Fri Jun 15, 2007 4:31 am Post subject:

i never liked calci sand personally for a handful of reasons.

mainly due to the size of the grains. it almost looks like fish food.

also if you happen to use a colored version they have a tendency to stain things like water bowls and plastic tubs (if you keep your geckos in tubs).

i personally use vita sand made by zoo med.

its a very fine grained sand and has none of the other characteristics i mentioned of the calci sand.

certain types of desert lizards like bearded dragons and leopard geckos make up a small portion of their diet of sand in the wild. although they are in captivity, they never really lose that inkling to do so. so i wouldnt be too incredibly worried about impaction. it does happen from time to time, but not as much as youd think. when it does, its usually from bulkier substrates like bark or aspen.

of course everyone can debate every subject untill they are blue in the face.

this is my opinion based on good old fashioned experience.

i hope it helps.
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Scott W · Posted: Fri Jun 15, 2007 9:37 am Post subject:

I use a calcium sand but NOT the T-rex type stuff, instead I use a lime stone grit sand. It's very dusty but other than that I think it's great.

Have kept the following reptiles on it without a single problem.
Rosy Boas (40 plus),
Bearded Dragons (30plus breeders, plus 70 babies at any time),
Gila Monsters (11),
Leopard Geckos (50plus)
Fat tail geckos (10plus)
Big Headed geckos (10)
All my dwarf monitors (40plus)

Now we're talking over 200 animals for at least 2 years, that's the same as someone keeping 5 lizards for 80 years and then saying they have tested it and it works Wink

I strongly believe that substrate is NOT to blame directly for 90% of impaction problems but poor diet or husbandry.
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Exalted Gecko · Posted: Fri Jun 15, 2007 11:57 am Post subject:

I would agree with Scott, as has been mentioned leopard's do ingest a small amount of sand on instinct.

I think if you keep your geckos fed with gut-loaded prey and offer regular vitamin and mineral dusting you shouldn't have a problem.

Impaction is one of the most over-feared and over-compensated for problems ever to have been identified in reptile keeping.
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Chris

Scott W · Posted: Fri Jun 15, 2007 12:00 pm Post subject:

serpent · Key Member Joined: 12 Jul 2004 Posts: 426 Location: Kent

again

I use either bird sand (£4.99 10KG) or playsand (£3.50 15KG) but this is packed wet so you have to dry it first
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stubeanz · Key Member Joined: 03 Jan 2007 Posts: 350 Location: herts

ok thanx for the replys ive found some fine sand used for birds substrate
stu
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angi · Contributing Member Joined: 29 Jun 2006 Posts: 87

I have only used sand for viper geckos, sadly one of them died as a result. I changed to kitchen towel and onlya saucer of sand for egg laying and had no further probems.
The husbandry was spot on for these guys and they were regularly supplemented with calcium carbonate 3 times weekly and multivitamins once weekly. Their food was also gutloaded using waterbites and a variety of fresh vegetables. They were also supplied with Uv lighting, but back then I kept it at the top of the viv aprox 10 inches away, although they did have decor to climb on which took them closer to the uv light ( and they did climb)
I have always kept my reptiles in spotless conditions and endeavoured to feed them well and keep them in the appropriate conditions. So I was pretty gutted that this little gecko died in my care. Whether this was down to husbandry or feeding issues, well I will let you make your own mind up about that. I cannot compare with other species I have kept personally or in our shop - we do not use sand in the shop and nor do we sell it.
We use rainforest or orchid bark - the larger sizes for many of our geckos, lizards and monitors. I have noticed the slight humidity produced by using this substrate actually seems to help with sloughing and we have not experienced one episode of impaction. We ten to use kitchen towel for many smaller species.
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