Do leos "need" reptile carpet...?

Hello everyone!

So, I have a question. My 10-month-old leopard gecko, Sylvan, has been with me for three weeks now and has not yet begun eating regularly; he does have a nice, fat tail and is quite active so I'm sure it's just him adjusting to his new home. We're doing a fecal scan anyway, though. But on to the main point! The receptionist at my reptile vet's office suggested that the fact that I'm keeping him on ceramic tile could be stressing him out. She said that it's psychologically stressful for him to be on a hard surface all the time and that I should add an area of reptile carpet for him. This is the first time I have ever heard anyone suggest that; I know that many reptile keepers experience great success keeping leos only on tile. But, let me ask you guys... is she right? Am I doing him a disservice by keeping him only on tile? Would it somehow benefit him to add some carpet? If it would make him more comfortable I'll happily provide him with it, but if it's unnecessary then I'd rather not buy something I don't need.

In case you guys need enclosure specs:

size: 20G tall
substrate: non-adhesive ceramic tile
shelters: dry hide on hot side, humid hide on cool side, with damp sphagnum moss
heating: UTH; covers ~1/3 of floor space, temp. controlled
temps: hot side: 92-95 degrees/cool side:78 degrees
calcium dish: available 24/7, contains NON-D3 calcium powder
water dish: very shallow, cleaned and re-filled daily with "reptisafe"-treated water
misting: moist hide's moss is misted daily, enclosure is very lightly misted twice a week
food: have been offering bowl of 1"-1.25" mealworms free-choice, has only eaten once so far and has not eaten at all since his vet visit (that was pretty stressful for him)
insect dusting: calcium WITH D3 every other feeding, Vionate vitamin-mineral powder 1x/week

Thank you in advance for your replies!

Welcome to GF! I have never heard that before. Nearly all my leos are on ceramic tile and they are happy and healthy. If you want to have "the best of both worlds", though, get a glad ware container, fill it an inch or so with coco fiber, cut a square hole in the top and keep the coco fiber moist. It makes a nice humid hide (and I use them also for lay boxes).

Aliza

Thank you for your reply! It's good to know that it's not really an issue. That's the first time I'd really heard anyone say that keeping leos on tile could be a bad thing... this particular vet's office mainly does deal with birds, and I know that if birds are kept with no soft surface to stand on, their feet can become infected. Maybe that's what she was drawing from? But birds and reptiles are so different, that's a little strange. And thank you for the advice, I have a similar humid hide box for him with sphagnum moss, so if he really does want a soft place to lay down that's where he can go. Anyway, it's good to know he's okay!

Dont get repti-carpet. When the geckos are hunting crickets or mealworms and they miss their food and bite the carpet, their teeth get stuck in the carpet and they struggle to pull them free. Mine happen to have this issue so i removed the repti-carpet Asap.

Yikes i had no idea they could get their teeth stuck in it!!! :main_lipsrsealed: Well it's a definite no for the repti-carpet, then. So glad I asked you guys for a second opinion. Thanks so much.

Actually I have read Mr. Ray‘s book “The Leopard Gecko Advisor” he recommends reptile carpet in it. To avoid teeth stucking you should put a dish and then the worms in that dish so they can eat in the dish or if you want to feed roaches just use a tweezers and never let the roaches or other feeders run in on the carpert.

ive used tile, paper towel, coco fiber, repti carpet, and shelf liners from what ive seen theres no difference other than ease of cleaning