Gotta have shag in the pad...

[Norrad]

I've never used reptile carpet but now starting to give it a thought. How are others working with it, cleaning wise etc.? Would it be good practice to take it out and replace it with another piece while the first one cleans? Also how would a 10% bleach solution be for soaking it in? Wonding if it will take the color out of it.

Thanks againg for all the input these threads get

 

[leoman777]

i never used carpet but i know when you want to clean it just put it in the washer

 

[Ehatcher]

ive never really used it. I used the cage carpet kinda and didnt really like it. Seemed like they got caught in it easily. i love using paper towel, butcher paper, or contact paper. Its just something about the "throw and go" attitude i can have with it.

 

[Andrew]

It works fairly well and is easy to clean. I like it more than paper towel in any case.

 

[Rythm]

I only use carpet, but I use low pile astroturf. I personally don't put my pieces in the washing machine, but every month (or when I notice the carpet is getting kind of dirty), I take the carpet out, vacuum it, then wipe it down with watered down vinegar so as to to bleach out the colour.

The trick with carpet is the pile, if you get a pile that's too high, then yes your gecko will kind of "stick" to is and have some issues, but if it's a low pile, there shouldn't be any problems at all.

 

[Norrad]

I only use carpet, but I use low pile astroturf. I personally don't put my pieces in the washing machine, but every month (or when I notice the carpet is getting kind of dirty), I take the carpet out, vacuum it, then wipe it down with watered down vinegar so as to to bleach out the colour.

The trick with carpet is the pile, if you get a pile that's too high, then yes your gecko will kind of "stick" to is and have some issues, but if it's a low pile, there shouldn't be any problems at all.

Good post, thanks, I think I gonna give the carpet a try to. Now I must ask this, are you using the reptile type or have your tried or using just regular indoor/outdoor astro type carpet?

 

[ReptilesForTheWin]

I use the repti-carpet. It is easy to clean. I normaly just shake off the poop. And get the calcium powder dusted out of it. And if I need to spray some healthy habitat on it and hose it off. And let it dry in the sun or hand it up.

 

[OneFootedAce]

in one of my tanks i have repti-carpet, (the rest have papertowels), it works pretty good and is easy to clean. It comes with 2 in a packages so when you clean it, you take it out throw it in the washer and put the second one in, until you have to clean the tank again.

 

[STUTFL]

My gecko seems to avoid stepping on the carpet unless he has to (it's in the cricket cage and he usually keeps off the ground, even when there a crickets running around), so I have it as a bottom layer with a lot of thin, flat rocks to cover it up and weight it down. It's nice to have the gaps between rocks be something other than bare glass or wood chips.

 

[Rythm]

Good post, thanks, I think I gonna give the carpet a try to. Now I must ask this, are you using the reptile type or have your tried or using just regular indoor/outdoor astro type carpet?

I use low pile astroturf from Rona or Home Depot. I like the colors more, and you get way more of it for way less. about 6$ for 1f X12f piece. That way you can cut it to fit any tank you have, and you can have extra pieces.

 

[Dalton280]

very nice and easy to clean:main_yes:

 

[Norrad]

Yeah, my mind is made up I'm going to hook up the shag!

As always, thanks for the replies.
Rich

 

[GeckoNub]

Ive been thinking about repti carpet as i go through a lot of paper towels.

Does it get dirty and smelly fast? I know when my geckos go "bathroom" there is a yellowy liquid that comes out too and i am worried it will soak in and make it smelly.

Also when people say you put them in the washing machine do u mean u put your normal detergent in with it too?

 

[zbsadler]

My gf wanted to try out the carpet so I bought her some. It works great and is easy to clean. I haven't noticed any smells and she usually only needs to clean it once or twice a month. The only thing I don't like about it is sometimes her leo gets his mouth caught on it when he misses a cricket and he struggles a little until he gets free. If anyone gets it I would just keep an eye out during feeding time :main_yes:

 

[Rythm]

Ive been thinking about repti carpet as i go through a lot of paper towels.

Does it get dirty and smelly fast? I know when my geckos go "bathroom" there is a yellowy liquid that comes out too and i am worried it will soak in and make it smelly.

Also when people say you put them in the washing machine do u mean u put your normal detergent in with it too?

I've never ever noticed any smell with mine. As far as washing in the machine, no idea, i just spray mine with vinegar and vacuum up any debris.
And as zbsadler mentioned about the feeding, generally a lower pile helps with that, but it does happen sometimes. But I think getting stuck for a second every now and then is much better then a mouth full of loose substrate.