How do I make a sand/clay substrate?

[SpringK]

Help please! I'm trying to make a hard sand/clay substrate for the bottom of my leo's tank. After much research I've realized I've gone pretty wrong in having him on calcium sand. When I bought him he was on reptile carpet and that is what they recommended for baby leopard gecko's - He's a juvenile, I'm thinking somewhere circa 12 months, they said he had been there for most of the year and they had watched him grow a lot. Though the petstore clerk assured me that calcium sand was my best bet for him. So I bought 20lbs of the calcium sand. I've had Doja for three weeks now and his activity level has decreased dramatically. At first he was climbing all over everything and was very curious; I enjoyed his company a lot, he would stare out the tank and claw at it as if to say "PICK ME UP AND FEEEED ME!" He hand feeds s well I love it! But I'm thinking he is ingesting sand. He has been lounging belly to the sand right over his under tank heater, and doesn't like climbing up into his hide as much anymore but rather just laying in the substrate. To say the least he is just not as active - and this is at night. I'm a night owl, and poor Doja just seems to be nosediving into inactivity. He really does sleep most of the time unless I'm handling him or he has crickets and mealworms to munch.

SO! I've decided to get rid of the sand, its not worth the risk because I just love this little guy too much. I still want something that looks natural so I was hoping to make a sand clay mixture to make a hard ground for his habitat. Today my boyfriend and I are going out to a few smaller reptile shops in town but could also make other stops at hardware stores perhaps like homedepot to get the clay? Any suggestions, all help and opinions are certainly welcome and much appreciated!

 

[THE WHISPERER]

Welcome to GF. I have no experience with a sand/clay mixture, but would like to suggest tile. I would think that if any of the mixture was loose or chipped and became loose you would be facing the same risk as you would with sand. Tile would be easier to set up, clean, looks good, and no impaction risk. JMO :main_thumbsup:

 

[Khrysty]

I'm with Rick. Tile looks just as natural if you get the right "design." The problems with sand-clay are: it kicks up dust. If your leo doesn't ingest it, he can get a respiratory infection from it. It will also raise the humidity if anything is spilled on it. It will be impossible to completely disinfect and if your gecko ever has parasites you won't be able to get them out of the substrate. If your feeders have parasites, you'll have the same problem.

 

[ccb geckos]

Tile would be easier to set up, clean, looks good, and no impaction risk. JMO :main_thumbsup:

I agree. :main_yes:

 

[SpringK]

I ended up with reptile carpet. I think for my next tank I'll get slate or tile. ;]

 

[Krow]

I use linoleum, its super easy to clean & you dont have to keep buying & replacing it like paper toewls. I just went to our down-home country store & asked if they had any scraps, they sold me 4 yards for only $3:freak:!!! Just measure the bottom of the tank, cut to fit & secure it down with double sided tape on the corners & anywhere it might be poking up. It also absorbs heat from the lamp & gives off good & much liked belly heat.:main_laugh: You can buy linoleum that looks like sand or rock, to me it really didn't matter. I wanted to use sand or the large tree bark stuff at first because I wanted it to look natural, but then I learned of impaction & quickly changed my mind:main_yes: