I gotta know about sand!

[EthanC]

jh

 

[LeoparddGeckoss]

I wouldn't risk it... it will happen, it is just a matter of time. It also will cost you very much money. I know a friend who paid over a thousand dollars to cure her gecko's impaction.

I recommend slate tile, it is very safe and is very easy to clean.

 

[bubblez825]

to look good, easy clean up, AND natural, slate tile IS the way to go. sand is a definite no-no. geckos will go after crickets(or even "tasting" their territory) and get a mouthful of sand. that stuff ISN'T digestible, and there is NO WAY AT ALL to make sand "safe". the only time it should be used is to fill the 1/8" or less cracks between the tile/slate. even then, its not recommended. Yes, sand looks good, and is easy clean up, but would you rather have something that looks just as nice and equal easy clean up,and VERY sanitary, or have sand that includes possible(probable) HIGHLY expensive vet bills and that is riddled with bacteria from gecko's poop? Your choice, but there's the facts

Just my 2 cents

 

[EthanC]

to look good, easy clean up, AND natural, slate tile IS the way to go. sand is a definite no-no. geckos will go after crickets(or even "tasting" their territory) and get a mouthful of sand. that stuff ISN'T digestible, and there is NO WAY AT ALL to make sand "safe". the only time it should be used is to fill the 1/8" or less cracks between the tile/slate. even then, its not recommended. Yes, sand looks good, and is easy clean up, but would you rather have something that looks just as nice and equal easy clean up,and VERY sanitary, or have sand that includes possible(probable) HIGHLY expensive vet bills and that is riddled with bacteria from gecko's poop? Your choice, but there's the facts

Just my 2 cents

damn ya that sounds like what i have read, its just crazy how all these brands of sand claim to be safe for leopard geckos, i will for sure look into slate and never go near sand, thanks for the good info i was thinking that sand was not ok from what i had read but just wanted to make sure and ya you gave it to me more clearly that anything i was told at petsmart, they said it was ok once she got older, where might i buy this slate?

 

[Russellm0704]

Home depot

Most info from pet stores is usually garbage, though there are some exceptions

 

[bubblez825]

Very welcome agreed with Russell, most info from chain stores is garbage. Occasionally you'll find someone who knows a bit of what they're doing, but research from trusted sites(and experienced people) is definitely the way to go. Lowes might have slate too, as well as home depot

 

[Cesar_Da_KIng]

If you really want a natural look what you can do is cover the floor of the cage in grout, place your plants in the grout so it looks like they are growing out of the ground, then paint the grout the color of the sand you like, cover it with a little sealant, and wala you have a super cool, super safe, super natural looking cage floor!

these floors are made of grout in the making

 

[Golden Gate Geckos]

Sand = NO

 

[nater]

At the risk of encouraging you, some people have successfully kept leopard geckos on sand with no problems.

BUT...
I wouldn't suggest attempting it. Sand WILL be ingested. There really isn't much getting around that. It cannot be digested. The best that could happen is that it will be passed. The worst is a painful and prolonged death from starvation due to impaction (or just as bad, it'll be passed as a mass, doing fatal damage on its way through). Sand can also cause problems with their respiratory system when it gets wet. Its a bacterial hideout, and its really not any easier to spot clean than some of the alternatives.

Its not worth the risk, the worry, or the hassle.

I'd also suggest steering clear of reptile carpet.

I personally don't like how newspaper, paper towel, shelf liner, etc looks. Slate tile seems to be the best option for safety, easy cleaning, and looks, imo.

 

[EthanC]

At the risk of encouraging you, some people have successfully kept leopard geckos on sand with no problems.

BUT...
I wouldn't suggest attempting it. Sand WILL be ingested. There really isn't much getting around that. It cannot be digested. The best that could happen is that it will be passed. The worst is a painful and prolonged death from starvation due to impaction (or just as bad, it'll be passed as a mass, doing fatal damage on its way through). Sand can also cause problems with their respiratory system when it gets wet. Its a bacterial hideout, and its really not any easier to spot clean than some of the alternatives.

Its not worth the risk, the worry, or the hassle.

I'd also suggest steering clear of reptile carpet.

I personally don't like how newspaper, paper towel, shelf liner, etc looks. Slate tile seems to be the best option for safety, easy cleaning, and looks, imo.

thank you very much ya im not gonna go near sand, im gonna get me some slate tile, what are the risks with the carpet? cuz that what i have in there now

 

[nater]

thank you very much ya im not gonna go near sand, im gonna get me some slate tile, what are the risks with the carpet? cuz that what i have in there now

Missed attempts at crickets can result in snagged teeth. They can also lose toes if those get snagged.

 

[bubblez825]

Also, besides the teeth an toe-snagging, reptile carpet cannot be sterilized. It can be washed, yes, but the carpet holds bacteria and provides a "growing ground" for multiple forms of bacteria that come from gecko feces and urine, as well as feces from any feeders that are in the tank.

 

[nater]

Also, besides the teeth an toe-snagging, reptile carpet cannot be sterilized. It can be washed, yes, but the carpet holds bacteria and provides a "growing ground" for multiple forms of bacteria that come from gecko feces and urine, as well as feces from any feeders that are in the tank.

Yeah, this too. I should have included that in what I said.

Nice catch.

 

[forgivenick]

I have fortunately had my male leo on sand for 8 years without any issues, but he most of the time eats meal worms from a large dish. I have just acquired a female, but she has only been on paper towels so far. I like the idea of slate. I have a 30x12” tank with a 4x8” uth and 60w bulb on the warm end to get the surface of the sand to 90* F. The cool side is around 75* F on top of the sand.
Two questions,
1. Will the temp be about the same with the slate tiles and what thickness is recommended?
2. What is the process, solution, etc used to clean the slate?
Thanks!
(not intending to thread hijack, just thought my experience and questions were relevant to this discussion)

 

[EthanC]

well i have now got my slate in place with a small amount of sand just to fill the cracks, i also got a 10-20g uth by zoo med right under the main hide and i took out my top of cage black light cuz i hear that all they really want is that belly heat and the air temp does not really matter, my air temp is around 82F, the slate gets plenty warm and its like somewhere around 1/2 inch thick in some points, i got a slate that was very natural and very uneven top so its not the same thickness all around, so far its been great other than the fact that when she misses crickets to just seems like it hurts and kinda scrapes her up but idk how much damage that can really do