Leopard Gecko digging?

[Stevie]

So, if you can tell me your ideas for the proper substrate, I will certainly try it (within reason of course).

I keep all my 'desert animal' on sand. I tried different kinds and in the end I use playing for it's water keeping qualaties. You can see in my signature wich species I own. In the past 7 years I lost one animal due to impaction and this was caused by an egg that just wouldn't come out, so the sand was not the cause of it. Even the Tropiocolotes are held on sand and I've never lost one (uptill this day I still own the entire breeding group and they're breeding like crazy). On the more tropical species I use cocopeat for obvious reasons. However, there are areas and cage furniture that are not covered in sand, so the animals are able to choose whether they like to use the substrate or not. I never had any problems caused by loose or granular substrates and I love the way all my animals are using it to show their natural behaviour. As a biologist I think that's really important.

I know the way to keep the animals in the US is on paper towels and / or newspaper and many people in Holland make fun of that (sorry guys, nothing personal). I only use that on my juveniles, but only because it's more conveniant and easier to clean the cages. After I desided to keep an animal in my private collection, it gets a nice layer of sand to dig in, since digging is a very important thermoregulatory behaviour (no sence in digging through sollid rock).

I can understand that people want the best for their animals and I'm not convicting anyone if they use a different substrate. But as a biologist I still have to laugh when I picture Mother Nature changing the paper towels that cover Pakistan. I think these animals are used to get in touch with loose or granular substrates in the wild. As long as the animals are provided in their calcium need, the animals will not eat the sand (I discovered and obsevered this myself) and no harm will be done by that. The few crums that will lift with the preys are in no comparisson what so ever to the hard and undigestible parts of many insects (just check the poo and see howmany insect parts you recognize).

Again, this is no an attempt to start a new substrate debate, I'm only answering the question. Everyone has his/her own way to take care of the animals and I would like to end with the best quote I have seen on this forum:

We all put our animals before our egos.

Greets,

Stevie

 

[nats]

Maybe you havent lost an animal in seven years from compaction, but I know folks who have. From using loose sand as a substrate. They DO eat it, regardless of how much calci you provide. Of course, most of what they do injest is too small to cause problems, but there are exceptions. So I know the risk exists, and I'm not willing to take it with my animals. What you do with yours (al a natural) is your gamble and your business. Most leos in the wild do not live long enough to die from compaction due to preditors. In captivity, we want them to live a little longer!!

I could see using sand under the following circumstances;
The animal is an adult. The sand is not "loose", but somewhat compacted.
The sand is mixed with other element like some flat rocks that provide enough coverage so the animals are not just exposed to the sand (as you say you do).
Then, there are the practicle considerations of maintaining all of this that I wont even go into!!! :main_no:
I will tell you this, when I see signs of digging behavour in my leos, I will find a way to satisfy that behaviour. Until that day happens, we will continue to cover Afghanistan with paper!!!