Leopard Gecko's natural environment.

[Firewind]

So as I am wanting to build an over the top terrarium (because I have too much time on my hands) and still keeping the well being of our leopard gecko's as a top priority. I have been doing research on the natural environment that Leopard Gecko's come from, and what surrounds them in their daily life. Apparently they live near/in desert area's with sand... This confuses me some. Since if they live in a sandy region, do most of them end up getting sick and ill out there from impaction as well? Or is it the type of sand out there in the deserts?

I am not one to want to put sand in my terrarium with Leopard Geckos for fear of them eating it I was thinking of some other kind of bedding to use, apparently the only other kind I can find that is safe is tree barking bedding, for adult Leos. I also found this Zoo Med Eco Earth, will that also be safe for Leos? Anyone else have other recommendations on this?

Plants and dirt: So what are options here? Are there safe living plant options for a terrarium with Leos? Also dirt options? Since a plant would need dirt to live in, and if the Leo was to dig into it, and or eat some of it I wouldn't want the Leos getting harmed.

Climbing: I know Leo's don't to climb trees and hang onto leaves like other Geckos and lizards, however, is it a good idea to give them something to climb to a bit higher ground? I tend to notice mine trying to climb up onto one of the plastic hides we have that is a bit taller (about 6 inches tall), how ever she can't because it's too steep.

So let me know what you all think, besides that I'm a little crazy. ;p

Thanks,
Adam

 

[GeeEssFore]

I actually think its not sand its hard clay

 

[Ccrashca069]

Leopard geckos are climbers but they can't climb straight up glass or anything. A few of the members have made differant levels for the leopard geckos to climb. As far as the sand, I read it is a hard clay/sand mixture.

 

[Ipsl]

I use slate that I bought from a query near my house. the slate from India so thats pretty close to there native home land. I think they would live in like a rocky mountain kind of area. as far as plans you could have them coming out of pieces of slate and have like 2 or 3 inches of dirt, than maybe calcisand than slate on top of that. My feelings is as long as 98% of it is slate its okay to have a LITTLE sand. But than only for an adult.

 

[Firewind]

Ok, so it's not just sand around them, more of a clay, my mistake there.

Ipsl,
Slate, like black slate? I'd assume that black slate would maybe be too hot for the Leos? I currently use a small UHT with a top red light producing most of the heat. I would worry that the red light would heat the tile up more...

 

[blizzard]

from what i have read they are from afganistan originally. so check out what afganistan has to offer.

 

[Airilith]

Adam, I use tile that I got from Lowes. It's a reddish sand color. Just make sure you pick out a style that doesn't have a slick finish.

 

[Ipsl]

If you go to a query they have all different colors I use the redish gold kind myself though do have some splashes of the black kind. You can kinda see it in my Avatar. Again that guy weighs in the high 80's low 90's.

 

[Scott&Nikki]

The most reliable sources I have found state that Leos come from arid regions where the ground is hard-pack rock/clay with drifting sand that leaves little to no accumulation. So, it sounds to me it would be more like a sidewalk near a beach, not the beach itself (for a more local example).

I used to have slate in my tank, but it was a dark reddish color and was clearly changing the brightness of my leos color. The Lowe's by me did not have a lighter color slate, so I went with ceramic. It seems to heat up just as well, but does not get as cold. I use play sand to fill in the cracks between each tile and between the tile and glass. After about a week or so some of the sand seems to scatter around the tank, so it feels to me that it is very close to a natural environment.

As far as I know, there arent any live plants that we know are safe for leos. I am FAR from an expect on that though, so keep asking around. If the leo is older, I don't think a small aount of dirt in the enclosure would be a problem.

My leo loves to climb, and always has. Unfotunately, shes never had the best balance and seems to fall a lot. Her favorite hide until she was too big to get in was the fake tree (picture at the bottom). She still tries climbing on it but doesn't get far. I also have a piece of wood with a few ledges nailed to a flat rock that she climbs on every now and then. I would just recommend nothing too high, and nothing too narrow.

Hope that helps you out a little...

 

[ReptileMan27]

From everything I have read and heard. Leos live in rocky areas with hard packed sand/clay. Alot of people think leos just live in the middle of the desert on loose sand and thats not true.

As far as most natural choices, slate rock or a hard packed sand/clay mix would be the most natural.

 

[eric]

check this out..hope it helps and post pics when you're done.. http://afghangeckos.netfirms.com/macularius.htm

 

[supperl]

This is what I made