My current setup...

[Ehatcher]

As much as I really enjoy this setup, my gecko's health and well being are more important that the visual aspect, so the sand and Excavator clay will be gone and replaced with reptile carpet. I really enjoy the Excavator clay though.

2 hides
1 clay cave
1 moist hide
1 bark log that doubles as a hide
water dish
food dish with some mealies
small calcium dish

The coconut hide is called the outhouse. SHe likes to go inside there to deficate lol

and here is Remmy soaking up some belly heat after the feast of mealies she had prior.

 

[Ehatcher]

Picture quality is TERRIBLE due to being taken with my 2 megapixel camera phone :main_thumbsdown:

 

[Lacedolphin]

I've herd good and bad things about the excavator sand. I was thinking of using it to make a U shape of different hides but I wanted to wait ans see how the stuff holds together over time. Why did you decide to take it out??

 

[PrettyMomma]

Your gecko has lots of places to hide. Good

 

[Ehatcher]

I've herd good and bad things about the excavator sand. I was thinking of using it to make a U shape of different hides but I wanted to wait ans see how the stuff holds together over time. Why did you decide to take it out??

The excavator clay is pretty neat. I have thoughts about going back to it instead of the reptile carpet and making the entire enclosure's substrate out of the excavator clay, instead off the excavator/sand mix. My only complaint is that as it cures, parts of it will tend to "chip" away leaving small pieces that could be easily digested (see last pic, the small bits and pieces are part of the excavator) . I have heard of people making caves and dens and them collapsing, but mine has been solid for close to 3 weeks now and getting constantly blazed on at 90* temps by the heat lamp. A solution that I have came to about getting rid of the small chunks would be to use a vaccuum cleaner to suck up the loose particles (taking the gecko OUT of the enclosure beforehand of course!!).

If you like to keep the enclosure as tidy and up to par as possible, I dont see any reason to not use the excavator. Dont put any juveniles or babies on there of course. Make sure if you make tunnels and/or ledges to use common sense and build appropriately.

 

[bitterbeauty]

I absolutely HATE excavator clay it is dusty and messy however It looks good in this setup so thumbs up! lol

 

[SLY]

[Insert obligatory anti-sand comment here]


No, in all seriousness, looks good. I like the log/hide thing you have going on.

 

[Ehatcher]

UPDATE: Sand Has been removed. Excavtor clay is still in. I took a paintbrush and raked all of the loose substrate off of the clay. It is hard as a rock and as long as something doesnt hit the clay, i do not see it producing any swallowable pieces.

The tank is setup exactly the same, except paper towels are now in place of the sand. It really does put my mind at ease knowing that the sand is out of the tank.:main_thumbsup: