Question About Housing Differences Between Leos & Australian Geckos

[happy gecko]

I was just curious why breeders keep there Australian geckos on sand, when we all know paper towels are safer and that sand can be deadly? Is it that Australian geckos can easily eat and pass sand, versus leopard geckos that cannot?

 

[Golden Gate Geckos]

Sand is the natural substrate for many Australian species... it is not a natural substrate for leopard geckos. Leopard geckos live in rocky granite and limestone outcroppings where the soil is hard-pack clay strewn with rocks, while several Aussie species live and burrow in that all red sand 'down-under'. Animals bodies and GI systems are adapted for their natural habitiat.

 

[happy gecko]

Thank you for your post Marcia, I knew there had to be a reason. Could I set up a terrarium with slate rocks and a little bit of a sand/soil mixture in the cracks as a filler? It seems like it would be pretty close to a leos natural habitat, right? Also, this is a long shot, but do you know if the rocks where leos are from are more red, or more blackish? I was going to purchase the slate here: http://www.herpsupplies.com/subcategory.cfm?id=13&sub=87 , what do you think looks more natural?

Sorry to bother you and thank you for your time.

PS: did the link work? I typed in the full adress, though I think it broke up for some reason.

 

[Golden Gate Geckos]

Slate rock makes a lovely naturalistic habitat for leopard geckos. If you are using several pieces, you can use aquarium sealant (non-toxic) to secure the pieces so they don't fall down and injure the gecko. Non-silica playground sand is fine as a filler... just not as a substrate.