Sand for the cages

[Zachcvh]

I just got back from a vacation down to the Oregon Coast. I was at Cannon Beach and the sand was awesome. It was super soft and could heat up and cool down nicely. So i got a big bucket full of it.

I was wondering if that type of sand would be ok to put inside the cage?

Any one have experience with using sand from the ocean coast in cages?

 

[Crewdog00]

Sand is a big debate. It can cause impaction.

I stopped using sand due to the possibility of killing my Annie.

Up to you if you want to take that choice.

A few sources say its only okay if you have an adult or you feed outside the cage.

 

[DrCarrotTail]

1.) Crewdog is right. Sand is a chancy business since geckos inevitably eat some and if they eat enough it can impact and kill them. I wouldn't suggest using it.

2.) If you plan to use it for any animal or even in a lamp or something for decoration, I would bake it in the oven for 30-60 mins at like 500 degrees to kill of any unwanted bacteria or tag along creatures that may be too small to see.

 

[Jusselin]

Don't...use...sand. There is no debate about it. Do not use it. If you care for the gecko you would not risk it. Impaction can cause death, and even if you catch it early enough the vet bill will be a few hundred. Not to mention them cutting open your gecko just to remove something you could have prevented. DO...NOT...USE...SAND!

 

[Zachcvh]

Ok, I will not use sand, thank you guys for the help and for responding so quickly.

 

[Enigmatic_Reptiles]

I would not recommend sand for a substrate. If I were you I would use something that is not particulate such as shelf liner, paper towel, carpet, etc. Sand can be a potential risk for your geckos and the use of Ocean sand would introduce all kinds of microbes and bacteria that would most likely be detrimental to your gecko. I would suggest going the safer route of husbandry and keeping them on one of the listed substrates I mentioned above.

 

[geckomaniac123]

The only sand you should ever use in a reptiles cage is calcium carbonate sand because it is digeastable in small amounts so its less likely to cause impaction. But any other kind of sand is just small "rocks" and is NOT at all digestable and therefore will cause impaction if injested even in small amounts. Also make sure you are using a good UVB light and a good calcium suppliment like Mineral I that way they are getting calcium in the diet and dont "crave it" enough to start eating sand in an effort to get the calcium they need. Also like someone else said, there will be bacteria, microbes and salt in the sand all of which can and will harm your pet. Please dont use it.

 

[LeoparddGeckoss]

The only sand you should ever use in a reptiles cage is calcium carbonate sand because it is digeastable in small amounts so its less likely to cause impaction. But any other kind of sand is just small "rocks" and is NOT at all digestable and therefore will cause impaction if injested even in small amounts. Also make sure you are using a good UVB light and a good calcium suppliment like Mineral I that way they are getting calcium in the diet and dont "crave it" enough to start eating sand in an effort to get the calcium they need. Also like someone else said, there will be bacteria, microbes and salt in the sand all of which can and will harm your pet. Please dont use it.

That isn't true, at all. Calcium sand is the worst type of sand you can use because it encourages the gecko to eat it. Leopard geckos shouldn't have UV lighting unless they have MBD.

 

[Cesar_Da_KIng]

+1, "you took the words right outa my mouth PJ" - Little John

 

[GodzillaGecko]

Calcium sand is the devils torture toy for reptiles. It doesn't digest it clumps and causes more damage then normal sand would. Don't listen to that guy. I would use calcium sand to plug a hole in the wall though. It sticks pretty good.

 

[katie_]

The only sand you should ever use in a reptiles cage is calcium carbonate sand because it is digeastable in small amounts so its less likely to cause impaction. But any other kind of sand is just small "rocks" and is NOT at all digestable and therefore will cause impaction if injested even in small amounts. Also make sure you are using a good UVB light and a good calcium suppliment like Mineral I that way they are getting calcium in the diet and dont "crave it" enough to start eating sand in an effort to get the calcium they need. Also like someone else said, there will be bacteria, microbes and salt in the sand all of which can and will harm your pet. Please dont use it.

Good grief!

 

[CNest]

I have to agree, calcium sand is horrible. Have you ever seen the stuff wet? It gets rock hard and doesn't really break back down into sand. Dang near stays a rock. Normal sand doesn't do this. I just stay away from sand all together.

 

[gogeckos]

I have to agree, calcium sand is horrible. Have you ever seen the stuff wet? It gets rock hard and doesn't really break back down into sand. Dang near stays a rock. Normal sand doesn't do this. I just stay away from sand all together.

+1. Agreed!

 

[Gtwo305]

No.

 

[Russellm0704]

The only sand you should ever use in a reptiles cage is calcium carbonate sand because it is digeastable in small amounts so its less likely to cause impaction. But any other kind of sand is just small "rocks" and is NOT at all digestable and therefore will cause impaction if injested even in small amounts. Also make sure you are using a good UVB light and a good calcium suppliment like Mineral I that way they are getting calcium in the diet and dont "crave it" enough to start eating sand in an effort to get the calcium they need. Also like someone else said, there will be bacteria, microbes and salt in the sand all of which can and will harm your pet. Please dont use it.

Wow

 

[Jusselin]

vita-sand/calcium sand = biggest lie ever.

 

[GodzillaGecko]

Like I said. I'd use it to cover a hole in my wall thats about all its good for. You'd think with all the technology out there someone would create a safe sand!