Sand Impaction Poll

[canadiangecko]

I keep mine on repti carpet

 

[Lady_Kiya]

My leos were both sold to be using sand. Once I did research I made the decision to change it immediately. Like mentioned earlier, I just didn't want to take the chance. Regardless of how old the geckos are, there is still a chance and that was enough to make up my mind to use something else.

 

[myjoyoverflows]

We, personally, haven't had any experience with using sand ourselves....but 3 geckos we've been given have been housed on sand...one was housed on regular sand that you'd find outside. We still have those 3 geckos...the one that was on the sand that I've already mentioned was weak at first...but has made leaps and bounds since coming into our care...and one of the other ones is very thin and hasn't been the healthiest, but is improving each day. So, since we don't have any experience with our geckos dying from sand impactation, I can't say much...but I CAN say that once the geckos were in our care AFTER being housed on sand, their conditions improved...not sure if that's due to the care they received or because of the lack of sand. *shrug*

 

[leonut]

i housed mine on sand and she did fine. the only reason i changed it was because it was a pain in the butt to clean.

 

[Bennayboi]

I did a study specifically for this thread. I put 10 geckos on sand and 10 on paper towels. So far 9 of the ones on sand are dead and only 3 of the ones on paper towel are dead. Quality research.

 

[Pepper]

umm, that's not right at all, even in the name of "research"

You shouldn't purposely be seeing if they die, when there are other studies out there to say they DO die.

 

[myjoyoverflows]

I did a study specifically for this thread. I put 10 geckos on sand and 10 on paper towels. So far 9 of the ones on sand are dead and only 3 of the ones on paper towel are dead. Quality research.

One would have to wonder the amount of time put into this research and the care that was given them aside from the different substrate.

 

[Riyo]

I don't think he actually did it. I think he was just trying to make people upset.

As far as the thread goes...No sand, please!

 

[thekooliest]

I don't think he actually did it. I think he was just trying to make people upset.

As far as the thread goes...No sand, please!

Exactly, and I think he got banned for it.

 

[Pepper]

ahh okay, I was just like...jeez!

 

[myjoyoverflows]

I was being more sarcastic than anything...*sorry to be off topic*

 

[happy gecko]

Man.... this thread is like a bad penny ! I now know not to keep geckos on sand, and I was hoping this thread would be deleted, but no dice.

 

[tofuman]

I've had a few geckos die of impaction over the years, so now I don't use sand.

 

[skitch92]

i need another option! i kept my gecko on sand and paid 450 dollars for surgery! not many people i know have done this lol

 

[JordanAng420]

i need another option! i kept my gecko on sand and paid 450 dollars for surgery! not many people i know have done this lol

He/she's a lucky critter...not a huge percentage of them actually make it through impaction surgery. What a trooper! :main_thumbsup:

 

[shawn119]

I don't keep my geckos on sand.

 

[Alliemac]

ANYONE that has seen an animal suffer from impaction would NEVER do ANYTHING to put an animal in that danger again. It's some scary sh*t dealing with how sick they get IF they make it and that's a big if. I've never had a gecko that became impacted but my beardie was impacted from mealworm shells and it was the single most terrifying month of my life nursing her back to health that I have ever had for an animal or one of my children for that matter.

 

[KelliH]

I kept all my breeder leopard geckos on washed playsand for several years and had no problems. I know several other well known breeders that did the same. The only reason I switched to paper towel is because I got tired of all the sand getting everywhere. I think when most sand impaction problems occur it has more to do with improper feeding/supplementation than anything else. JMO.

 

[BitterNatch]

I had my first LG when I was 15 and had him on repti-carpet*. For months it was the happiest little thing, came out to say hello when I entered the room (I'd say that's rare for a juvie), eated his crickets like crazy and overall was a healthy gecko.... Until the day I changed to calci-sand cos I had read somewhere that it was more natural and stuff... The poor thing lasted like a week and a half after that, went anorexic and lethargic and ended his poor life with an EEEEK and a horrible contortion x_x. I opened him up to see what was the deal (been around vets since birth) and found his belly full of the darn thing.... HATE sand ever since.



*is repti-carpet the same as felt? Im curious about buying different color felts and doing something fun with the enclosure of my current geckos.

 

[Gregg M]

Kelli, some people just dont get it... And they never will unfortunately...

I had my first LG when I was 15 and had him on repti-carpet*. For months it was the happiest little thing, came out to say hello when I entered the room (I'd say that's rare for a juvie), eated his crickets like crazy and overall was a healthy gecko.... Until the day I changed to calci-sand cos I had read somewhere that it was more natural and stuff... The poor thing lasted like a week and a half after that, went anorexic and lethargic and ended his poor life with an EEEEK and a horrible contortion x_x. I opened him up to see what was the deal (been around vets since birth) and found his belly full of the darn thing.... HATE sand ever since.

There must have been something really wrong and nothing to do with impaction...
Geckos do not get anorexic in a span of a week and a half even without food and water...

Anyway, calci-sand is bad not just because it is a loose substrate... It is bad because it binds up and crystalizes in the digestive tract... Regular sand does not do this... It only causes blockages when there is a more serious problem at hand...

It is fustrating to see these exagerated stories of impaction...