SAND OR NOT

[flip87]

Everyone is tellin me to get rid of the sand in my leos tank,but the people at pet smart recommended that should be all i use. so what should i do i am new to the leo ownership so i like advise..

 

[granitestate]

Get a repti carpet, I was advised to get sand or coconut from a pet store, but did read on how dangerous it is if it gets into your geckos system.

Think radiator stop leak. This is what will happen to your gecko.





By the way, don't take that the wrong way. Please do not feed your gecko stop leak!

 

[flip87]

hahahaha okay i wont and thanks for the advise.

 

[granitestate]

You're welcome!


I guess you could also use newspaper too if on a budget!

ttyl

 

[Srt14292]

Bit of advice, the people at those shops generally know absolutely nothing about the animals they are selling, if you have any doubts (and i congratulate you for thinking about it) come here and ask us we will do our best to help.
I would get rid of your sand replace with repticarpet, paper towels or tile/shelf liner.

 

[granitestate]

Bit of advice, the people at those shops generally know absolutely nothing about the animals they are selling, if you have any doubts (and i congratulate you for thinking about it) come here and ask us we will do our best to help.
I would get rid of your sand replace with repticarpet, paper towels or tile/shelf liner.

I totally agree with this statement. I bought my first python from a pet shop and they gave me advice that I saw fit and it was totally wrong. I now go to this same shop and give them advice because all of their snakes are getting mites, have feeding problems or randomly pass on.

Research is really the key to success with your reptiles. Finding online communities such as this one has saved my ace more than once when dealing with issues.

 

[Vision Geckos]

I'll give you an example of how little the workers at that store know. They told me that meal worms were bad for leos. They said meal worm chitin impacts them. Ha. Ask any breeder on here and you'll find that meal worms is one of the most popular staple diet for leos. Those workers are given false information to spread to customers, because they're job is the BUSINESS of selling pets, not caring for them.

 

[flip87]

pet smart is the only place i have they dont even sell meal worms they couldnt really tell me about my leo. but i had been playin with it for a few weeks before i bought it

 

[granitestate]

I'll give you an example of how little the workers at that store know. They told me that meal worms were bad for leos. They said meal worm chitin impacts them. Ha. Ask any breeder on here and you'll find that meal worms is one of the most popular staple diet for leos. Those workers are given false information to spread to customers, because they're job is the BUSINESS of selling pets, not caring for them.

100%

I've even heard of smaller shops feeding less often to keep the reptiles smaller and more sell-able to families with children.

I feed my gecko crickets & mealworms. Have been told not to feed waxworms because it is not nutritional and your gecko will only strictly eat those.

Any truth behind this?

 

[Srt14292]

Nope a waxworm or two a week is perfectly allright for your gecko, think about it like your saturday night take away. Have one or two but not all week.

 

[Enigmatic_Reptiles]

Wax worms are the equivalent to our snickers. They love them and if fed to often they will/may refuse to eat their other feeders. It is fine to give them as treats here and there though.

 

[ngrdawg]

I would say no sand just not worth the risk. Yes the pet store flunkies will say they're dessert animals and live in the sand in the wild. But in the wild a gecko might hatch grow to size breed and die all within a couple of years thus perpetuating the species and fulfilling his contractual obligation with nature. But , that is not the life of a pampered pet in captivity. As far as for what they "know", I can only speak for my area but mostly they are very young, without much work ethic. Probably be working the local drive-thru if they had a little more hustle. I'm sure the pay is comparable. I would agree as well that they are in the business to sell pets and more so supplies. So i would speculate that on a corporate level they are as ruthless as any other corporate pigs and would readily circulate misinformation among their workforce on the premise that it is far more profitable to their bottom line to sell you three geckos as opposed to one. Within a given time frame. Research online, trust your peers as they are doing what the pet store chains should be doing. They also usually have allot more to loose than 7-8 dollar an hr J.O.B. Just Over Broke

 

[Stomlin35]

NO sand. Period.

You should see what the chain stores say about taking care of hermit crabs. :furious3: