Some clarification on introducing new animals.

[Ozy]

When I was researching leopard gecko care before I got Ozy, I just read a bunch of care sheets and such and did what the majority agreed on. It has worked out quite well.

 

[ebuch]

Is Ozy a Watchmen reference?

 

[Dazzling]

Promise me that when your gecko(s) get impacted, you will take it to the vet and be prepared to spend a lot of money. Promise?

 

[ebuch]

Promise me that when your gecko(s) get impacted, you will take it to the vet and be prepared to spend a lot of money. Promise?

I read just as many sources that argue that bad house keeping is the primary cause of geckos becoming impacted followed by them ingesting sand. That if your gecko has a clean and stable ambient environment then the sand isn't really a threat, and their bodies shutting down due to improper care is what causes the sand to impact them. I've always believed this and kept my gecko's habitat healthy and clean and he has never been impacted, he's about 4 years old and weighs 91 grams and has never shown any signs of illness. I know how to keep a gecko alive and happy, my primary concern was with how people who bred geckos went about housing them together because I've never seen two adults in the same enclosure that weren't female, I really just wanted to see how male and female worked. But yes, I promise you, that if any of my animals ever become sick I can back them up at our local exotic vet who has a file on all three of the reptiles I currently have living in my house. I appreciate your concern and respect your opinion and am not afraid to ask any questions if there are any problems I can't handle, and I know I messed up on the Walnut bedding, but I really do have the day to day care under control.

 

[Ozy]

OMG YES Ebuch! When I first got her I didn't know if she was a boy or a girl and named her Ozymandias. LOL! I just call her Ozy-boo or Ozy-boodle most of the time now. hehehehe

 

[DrCarrotTail]

I listened to a Gecko Land Radio show last night and it was pretty good so I listened to another one! In the episide linked below Marcia McGuiness of Golden Gate Geckos (who is one of the breeders that has been in the hobby the longest) weighs in on sand. The shows are a bit long but all in all a good listen - especially on your ipod while cleaning geckos!! Haha.

Marcia McGuiness talks about Leopard Geckos 05/12 by GeckoLandRadio | Blog Talk Radio

 

[ebuch]

After thinking about all of this and listening to and reading the arguments I'm going to look into a substrate that's still naturalistic yet not so sandy. Maybe I can find a thin layer of clay or a rock that the gecko can't eat but still looks pretty.

 

[Ozy]

I highly suggest slate tile. Super easy to keep clean, conducts and holds heat well... Ozy's been on slate pretty much her whole life. I have a layer of hermit crab sand down under the tiles and my temps are awesome.

 

[ebuch]

I highly suggest slate tile. Super easy to keep clean, conducts and holds heat well... Ozy's been on slate pretty much her whole life. I have a layer of hermit crab sand down under the tiles and my temps are awesome.

And I could probably buy enough of it to cover all 3 vivariums for less than 10 dollars at lowes.

 

[DrCarrotTail]

My first post in this thread I said I had a second male that was okay to leave in with females. I've had two females and this male together for over 4 months with absolutely zero problems. I was feeding last night and after I fed him and the two girls, I moved to feed another bin and heard a commotion. He had flat out attacked one of the females and had her pinned to the lay box shaking her. I grabbed him and he let her go immediately. He had a bite on his neck and she had one on her back and on he back of her head. None were severe or even too scary but I'm seriously glad I was in the room to separate them just in case it escalated. All are totally fine and separated but I just wanted to share my potential close call and revise my first post!!

 

[Mclaughlin]

I bought my slate for 88 cents for 6" squares.... But they wrote it up wrong and I got each bundle of 5 tiles for 88 cent. Very affordable lol

edit

glad to hear they are okay Doc :/