The controversial SAND

[Dimidiata]

I know i know, but i was trying to kill any flames before they ignited. Still, Anapsid really is a suck, it has been included on a topic involving animal care is another conversation. It was more of "congratulations, you posted links" then a "these links are really good" still, i am soft, i couldn't bring myself to be mean. Personally, if the site/author won't even address the possible dangers of the topic, then i don't trust it. it would be like recommending a brand of fish heaters that have a tendency to explode without mentioning said tendency. So i roll over and bare my soft underside to you Seamus in hope that you will have mercy on my poor, meek, human existence.


P.S. what i didn't know was that the author of the site had such a history, i only knew of the site. Interesting search results indeed.

 

[Embrace Calamity]

I know i know, but i was trying to kill any flames before they ignited. Still, Anapsid really is a suck, it has been included on a topic involving animal care is another conversation. It was more of "congratulations, you posted links" then a "these links are really good" still, i am soft, i couldn't bring myself to be mean. Personally, if the site/author won't even address the possible dangers of the topic, then i don't trust it. it would be like recommending a brand of fish heaters that have a tendency to explode without mentioning said tendency. So i roll over and bare my soft underside to you Seamus in hope that you will have mercy on my poor, meek, human existence.


P.S. what i didn't know was that the author of the site had such a history, i only knew of the site. Interesting search results indeed.

Interesting to hear the history of that site. I just found what I could because I had some trouble finding links that discussed the differences between calcium sand and natural sand.

~Maggot

 

[Geckos77]

I do feel it's safe if it's used properly, however, I don't like sand because:

• Impaction can occur
• It holds bacteria and dirt
• It doesn't look attractive to me
• It is more difficult for the gecko to shed

 

[Dimidiata]

I do feel it's safe if it's used properly, however, I don't like sand because:

• It is more difficult for the gecko to shed

Elab on that one?

 

[Geckos77]

Elab on that one?

The sand made my gecko's skin quite dry, therefore, making it harder for her to shed, even with a humid hide in the enclosure.

 

[Embrace Calamity]

The sand made my gecko's skin quite dry, therefore, making it harder for her to shed, even with a humid hide in the enclosure.

I don't believe there's anything in sand that inherently makes it a drying agent unless there's something added to it. Pretty sure sand is actually used as an exfoliant to treat dry skin.

~Maggot

 

[Enigmatic_Reptiles]

Bacteria is not always a bad thing. If you bake the sand prior to using then you will eliminate just about every organism on the sand...rendering it sanitized. Imagine the bacterial counts in their nesting boxes after a clutch and a dump in there...obviously (in moderation) bacteria is simply a [art of being.

Sand is also not absorptive and will not draw moisture off of the geckos. Artificial sand and calci-sand are not sand but man made particulate made to resemble sand. Good husbandry should also fix any humidity issues because any substrate will cause poor shed issues if the ambient humidity is not correct anyway.

Impaction can occur...so can dystocia from breeding .

Visual appearance is a preference thing because I don't like the look of tile and paper substrates.

 

[Geckos77]

I don't believe there's anything in sand that inherently makes it a drying agent unless there's something added to it. Pretty sure sand is actually used as an exfoliant to treat dry skin.

~Maggot

From my experience, it dried my gecko's skin and made it harder for her to shed. After I took it out, my gecko had no issues with shedding again.

 

[Embrace Calamity]

From my experience, it dried my gecko's skin and made it harder for her to shed. After I took it out, my gecko had no issues with shedding again.

Then I'd imagine there was something added to it.

~Maggot

 

[Geckos77]

Then I'd imagine there was something added to it.

~Maggot

I suppose so. It was a play sand made for reptiles, so I figured it wouldn't.

 

[WilliamTheLeopardGecko]

I'm not ever going to risk it. Plus, it's really hard to clean... I wouldn't want something bad to happen over a silly thing like substrate, when there is perfectly fine other things to use. In conclusion, I will not be using it.

 

[Embrace Calamity]

I suppose so. It was a play sand made for reptiles, so I figured it wouldn't.

How do you even know it was the sand?

~Maggot

 

[Geckos77]

From my experience, it dried my gecko's skin and made it harder for her to shed. After I took it out, my gecko had no issues with shedding again.

That is how I knew..

 

[Enigmatic_Reptiles]

I see how sand may have reduced ambient humidity and resulted in poor sheds...but that would have been fixed by adjusting husbandry. Anytime we change anything with husbandry, minor adjustments need to be made.

 

[Dimidiata]

Calcium sand is made for reptiles, you would assume it wouldn't kill them.

 

[SC Geckos]

Calcium sand is made for reptiles, you would assume it wouldn't kill them.

lol! You would think.
Another one that is basically the same thing is Vita-sand. I have seen it a few times in the LPS. Something about that name just sound wrong to me.

 

[Embrace Calamity]

I see how sand may have reduced ambient humidity and resulted in poor sheds...but that would have been fixed by adjusting husbandry. Anytime we change anything with husbandry, minor adjustments need to be made.

Does sand even absorb moisture? I can't seem to find much saying that it does, though I didn't look really hard. I mean I'm sure there could be other things in it that would, but I checked the ingredients in Repti-Sand (perhaps whatshisface used a different brand though) and the only ingredient listed is quartz sand.

~Maggot

 

[Enigmatic_Reptiles]

Sand itself will not hold moisture. If it is not rinsed prior to use their is particulate and dust in the sand which will absorb some of the humidity. Natural sand and manufactured sand have different qualities to them.

 

[crypticreptiles]

when first got my very first leo i got sand for him never had a problem i dont use it now though, i had this guy ask me about his baby leo so i went to see his set up and omg he had potting soil with fire belly toads

 

[Lyca]

Hi @ all,

I'm from Germany and in Germany a sand-clay mix is the most common way to keep leopardgeckos.

It hardens out when it dries, so there is few loose sand the geckos could eat. It imitates their natural environment best, and in my opinion also looks much better than paper or tiles. It also enables them to walk on hard ground, but they can still dig, especially when the substrate is still moist.

I would not keep them on loose sand because leopardgeckos don't like to sink in when walking. It is also not good for their joints. I would never use calcium sand, because it encourages them to eat it.