Unusual question: Grounded Oatmeal as substrate?

[Project Reef]

Since many people avoid sand for smaller geckos. How about grounding up well-washed oatmeal (all natural, unflavored Quaker Oats for example) into really fine particle sizes (<.3mm) and using this as a substrate or sand substitute?

Pros: Very easy to clean, relatively cheap, very similar appearance to sand once ground up into a fine particle size.

Cons: It's freaggin' oatmeal! Seriously though, any real cons?

 

[gothra]

Cons: grain mites, mold if humidity is high, powdered oatmeal get into gecko's eyes...etc.

 

[KiKi]

paper towels ,tile reptile carpet are good substates

 

[Golden Gate Geckos]

Two things come to mind about oatmeal as a substrate...

1.) Leopard Geckos don't eat cellulose material (anything of plant origin), and their GI system isn't designed to digest it.
2.) when dried oatmeal gets wet/moist, it swells up (especially in a gecko's tummy).

 

[wsmitty]

If you get it wet you'll get this really nasty green mold....

 

[Project Reef]

Great points. Thanks guys.