Warning for all those people who think that sand is evil and paper should be used.

[im faster]

Reptile carpet sucks!

Geckos loose toes and teeth
And YOU CAN NOT SANATIZE IT
You can clean! buy NOT completely sanatiae it

 

[grboxa]

^ Main reasons why I stayed clear of reptile carpet, I read to many stories with instances of toes being caught.

 

[GeckoCrossing]

I've never used reptile carpet. I worked at Petsmart and that's what they used in their leopard gecko habitats. Too many instances of seeing teeth getting caught and babies shaking trying to get loose

 

[Crunchewy]

We had repricarpet, but it was evil stuff. Our poor Leo kept getting his teeth stuck. Replaced it with paper towel which has been a relief.

I'd like to put in tile. So it's ok to put sand under the tile? Is that to transfer heat, or for what reason? Won't the sand work it's way up between the tile edges and present a hazard?

 

[grboxa]

We had repricarpet, but it was evil stuff. Our poor Leo kept getting his teeth stuck. Replaced it with paper towel which has been a relief.

I'd like to put in tile. So it's ok to put sand under the tile? Is that to transfer heat, or for what reason? Won't the sand work it's way up between the tile edges and present a hazard?

Its for heat distribution, If you get 1 piece cut to fit your tank, the sand shouldn't work its way up, you would only put a small layer. Even if, the amount that would sneak out the edges I would presume wouldn't be enough to even consider that a hazard. I personally use paper-towel under my tile on the hot side.

 

[Dimidiata]

I got rid of my carpet, once rango got a certain size she started getting snagged. I have no issues seeing a leo eat some papper towel be it while shedding or lunging for food, its just that it wont be as bad as cemented sand.

 

[katie_]

What if the gecko goes to eat a cricket and the cricket holds onto the paper towel? Could the gecko not ingest it then?

 

[30secondstobob]

Maybe what I'm calling "reptile carpet" isn't actually the reptile carpet everyone says they've had trouble with? It's made by Zilla and the proper name is "brown terrarium liner". It also comes in green. As I've mentioned, one year, three adult geckos, zero issues whatsoever. Bob

 

[Crunchewy]

Where do you buy a 30x12 sheet of slate? Lowes or Home Depot? Also, should I get it slightly smaller than that or should it be exactly 30x12?

Does paper towel transfer the heat well? If I get sand, what type of sand should I use?

 

[Dimidiata]

Maybe what I'm calling "reptile carpet" isn't actually the reptile carpet everyone says they've had trouble with? It's made by Zilla and the proper name is "brown terrarium liner". It also comes in green. As I've mentioned, one year, three adult geckos, zero issues whatsoever. Bob

Thats repti carpet As for the tile, id get it smaller so it would fit past the rims and be easy to remove, i belive Lowes is where you can get slate cut, home depot doesnt cut slate.

 

[Crunchewy]

How much smaller would be good? I was wondering how you'd remove it!

Also, regarding teeth snagging carpet. Curiously enough we've now seem our gecko get his teeth snagged on the paper towel twice! Hopefully it's less difficult for him to get free and thus unlikely to lose a tooth, but he did look like he had to struggle a bit to get free. I guess we need to get that tile sooner.

 

[TranceZ]

I've read this whole thread and and I can do is chuckle and little bit. I dunno how your gecko go impaction of a paper towel. I'm not saying I don't believe it, I mean anything is possible. Maybe try different types of paper towels? *Shrugs* Try going up to a higher end brand like bounty ...etc. Something that will be tougher to rip.

 

[grboxa]

How much smaller would be good? I was wondering how you'd remove it!

Also, regarding teeth snagging carpet. Curiously enough we've now seem our gecko get his teeth snagged on the paper towel twice! Hopefully it's less difficult for him to get free and thus unlikely to lose a tooth, but he did look like he had to struggle a bit to get free. I guess we need to get that tile sooner.

Remove what?, your thinking about it to much:main_robin:. Get a piece cut to fit, and measure 1/2 inch smaller or whatever just enough to make it easier for you to take out. You don't need to seal the tile in, just lay it on-top of the glass and your good to go.

 

[Dimidiata]

You can put some sand down to fill the cracks and level it out too.

 

[sausage]

I've read this whole thread and and I can do is chuckle and little bit. I dunno how your gecko go impaction of a paper towel. I'm not saying I don't believe it, I mean anything is possible. Maybe try different types of paper towels? *Shrugs* Try going up to a higher end brand like bounty ...etc. Something that will be tougher to rip.

How can you not see how it would impact!?
leopard geckos cant break down large amounts of fibre as its not something their meant to have in their diet! so if they cant break it down there's only two ways for it to go, back out the way it came in or it blocks!...

and It was the towel brand plenty so just as thick if not thicker then bounty!

 

[Dimidiata]

I dont think it really matters how thick it is, a leo should be able to tear it up easy enough. The thing is that most dont, however some leos seem to have issues with certain substrates. And I belive the above is correct, leos arnt really designed for that much fiber.

 

[Landen]

I had a female ingest over 1/3 of a select-a-size sheet of paper towel (a thick brand at that) and she passed every peice of it. It took her 4-5 fecals to pass towel free but she was perfectly fine. All I did was give her a little veg oil to lube her up to help her pass, worked out great. This happened while I was was tong feeding worms to her, she accidently struck the paper towel which i had to wrestle away from her... apparently after eating and shutting the tub she decided to go back to the paper towel for a snack... that's when I discoverd 1/3 of the sheet missing.

In the end guys, we do things to minimize issues, this does not mean that there will never be problems. Somethings are just hard to avoid. I've since switched over to bare tubs, it's safer but needs to be cleaned much more often.

 

[Crunchewy]

Those saying to put sand down to fill the cracks - do you not feed your geckos crickets? Because I see crickets run along the edges of the tank all the time and wouldn't the gecko ingest the sand if they nab a cricket there?

 

[Dimidiata]

Not if the crack is 1/4" wide and theres no possible way for the gecko to fit its mouth into it

 

[grboxa]

Those saying to put sand down to fill the cracks - do you not feed your geckos crickets? Because I see crickets run along the edges of the tank all the time and wouldn't the gecko ingest the sand if they nab a cricket there?

When I feed crickets I feed them to my leo's in a different tank for sanitary reasons. If your that worried about sand in the cracks, just use paper towel then. Like was said, if you leave yourself 1/4 space there's a extremely low chance of ingestion.