Would crushed walnut shell sub. be OK if...

[Adonis]

I build an elevated feeding platform?

I hate the thought of using paper towel/tile, and although I know the animal's life>the way the tank looks, the aesthetics still matters to me.

I'd make it so the ramp leading up to it had drainage holes so that any substrate dragged up with the leo would fall right back down, and the platform would have mid-height walls so the mealworms would not fall off.


I personally think it would cut the chance of impaction drastically, but a second opinion never hurt.

 

[TokayKeeper]

I'd force feed calci-sand to a leopard gecko before I'd put it on crushed walnut. That's about the kindest way I can put how I feel about crushed walnut. And too boot, I'm one of the "crazies" that uses play sand for my adults.

 

[fl_orchidslave]

Try walking barefoot on a bed of lovely colored broken glass and see if like it.

 

[wakeskate420]

crushed walnut is considered one of the worst substrate next to sand, i would suggest brown/tan shelf liner or tiles if you want the tan substrate look, i use shelf liner in mine and it looks nice and clean, and my leos like it too

 

[Adonis]

I'd force feed calci-sand to a leopard gecko before I'd put it on crushed walnut. That's about the kindest way I can put how I feel about crushed walnut. And too boot, I'm one of the "crazies" that uses play sand for my adults.

Oh wow, okay then haha.

I was just looking up crushed walnut shell substrate as I posted this, and by your response and the other ones I read, I guess I'll need to buy a sifter and some play sand then.

 

[Adonis]

crushed walnut is considered one of the worst substrate next to sand, i would suggest brown/tan shelf liner or tiles if you want the tan substrate look, i use shelf liner in mine and it looks nice and clean, and my leos like it too

I'm not going to be using tile for my tank, I hate the look of it.

Try walking barefoot on a bed of lovely colored broken glass and see if like it.

 

[wakeskate420]

if you want sand i suggest zoo med repti sand, its the finest sand i have ever used and came across and it also does not emit a giant dust cloud when it is moved, sifted, or poured, and it has no calcium or additives in it

 

[Adonis]

^I'll keep that in mind, thank you for the suggestion!

 

[Wowoklol]

I'm not going to be using tile for my tank, I hate the look of it.

Lemurs are rad.

 

[Darcpixie]

Just please keep in mind that Leopards LICK. If they CAN lick, they will.

I keep my 4 leopards on paper towel in appropriately sized tubs in my rack, but they are all offered some form of calcium supplement. The only other advice I could give you is to make sure that your gecko is offered an appropriate calcium supplement so that they do not use the sand as such, risking impaction.

Please also make sure that you evaluate how easy to clean the substrate of your choosing is, and make sure that it is not too dusty when sifted if you chose to go with sand.

Good luck!

 

[ElapidSVT]

looking at a leopard gecko's feet you'll notice they don't have fanshaped toes or any modifications of the feet to make walking in loose sand comfortable.
think of walking at the beach... now imagine someone filled your home with a foot of sand in every room. can you imagine how difficult it would be to get around the house?
keeping leos on sand is verging on inhumane, imo. regardless of the impaction issue.

 

[M_surinamensis]

Anyone care to help me out by offering their opinions on a scenario?

Hypothetically, let's say I were considering writing a post talking about particulate substrates, including sand. I'd discuss shape, grade, composition, preparation and use, dangers, benefits and risk management. I'd probably also at least touch on the idea of species specific microhabitats. I might bust out MS Paint and draw a few painfully bad diagrams.

Would that post be something I should not write? Because it could mislead some neophyte reptile owners into choosing particulate substrates without using them correctly, endangering their animals. Also because it would contribute to information overload, just one more bit of information that some people don't have the ability to sort through; someone says use it, someone else says never use it, I say what I have to say somewhere in the middle... would it be just too many conflicting things thrown at them?

Or would that post be something I should write? Because some people are going to use particulate substrates no matter what anyone says and they stand a better chance of doing so responsibly if they have someone trying to explain some of the details that make up the decision.

Basically, should I stay quiet and figure that anyone who is in a position to use the information safely doesn't need me to provide it or should I provide the information in the hopes that it helps more people reach a good decision on their own? I kind of become responsible for what anyone does with information I give them, so if they misunderstand it and hurt their pet, that's on my head. If they're going to be doing it anyway though and I don't help them to do it right, then the consequences are still at least partially on me for not helping when I could.

This choice would be easier for me if my moral compass weren't so heavily influenced by comic books.

 

[Adonis]

looking at a leopard gecko's feet you'll notice they don't have fanshaped toes or any modifications of the feet to make walking in loose sand comfortable.
think of walking at the beach... now imagine someone filled your home with a foot of sand in every room. can you imagine how difficult it would be to get around the house?
keeping leos on sand is verging on inhumane, imo. regardless of the impaction issue.

wall of sarcastic text.

ok.

 

[M_surinamensis]

Well, there's one vote for "people are too stupid to read and comprehend, don't waste your time."

 

[sunshinegeckos]

If you are determined to do something besides tile or paper towels then go for repti carpet, which is still in my opinion a bad choice, but its better than sand.

 

[Adonis]

Well, there's one vote for "people are too stupid to read and comprehend, don't waste your time."

ok.

If you are determined to do something besides tile or paper towels then go for repti carpet, which is still in my opinion a bad choice, but its better than sand.

Looks ugly.

 

[sunshinegeckos]

If you are determined to do what you want then why come on here and ask for advice?

 

[Adonis]

If you are determined to do what you want then why come on here and ask for advice?

Thread title:

Would crushed walnut shell sub. be OK if I build an elevated feeding platform?

Thread content:

I hate the thought of using paper towel/tile, and although I know the animal's life>the way the tank looks, the aesthetics still matters to me.

I'd make it so the ramp leading up to it had drainage holes so that any substrate dragged up with the leo would fall right back down, and the platform would have mid-height walls so the mealworms would not fall off.


I personally think it would cut the chance of impaction drastically, but a second opinion never hurt.


I was never asking about the substrate that I should be using, since I know paper towel/no substrate are the best choices. I was asking if I could avoid impaction by building an elevated feeding platform.

 

[Darcpixie]

Seamus, please DO. For those of us that enjoy the research when it comes to our animals almost as much as the animals themselves, I think it would be awesome.

Maybe make a seperate thread about microhabitats so as not to link it to this thread?

As long as the appropriate humidity, supplements, and hides/climbing structures are available, in theory a non-hard surface substrate could be done. I have my crested gecko in a planted terrarium with cocofiber, but he's not a terrestrial gecko.

I've seen this happen on too many different forums... instead of being belligerent about it, if you don't like someone's response, just thank them and move on... why pick a fight, on the internet of all places?!?

Sheesh.

 

[Adonis]

text

I wasn't trying to pick a fight, I was just confused as to why someone would use a thread to ask a question of whether or not they should make a sticky worthy thread dedicated to a guide about substrates and what not.

Why not make a separate thread with a poll, or just make the thread regardless and see how it turns out? It just didn't seem necessary, and sounded sarcastic upon first reading since I assumed all posts ITT would be relevant to this thread.