Moving to sand

[Halley]

Make sure to get good size gravel.

[Khrysty]

With gravel you still have *some* of the hygiene problems. If you're going to use it make sure to switch out the gravel periodically (bi-monthly, maybe?) or rinse it off. It may be harder to get the poop out, depending on the size of the gravel. And I know you keep saying you watch your gecko when it eats and you make sure no feeders escape, but know that if they do, they can burrow into the gravel, eat your gecko's feces, be ingested by your gecko, and cause a superfun bout of parasites.

I'm not saying don't use gravel, just saying you should know the consequences of doing so, and the ways to prevent it from being a bad thing.

[sammer021486]

I see that you have decided not to use sand, but I wanted to let you know that I have gotten 2 leos that were kept on sand. The first one I got, her first poop was more than half sand. The second gecko was not eating very well because of being kept on sand, her previous owner said that she was not very aggressive towards eating and would let the crickets and meal worms just walk past her. Now that I have her and she is on paper towel, every time I walk past her tank she is right there at the glass watching me thinking that I am going to be dropping in some food. For being 2 years old she eats like a juvie and hatchling does. I couldn't really tell if she had any sand in her stools when I first got her because the sand was black, but her stools were very small, now her stools are extremely large and healthy looking after having her for only 3 weeks.

Slate tiles make an excellent substrate, I use it in my custom tanks, but paper towel in my 10 gallons. The slate is a breeze to clean too, I give them a scrub down in a vinegar/water solution then hit them with the heat gun to dry them off faster. Wait until they are cool to the touch then place them back in the tank.

To help with your temperatures get yourself a thermostat, the 500R Zoo Med thermostat runs like $35 and does an excellent job of controlling the temperatures. If your handy and have the parts laying around your house, you could purchase an unwired Ranco or Johnson thermostat for $50 and wire it up or get a pre-wired one for $80.

[thestack510]

Using sand as a substrate knowing all that we know about impaction is nothing short of neglect. Leos lick everything in their surrounding area during feeding or otherwise. I hope your Leo(s) don't suffer from impaction because you choose to ignore well known facts.

[Khrysty]

Cool it, Stack :P We convinced 'em not to use sand We've moved onto the pebble/gravel debate now

[xkissmyhorsex]

gravel is much better than sand i will gladly admit. however, seeing that leos (and most reptiles) have a severely compromised immune system, i would still not advise gravel as a substrate just because of how difficult it would be to sanitize. i know its pretty and all, but cage carpets come in different colors and can look very nice as well. i use them myself and i love them. just my two cents.

[Tony C]

I think the main point to focus on is that the OP needs a thermostat. Using a different substrate to mask the issue of temperature control is not a solution. If the heat pad is running too hot, get a thermostat or rheostat to get the temp where it needs to be, and then choose a suitable substrate. Ignoring an overheating heat pad is a recipe for disaster.

[Tony C]

Also, how are you measuring your temps? You said they fluctuate from 99-104, but didn't mention how you got those readings. If it's from a dial or strip thermometer, the reading is probably inaccurate, invest in a temp gun or digital thermometer with probe, and take readings on the ground over the heat pad.

[T-ReXx]

I totally agree with Tony C, you need to address your temp issues with your heating method(s), not just substrate. If you are using an UTH, you need to hook up a thermostat. There are plenty available on the market, many in the 30-50 dollar range. And quality temperature gauging devices are an absolute MUST when keeping any ectothermic species, not just reptiles. A temp gun or a digi thermometer is what you want. Those "stick on" thermometers are pretty much all pretty useless.

Now, once you have addressing your temperature issues, then it's time to look at substrate. Here are a few good reasons to use a non-loose substrate, i.e. tile, slate, paper towels, butcher paper, repti-carpet, etc:

-Non-loose substrates prevent substrate based impactions.

-Most non-loose substrates are either easy to clean(tile, carpet) or cheap and easily replaced(paper).

-Non-loose substrates allow easy monitoring of feces, giving you a better handle on if your gecko is defecating normally.

-The majority of non-loose substrates conduct heat well/are thin, allowing better options for providing the belly heat that leos require.

-Feeder insects can't burrow in non-loose substrates.

Now, I'm not saying geckos will eat large grade gravel, but gravel is quite hard to keep clean without bi-weekly sterilization(boiling) and offers none of the advantages of listed above.

I'm not quite sure why people insist on keeping animals on substrates that are proven time and time again by experts to be potentially hazardous. Even if you want something that looks "natural" in reality the health and well-being of your animals should be top priority over the "look" of the enclosure.

There, I've said my piece.

[thestack510]

Originally Posted by Khrysty

Cool it, Stack :P We convinced 'em not to use sand We've moved onto the pebble/gravel debate now

Then in that case I would avoid using... ANY LOOSE SUBSTRATE. I recommend slate as an alternative to gravel for a more natural look.