Anyone using Exo terra desert sand?

[Wolfy]

Hi all,

Am thinking of using exo terra desert sand for my adults geckos. any feedback on this usage ?

Cheers
Wolfy

 

[david13]

i wouldnt use any type of sand

 

[Nigel4less]

:main_thumbsdown: I wouldn't put any of my Leos on Sand it has proven to cause impaction. Tile, or Paper Towel works best!

 

[rubym]

I have put too much money, time, emotions into my geckos to risk their health by using any type of sand. I prefer to stick with safer subtrates. I personally like the look of the natural colored tiles and they are easy to clean.

 

[dmward]

No Sand......period

 

[liljenn]

I agree with the general consensus. Sand is a risk that I am not willing to take, no matter what some people say.

 

[nicolenadia]

If at all, cleaned play sand from home depot. The granular is larger and there is no dust. The sand at the Pet Stores is very dusty. I only use play sand in a large display in my kitchen with 3 *adult* geckos. I would NEVER put babies or juvi's on sand. I always feed them on a dish so they do not get sand in their meal, and I watch them eat. Their water dish is on a slight platform so sand does not get into it. I have not had any problems with this for 3 years now, but I have also been very careful. Their tank is very intricate with a large rock cave buried in a foot of sand, and they spend all day in it. I also change the sand every 6 months. The rest of my gecko tribe lives in plain white paper towels.

Its all personal preference, but if you are worried at all, go paper towel.

 

[Wind Dancer]

i'm wondering something about the tiles. could you use linoleum that looks like tiles, or does it have to be tile tile? just something that i was wondering about because if you could use the 'fake' tiles then it would be a lot lighter weight!

 

[maddyfish]

My 20Long has 3 ceramic tiles, and they don't really weigh much(<2 pounds). Nothing compared to 20 gallons of water(160 pounds) that the aqaurium can handle.

 

[Bodon]

Not to mention all of the health problems sand can create, i just found it to be soooo messy when i used it for a couple of weeks when i got my first leo. i went to reptic carpet and then tile, and thats what im sticking with from now on.

 

[ReptileMan27]

Like said above, stay away from sand or really any loose substrates for leos. Go with paper towels,newspaper,or for something nicer and more natural, slate rock.

 

[Wind Dancer]

how do you clean the repti carpet? i'm thinking about using that instead of the tiles.

 

[vctkiller]

well i use reptile carpet its pretty safe just make sure to buy the ones with loops in them so that the leopard geckos toes can get stuck in them >.>

 

[Wind Dancer]

well i use reptile carpet its pretty safe just make sure to buy the ones with loops in them so that the leopard geckos toes can get stuck in them >.>

did you mean NOT to get the ones with the loops?

 

[Wind Dancer]

Repti-Carpet

oops, double post!

 

[vctkiller]

oops yea sorry for my mistake >.<

 

[leolover2]

how do you clean the repti carpet? i'm thinking about using that instead of the tiles.

I used to just wash it in bleach and hot water then put it in the dryer. It worked fine but repti carpet becomes a pain after awhile so i just use paper towels now. I hope that helped.

P.S. Please use the search function or make your own thread instead of asking something on someone else's thread. Thanks .

 

[jmlslayer]

all sand is bad sand!!! and no sand is safer than no sand!!!

 

[vctkiller]

tho if you use sand for some REASON try to get the finest grain sand there is out their and don't buy the ones in reptile stores they are all dusty which can harm ur geckos eyes. Play ground is wat i prefer if you get SAND

 

[Overkill]

how do u all clean ur tiles do u take them out and wash them down ???

thinking of doing tile also