Substrate Confusion......

[GeckoNoviceTyler]

Hello, I have been a Leapord Gecko Owner/Parent for 10days now! It seems like the more research I do, the more questions I have... I really want our little buddy to be comfortable, happy, and engaged.
[Substrate= Reptile Carpet Temp.]
I planned to get the reptile sand. Thinking that would be comfortable and help him regulate his temperature. (As It's been difficult keeping the temp. s teady In a glass tank with a heat lamp+mat.) But lots of the enclosures I see have, stone, tile, rocks, mulched wood, moss, ect.... So my question is, how do I choose?!?!??!?!?!?!
If I use rocks, will he be uncomfortable?
Will they scratch his soft belly?
Will sand make the air too dry??
I know that he is a lot less fragile than his quiet and shy personality lead me to believe, but I still want to do whatever I can to improve his little world. Any advice is MUCH APPRECIATED & MOST WELCOME.
Apologies if this is a thread already. I haven't mastered this site yet.

 

[acpart]

You're doing fine with the site. It's confusing because there is more than one answer. Here's a brief survey of substrates with very brief pros and cons:
a. Sand: I can't really think of any pros. Even people who keep their geckos on particle substrates don't put juveniles on sand. There is not only a substantial impaction risk, but it's also nothing like their native habitat. (If you're determined to use sand, use play sand, not calci-sand)
b. Reptile carpet: pros: safe from impaction and attractive; cons: some geckos get their claws stuck on it and if they pee and poo on it a lot it needs to be cleaned frequently and will eventually wear out.
c. ceramic tile: pros: conducts heat well, safe, attractive and cheap; cons: some people feel that the surface is too hard for them to spend all their time on (full disclosure: I have all my geckos on ceramic tile and prefer it)
d. paper towel or newspaper: pros: cheap, safe and easy to replace cons: tears really easily and crickets can get under it and even chew on it
e. linoleum: pros: safe, cheap, easy to clean; cons: I think it can get a little ratty looking after awhile.
f. Zoomed excavator clay: pros: probably most closely approximates natural habitat with hard-packed, rough topped surface, safe; cons: a bit more expensive and once you add water and set it up it's unchangeable and also heavy
g. Rocks: pros: attractive, cheap, safe as long as the rocks aren't too small; cons: crickets can die in between the rocks and stink, if the rocks shift wrong, the gecko can get stuck
h. coco fiber: pros: looks natural, less of an impaction risk than sand; cons: it's still particulate and it can dry out. Poop is hard to find in it sometimes.

A note about heat: Don't worry too much about the heat in the air. The most important thing is the heat on the ground as measured by a digital thermometer with probe. All these substrates should hold the heat fine.

I hope this is helpful.

Aliza

 

[GeckoNoviceTyler]

Thank You! Yes that is very helpful!! I think I'll look into ceramic/stone substrates. What do you think about bio-active habitats? Have you ever attempted one? We are building a large (L40"xW20"xH12") wood enclosure with removable front facing glass doors. So I am trying to learn as much as possible so that when it's done, I can have a nice comfy setup inside. Also if you don't mind another question, what do you think about heat tape for surface heating in a large enclosure? (In conjunction with UV lights and a heat lamp connected to a timer)
LOL another random question, how do I know if/when I should mist him with water? Same question for misting the habitat/tank?
Thank you in advance for your time, knowledge, and invaluable advice!!!!

 

[acpart]

I set up a bioactive habitat once which worked fine for 5 years. I'm putting some links below to some Gecko Time articles about leopard geckos bioactive habitats. I like using heat cable best (check out Zoomed; it's a rubber coated heat cable) because you can tape it on and then if you get a different cage you can remove the tape and put it somewhere else. I don't think a leopard gecko should ever be misted with water unless you're misting a specific body part to soften up retained shed (I sometimes have to mist my geckos' feet before peeling off dried shed). You can have a humid hide for your gecko as a humid micro climate.
Remember also that heat mat, UV lights and heat lamp is an awful lot of heat and can dry out the air in an enclosure and dehydrate the gecko. While the floor temp should be in the low 90's, in my opinion, as long as the ambient temp is comfortable for humans indoors, it's fine for geckos.

Holistic Design in Bioactive Vivariums: Leopard Geckos, Part 1 - Gecko Time

All bioactive enclosures have the same basic requirements, but the needs of your main inhabitant dictate the ways in which you can support bioactivity. Many people have claimed it impossible to create a bioactive desert terrarium, but let’s not forget that life persists all over the earth, even...

geckotime.com

Holistic Design in Bioactive Vivariums: Leopard Geckos, Part 2 - Gecko Time

This is the fourth article in this series and part 2 of leopard geckos. Gecko Time readers might recognize this enclosure from a previous leopard gecko bioactive article. What happened? Superworms! Zophobas morio overpopulated and became a smelly nuisance, and the worms escaped through gaps...

geckotime.com

Aliza

 

[GeckoNoviceTyler]

Ok that is all very helpful. I'll order a thermostat with a probe, I also found some grey & black slate rock that I'll probably use for substrate. Our ambient temp is usually about 80°, and 85-87 directly on the carpet above the heat mat. One more question, what are your personal beliefs and experiences with calcium powder and multivitamins?? Some people say they have never used any supplements ever, and some say that without calcium/vitamins, the gecko will have disorders and deformities ect.

 

[GeckoNoviceTyler]

Side Note: Today we found out that our (Bliz The Liz) is a "Rainwater Albino" "Leapord Gecko"! Not a "Fancy Leapord Gecko", or a "common House Leapord Gecko". Which is what we were told when we bought him at our local (chain) pet store! Does that change things in general? What about in terms of heat lamps, uv lighting, time per day in the light?

 

[acpart]

The only thing that could change is that some albinos (none of mine) are more sensitive to light. "Fancy Leopard Gecko" really doesn't mean anything except what the pet store wants it to mean. For some pet stores it means anything that's not just a regular wild type. As I mentioned before, I think that heat mat + uv lighting + heat is overkill in the heat department.

Aliza