Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I've heard that it wont cause impactions. is it safe to use? thanks

If you must use sand, and the geckos are full grown adults, get some playsand or some of the very fine reptile sand sold in stores. Don't ever use sand or any particulate substrate with younger/smaller geckos. I've only seen one (actually a tankful) impacted gecko, and they were on calci-sand at the Petco in Tacoma, WA; almost dead. I don't think calci-sand is a good product for any reptile.

Here is a great link to an article on Particulate Substrates by Melissa Kaplan.
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Rob Jenkins
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While it is a hotly bedated topic, I think 80% of people would agree that there is some risk involved with calci-sand or any sand in general. The thing is that some don't think the risk is high at all since they own or know of gecko/s who live on the stuff and have no problems. I was one of those people until 2 of my adult leos got impacted from calci-sand along with my friend's who also tried sand. Luckily mine recovered but his didn't. So take everyone's experience as just that, experiences. Mine may be extreme but other may have leos on sand for 10 years now w/ no problems. It is up to you how much risk you want to take.
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~Andrea

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Hey, thanks for the article.

One of my leos is on Repti-sand, a fine grade quartz, but I'm going to look into it further. It's kind of mixed about what I'm going to do...
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Got hips like Cinderella / Must be having a good shame / Talking sweet about nothing / Cookie I think you're Tame

It is and it isn't. I'm pretty sure that SAND in general isn't good at all for smaller geckos, but when they're full grown, it's acceptable, but not "reccomended". If I were you I'd talk to Marcia from GoldenGateGeckos.com . I knwo she has done several studies on the safety of sand and she can tell you what's best. She's the ONLY person I turn to when I have a really important question. This board usually gives you too mixed a review for you to really get the facts straight on highly debated topics such as this.

Kev
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Kev
1.1.0 Tang Leopard Geckos: Marley, Mary
1.0.0 Normal Leopard Gecko: Toad
0.1.0 Colombian Rainbow Boa: Rambo
1 Beta: Malificent
0.1.0 Tri Australian Shepard: Nelly

I guees theres different views on this subject. That sounds great since my husband just purchased a gecko from her this week and he was more than than delighted with her and the gecko. We'll definitely seek her advice on this!
Christina

I use calci-sand for my adult leo. My baby is on paper towels. What do people think about the lizard litter that is completly digestable... it looks like alph alpha pellets.. actually.. it may be that. Anywho, would that be better than sand?
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1.0.0 Normal Leopard Gecko
0.1.0 Super Hypo-Tangerine Carrot tail
0.1.1 Whites Tree Frogs
1.0.0 Huge Black Cat
0.1.0 Cocker Spaniel
0.1.0 Brittany
0.0.1 Brother

The manufacturers can claim anything is digestable. Doesn't mean that it actually IS.
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Lovin' would be easy if your colors were like my dreams...

I know.. it's just that I can only think that alph alpha is more digestible than sand
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1.0.0 Normal Leopard Gecko
0.1.0 Super Hypo-Tangerine Carrot tail
0.1.1 Whites Tree Frogs
1.0.0 Huge Black Cat
0.1.0 Cocker Spaniel
0.1.0 Brittany
0.0.1 Brother

If you're refering to the ground up walnut shells, then NO! Those cause impaction like none other... or so I've heard from SO many people. I Don't know what alph aplha pellets are though...

Kev
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Kev
1.1.0 Tang Leopard Geckos: Marley, Mary
1.0.0 Normal Leopard Gecko: Toad
0.1.0 Colombian Rainbow Boa: Rambo
1 Beta: Malificent
0.1.0 Tri Australian Shepard: Nelly

wait no, I know what you're talking about now.... Alfalfa pellets... yeah I don't know what they look like... dern it...

Kev
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Kev
1.1.0 Tang Leopard Geckos: Marley, Mary
1.0.0 Normal Leopard Gecko: Toad
0.1.0 Colombian Rainbow Boa: Rambo
1 Beta: Malificent
0.1.0 Tri Australian Shepard: Nelly

Yeah, alfalfa... I think they're big pellets that look like dog food. I've seen plenty of large iguanas kept on it.
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Got hips like Cinderella / Must be having a good shame / Talking sweet about nothing / Cookie I think you're Tame

I would say no... because of the fact that its very easy for herps to get impacted on it. Some individual reptiles do fine on it, but why take the risk?