Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hi yall! I finally went out and bout my stuff for my Gecko today and i bought some substrate called vita-sand. We have a reptile show coming up in our area pretty soon and was hoping to get my gecko there. I didn't know if i got a baby gecko if the vita-sand would hurt it. Wouyld it be better just to use paper towels and then when its older move to the sand?

Thanks,
Eric

I would not have a baby on it, if you get a baby.
But, here's my experience with it (albeit on a bearded dragon the concept is the same)...

It smells really strong of vitamins to begin with...it will dye the parts of the gecko it can reach (generally feet), and even worse, the stuff simply cannot get wet...it turns into a cement like substance.

I will not use it any more until they work the metaphorical "bugs" out of it.

Perhaps you will have better luck.
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Photos

I agree on the smelling part. I bought it for my dune geckos before, and my whole room smelled like vitamins! It was awful! I got high with vitamins from that D@MN product!

stick with paper towels,

M.N

Yes, I would keep your baby on paper towels until he gets bigger. The vitasand is pretty much the same fineness as reptisand, but its made out of calcium. At least I'm pretty sure it is. Either way, definately wait until he gets bigger, then you can switch him over to the vitasand. good luck!
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~Melissa~
1.2 Leopard geckos
1.0 Bearded dragon
1.0 Hog Island Boa
0.0.1 crested gecko
1.0 Ferret
0.1 Chinchilla
1.0 Chinese Praying Mantis

Melissas Menagerie

Hey there,

It is definitely not recommended to put a baby on sand, no matter what the packaging says about it being 'digestible' and 'safe.' Paper towels are definitely your best bet. In fact, if I were you, I would return the sand and use paper towels, newspaper, or slate for the entirety of your gecko's life. It -is- safer to put an adult gecko on sand than a baby, but it's not without its risks.

I'd stick with the paper towels for its life as well. Definately keep it off sand until its grown. Since leos aren't big diggers in my experience, I don't think it does much for their well being. While more visually appealing to us, it does carry some risk factors that plain old paper towels don't.

Erica

4.10 leos
1.0 mali uro
1.1 bearded dragons
1.0 savannah monitor
1.0 day gecko
0.1 brazilian rainbow boa
1.0 corn snake

Will the papertowels get to hot from an undertank heater?

Even if you have one of the UTH with a sticky side, its generally a good idea to wrap them up. I put paper towels between the UTH and the bottom of the cage, monitoring the temp of the bottom of the cage. When the temp is perfect, I quit adding paper towels. The paper towels act as a buffer to keep it from getting too hot for the leo.

I think some people go ahead and stick the UTH to the bottom of the tank, then add a thicker layer of paper towels in the cage over where the UTH is positioned.

I just do it the other way so that I won't have to change those paper towels.

Erica

4.10 leos
1.0 mali uro
1.1 bearded dragons
1.0 savannah monitor
1.0 day gecko
0.1 brazilian rainbow boa
1.0 corn snake

Not if you use a thermostat or Rheostat to regulate the temps. Its a good idea to have one with an under tank heater as they can get very very hot without it. I use Rheostats and haven't had any trouble with the temps

Red
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Crested Gecko Zeek:1.0
LEOS: Boo: 1.0 normal , Bronx & Nala: 1.1 blizzard,
Lily: 0.1 patternless, Abby: 0.1 albino, Zoe: 0.1 reduced pattern, Dot: 0.1 hypo
Chip: 1.0 papillion (small dog)
2.0 bettas

*L* Ah.. yes, that is another very good option. Probably preferable, and I have a few tanks set up that way.

Erica

From what i've read its the only way to go, but i guess it depends on the type of heating pad you use. I usually use ZooMed UTH but i did buy an Exo Terra set and was told that i didn't need to use a thermostat with them but i did anyways. They got way to hot without it. I've read that the heaters can get up to 110 degrees. Definetly way to hot for a gecko, and the glass.

Just my experience
Red
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Crested Gecko Zeek:1.0
LEOS: Boo: 1.0 normal , Bronx & Nala: 1.1 blizzard,
Lily: 0.1 patternless, Abby: 0.1 albino, Zoe: 0.1 reduced pattern, Dot: 0.1 hypo
Chip: 1.0 papillion (small dog)
2.0 bettas

Yeah, you're probably right. I actually use a paper towel buffer around a human heating pad set to low for one of my tanks, and haven't had trouble keeping the temps down. But anyway, a rheo is likely the best way to go, and really the only way to go with those stick on types.

Pardon my brain. It doesn't always work properly...

Erica

4.10 leos
1.0 mali uro
1.1 bearded dragons
1.0 savannah monitor
1.0 day gecko
0.1 brazilian rainbow boa
1.0 corn snake

I use a heating pad with my leos. I set it on Medium (Out of optional Low, Med., High) And i dont have to use a thermostat,

M.N

i meant "I use a HUMAN heating pad",

M.N

*L* I gotcha. I'll bet that a lot of it is brand dependant. The overall moral being 'monitor the temp at the bottom of the cage.'

4.10 leos
1.0 mali uro
1.1 bearded dragons
1.0 savannah monitor
1.0 day gecko
0.1 brazilian rainbow boa
1.0 corn snake
Oh... and
1.0 useless males

tHANKS GUYS AND I WENT DOW2NSTAIRS TO GET DINNER AND I ATE AND CAME BACK UP AND THE PAD IS PRETTY WARM....I AM JUST WANDERING HOW WARM THESE zOOmEDS HEATING PADS GET?
THANKS
ERIC

I heard that they can get up to 110 degrees, but i've never had them get that hot before.

I've been trying really really hard to get the rheostats and plug part hooked up to my unit so that they are easily accessed. In the process i disconnected one of the rheostats and two of my tanks got cold very quick. I was able to catch it in time and get everything hooked up again. All of the wires frustrates me but i am working on getting all set up properly.

Red
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Crested Gecko Zeek:1.0
LEOS: Boo: 1.0 normal , Bronx & Nala: 1.1 blizzard,
Lily: 0.1 patternless, Abby: 0.1 albino, Zoe: 0.1 reduced pattern, Dot: 0.1 hypo
Chip: 1.0 papillion (small dog)
2.0 bettas

vita-sand STINKS. Litterally. I like bone aid, if you have to use sand. Babies should be put on paper towels!!
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2.2.1 Leopard Geckos (2)shct, (1) normal, (1) tang. rainwater albino, (1) tang
0.0.1 Giant Waxy Monkey tree Frog
2.1.0 Whites Tree Frogs
1.0.0 Huge Black Cat
0.1.0 Cocker Spaniel
0.1.0 Brittany
0.0.1 Brother