Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I would like to get a ctv gecko soon. I have done my homework on them but I'm confused about one thing: substrate. I have heard that sand is a great substrate but I'm wary of it. I plan on using paper towels or newspaper until the gecko is full grown. But what should I use after that? I'd like something more attractive than paper towels.

Ah...those little guys are so neat!

I don't have any CTV's...yet!!...But I do have a lot of herp experience and have worked with quite a few gecko species. Hopefully someone who works with them can offer some advice...

I know Vipers are from Pakistan so we all typically think "oh...dry and sandy!" but this isn't usually the case -- for example, especially with the leopards. However, while slate and tiles are quite attractive, I think Teratolepis fasciatas would feel quite awkward on such unyielding substrate.

In my experience, my SMALL geckos actually have fewer problems with substrate consumption. I'm probably going to get my @ss kicked, but once they reach adult size, the little guys don't seem to have any inclination to 'accidentally' eat the sand while hunting. Many people I know use very fine-grade sand for adult substrate and I've also talked to several people who have recommended a top soil and peat moss mix for CT Vipers.

I LOVE Exo Terra's "jungle earth" for many of my small geckos...practically no risk of impaction, not dusty, etc...it rocks! BUT I'm thinking this may hold too much humidity (?) ...it depends where you live I guess.

My friends with CT Vipers also have had success with "Bed-a-Beast" (I'm assuming this holds less moisture than Jungle Earth, otherwise I'd hands-down recommend J.E. instead)...and they've also used fine play sand with no issues. I'd avoid using fine grained sand for young'ns and if you have reservations with the adults, it can be mixed with soil for a more natural consistency.

I would err on the side of caution w/the babies. But although I'd lean towards a mixed substrate for adults, I feel that even fine-grade play sand would be fine if a considerable area of the cage was covered by rock/hides/etc.

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Too many Leos
1.0 feline "Spot"
0.1 canine "Tika"

What about repti-carpet? Would their little toenails catch? I have my fat-tail and leos on carpet and it's worked great and it's easy to clean. I hafta be careful what I use for substrates because of mold problems. That's one reason why I do not like to use humidity retaining substrate.

I use carpet w/many of my leos too. I still hate how it looks! I've been tentative to use it w/my smaller herps because its a bit tough, I worry about chaffing, and it can cause stress because its such an unnatural substrate (well, with the burrowers/diggers). Vipers are hardy little critters and I'm sure they'd be fine on it....theyy don't have super-soft skin and they also don't seem like they'd freak-out on a solid, "no-dig" surface like some of my wild-caughts do.

Carpet's probably the safest bet, even though I haven't heard much on impaction in CTV's -- I think they're a bit smarter about spitting sand, etc. out. They like lots of hides and to climb so you could use some slate tiling to create ledges, some natural wood hides, and some fake plants to create a natural set-up that would hide the paper towel/repti-carpet. You could do a pretty cool set-up (assuming you keep your reptiles 'on display' rather than using a rack system...?)

I'd personally be interested in experimenting w/top soil mixed w/peat moss --- natural looking, 'digestable', less likely to retain moisture -- but then again, I'm also one of those peeps that would probably rely on my own extensive experience, ignore the impaction-nazis and use very fine-grain sand/soil mix w/the adults. (lets not get into this age-old debate...) From my experience, substrate compatibility and likely-hood of impaction is highly species-dependent.
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Too many Leos
1.0 feline "Spot"
0.1 canine "Tika"

You seem like you know your stuff...what is your input on this? I'm curious what you've had success with if you've deviated from paper towel...

Thanks in advance!
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Too many Leos
1.0 feline "Spot"
0.1 canine "Tika"

No problem. We all get peeved about something now and then.

As for substraits...I worked in a university herpetology lab so all we used were paper towels. But if we went to a show we would souw off the vipers in a cage with, I beleive, red repti sand. Something like that anyway. But I think that the carpet would work fine. I have never seen the vipers try and dig, just try and climb up the side of the plastic tubs, which they fail miserably at.
A mix would be interesting to test out. I do not think they have a huge problem with humidity. Whenever we would water them we would inevitably spill some onto the paper towel. Some of the cages go so moist you could see condensation on the sides!
So in the end if you do not want to use paper towels I would go for carpet or fine sand.

I have my pair of viper geckos on play sand. They are very good hunters so you shouldn't have to worry about impaction too much. They like to hide in rock crevices, so try to provide some sort of hide like that. Other than that you just need the "essentials".

Thanks,
Andrew

P.S. Where are you getting your viper from?

Thanks for all the input. I'll experiment and see what works best. But I'll prolly go for the carpet because for me that is the easiest to clean. I have all my herps in as natural a cage as possible. So I will be providing many hiding and safe climbing places.

I would like to get my viper at a reptile show because I like to look at an animal before I purchase. (And it's cheaper without shipping charges.) But if I fail to find a good animal I know a small breeder nearby that I bought one of my leos from who sometimes has vipers for sale.