Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I too have questions about leos on sand. I have an adult leopard gecko. Is it best not to put them on sand at all? I'm not sure I understand. Some say it's okay and some condone it. I thought it was a no-no for babies but okay for adults.
If sand is not recommend then what can be used besides paper towels? In my young uro enclosures I have artificial indoor/putdoor carpet, not the green stuff but the kind that's a little better. Should I use this instead of sand? Right now I have paper towels with a piece of terra cotta tile over where the heating pad is at. I didn't want my little girl to get burned I've seen like those large river rocks for gardening in the garden section at stores. What is input on using those?

just stay away from sand, it isn't ment to be used by novice leopard gecko keepers. As i've said hundreds of times (which is why you should search different threads about this topic!) you can use paper towel, slate, linoleum that isnt sleek, tile, and shelfliner, those are all the best choices i've found so pick one and put in your tank. Those rocks are the gardening places and lowes aren't met for pets, they won't match up perfectly with your tank and to many cracks.

I got my baby on Friday. I hade some sand in there as well. I noticed during her cricket strikes, she was getting sand. I didn't see her eating any on purpose. I took the sand out. I have 2 12x12 textured floor tiles that look sort of like rock. The other 6 inches that is uncovered I have used flat lake stone. The edges are naturally rounded smooth. To prep them, I put them in a 350 degree oven for 15 minutes to kill any bugs, etc. I used to keep fish, and that's what I did for them. Fish are much more sensitive to foreign stuff. They were always okay. They don't fit perfectly together, but then nothing lines up in nature either. She is very adept at manuevering around her viv and seems to enjoy climbing among the rocks. How do you think these guys grow up in the wild? They don't have keepers that pamper them and keep them on pillows. BTW, it is a 29 gallon tank. I have a picture, but I have to scan it in to my computer first.

1.0 Corn Snake "Motega"
0.0.1 Leopard Gecko "Zubi"

When they are young, they are inaccurate when they strike at crickets and sometimes get a bunch of sand instead. Adults may ingest it if their diets are insufficient. I took out all the sand in my enclosure and use 2) 12x12 floor tile with lake rocks covering the part not covered by the tiles. (about 6 inches.) My gecko is very young(still has her stripes) and she moves over the rocks just fine. (gaps and all). You can see on the right side the outline shapes of the rocks on the bottom of the viv. On the right, you can see part of the rust colored floor tile.

1.0 Corn Snake "Motega"
0.0.1 Leopard Gecko "Zubi"

i have 4 leos, and have always used sand as their substrate. i have never once had any problems. i figure if they live in it in the wild, thats what they've adapted to over millions of years of evolution. keep in mind i watch over them in feeding to make sure they don't have too big of problems with the sand, but they seem to know what theyre doing.

Yeah, I'm with you about all the evolutuion and natural stuff, but keep in mind that when wild Leos are grabbing at crickets or whatever, these prey items are generally in a slightly more grassy area. The crickets are not being grabbed off of sand. When my girl gets older, I am going to put sand back in. (She is not real accurate and was getting sand with her cricket strikes).

flammysnake sand is the worst type of substrate. any where u research it says never to use sand. i use repti carpet which works good. paper towerls work good too. sorry to be rude but it is bad for them. bye