Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Is playsand an OK substrate for leopard geckos??

J.L.

If you have to use sand, then the fine play sand is what you should use. Be sure to sift it a couple of times to remove any larger particles and then wash it thoroughly.

Personally I'm not a fan of sand for leopard geckos because of my experience with it. I used to use the really fine repti-sand (not the calcium sand!) and even though it looked really good in the tanks, it sucked when it came time to do a thorough tank cleaning. There are many leopard gecko keepers who like it and then there are many gecko keepers who'd place sand alongside the devil himself. I never had a problem with gut impactions because of sand (my leos eat their mealworms out of dishes) but just know that it is a common risk associated with loose substrates. I use paper towels simply because they are cheaper, easier to clean, and pose less of a risk.

Point is, try a really fine grained sand if you want (never course grains or that calcium sand crap) and see how it works out. And of course, never house baby leos on any kind of sand until they grow up. If you decide you definitly want to use sand, your best bet is to feed your leos out of dishes to minimize the chances of them ingesting the substrate.

I wouldn't recommend sand. Leos don't live on sand in the wild, and their little feet are not really built to walk around on it. Also, Leos go around licking everything, and that will include the sand. I use slate floor tile in my viv. Leos live in areas of arid grasslands and areas of rocky hardpacked soil.