Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Does anyone use play sand for their Fat-tails? I know you should not use it for babies so I'm talking sub-adult to adult.
I am about to move my fats into a rack systems and I don't want to use paper towl or newspaper as substrate and I don't like the wood substrate. I've used it for my Leopard geckos in the past and it worked well.

Thanks,
Bill

Sand will probably work. Just keep an eye on them when you feed them. If they're takin' in too much it may be best not to use it. I used plain topsoil for months with no problem till I went to indoor/outdoor carpet.

Quig

Sand is no good. Not only are their risks with impaction but the sand is dry and doesn’t provide enough humidity. If you’re looking for a natural look you could use coconut fiber. Good luck!
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Cody Castellanos
Pro Geckos
Email me

i use bed a beast. works well and keeps the toes moist when shedding. i let it dry out a little and spray it down a few times a week. i also slightly bury two hides and dig out the hide openings. looks pretty cool.

What works well with leopards works with fat tails as far as substrate goes. The above posts made some good suggestions; I personally use dry top soil with my leopard (don't have fat tails)
As far as humidity goes, it is naturally more humid in the hide box, so as long as you provide one and mist it occasionally (perhaps put some moisture retaining substate in there, like moss) your gecko should do great. These are dry scrubland type lizards, so the entire enclosure should not be humid.

I have been using sifted play sand mixed with peatmoss. The peatmoss in the mix will hold humidity and this mix has worked well for me.
Hope this helps,

Rob Reiding.

Thanks for the input everyone..I have some high-end Albinos and I just want to make sure everything is perfect for them.

Thanks Again,
Bill

You're welcome. There are many good substrates you can choose from and it may take some experimenting to see what works best in your situation.

Rob Reiding.