Eco Earth + feeding = ugh

[Ixidor]

i keep both my leos on eco earth but I always have a problem with putting in the crix and then a like a week later when I clean the cage I find some of the crix/ worms burried beneath the substrate, same thing with paper towels, anyway I think eco earth looks a little more natural? Any ideas ? thanks.

[Dark_Angel_25]

Personally,
I use ceramic tile for my geckos... and haven't had a problem. the tiles hold the heat form the heat pad, easy to clean and well nowhere for crickets to lay eggs... never had a problem and was the easiest solution for me...

[Ixidor]

Thats another thing I heard about, I was wondering do you get the tiles to fit the bottom of the aquarium/ cage perfectly or do you just break up a bunch of slate tiles into chunks and stick them into the cage? because it seems somewhat pointless to make them fit the bottom because wouldnt that just be like using the bottom of the terrarium?

[drewlowe]

I like 3 methods.

I use bed a beast, I've used it for 3 years now with minimal problems.

Slate tiles- Looks nice and no risk of impactation or bugs hiding. Not expensive at all if you look at it 5 years from now, as long as you don't drop the tiles.

Ixidor- You can pick up slate tiles at your hardware store (home depot, lowes). As an example if you use a 20 gal. long (or at least my 20 gal long was like this) You would need 2 full pieces (they come 12"x12") and one cut 12"x 5". I personally left an inch of space that way the tiles were easier to take out and i made 2 layers of tile.

The last one is in my gallery, which alot of people have seen, but looks very hard to keep up. LOL (that's what i want people to think). It's actually VERY easy to clean.

[crazyboy]

drewlore you third enclosure really looks difficult to clean. you say it isn't. y not? is it just large aquarium gravel or is it something else? thanks

[drewlowe]

Originally posted by crazyboy
drewlore you third enclosure really looks difficult to clean. you say it isn't. y not? is it just large aquarium gravel or is it something else? thanks

It's huge rock chunks busted up that i got from a masonry and some smaller rocks from home depot (none are small enough to fit in their mouths).

Why is it easy to clean, you ask??? The big hide on the right side closest to you is what i call the "poop house" or as my vet calls it the "fecatorium". All of my leos go poo there so i put bed a beast down underneath it without any rocks there. So all i have to do is pick up the "poop house" and clean it up. Takes less than 5 mins, if i don't have leos trying to climb all over me, which rarely happens. My leos have been pooping in the same hide since i've got them, and i don't want them to lose that habit. I set the cage up around their needs and it works well. I guess it's a good thing i spend so much time watching them.

[crazyboy]

o i see thanks

[Painted Desert]

I also am a die-hard slate fan. After the slate is cut and positoned, i use a super fine grade of sand to fill the cracks. The UTH is sandwiched between the two slate slabs forming the roof of the hot hide.... they can hide underneath (this is where i calibrate the temp), or lounge up top and enjoy the belly heat.
The gravid females seem to especially enjoy it:)
http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid101/p7db98bad67290f1f4ab4492b9cccd013/f9dbc1bd.jpg
The humid hide/laying area is to the far right, under the log. I use a peat/organic earth/sphagnum moss mix that holds moisture for a week or so. THis looks after the AFT's humid needs as well.

[Ixidor]

Thats an awesome setup painted I'll try and get slate :)

[crazyboy]

painted desert....that i an awesome enclosure!!!

[HeatherK]

I use the slate tiles as well. Distributes heat well and looks great, no danger of being ingested. You can even get them for free from building/stone supply centres, whatever they were going to toss that you can use instead. Home Depot actually gave a natural slate tile to me at no charge (they were only about $2 anyways).

The drawback is the weight of them (so much for my lightweight storage container ;) ) and carrying them for cleaning. You really wouldn't want to drop one by accident and have it land on your foot. :bugged: