What is the best suftf you can keep your leo on? Sand,bark,ext.

[Anole93]

Murphy, my leo, is on sand, but im hearing sand is not the best choice. What should I do? Murphy is my first leo, in fact, he's my first lizard ever!So, i dont know much. Can u help me please?:w

[Anole93]

:D
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:D

[meow_mix450]

sand is not the best choice, paper towel, or tile, that you can get from the hardware store, but i dont like usuing that stuff, and i choose bed a beast looks more natural, IMO

Meow

[Anole93]

thank you

[Anole93]

i bed a beast kinda like bark?
or saw dust?

[Anole93]

i imagine bark would be a good choice, am i right?

[Alicewave]

I don't like any substrate a leo could pick up in their mouth due to the impaction risk. Bark is not a great choice. Bed a beast supposedly has not caused impactions problems like other substrates have. I think ceramic tile works the best because it soaks up the haet from the lamps and creats a nice hot spot. Plus you can wash and reuse them forever, making them the best looking, safest, and most economical choice.

[drewlowe]

Hey Alicewave Long time no see, wondered where you disappeared to. LOL

You can use paper towel, Newspaper, bed a beast (eco earth, same thing different name), or slate tiles, Those are the best choices that i have personaly found.

I wouldn't use sand, calci sand, lizard litter, or bark.

Bed a beast or eco earth is coconut fibers, they are supposed to be completly digestable in a leos stomach. I have used this product for 3 going on 4 years with no problems what so ever. I even incorporated into the tanks i used slate with.

I personaly have used all methods i have suggest or mentioned except for strait sand. I started out with calci sand and had impactation, i then tried lizard liter impactation again. I have stuck with bed a beast and slate tiles, and my own setup using large and small rocks in combination with bed a beast with no impactation problems at all. I even still use paper towles with hatchlings and juvies. I do agree with alice wave about the ceramic tiles though they look nice, easy to clean, no impactation risk, distributes heat well even if you use a heat lamp, and cheap as long as you don't drop them.

[latazyo]

well, aren't leopard geckos native to Pakistan...in which case bark or bark like substrates wouldn't look natural in my opinion

here is where I got that information http://www.zoo.org/educate/fact_sheets/day/gecko.htm

I use vinyl tiles (because I don't have the means to cut ceramic) and they look like stones in there, so it still looks natural, and works great for clean up, plus they're only 1.75 at Home Depot

[Alicewave]

Hey Drew. I've been around. My job has been busier lately so I haven't had much time to post so I just kinda gave up. I also felt like I was answering the same thread over and over. But all is going well. The babies I hatched last summer have gotten huge. All around 60 grams at 6 months of age. Everyone seems happy and healthy. Hope all is well with you.

Lat- Most Home Depots will cut the tiles for you at no charge. You need a special circular saw that wets the tile as it cuts.

[meow_mix450]

Lat, thats a very intresting site.

meow

[latazyo]

Alice, I asked them too and they said they didn't...oh well...they look the same only vinyl...they still work awesome for the UTH

[snakegal12345]

i like slate and I have slate hides in there natural habitat they live in rock crevices so very natural

[PaulBar]

PAPERTOWEL

[HeatherK]

I like natural slate the best (if you can get it in the tiles to fit the tank, even better). Great at creating basking spots, can't be ingested, visually appealing for tank setup. Nicely textured for the leo to walk on as well. Plain paper towels are always fine too.