Aurora is eating vermiculite...

[Alicewave]

Yesterday I came home and there were three really big Logs of poop that looked like they contained mostly vermiculite. I think it's really odd. She eats out of a dish. I coat with calcium every feeding since she is laying eggs, and she has plenty of fresh water all the time. I'm glad it's at least passing through her but yuck! I don't know why she'd be eating the stuff. It looks like she would have had to eat a lot of it too given how big these poops are. Anyone else ever have this problem?

[Youkai]

My older females I mentioned before (they're 12+ now) would eat that stuff. Despite them being a really good weight, having properly supplemented and gutloaded food, they would still eat that vermiculite like candy. When I finally caught on, I took the stuff out. I now use moist peat moss in their nesting boxes. I retired those females this year, but after years of them producing, I never had problems with the peat moss...just the verm...

[Alicewave]

What's peat moss look like? Is it a soil? I always picture it as that green moss stuff and I don't see how they can dig it. I tried perlite with her but she wouldn't use it to lay. I'll try the peat moss. Thanks!

[Youkai]

Yeah, peat moss is like a soil. Very cheap. You can also use ground coconut husk, which is very similar in appearance. Usually that is sold in a brick that needs to be expanded in water. You can usually find it at greenhouses, or at pet stores (though it's often triple the price!).

[MartinW]

I use sphagnum moss. It doesn't look like soil and it also doesn't make a mess. Note that sphagnum peat moss is different than sphagnum moss. I think it's more expensive than peat moss, but still fairly cheap.

[SnowSnake]

MartinW, How can your female leopard geckos dig in sphagnum moss? Isn't it all branchy or like strings?

[Linds]

We use sphagnum moss for our lay boxes and have had no problems. Our females have no problems digging their nests and laying their eggs in it, and to date we have never observed them eating it either

[drewlowe]

i use the bed a beast stuff and my girls love it. i tried the vermiculite but like you they ate it. They passed it but i was still worried of the chance of impactation. i tried peat moss and they wouldn't go near it. so i stick with bed a beast (which i also use for subtrate) But thats me, ive heard about alot of other things working to.

[Colonel SB]

I also use spaghnem moss for all my nest boxes.

[Alicewave]

I bought the peat moss stuff. Gee another person whose gecko ate vermic. Weird. I wonder what it is about that stuff. Thanks again everyone for the succestions.

[eyespy]

Some folks think it might be a form of pica, when creatures eat non-food items to make up for a nutrient deficiency. Potassium, calcium, zinc, iron and selenium are the most commonly suspected deficiencies. I've never seen any tests with bloodwork that confirmed this theory, though. Maybe it just tastes good to them.

[Alicewave]

That's an interesting point. Maybe I need to use herptivite a little more frequently.

[Blazin]

I would agree with the bedabeast thing(ground coconut). It works well and any accidently ingested is easily passed because its just fiber.