Is Sand Bad for Leopard Geckos?
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- Опубліковано 5 жов 2024
- Having sand in leopard gecko enclosures is controversial in reptile care communities, but why? And should you avoid it? Jessi and her friends Freckles and Jelly the leopard geckos explain what this is all about.
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I don’t like sand, It’s coarse and rough and irritating and it gets everywhere.
+
@@fossilfighters101 The sand may always be with you
Boy im not the onaly one
lmfao i cackled at this
A+ reference lol
we get this question with bearded dragons all the time, living in Australia most people keep beardies on sand, where as social media is full of people against it, mind you mostpeople here use real desert sand
The thing is, they don't live on loose sand in the wild. They largely live on hard packed dirt. When you have loose, non-compacted substrate you're really risking your animal ingesting unhealthy amounts.
Cooper Olm I live in the natural range of central bearded dragons
Loose sand and a little leaf litter makes up most beardy habitat here
@@WickedWildlife
It's THE sand they evolved with tho! Generalist ' sand is evil' v 'all sand is OK' Probably not. Some commercial sand has large chunks of a silicate (broken glass like substance) ragged and several milimeters in diameter. I think for those species that DO have sand in their native environment and have adapted to it then perhaps have a largish cage with up to half of the substrate being sand from as near to their native habitat as possible. Try to feed them away from it tho! Unless they are super specialized sand dwellers!
Similarly you could use colored stone tiles that can't be wedged under by the herp to avoid crushing etc. Slate (supported not loose) or the 'sand' mats now available for the remainder. Or paint the floor of a wooden cage in sandy colours if necessary and only have sand or eco earth/coir etc on side you don't feed on? During mating season you may also have issues with even desert sand sticking to the ( male) hemipenes if they evert etc.
There might be an equation between an ideal medium length enriched, reasonably natural life? Or a short boring life on an ultra hygenic completely unnatural substrate. Or for that matter a much longer but still boring life on the same for those species that are less stressed out by such factors as lack of burrowable substrate.
What's worse- death by impaction (if that is accurately diagnosed) at 15 yrs? Or dead apparently healthy herp found aged 5 yrs?
@Mr Penguin
I had Eastern BTs on a coarse silicate flaky sand scooped up from their cage by the shop I purchased them from 11 yrs + ago. I soon realized this was injurious to their health (sneezing etc) and replaced it with about (1/3 terrarium area) fine genuine red Australian desert sand. Stopped this after a year or so for this species due to hemipene issues with my male. Some desert species (Nephrurus etc) require sand. The consensus seems Lepz do better without sand.
Many now believe in mixtures of desert sand, clay and other substrates Coir, sphagmum, Aspen etc for beardies, BTs etc.
Do what works for your animals I guess. Different locales of specimens may mean generic declarations invalid.
My point of my original post was that you can likely attribute a death by impaction. Less easy to attribute a death by boredom (of an animal that wants to burrow etc ) on a hygenic substrate of paper towels or newsprint.
@Mr Penguin
Basically what I have my BTs on now! Same pair from 2007. Both were over 5yo when I got them!
a heckin' Gecko!
a Hecko!
That's what I call my geckos
Thank you!!! People need to understand the dangers of calcisand, and not generalize about *all* sand. (Providing that people provide proper care...)
We had a Snow Leopard Gecko and he was on black aquarium sand with big plastic gems riddled throughout the substrate and multiple hides. It was always adorable to watch him discover the gems, he'd glance down and investigate before continuing with his day but he'd also continue to discover them even when he was used to them. It was adorable.
Thank you for putting Celsius for the viewers outside of the states
Well you guys don’t put Fahrenheit for people IN the states.
What is calsuis _(._.)_
I own a leopard gecko and I house her on a type of loose substrate called Arid Earth - it’s quite a good substrate if you want a loose substrate,
Either way, this video is filled with information! ♥️🐾
I appreciate so much how thoroughly Jessi addressed this question! Yes or No would not have explained this enough.
Your channel has the best content! Thanks so much Jessi!
Aww thank you! 😁🦎
My number one tip when people seek husbandry advice for substrates in any species: if it digs or burrows it NEEEDS something to dig in, ao avoid the paper towel/sterile situation. For everything else, precenting neurotic behaviors is key via enrichment. But the most important factor by far is to keep heat and humidity correct - reptiles can deal with a LOT so long as those two factors are correct!
Kat Mann I used papa we towels when mine was a baby until it was a moth old too make sure it was healthy and then I realized it was sick then I used it again but I yes eco earth for both my leopard geckos but I agree don’t use that unless you have my problem so the environment is sterile so it could get better are etc
On the flip side, if it's a turtle it NEEDS water.
Jesse, you and your team are so good at what you do. Keep up the great work. I'm sure many animals lives have been improved all over the world by you collective efforts :)
I hope the same applies to sand boas? There's a lot of conflicting information on sand's compatibility as a substrate for them. I keep mine on sand without issues, but I moniter him closely and feed him on a dish to be safe.
Sand boas don't actually spend much time in loose sandy substrate. While they can burrow into it, they prefer soil that compacts more than sand, so when they make a tunnel underground it holds its shape and they can reuse it.
You're right to offer food that's not directly on the sand. I would also recommend reassessing your setup and doing some more research on the newest practices for their care.
Great video! I've had a gecko for nearly 16 years now and have always kept her on sand (not calci-sand) without issue. However, last year I decided to add terrarium carpeting to half her tank and I now try to feed her only in a bowl. She's happy either way!
I'm quite happy with the hardened clay-like substrate I've started using for my leopard geckos in the past year. When you first pour it into your enclosure, it's loose and you can create some variation in your environment but once it dries up, it forms a hardened, rock-like substrate with a very thin loose layer on it. It still looks deserty but there's no threat of impaction, though I've never had that problem on sand either. It's really good stuff to create (termite) mounds or hills with as well.
woutert114 im superr late but whats the name of this ???
What is the name of th clay? Thank you!
Excellent question both! I don't remember though... I will see if I can remember to get back to you when re-substrate my terrarium soon. I imagine it's just any type of clay you can find near the reptile substrate in your store. I buy it physically in the store so I'm afraid I can't refer you to any webshops...
Excavation clay probably?
@@hisard5003 Yeah that looks like it. I live in the Netherlands so it's not called excavator clay but after watching a video, it looks like it's similar stuff at least.
I initially started out using calci sand as instructed when i first got my leopard gecko. When I started finding sand in his poop I switched him to reptile carpet, which he loves. It transfers the heat from the underfloor heat mat well without overheating, it's washable and makes cleaning time much quicker, which is great for both of us! His claws don't get stuck in it at all - probably because he has lots of rocks and logs to climb on and keep them short!
I used the green felt mat for my Leo when he was smaller because I was afraid of impaction. But now that he’s an adult, I use Zoo Med Vita-Sand and he seems to really enjoy it. I also hand feed him most of the time just to be on the safe side.
Do you recommend vita sand? How is your gecko doing?
Thank you so much for this information! It’s the hallelujah of my day, I love having a natural feel for my two Leo’s and have never had any problems with them eating it as they have fair aim. But have had a lot of trouble with people attacking me about using it. It makes me feel better knowing other people who have more knowledge on the topic put the information out there so those who do use sand have defense and proof they can in fact use sand. 👍
I wish you had posted this years ago! I never quite understood our leopard gecko.
Thank you so much! I "inherited" my son's leopard gecko when he moved out. I have been wanting to upgrade his habitat but was unsure about what kind of sand and other things to include. I've already given him some different rocks and moved his heat lamp to one end directly over the rock he likes to stretch out on. Now I have even more knowledge and ideas!
Denise Sheppard my mother inherited my brother’s leopard gecko 24 yrs ago. He’s still alive and kicking! 😂
Don’t use a heat lamp. Use a heat pad.
@@christianswildadventures5190 heat lamps are more natural
I just got a Leo three weeks ago. And I can tell you that sand substrate or even loose substrate is terrible for these animals. They swallow it and it can be fatal. The pet shop I got my Leo from told me to buy the sand substrate. No offense to the persons working there, but that's not good. Idk why they sell it in the first place. I saw my gecko eat some and then got it out the terrarium straight after. Now I have Coco fibre tiles coming and use paper towels for now! I will document my Leo on my channel soon
My 2 year old 9 inch male Leo just got switched to sand when I upgraded his tank, and I hope it works out for him. He has his calcium dish and a variety diet including crickets, super worms, and the occasional pinky when my snake is being a punk.
Could you please make a video on what green cheek conure noises mean. I have one and he makes a lot of weird noises and I’m not sure what they mean so it would be super helpful if you could make one. Thanks! (P.s I love your bird videos 😀)
I have alsways used desert Sand and my geckos love to dig and never had any problems so to me is just personal experience
Hey Jesse just wondering if you see "sand" in ur geckos poo if that is bad or if that is "passing thru" naturally? I use play sand and have basking spots of 90-93 about - is it not warm enough? thank you!
Thank you so much! I couldn't figure out if sand was "bad" for leopard geckos or not due to all the arguments online.
One of my neighbors has a pair of chinchillas. They LOVE to run around the living room in the afternoon and are insanely curious about anything new. So I am thinking of building some common human objects but just chinchilla sized to get some entertaining pictures. Like a chinchilla, not Godzilla, destroying Tokyo. Or chinchillas napping in a desk job.
Any building materials to avoid? Is cardboard ok?
Cardboard is commonly used by chinchilla keepers for playtime but it can cause impactions if eaten so I'd recommend close supervision. My chins will eat any cardboard they can get to so I don't use it at all.
So doesn't this show that if you are wanting a non-standard pet you should be able to pass a test as to the "best care" standard? Best care can and does change as we learn more about these species. If you give your critter what is needs in the various facets of it's life then you will give it a good life, if you can't or don't care to do the work necessary don't own the critter.
And saying that, I also think there should be one for all pets, dogs, cats, horses. They look to us to give them what they need nutritionally, environmentally, and in psychological enrichment terms. If someone doesn't care to give the basics needed for a 'good' life don't have an animal in your life. Knowing and providing will make you a better person and the critter have a happy life.
The fact about storing fat in the gecko's tail is interesting. Do some of your other animals have special fat storage characteristics?
gravel is quite a bit different than sand. Just ingesting one piece of gravel can cause impaction or choking. In addition, gravel is often sharp and can rupture organs if swallowed, or can scrape up your gecko's underbelly. I wouldn't recommend gravel in leu of sand.
Thanks for the tips! The setup I have just put together has sand on the bottom and plenty of climbing points and hideouts (tunnels built into the foam background). I was of course hesitant about the sand but was thinking of adding some slate to cover a third or even half of the floor space. Any thoughts/suggestions?
Wow that's awesome knowledge. Thanks for sharing!!!!
Well put together video. Thank you!
What happened to Ernesto's caracter at the beginning of the video?
As always, I love informing myself with your wonderful videos
The other human? (His name is Augusto, I think!) She once said he wasn't really involved in the channel, so they decided to take him out of the intro.
@@lNFINlTEx Thanks, I wondered about that too
I used cleaned play sand (non-calcium) and wanna mix organic topsoil in it to make it denser, do you think that’s a good idea?
leopard Geckos were the on trend pet in the early 2,000's. I remember so many of my friends had one!
I have a question unrelated to reptiles, but pertaining to birds. I'm hoping to get some advice.
So I'm having an internal struggle of if I should rehome my bird or continue to keep him. I know birds have a huge issue of being constantly rehomed which is why it pains me to even consider it. In the time hes been with me he had definitely improved his health. He went from a pure seed diet for 2 years straight from his previous owner, to eating mostly pellets and trying new fruits and vegetables with me. He's now fully flighted and his feathers are so much healthier looking. That being said lots of changes have happened to me and although I do take care of him like Jessi said it's a more "surviving not thriving" situation. He does get time out his cage and has toys but I've been having less and less time for that. He's also a bit bitey & territorial and a chicken when it comes to inteoducing him to anything new so play time is hard. Should I find a better home for him? Or try to keep working on him? I want to find someone who will give him the life he deserves. Any constructive feed is welcomed.
Jayme Ramos Hey,
I’m not Jessi but I can give you my experience and hope it can help you. When I adopted my 2 birds (Lovies) they were absolutely terrified of humans. I had to make the choice: am I really willing to put in as many hours of my constant and determined dedication to helping them get over their fears of humans or have I fallen almost “out-of-love” for them (meaning they don’t hold as special place in my heart as they did when I was arranging to adopt them) due to their fears and therefore the size of the obstacle i´d need to overcome with them? I chose to work with them and after a gruelling 6 months, they finally stood on my hand (in their cage, eating a treat and not moving). By a further 6 months, they were willing to stand on my hand outside the cage and even be moved around. What I learned is that for me to provide the best care, I needed to be sincere with myself with the real reason I wasn’t as willing to meet them where they are (was it because I became dismotivated since they were so scared of me and were nippy and screaming any time I got near them, and figured putting them in another home was better or because I wanted things to be easier or why)? Personally I recognized they were in my hands and it was my moral responsibility to love them as they were, while seeking to do the best for them so they’d thrive. If I gave them away, in their life history, I would be someone who didn’t improve their lives but hurt them. They never chose to be pets but I did chose to own them, so I needed to be the one that helped them. I was intimidated by the size of the obstacle ahead (all the time and effort needed) but I figured the more heart I put into helping them, the better results I’d see....I know animals can sense that and I’m really happy I chose that path. The happiness and success I felt once they finally warmed up to me was incredible!
Hope my experience helps!
@@nattyh.6168 Thank you for sharing your experience. I think this is an honest and inspiring take on what so many people experience with their pets. More often than not, rescued bird owners find themselves having thoughts of doubt and think they have failed before they've given it their all. I get it, it's not easy to keep trying to establish a trust bond with an animal that rejects all progress. It can take months or sometimes years if there's a barrier like abuse or a severely limited amount of time. But even a few minutes several times a day can have a huge impact as long as it's consistent and rewarding. There's no shame in finding a new home for an animal you know you can't provide for. But feeling discouraged by slow progress doesn't mean you won't be able to reach a place where the animal will begin to thrive, and if they are rehomed they're back to square one learning to trust again (which is sometimes an okay place to be). The decision to keep or rehome an animal is completely up to you and I wish you clarity and peace of mind when you make your decision.
Is there anything I can do to help my red eyed sea turtle more comfortable when they are molting?
wonderful video! Thank you!
Thanks Jessi...Freckles and Jelly are so Adorable...! Yes they are really!
THANKS I REALLY NEEDED TO KNOW THAT
i have my bearded dragon on eco earth. he has real rocks to climb on and goes outside daily to get extra uv and i only feed him his insects out of his tank
My mother has a 24yr old Leopard Gecko that has always been on sand.
Christine Allsop your point is...
@@christianswildadventures5190 did you even read her comment?
Wait now I’m confused and scared I have sand but idk what kind of sand it is should I use sand?!😫😖
Dont use sand. Its dangerous. Use reptile carpet or ecoearth
@@catboyfail I would avoid reptile carpet, due to the fact that their toes cant get stuck, which is what happened to my gecko
If not already, can you do a video on how to introduce 2 conures together? (Or any bird In general)
Here's a video I did on that exact subject! ua-cam.com/video/YsIWm6yY7Rw/v-deo.html
AnimalWonders Montana Thank you!
Not all sand is created alike. That’s the key. I won’t tell you what kind of sand is good or bad, though, because that would be telling.
Tell me
I love this channel.😍
This is so informative!
My leo wont eat anymore since I got him sand for a bedding idk if he just not hungry cause I feed him every day but he just stopped all of a sudden so idk if he ate the sand and cant eat anymore or he just not hungry for a few days
I just bought a leopard gecko and this video helped a lot
mine died because of it.. thought i'd make him a sand corner. there was a stone there where all crickets hid so every time he ate a cricket or missed he ate some sand with it. i didnt notice something was wrong until his tail wasnt growing anymore. then i noticed his poop was nowhere. he had to be put to sleep because his stomach was literally full of cement.. wish someone had informed me of this. rip harvey
Im so sorry what type of sand did you use?
How do you do if you live in a tropical country?
Do leopard geckos need a heat lamp or pad? I have both at the moment.
Is that a sand mat in the video ? If so how do you like it ?
LOVE THE LEOPARD GEKKIES
Thank you
Aww they are so cute!
I’m watching this bc I’m getting one soon!
Do a what,where,how for Zapper... please!
Beautiful video, do you recommend zoo med vita sand for leopard geckos?
You should use Repti-sand™. Don’t use sand with added calcium or vitamins so Vita-sand is a no-no
Even when you’re not showing your tarantula, I’d appreciate if you still put spider warnings on your videos.
How do people like you live life?
That isn't a nice or compassionate thing to say. Some people find spiders very upsetting. I'm not as bad as some people but I did find it kind of jarring when that giant picture of a spider suddenly appeared on the screen. I can imagine that if someone had extreme arachnophobia it would be extremely upsetting and scary and I don't think it would be that difficult to just make a note that there is a spider in a video. I'm sure you have challenges that you need people to be compassionate and patient about for you because everyone does.
@@greentearobin I still have no idea how you people live life. If a spider on a screen sends you into a frenzy what do you do when a REAL spider shows up? That's a bigger issue for you then a virtual spider so you can't expect to control the content of every channel. You can try watching Charlotte's Web.
Thanks this helped alot!
I read fine sand like reptisand from zoomed is ok.
My terrarium has a corner of 24 degrees, 26 and hotter end of 30 degrees.
Could you do a bearded dragon care video?
So is it fine if I have a bowl for its food
Pleas can you talk more about your tortoise more I have one my self and I wanted more tips
my leopard gecko died last year at 18, he was on sand his whole life. rip lightning i love u
chairshoe81 it’s probably because of the sand or improper husbandry. They are supposed to live 25 years old. Poor gecko.
@@christianswildadventures5190 18 is a pretty solid lifespan for s leopard gecko. Humans are suppose to live to be 100 or more but they die at varying ages early sometimes purely genetic.
I must learn about it
I used calcium sand for my old leopard gecko and he lived to be 20 years old
Do you recommend vinyl? What are your thoughts on eco earth?
is play sand kinetic sand?
No
Can a sand box for them dig in good
These no point-
I am going to get a parrot next month I am really worried about it can you help me out, please help me I am worried for him and me I don't want it to have a bad life so please please please help me
I would use gravel or sand or clay they can still eat it and gravel it could tar something and clay when it gets wet it goes back to it natural form so yeah
Love this video. Love logic. :) 😁
Is play sand ok for bearded dragons
What up with the guy not being in the intro?
Please do your research if you getting any pets because not enough information the pet will get sick or die.
My gecko is on a mix eco earth and desert sand
Lep gecks are the prettiest little guys!
If I had one good to know
Plz more bird videoes im mabye buing a greancheakedcounure
I have a little Leo gecko she is adorable
"Uses their keen vision to hunt" idk ive seen my hunt and OHH BOYY, its like a circus
I wish to have one.
Are Leopard Gecko's diurnal or nocturnal?
If my research is correct they are crepuscular, meaning they are active at dawn and dusk
Cathemeral
Can you make a video about hamsters?
So their attack is like the Dark Souls 3 bridge monster!
Leopard Geckos are the best🥰♥️
I threw out the calcium sand & got sand Matt
My leopard gecko likes sand but Iwould never for my beaedie
We love freckles
i love geckos
Most leopard geckos live in Rocky grasslands, only certain species live on sand
Leo geckos are like camels
They can store nutrients
Camels in their hump
Geckos in their tails
The way I see it you need to use a cost-benefit ratio. What benefits does the sand provide? If you're using it just because it looks nice or if you're under the false impression that you need to use it because it is 'natural' I see no reason to take the risk.
In the wild they do not eats small rodents
cute cute
yes it’s VERY bad for them
Yee
Do not use sand, one of my leopard geckos died, and one of my other ones now has partial blindness. I won’t get sand again, but take my word for what it’s worth. I’ve had 3 geckos in different cages for 5+ years and put sand in and within a few weeks cause them all eye problems. I would not use sand, but if you think it is worth the risk then go for it, all i can do it warn you.
They dont live in sand