Best substrate for leopard geckos

Choosing a substrate can be one of the more confusing aspects of setting up a tank for leopard geckos. There is much debate over which substrates are safe and best for your specific age and size of a gecko. Paper towels, though not as attractive in a terrarium as some other options, are one of the most popular substrates available. For juveniles and best substrate for leopard geckos under a year oldpaper towels may be your best choice as a substrate.

Leopard gecko substrate is a controversial issue. Many sources recommend against using any kind of loose substrate sand, soil, etc. This is an example of folklore husbandry — popular myth and pseudoscience that have become a standard of practice in leopard gecko instead of science and facts. Here at ReptiFiles, we base our recommendations on scientific fact, not hearsay. Loose, naturalistic substrate can actually be the best kind of substrate for housing leopard geckos. A more detailed explanation is provided further down the page, which you can jump to here.

Best substrate for leopard geckos

Choosing the wrong substrate, however, can lead to illness and even death. Are you looking for the absolute best substrate for your leopard gecko? We did the research for you! That is why the choice of substrate is very important. However, it might surprise you to learn that the choice is not always easy! Did you know that there are some substrates that are really unhealthy for leopard geckos, and still, they are readily sold and marketed as fitting? In a nutshell, what are the good and bad leopard gecko substrates? In this article, I will introduce you — in great detail — to the common leopard gecko tank substrates and their pros and cons. Here are our top favorites. Some add excavator clay as well. A solid, completely safe, and natural substrate. Beautifully crafted by nature, stone slates provide a good grip with zero ingestion risk. On the downside, obtaining, setting up, and manipulating for cleaning might be tricky. It can be used in combination with an adequate loose substrate.

Instead, there are a number of alternative substrates that are easy to find, install and safe to use. You also definitely never want to use calci-sand, as it can be fatal if ingested.

Jillian Dara is a fact checker for The Spruce Pets, reviewing articles about pet care and pet products for factual accuracy and consistency. She has more than five years of experience in lifestyle editing and media and has been published in a variety of prestigious outlets. We independently evaluate all recommended products and services. If you click on links we provide, we may receive compensation. Learn more.

Jillian Dara is a fact checker for The Spruce Pets, reviewing articles about pet care and pet products for factual accuracy and consistency. She has more than five years of experience in lifestyle editing and media and has been published in a variety of prestigious outlets. We independently evaluate all recommended products and services. If you click on links we provide, we may receive compensation. Learn more. To choose the right substrate for your leopard geckos start by thinking about the natural environment of your gecko. It is important to note that any substrate—even bioactive ones—require maintenance, as excrement and urine can build up and have harmful affects on your pets. This mix consists of a blend of climate appropriate soils. It can support desert plants, and helps keep humidity low.

Best substrate for leopard geckos

Are you working on setting up the perfect habitat for a leopard gecko? One of the best places to start is by choosing a great substrate. Substrate has a large impact on the health and happiness of a Gecko. Picking the best Leopard Gecko substrate is hard for beginners. On top of the large number of options, it also requires knowledge of their habitat and lifestyle. Beginners should know that not all substrate for Leopard Geckos is good. The options can easily be narrowed down based on material, price and size. The ideal substrate is one that is safe, easy to clean, durable, cost-effective and looks nice. Keep reading for a complete guide to the worst and best substrates for leopard geckos….

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Since leos are burrowing lizards, they will enjoy the seemingly-natural burrows. Their habitat is largely made up of barren grasslands and rocky outcrops. No reptile — let alone a bearded dragon — lives on crushed walnut shells or pine bark. Although the ink used for printing newspapers these days is non-toxic, you should err on the safe side. Installing them is as simple as cutting them with a box cutter. Choosing a Leopard Gecko Substrate. Emily has been a proofreader and editor at a variety of online media outlets over the past decade and has reviewed more than articles for The Spruce Pets for factual accuracy. Related Topics. Soft sand is very different from their natural hard clay-like sand. Also, many particles will inevitably become loose.

Choosing a substrate can be one of the more confusing aspects of setting up a tank for leopard geckos. There is much debate over which substrates are safe and best for your specific age and size of a gecko.

Also, unlike many of our other options they allow for neither burrowing nor tunneling. This makes it an especially good pick for planted terrariums. We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish. Gravel can be used as a substrate, but only when combined with another substrate like clay or gravel. I am looking at getting my first baby Leopard Gecko and do not know what substrate to go for there are so many options and opinions I could do with some guidance. However, creating a naturalistic setup is good enough for most hobbyists and their pets. On the downside, obtaining, setting up, and manipulating for cleaning might be tricky. The rough texture also mimics the rocky outcrops where geckos live in the wild. Bioactive Substrate : You start with a layer of gravel for drainage, soil, and clay mixtures, then add live plants and branches. Are you looking for the absolute best substrate for your leopard gecko? It is a good compromise between a natural substrate e.