There are numerous factors to consider while creating the ideal habitat for your leopard gecko. The first thing you should think of is what substrate to use. However, there’s often conflicting information regarding the ideal substrates for leopard geckos.
Sand, mainly calcium sand, is recommended by some reptile keepers as an excellent substrate for geckos because it replicates the desert habitat and provides an easily digestible source of calcium.
But is calcium sand a superb substrate for leopard geckos?
Many experts warn pet keepers against using calcium sand as a substrate for Leopard geckos. This is because it poses some health risks to your scaly reptile. It contains dust that may cause irritation, loose particles that can cause impaction, and other digestive issues. In addition to these possible hazards, calcium sand offers no added advantage compared to other recognized safer substrates.
Keep reading to learn more about calcium sand and other suitable substrate alternatives for leopard geckos.
What is Calcium Sand?
Calcium sand is an artificially produced substrate that contains calcium carbonate. Since it has the same substance used to make antiacids, calcium is meant to be edible for lizards.
When you use this type of substrate in your reptile’s tank, your scaly friend will ingest small particles and absorb calcium to supplement their diet.
Since leopard geckos hail from the deserts, most people think they’ll fancy sleeping on the sand. Conversely, the small amounts of calcium carbonate consumed will supply calcium that the lizard will use for various calcium-dependent processes.
Should You Use Calcium Sand in Your Leopard Geckos Terrarium?
While calcium sand has its fair share of benefits for leopard geckos, it’s not one of the best substrates for these spotted reptiles. Using it as flooring for your leopard gecko may have potential risks that outweigh the benefits.
Consider this: if you use calcium sand in a terrarium, your leopard gecko will walk and run over the tank’s substrate every day, poop on it, feed on it, try to burrow under it, and possibly lay eggs in it. You’ll be surprised that despite vets and expert herpetologists warning pet owners against using any sand, including calcium sand, it’s still a best seller in the market.
Why Do Keepers Insist On Using Calcium Sand as a Substrate for Leopard Geckos?
Although calcium sand substrate has many tangible benefits, most leopard gecko keepers use it as a substrate because of various assumptions.
Most leopard gecko keepers opt for calcium sand as a substrate because of its calcium content. They believe that when their pets ingest the sand, they can absorb the calcium into their bodies and curb the existing deficiency. While this might be true, it poses a significant risk of your lizard suffering impaction.
Additionally, most people assume that sand is the most secure option since these lizards come from deserts around the Middle East and South Asia. However, on the contrary, leopard geckos’ natural habitats predominantly comprise limestone, and the ground beneath them is compacted clay. There isn’t much gravel and sand as the artificial calcium sand producers want us to believe.
However, calcium sand has its advantages that include:
- Easily accessible and inexpensive.
- Aesthetically pleasing when placed in a vivarium
- Warm and cozy and ideal for burrowing.
- Calcium sand is gentle enough not to irritate the delicate skin covering the lizard’s belly.
Downsides of Calcium Sand as a Substrate for Leopard Geckos
Leopard gecko owners should avoid using calcium sand as a substrate because of these four reasons:
Indigestible and Can Lead To Impaction and Other Gut Problems
Calcium is a vital nutrient for all living organisms, including geckos. You probably already give your gecko a calcium supplement, so tell me: how is calcium sand substrate different, and why is it better?
One disadvantage of calcium carbonate is that it’s insoluble in water and forms hard clumps when it comes into contact with water. Conversely, breaking down is challenging, mainly if your stomach doesn’t produce enough stomach acid.
Because calcium carbonate doesn’t dissolve in water, the stomach needs to be highly acidic to facilitate the reaction that allows calcium absorption. Most calcium carbonate supplements are taken with food since the stomach produces more acid during digestion.
However, since calcium sand is often ingested accidentally, it reaches the stomach when there is less acid to break down the calcium carbonate. This usually will lead to undigested sand in the stomach, causing constipation and even impaction.
Like humans, leopard geckos won’t produce enough stomach acid outside feeding periods. If your lizard consumes calcium sand outside feeding times, the calcium carbonate will neutralize all the acid, leaving more of it in the stomach. This will affect digestion and ultimately cause stomach discomfort and even gut blockage.
Dusty and Non-Humid
Calcium carbonate substrates are all alike in one respect: they all generate dust. The dust is irritating and uncomfortable and can cause respiratory problems, especially after prolonged exposure. Inhalation of silica dust from limestone has been linked to an increased risk of cancer in humans.
Some keepers attempt to lessen the amount of dust produced by calcium sand by washing it. However, another downside of calcium sand is that it’s not great at moisture retention. Using sand in the terrarium makes controlling humidity levels a bit tricky.
Sand Is Not the Primary Substrate in Leopard Geckos’ Natural Habitat
Contrary to popular belief, leopard geckos do not require a sand-like substrate to survive. They inhabit areas with hard-packed sand, clay, and rocks.
These lizards are not adapted to surroundings with loose sand like the one found in pet stores. Therefore, assuming they need calcium sand because they come from deserts is misinformed and controversial.
Calcium Sand Can Taint and Discolor A Leopard Gecko’s Skin
Calcium sand has a reputation for staining the skin of leopard geckos. Some keepers have voiced their displeasure about how the sand has caused the skin of their animals to go dark.
What Are the Best Substrate Alternatives to Calcium Sand?
While calcium sand and other sand substrates remain controversial, other alternatives can make perfect flooring for your leopard gecko. They include:
Paper Towels
Paper towels make lizard upkeep a breeze because they are inexpensive, simple to replace, and absorbent. Breeders and hobbyists with multiple cages to maintain and monitor find these features very useful.
Additionally, paper towels are invaluable when used to care for baby leopard geckos that eat and defecate frequently. Another advantage of using white paper towels is that they enable you to detect mites and other health problems more than other substrates.
However, paper towels have an artificial appearance, do not provide a secure grasp for adult leopard geckos, and discourage these scaly reptiles from engaging in their natural digging behavior.
Newspapers
The absorbent nature of newspapers makes them excellent substrates. They are also a cheaper alternative to paper towels, and since you are re-using and recycling them, you play a crucial role in environmental conservation.
However, newspapers are unnatural and somewhat ugly and don’t do much to replicate the natural habitat in the captive setting. Always let the papers dry for at least a week before using them in a leopard gecko’s terrarium.
Reptile Carpets
This is a kind of artificial substrate that supports and soaks up liquid. As a bonus, it comes with manufacturer-supplied cleaning instructions and a sufficient amount of grip. The directions will typically provide information on how often you should clean the carpet and how long you should wait between washing.
In addition to being durable and reusable, they offer a far more cost-effective option than other substrates. However, reptile carpets can be rough on a gecko’s body, leading to carpet burns on the delicate skin.
If you insist on using reptile carpet, keep a close eye on loose threads as they can choke or entangle your gecko. Reptile carpets also have the disadvantage of being challenging to clean.
When purchasing a reptile carpet, look for one from a reputable company and ensure that it’s built with a leopard gecko’s needs in mind. A lousy carpet might lead to the gecko’s claws being entangled in the fibers.
Bioactive substrates
These substrates are visually appealing and resemble a natural environment. They are made from soil, clay, and gravel (they are great at water drainage), living plants, and microbes that decompose waste. However, these substrates are costly to establish and care for.
What Substrates Should You Avoid?
Your choice of substrates is based on various things, including your availability, your lifestyle, your pet’s needs, and safety. Avoid substrates such as:
- Linoleum
- Aspen shavings or chips
- Shelf liner
- Ground walnut shell
- Reptile carpet
- Coconut fiber (Eco Earth, Plantation Soil, etc.)
Final Verdict
It’s hard to understand why some pet owners would choose an unsafe substrate when there are so many safe options in the market. When it comes to recommendations, I never suggest using sand. There are safer options, such as paper towels, newspapers, reptile carpets, and bioactive substrates.