Calcium Sand For Leopard Geckos?

There is a ton of debate from leopard gecko owners on calcium sand. So, what is calcium sand anyway?

Calcium sand is made up of calcium carbonate. Usually 100% calcium carbondate – but check the label. So this is the same stuff that is in antacid tablets. So it is technically edible. But no, I am NOT recommending that you buy a bottle of Tums, crush them up, and drop them in your leopard geckos tank!

Bạn đang xem: Calcium Sand For Leopard Geckos?

Geckos should technically be able to digest it. As you will probably know calcium is a supplement that geckos need and don’t get enough of in their diet. Whenever a leopard gecko gets a little bit of this sand in their mouth they should be fine to digest it. Many lizard owners will advise you to go ahead and purchase calcium sand for your leopard geckos tank. But read on for my (bad) experience with it!

Pros & Cons of Calcium Sand

Pros

• Easy to clean.
• Looks nice.
• Contains calcium which is lacking in many leopard gecko’s diets.

Cons

• Expensive (about $12-15 at Petsmart & Petco).
• High risk for impaction and even death.
• Can harbor pathogens.
• Will stain geckos skin.
• Doesn’t conduct heat very well.

My Experience With Calcium Sand

So, let me tell you a quick little story about calcium sand. I used to buy uromastyx lizards about 3 years ago. Yes, I am aware that leopard geckos and uromastyx are completely different reptiles, but you’ll learn about calcium sand in this story. I bought them from a local pet store in Overland Park, Kansas which is about 40 miles away from here. I was fascinated by these big lizards. So I picked one out and brought it home. I had him for about a week.

One day I woke up to feed him and noticed that he wasn’t coming out of his hide like he usually does. I lifted up his hide and noticed that he wasn’t moving. As you might have guessed he was dead. I soon picked up the phone and told the pet store that my uromastyx was dead. They asked me to bring him in and they would replace him. It really sucked picking him up and putting him in a plastic sack. Picking up dead lizards isn’t one of my favorite things to do.

Xem thêm : 12+ Signs Of A Toxic Daughter-In-Law And How To Deal With Her

I drove 40 miles back to the pet store and they replaced him with another one. But, they did take the dead uromastyx out and told me that he had got impacted. Can you guess what I was using for substrate? Calcium sand. Really, I thought at the time that maybe the lizard was already weak or something when I got him, and didn’t really think too much of it.

So, I went home put the new lizard in his tank. He lived for about a week and then I noticed that he was dead too. Seriously, I researched everything about them and knew how to take proper care of them. But, I called up the pet store and told them that I had another dead lizard.

After a while they finally said that it was probably due to the calcium sand he was in. So, how does this story relate to leopard geckos? Well, uromastyx are much larger lizards; their stomach is much bigger. Therefore, they should be able to digest bigger grains of substrate better, if they swallow it by accident. So, if a bigger lizard can’t handle calcium sand this gives me a reason to believe that smaller lizards, such as leopard geckos will have trouble digesting calcium sand too.

Calcium Sand Just Doesn’t Seem To Be Worth It

I have checked various sites: reptilesmagazine.com, geckotime.com, and even Yahoo Answers. And guess what? A lot of leopard gecko owners have noticed the exact same thing with calcium sand. They would purchase their geckos (adult size) and then in 1 to 2 weeks their leopard gecko would die after being kept in an enclosure using calcium sand!

Can I use calcium sand for my leopard gecko?

I guess it’s really up to you if you want to use calcium sand or not. I really think it’s bad for them and will never put another lizard in it. I have talked with a number of gecko, bearded dragon etc. owners and for the most part they all seem to agree with me; calcium sand is a bad idea.

What kind of sand should you use for your leopard gecko?

Xem thêm : What does ‘added by mention’ mean on Snapchat?

I would go with washed play sand. I have used washed play sand for over 4 years and haven’t had any problems with it whatsoever.

What is calcium sand?

Well, calcium sand is pretty much what it sounds like. It’s sand that’s made up of calcium carbonate. You know those antacid tablets you might take when your tummy’s upset? Yeah, it’s the same stuff!

Is calcium sand good for leopard geckos?

Now, this is where it gets a bit tricky. You see, calcium is something that geckos need in their diet, and they often don’t get enough of it. So, when a leopard gecko gets a little bit of this sand in their mouth, they should be able to digest it just fine. But in my experience it’s proven deadly for my geckos.

Is calcium sand bad for leopard geckos?

Calcium sand is quite pricey, and from my experience there’s a high risk for impaction which can lead to death. It’s like when you eat too much candy and your stomach feels all blocked up, but way more serious for these little guys.

Is calcium sand safe for leopard geckos?

Well, the jury’s still out on this one. Some folks will tell you it’s fine, while others – like me – have had bad experiences with it. You might be okay, but there’s a chance you might not. But if you want to play it safe I would choose a different substrate and avoid calcium sand completely.

Nguồn: https://buycookiesonline.eu
Danh mục: Info