A big dilemma between leopard gecko owners is switching over from carpet to sand. Me personally, I like how sand looks in my enclosure. If you are go to any pet store, you will learn that people state that sand causes impaction and it can kill your leopard gecko. I have to disagree with this statement, but if your leopard gecko is a baby or juvenile you do not want to put him/her in sand.
Avoid Calcium Sand
Recently, I was at my local reptile shop and the workers there told me to put my leopard gecko in calcium sand (she is an adult). I didn’t bother arguing with them, but just told them I wasn’t interested. They even told me it was good for them! Calcium sand should really be banned at local pet stores.
Because what happens is a leopard gecko will eat it and they make you believe that it’s actually safe for your gecko, when really it’s not. There are many shards in calcium sand making it more likely to get stuck which can easily cause impaction and ultimately kill your gecko.
No Sand For Baby Geckos
For starters, if your leopard gecko is 5 to 20 grams I would keep them on paper towels, carpet or possibly tile. However, the day will come when you get tired of cleaning carpet or tile, and you want something different, and you’re considering sand. My advice to you would be to go to Home Depot and get washed play sand. This won’t cost you an arm and a leg; in fact, you can get 50 pounds of play sand for about $5. It is a heck of a lot cheaper than buying calcium sand (about $30) and doesn’t pose any threat to am adult gecko.
‘Washed Play Sand’ For Adult Geckos
Once my leopard geckos get 20 grams or more, I switch them over to play sand, and I have never had any impaction problems or had one die on me. The ‘problem’ of sand is massively misunderstood and greatly overstated. As a general rule of thumb, you want 10 pounds of play sand in your 10 gallon terrarium.
So if you had a 30-gallon terrarium, you would need 30 pounds of play sand in it. Obviously, you can put more in there as geckos like to dig around from time to time. But, please do your gecko a favor and follow the guideline of at least 10 pounds of sand per 10-gallon terrariums.
Why You Need ‘Play Sand’?
- Play sand absorbs the odor while carpet gives off the smell.
- Easier to clean than carpet. Carpet has to be taken out every week and scrubbed, but with play sand, it’s as simple as cleaning a kitten’s litter box.
- Another thing I like about play sand is crickets, mealworms, and roaches can’t hide under the carpet or get stuck in the tiles. You will need to get a scooper so you can scoop out the waste and dead crickets from time to time.
Lastly every 2 to 3 months I will scoop out all the play sand and replace it with fresh sand.
So if you’re considering sand don’t use calcium sand, don’t just go to the beach and don’t use just any old sand – but make sure you go to Home Depot and buy some proper washed play sand for your leopard gecko. Trust me, your gecko will thank you for it.
Common Questions
Is play sand safe for leopard geckos?
In my experience play sand is a safe and suitable choice for your adult leopard gecko. However, it’s important to note that it’s not recommended for baby or juvenile geckos, who should be kept on paper towels, carpet, or tile instead.
When can you put sand in a leopard gecko tank?
You should only start using sand in your leopard gecko’s tank once they weigh at least 20 grams. Until they reach this size, it’s best to use substrates like paper towels, carpet, or tile.
Do leopard geckos like sand?
Indeed, they do! Leopard geckos seem to enjoy the texture of sand. It allows them to dig around, and it’s also easier for them (and you) to keep clean compared to other substrates like carpet.
Is sand good for leopard geckos?
Yes, sand can be a good substrate for leopard geckos, but with a few caveats. It’s not suitable for all geckos, especially the young ones. And not just any sand will do. You should avoid calcium sand and instead opt for washed play sand, which is safer and cheaper.
Can you use sand for leopard geckos?
Yes, you can! But remember, it’s best to use play sand and only for adult geckos. It’s a bit like choosing the right shoes – you wouldn’t wear flip flops for a hike, right? Similarly, choosing the right substrate for your gecko is crucial.
Is sand bad for leopard geckos?
While some people believe sand causes health issues like impaction, this isn’t always the case. The key is to use the right type of sand (play sand) and only for adult geckos. However, calcium sand, which is often sold in pet stores, should be avoided as it can indeed be harmful to your gecko in my experience.
I changed the floor for carpet and my gecko is desperately trying to escape by climbing the glass. I need to know if he’s like this because of the exchange, will he get used to it?
Impaction is a major health problem not only for leopard geckos, but for almost every reptile. The main cause of impaction is sand or other loose substrate (Gravel, walnut shell, quartz, ect.) that your gecko might ingest during feeding. The ingested substrate doesn’t digest like the rest of the food in its stomach, and either forms a mass in the stomach, or passes into the intestines and creates a blockage. This blockage prevents the gecko from pooping, and the gecko will stop eating. The sick leopard gecko will grow weak, and eventually die if not treated.
Stunning website. I love the layout. My kids are loving your pictures and the information. I never thought a leopard gecko could actually be so beautiful. There really are a ton of morphs of leopard geckos!
Do leopard geckos dig in the sand?
Keep up with this amazing site. I love it.
Leopard geckos do dig in the sand. I actually wrote an article on it here: digging in the sand. It is very common to see your gecko digging in the sand 🙂
A friend of mine owns two leopard geckos. I will show her your site. She would find a lot of use in it I’m sure.
This was a very interesting article. I’ll be honest, I didn’t even realise that there were different types of sand you could buy! You seem to really know what you’re talking about.
I was wondering what do you use to scoop their poop out though?
Thanks for the useful article.
Hannah.
Leopard geckos poop in the same spot every time which makes it very easy to clean. You can get a really cheap hermit crab scoop which does the job. You can’t use a cat scooper because it’s to big though.
How do you keep mealworms from digging down into the sand? I have had this problem where I put either mealworms or superworms in there and later discover that they just burrow down into the sand.
There is a special mealworm bowl for them. It works great 🙂
I had snakes once but I used broken tree bark as flooring. I cannot remember why I did not use sand because it is so easy to clean and is fairly cheap (if not for free).
I also used carpet, but it is always a nightmare to clean the thing and snake poop does not smell nice.
What do you think about carpet?
Never use tree bark for leopard geckos though. This would be a horrible idea because the little guys will cut themselves. Not to mention they will get impacted and die if they swallow any of it. Thankfully, none of my leopard geckos have ever gotten impacted though.
For carpet it is alright when your leopard gecko is younger. I am not really a fan of cleaning it though.