# Lino or tiles... need help deciding!



## PowerPie5000 (Apr 13, 2010)

One of my Plated lizards (Otis) Just randomly ate a small beech chip!

I've no idea why he did this as he's fed a varied diet of bugs, fruit an veg along with calcium/nutrobal supplements. Anyway as you can imagine this has started to worry me so i've decided to empty the viv and now both my plateds have no substrate. 

Would lino or rough ceramic tiles be suitable for Sudan Plated lizards? I know many people use it with their beardies and gecko's so i assume my lizards will be fine. Am i right in thinking if i priovide more hides then they will have no reason to dig or do they just dig for fun? I don't want them to become bored!

Anyway i can't decide between textured lino or rough/textured ceramic tiles... Can anyone using either please let me know the pro's and con's? They were using a mixture of beech chips and cannabis bedding (lucky reptile brand) and then i was going to try eco earth mixed with play sand but i guess that is now a bad idea!

Cheers 8)


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## Bikewatch2000 (Dec 8, 2008)

Hi There

I don't know the specifics of plateds hubandry, but I use the sand coloured non slip lino/vinyl in all of my vivs and then put slate or rocks in to create textures, basking areas etc.

If having somewhere for them to dig is important why not place a large bowl or dish in and fill that with a suitable substrate.

Just a thought

Cheers

Tony


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## Davycc (May 29, 2010)

Try coconut matting see my post it may suit you too


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## PowerPie5000 (Apr 13, 2010)

Otis pooped out the wood chip earlier today... what a relief! I would still like my Plated's to have a digging area so i might try a mix of eco earth and sand around their sleeping area. Non slip lino sounds like a good idea as long as it doesn't smell when the viv heats up during the day.

That coconut matting looks as though it will be a pain when it comes to spot cleaning as my plated's have really big wet poo's/urates! It does look very natural though.

If i don't go for tiles or lino then maybe i will use a finer substrate such as eco earth mixed with play sand... I'm sure i read somewhere that coconut husk/fibre substrate is safe if accidently eaten (in small amounts of course!). I won't ever bother with beech chips or orchid bark again... damn those inconsistent, contradicting care sheets lol!


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## Davycc (May 29, 2010)

I'm lucky my Beardies crap is moist but firm so just hoovers up no problem


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## PowerPie5000 (Apr 13, 2010)

Davycc said:


> I'm lucky my Beardies crap is moist but firm so just hoovers up no problem


My Plated's poo's are usually fairly large and stick to everything!... can get a bit messy if they decide to walk through it before i get the chance to clean it up! Lino sounds good as it can be easily wipe away.. also with loose substrate i can just scoop it out


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## Davycc (May 29, 2010)

Well guys I've moved on. last couple of weeks Ive used the textured laminate flooring cut to exactly the floor size of the viv. It hoovers great and lifts out to be washed clean.....you live and learn ...you guys were right as usual matting got a bit dank and after replacing a few times I got fed up.


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## fionayee (May 1, 2009)

Hey guys,thought I'd ask on top of it so I don't have to start another thread.Anyway,here's the questions.If I want to use tiles for the whole of my leopard gecko viv that measures 24" in lenght 15" in height and 12" in dept,what size tile should I ask them to cut?

Thanks,
Fiona.


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## PowerPie5000 (Apr 13, 2010)

fionayee said:


> Hey guys,thought I'd ask on top of it so I don't have to start another thread.Anyway,here's the questions.If I want to use tiles for the whole of my leopard gecko viv that measures 24" in lenght 15" in height and 12" in dept,what size tile should I ask them to cut?
> 
> Thanks,
> Fiona.


You will need to measure the floor space which should be 24"x12" in your case, then pop into any store that sells tiles or lino and ask if they can cut it to fit your viv's floor measurements : victory:


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## fionayee (May 1, 2009)

So I just ask them to cut a 24" x 12" tile?Or does it have to be a wee bit smaller than my floor space?


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## PowerPie5000 (Apr 13, 2010)

fionayee said:


> So I just ask them to cut a 24" x 12" tile?Or does it have to be a wee bit smaller than my floor space?


It may be a few tiles making up 24" x12" unless you go for lino and get one piece cut to that size. All i did was lay down some plain A4 paper on the viv floor then tape it all together... roll it up then take it to any DIY store and ask for tiles or lino to be cut to the size of the paper :2thumb:


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## fionayee (May 1, 2009)

:no1: thanks


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## wohic (Jun 19, 2006)

I use ceramic tiles, Mine has a favourite area to poop so I have them shiney side up there and the rest of the viv they are upside down, this gives grip and helps keep the nails in trim as well .


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## fionayee (May 1, 2009)

Thanks for that :2thumb: I was about to put it shiny side up for the whole viv :lol2:


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## PowerPie5000 (Apr 13, 2010)

Having lino seems a bit messy with my Plated's as they like to wipe their bums after pooping everywhere! So now i'm forever cleaning up "skidmarks" 

What other lizards drag their arses around after dropping a big gooey poo?? Do i need to start using a loose substrate again?... maybe B&Q top soil/loam mixed with sand?


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## leecb0 (Apr 14, 2009)

this thread has tickled me....where in the wild is the natural habitat of some of your lizards made of ceramic tiles or vinyl etc?????? whats up with using natural or near to natural substrates??? i have kept many many reptiles from venomous snakes to bearded dragons and i have never ever had a problem. we all try to give our animals food as close to there natural food we also heat our vivs to closed to the natural enviroment so why do people ruin it by putting them on tiles instead of sand which is more natural say to bearded dragons??? This is not meant to be an argumentative post so please forgive me if it sounds that way. I just dont understand why people do it thats all


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## PowerPie5000 (Apr 13, 2010)

leecb0 said:


> this thread has tickled me....where in the wild is the natural habitat of some of your lizards made of ceramic tiles or vinyl etc?????? whats up with using natural or near to natural substrates??? i have kept many many reptiles from venomous snakes to bearded dragons and i have never ever had a problem. we all try to give our animals food as close to there natural food we also heat our vivs to closed to the natural enviroment so why do people ruin it by putting them on tiles instead of sand which is more natural say to bearded dragons??? This is not meant to be an argumentative post so please forgive me if it sounds that way. I just dont understand why people do it thats all


Because one of my plated's decided to eat his substrate. He has a healthy varied diet with calcium/Nutrobal supplements but has just developed a habit of eating substrate (wood chips, sand, cocunut husk... you name it and he will probably eat it!).


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## leecb0 (Apr 14, 2009)

Then i would look at his diet as he may be deficiant in something, an animal who starts to eat parts of its substrate like that may be lacking in something. I have known bearded dragons eat calcisand due to the lack of calcium in its diet once they had rectified this in its diet it stopped eating it. there is always and answer and usually a solution to these things


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## PowerPie5000 (Apr 13, 2010)

Both my plated's have one meal dusted with calcium each day and then i use Nutrobal at the weekends. They eat roaches, crickets, locusts, morios (all gut loaded) and occasionally butterworms, waxworms and fruit beetle grubs with various veg and a bit of fruit each week.

The viv air temps and basking temps are perfectly fine too!


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