# ProRep Leo Life Good or Bad



## KuroAkita (Mar 6, 2016)

Hey there, most of my problems have been sorted with my post from last week. I'll be picking up my leos today or tomorrow. Ive yet to sort out size but the viv is big enough for them at the moment. im plannig on buying a bookshelf from the trade it or something and turning it into a stack of vivariums ^^ Cheap and useful. I want your opinion on LeoLife, its the substrate I currently have and im wondering if i should be using it tbh. its sorta sandy with clay and some small rocks mixed into it described by prorep as "the perfect substrate" Im worried that it can cause impaction though. I would rather be safe that sorry.


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## ayrshire bob (Oct 24, 2012)

Dint risk it. If it small enough to fit in the gecko's mouth it's not worth the risk 

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## KuroAkita (Mar 6, 2016)

ayrshire bob said:


> Dint risk it. If it small enough to fit in the gecko's mouth it's not worth the risk
> 
> Sent from my GT-N7100 using Tapatalk


Thanks ill remove it before i get the geckos. whats best to use first? Im getting 5 month old geckos. Would Kitchen roll be better?


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## **louise** (Nov 10, 2010)

It's fine! Leos will not suddenly become impacted from being on a loose substrate. Many other factors cause impaction. In the wild, they don't live on lino tiles!!

My leos are on a mix of soil, sand, clay and stones and I use the pro rep beardie life in my mixes too.


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## KuroAkita (Mar 6, 2016)

**louise** said:


> It's fine! Leos will not suddenly become impacted from being on a loose substrate. Many other factors cause impaction. In the wild, they don't live on lino tiles!!
> 
> My leos are on a mix of soil, sand, clay and stones and I use the pro rep beardie life in my mixes too.


Already thrown it away. Oh well I think ill just get something like eco earth when they're bit older and stick with kitchen roll for now.


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## **louise** (Nov 10, 2010)

KuroAkita said:


> Already thrown it away. Oh well I think ill just get something like eco earth when they're bit older and stick with kitchen roll for now.


Shame. Kitchen roll does not allow them to exhibit natural behaviours like digging and burrowing. IMO that pro rep stuff is pretty good and they would have loved it.


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## ayrshire bob (Oct 24, 2012)

They live in rocky terrain naturally from what I read. And why risk it if we don't need to. One less thing to worry about IMO 

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## Sky7ine (Jan 30, 2012)

Impaction comes from poor husbandry or an underlying issue with the gecko any sub that MAY be ingested would be passed by a healthy gecko.


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## ayrshire bob (Oct 24, 2012)

Just my opinion. Each to their own... 

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## Arcadiajohn (Jan 30, 2011)

Impaction is caused by non-natural substrate, poor hydration and heat provided for in the wrong way and/or to the wrong level!

Assimilating ones terrain is an evolved and essential part of nutrition, full spectrum minerals and B vitamins are obtained and used in this way.

It is only when man gets involved that things go wrong.

If you use an organic, fine particulate, natural product that is common to the wild and your hydration and humidity is to the wild level along side the correct amount of heat and in the right way impaction will not occur. 

In fact ingestion will simply be a positive thing.

I explain this whole process in detail in my new book which is out in May this year.

John


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## wilkinss77 (Sep 23, 2008)

**louise** said:


> It's fine! Leos will not suddenly become impacted from being on a loose substrate. Many other factors cause impaction. In the wild, they don't live on lino tiles!!
> 
> My leos are on a mix of soil, sand, clay and stones and I use the pro rep beardie life in my mixes too.





**louise** said:


> Shame. Kitchen roll does not allow them to exhibit natural behaviours like digging and burrowing. IMO that pro rep stuff is pretty good and they would have loved it.


Exactly. Loose substrate is fine.


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## wilkinss77 (Sep 23, 2008)

ayrshire bob said:


> Dint risk it. If it small enough to fit in the gecko's mouth it's not worth the risk
> 
> Sent from my GT-N7100 using Tapatalk





ayrshire bob said:


> They live in rocky terrain naturally from what I read. And why risk it if we don't need to. One less thing to worry about IMO
> 
> Sent from my GT-N7100 using Tapatalk


So you would deny them their natural behaviour, ie digging & burrowing, because of a non-existant risk? Btw, they live in rocky terrain with dry soil & sand on the ground, not solid rock- they build hides by burrowing in the soil.


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## ayrshire bob (Oct 24, 2012)

wilkinss77 said:


> So you would deny them their natural behaviour, ie digging & burrowing, because of a non-existant risk? Btw, they live in rocky terrain with dry soil & sand on the ground, not solid rock- they build hides by burrowing in the soil.


Are we all as keepers not denying then their natural habitat, living in a box is hardly natural... I'm not saying that I am right, just giving my opinion. I'm not getting into an argument so won't be replying any further. I've given my opinion, people can read it and judge it how they like. All fine by me. 

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## wilkinss77 (Sep 23, 2008)

ayrshire bob said:


> Are we all as keepers not denying then their natural habitat, living in a box is hardly natural... I'm not saying that I am right, just giving my opinion. I'm not getting into an argument so won't be replying any further. I've given my opinion, people can read it and judge it how they like. All fine by me.
> 
> Sent from my GT-N7100 using Tapatalk


Even keeping reptiles in a viv, we should surely try as much as possible to provide as natural as possible, an environment resembling one they would find in the wild- at least as far as their basic habits would allow, such as burrowing/digging for species that want/need to do so? For example, I keep a pair of dwarf sungazers/tropical girdletail lizards in a viv with a dry eco earth substrate- they dig & burrow in it, & it would be wrong to deny them this, as it is what they do. & in the wild, as many will point out (& have done so here & on other forums, both in the lizard & snake sections), no reptiles are known to have developed problems from ingesting the substrate- they just pass it through in their poop. & as Louise has pointed out, bioactive substrates never cause any issues.


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