# The great substrate debate!!



## madzombieguy (Jul 27, 2007)

Hey all.
Just wanted to see what kind of interesting results i'd get her.
Basically, I have heard a million and one views/opinions on substrates to use, and ones not to.

This in with regards to lizards only. Specifically Beardies and Geckos at an adult stage.

So, please take part in this poll


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## HadesDragons (Jun 30, 2007)

I voted "other", as I use kitchen roll, backing paper, newspaper, sand, sandstone "tiles" etc for various adult beardies. It all depends on the beardie. Most are on sandstone "tiles" with a bit of sand.


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## fenwoman (Apr 15, 2008)

I use newspaper at present but am considering my options for the new viv.What do more experienced keepers think about bird cage sand sheets?


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## freekygeeky (May 25, 2007)

i use paper towels, as i have tried bark, coco fiber, eco earth, pebbles, moss , sand , tiles.. evrything!!

- co co fiber/eco earth, my cresties gargs and leos etc it
- moss i have seen both leos and cresties and uroplatus eat this
- bark, i have seen a leo eat it
- sand, (only with my skinks) they are fine with it, and they spit it out.
- tiles are fine, but i have too many, too heavy..
- pebbles, i have taken them out now, uroplatus broke its legs, jaw and back in a fall, and i guess this didnt help.


paper towels..
- cheap
- easy to clean (just take it out)
- cant really eat it (and if they do it tears off in little bits)
- crickets / mealies cant hide in it
- doesnt look realistic, but an lizard in your house isnt natural anyway.

blah blah blah


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## tick (Dec 9, 2007)

I voted playsand £2.50 as i know a few shops in essex go to travis perkins and buy 25kg bags and then split it up into smaller clear plastic bags £2 each and get about 5-10 bags from it:censor:


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## dracco (May 17, 2008)

I use bark


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## R0NST3R (Nov 28, 2007)

I have chosen Playsand, but I use play sand for my Beardies and and I also use Newspaper or Kitchen Towels for my Leos


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## bluerain (Jun 7, 2008)

Hiya. I always use newspaper, as it is cheap, hygenic and easy to change. Again, and again, and again!!!!!!


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## jennibob (Jan 5, 2008)

I use self adhesive "lino" tiles, Easy, cheap, can get some realy funky colours, insects can't hide, completley eliminates the risk of impaction
the list goes on and on.

Jenx


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## alnessman (Mar 8, 2008)

I will be using playsand when they go into their new viv


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## mrhoyo (Mar 29, 2007)

We use tiles with a bit of sand or chippings in the leo viv depending on what mood shes in. in jafs viv i use coir topped with aspen and thats mixed with some wood pulp rep substrate atm cos we couldnt get enough aspen.


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## zemanski (Jun 15, 2008)

I'm new to this but already seen too many impaction stories on the forums to even consider sand of any kind

I have a thermal table covering for my baby but he will go on something harder soon


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## sparky1510 (Jun 1, 2008)

aspen for me corn n gravel for me fish


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## lipico_br (Jun 14, 2008)

I don't know how to say in english. I am brazilian but i'll try...lol
i use pool filter's sand(is it right?)


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## linda60 (Jan 14, 2008)

My sister and I both ues Chipis bedding for exotic pets,it comes in 3 different grades for smaller and larger reptiles,I use the medium as I find it gives them a bit more chance to dig around a bit,the only problem is that it gets into the food and water bowls,as does sand I put mine on a large flat piece of slate which prevents this,you could use a piece of slab.My cresties and geckos are on eco earth or similar,leos on tiles and collards on play sand.I am getting some frogs soon so another choice to be made,HA HA.


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## Ailurus (Jun 8, 2007)

i voted other. calci-sand is the best by far


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## sparkle (Mar 21, 2007)

I voted playsand.. as i use it with slates for beardies but for leos i always used vinyl tiles or kitchen roll...


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## Dostovei (Mar 16, 2008)

Other (I use beech chips mostly), but play sand for the Uro


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## miffikins (Feb 25, 2007)

For my leos I use kitchen towel and ceramic tiles over the heat mat as I find it holds the heat really well...

: victory:


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## the-tick (Nov 27, 2006)

I have roofing tiles for my leo (not slate) and aspen and aubiose for the corns


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## spend_day (Apr 10, 2008)

Water and pebbles for my fbn 

eco earth and potting soil for my fire sal 

just water for my baby mandarin sals


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## alnessman (Mar 8, 2008)

alnessman said:


> I will be using playsand when they go into their new viv


 change my mind now have slate tiles in my beardies viv


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## bobbingalong (Jun 19, 2008)

Hi all 
I voted other as at present beardie on kitchen roll but when older will go on mixture of sand stone with playsand in the gaps:2thumb:


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## buddy (Jul 10, 2007)

with babies i use kitchenroll or repti carpet with my adults they are currently on playsand but changing to tiles in next couple of weeks 

xx


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## shotokan (Jun 26, 2008)

birdcage sandpaper for me beardie


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## the-tick (Nov 27, 2006)

shotokan said:


> birdcage sandpaper for me beardie


I've been thinking about that for my leo................


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## Aquilus (Feb 22, 2007)

None are listed! 

Newspaper for the big burm
Shredded aspen for the baby coastals
Shredded coconut husk (eco-earth) for the crestie viv


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## Faith (May 17, 2007)

Lino, tiles, kitchen roll, ONLY never any sort of loose substrate for the leos even with D having so many years experiance i would NEVER risk it.
Although we are looking in to the new clay stuff on the market i want to see what its like first if it goes hard etc etc etc


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## Horness (Aug 12, 2007)

Exo Terra desert sand at the moment for our Leo's.

I'm thinking of swapping out for tiles at the next change though. Anyone got any recommendations, as I presume they need to be quite thin for the heat to pass through.

Horness


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## debcot1 (May 13, 2008)

i choose tiles all the way.
a bad experience put me off using substrate of any kind. tiles are safe, look nice, clean easy and you dont get any pesky crix hiding like you do with kitchen roll!!!


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## Pliskens_Chains (Jun 8, 2008)

all my reps are on paper towels atm as im still deciding on safe non-impaction causing substrates. my frogs all have cocofibre to burrow in


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## Rach L (Mar 18, 2008)

I voted for reptile carpet, works fine for me and i personally hate any loose substrate. Wanted tiles in my vivs as there easier to clean but i cant put them in myself and ive had no offers of people putting them in for me :lol2:


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## Big Red One (Oct 17, 2007)

Tiles for me for our Gecko, varnished then dusted with sand, then varnished againa few times.
This leaves a nice looking 'sandy' bottom to the viv, but one that is safe from an impaction point of view and easy to spot clean. It also leaves a nice grippy base which I personally think the gecko benefits from when moving around/hunting.

: victory:


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## tuckerboy (Jul 1, 2008)

astro turf


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## lokismum (Apr 13, 2008)

my beardies are all on lino as it has no chance of impaction and they seem to walk better on it than a loose substrate, as in the wild they would be on hard packed clay.
also my leopard lizard is on lino as he's a quick little bugger lol


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## sarahking20 (Apr 12, 2008)

my leos are on slate


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## jenren321 (May 8, 2008)

i voted play sand as my older beardies and leo's are on it, but when they are young i use kitchen roll,


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## Horness (Aug 12, 2007)

*Which Tiles ?*

Which tiles are the best to use? I've seen them range from 5mm to 9mm+ thick. Ideally 400x250 tiles would be perfect - but they're normally wall tile size.

What material? Ceramic / Glass / Porcelain / Slate / Vinyl ??? 

Help and advice all appreciated. ;-)

Horness


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## bendaferrari (Jul 7, 2008)

i use reptile sand for my skink and monitor but at the moment i have got loose chipping for my burmese


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## amphib-fan1990 (Jun 3, 2008)

has to be cocofibre its great for amphibs and all animals that need humidity i trust it as the best substrate


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## axorozzas (Aug 16, 2008)

amphib-fan1990 said:


> has to be cocofibre its great for amphibs and all animals that need humidity i trust it as the best substrate


But bds and leos don't need humidity. I use play sand with my leos, I watch them feeding and have never seen them swallow it, as it's too fine to pick up. did use calci sand in my less enlightened days.


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## axorozzas (Aug 16, 2008)

amphib-fan1990 said:


> has to be cocofibre its great for amphibs and all animals that need humidity i trust it as the best substrate


:yeahright:But bds and leos don't need humidity!

 I use play sand with my leos, I watch them feeding and have never seen them swallow it, as it's too fine to pick up. did use calci sand in my less enlightened days.


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## Lizard Loft (Mar 1, 2008)

Playsand : victory:


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## kirsten (Jan 13, 2008)

i stated "other" as I use a mixture of sand, soil and gravel with rocks wood anf underground hides for my leos


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## amyloveys (Jan 12, 2008)

i use a mix of tile grout and vinyl tiles for leo and beardie mainly because everytime they were doing so,ething unusual id decide it was impactation and worry if they were on sand or chips!


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## maddragon29 (Oct 16, 2008)

newspaper for leos
Cocofibre for the Yucatan as it needs humidity. + bath once a week too just to be sure : victory:
when i get a beardie it'll be on newspaper as a yungun, and i'll probably get tiles on the bottom of the viv aswell!


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## Angi (Nov 12, 2005)

HERES A GREAT LINK WITH PHOTOGRAPHS OF AN AUTOPSY DONE ON A GECKO WHICH HAD EATEN SUBSTRATE AND CONSEQUENTLY DIED.
For those of you who use bark substrate ( necropsy photos) - Gecko Resource Forums


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## gecko_steve (May 14, 2008)

Use lino in all my leo vivs. For the cresties they have newspaper, but will be changing to eco earth when they are older.


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## Graffen (Jul 29, 2008)

I use a mixture of aspen chipping and coco substrate for my Carpets. Great for keeping the humidity at a constant level.


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