# What plants are safe for leopard geckos & help needed



## anna2008 (Jun 26, 2008)

Im currently re vampingmy vivs for the geckos and in need of a list of safe plants that i would like to put in them, ive currently got fake silk plants hanging in the background and ive just recently bought some air plants that i will incorperate in the fake walls that im building, i was just wondering if there was any other plants i could put in there,

Also im using sand at the momnet for the bottom of the vivs but have found taht its really starting to smell and the little buggers keep digging in the sand and filling up thier water bowls ever evening its changed and every morrning its filled up again , is there a spacific type of tiles that people use or are they just normal tyiles from b&q, as i will need to put my heat mat underneath them i wasnt to sure if the heat would penertrate through the tiles.


advise welcome any ideas woul be extreamly helpful 
thanks xx


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## anna2008 (Jun 26, 2008)

bump:lol2:


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## orrimaarrkko (Feb 3, 2009)

anna2008 said:


> Im currently re vampingmy vivs for the geckos and in need of a list of safe plants that i would like to put in them, ive currently got fake silk plants hanging in the background and ive just recently bought some air plants that i will incorperate in the fake walls that im building, i was just wondering if there was any other plants i could put in there,
> 
> Also im using sand at the momnet for the bottom of the vivs but have found taht its really starting to smell and the little buggers keep digging in the sand and filling up thier water bowls ever evening its changed and every morrning its filled up again , is there a spacific type of tiles that people use or are they just normal tyiles from b&q, as i will need to put my heat mat underneath them i wasnt to sure if the heat would penertrate through the tiles.
> 
> ...


i got my tiles from B&Q and r just normal tiles......


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## anna2008 (Jun 26, 2008)

orrimaarrkko said:


> i got my tiles from B&Q and r just normal tiles......


 bump
:2thumb:


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## luke1983 (Aug 25, 2008)

I use sand in my viv too and have never had any problems doing so apart from the leo's digging it into their water!

I have read quite a few books about leopard gecko's too, the best one was written by Ron Tremper and some fellow breeders who all said that sand was ok as a substrate but if it concerns you to use it, then don't. They also reccomended using rocks with a spread of sand over them to recreate their natural habitat.

As far as plats go you need plants that would survive in desert/arid habitats, the obvious one is cacti, try to find the ones with out hard spines, there are some species out there.

Also Haworthia is a good species as is any of the Aloe genus, i also use money trees successfully and other succulents.

The main problem is providing enough light as many of the species you would use require high light intensity to thrive but it is well worth the effort!

Hope this helps you!


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## Rukmini (May 27, 2007)

I have found that Succulents are good plants to put in with lizards. (obviously not the spikey ones) I had Aloe vera for a while. I tried having a fern in there but that didn't last long as the cresties squished it. If your interested in an aloe vera plant let me know as I have a few for sale. Hope this helps


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## pippainnit (Feb 20, 2009)

Hi, just stumbled across this thread as I have also recently made a new viv for my geckos. This is what it looks like:










As you can see I've got a few plastic plants in there but would like to add a real one - or maybe two - as it's such a large enclosure (four foot x three) and would also like to make it more natural. I've heard aloe vera is good and have a small plant I'd like to put in there. Could it just be potted and then the pot concealed with stones? What kind of substrate can be safely used to pot the plant that won't harm the geckos?

I know this has probably been asked a fair few times before, but any help would be very much appreciated. Thanks!


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## filardimarg2 (Nov 6, 2008)

I thought that real live plants raise the humidity too much & you should stick to silk ones, i read it somewhere.
Marg.


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## sallyconyers (Mar 21, 2008)

No some humidity is ok - it helps with shedding etc. i have heard succulents are good as they are plants from arid environments.


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## luke1983 (Aug 25, 2008)

pippainnit said:


> . I've heard aloe vera is good and have a small plant I'd like to put in there. Could it just be potted and then the pot concealed with stones? What kind of substrate can be safely used to pot the plant that won't harm the geckos?
> 
> I


Aloe Vera would work, You can either go all out and put drainage layers in the substrate but your viv looks wooden so i would just put the plant in, in its pot. I have transferred several small succulents in to lager plastic boxes, and the substrate i use is a mixture of Sand, various sized gravel, Cactus compost (from a garden centre) and bits of moss and bark. These are then put into he viv and covered with Substrate and rocks to hide them.

Hope this helps


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## anna2008 (Jun 26, 2008)

ive got air plants to put in there when everythign is ready to go back in and have been advised never to use cacti or aloe vira plants because they are poisonous>?????? im no to sure though so im just gunna steer clear anyway


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## wildlifewarrior (Jun 26, 2008)

If you look in the tort section you will find lists of safe plants for them, 
as you have stated air plants are fine, what i do with air plants is use aquarium sealent and stick them to rocks and other decor in the enclosure. they work fine. 

i always beleived aloe vera was fine for lizards my self, considering the aloe vera extract is used in medication for animals.

for your substrate tiles, and lino is fine, but if your using a heatmat it might cause problems...are you able to use a bulb/ceramic in there insted?
if you like the sand but dont want the risk of impaction, then if you get a wall paper scrapper and some fish tank sealeant then paste it over some wood,perspex and so on. then scatter sand over it...leave it a few days and it should look natural but is stuck on and you can use this as a floor.

i believe you can use pva and such but i dont.

hope this helps


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