Choosing the correct substrate for our pet is very simple. For this, it is enough to take into account some details when choosing a leopard gecko substrate.
- Humidity and odor control.
- Cleaning and maintenance.
- Caloric conduction.
- Presentation.
- Cost.
Leopard geckos tend to defecate in one place, so you can adequately the spot to facilitate the cleaning. Another thing to have in mind is the safety of your gecko. The young leopard geckos are very curious, they tend to eat anything in front of them, even part of the substrate, which can cause diseases in the reptile.
Best Leopard Gecko Substrates
As a substrate, we can use several options. There are very economical materials that are excellent substrates. Others are a bit more expensive, but they compensate for the durability, easy cleanliness, and above all, the naturalistic design that contributes to the terrarium.
From the aesthetic point of view, the best options come from the Zilla and Exo Terra. They provide excellent Reptile Terrarium Bedding Substrate Liner, offering reptiles carpet for the most popular terrariums, such as the 10-gallon tank or the medium size 20-gallon tank, both in two designs, green rain forest, and brown desert sand. Although there are many others such as Carolina Custom Cages and ZooMed. All they have excellent quality, very durable, and easy to maintain. These companies also sell leopard gecko tanks, so the reptile carpet used as the substrate, have the exact sizes to fit perfectly in your terrarium.
Eco earth Moist Hide as Leopard Gecko Substrate.
If you are installing a tank for leopard geckos or you plan to breed and get offspring, then you need to have a moist hide. This is nothing more than a hiding place specially prepared to facilitate the shedding of the skin or the laying of the eggs of the leopard geckos. For this, several substances can be used to retain moisture, but none works like ecological earth. It is composed of coconut fibers, which helps maintain moisture levels in the terrarium and does not cause impaction if ingested. It is completely harmless and once discarded it is biodegradable. You can get it at any pet store, and even buy it online.
Do you want to know if live plants are safe for your reptile?
Loose leopard gecko substrate Warning
Avoid loose substrates such as sand or wood shavings. These are the main causes of impaction in leopard geckos and other small reptiles. Although leopard geckos originally come from the desert, the vast majority of our pets are bred in captivity, and instinctively ingest small portions of the substrate to compensate for nutrient deficits, or simply out of curiosity in the case of offspring and juveniles.
