HELP he's eating sand

[Adidas624o]

Ok anyone have any idea's we just added the zoo med sand with calcium and it goes to town on it eating it like its thanksgiving.. i took it out and tried wetting the sand nope it got even worse... so i took it out of there all together but the sand helped it gain a much brighter orange color and it kept the humidity at a perfect spot .. we had cage carpet but it wasnt keeping really good humidity in the 10 gallon.. any ideas on what i can do either to get him to stop eating it or keep the humidity higher with the crappy cage carpet ??? Any helpo would be much appriciated

[schmelkdog]

We've had a little baby leo gecko for a couple of months and don't even bother with sand. We have a dish for it's supplement but it lives on plain paper towels. It still has shed very easily and is growing very nicely. Feeding it meal worms and dusted crickets. What's your biggest worry?
cute little one by the way

[LeoLover]

IMO ditch the sand NOW! Leos will get impacted with the sand if they continue to eat it like yours is doing.
You also mentioned that it is calcium sand, you may want to get a calcium dish for your leo to lick out of. When they feel they need some calcium they will lick the dish, but that doesn't mean that you shouldn't dust the feeders.

You should also be providing a humid hide shelter for your leo for when it sheds and also for a humid place to seek out. Leos do not need alot of humidity and a humid shelter is just enough.

Repti carpet is fine, or just use paper towels. I know they dont look "pleasing to the eye" but they are easy and cheap, and a breeze to clean up. Plus your leo wont be chowing down on pt's like it does on the sand.

[prcdslnc13]

the leo is eating the sand because he has a mineral deficiency. thats how they correct problems like that in the wild is eat sand and such. start dusting your crickets with a calcium supplement like rep-cal and then use the vitamin supplement called herptivite. they should be sold together one is blue and one is pink. for the mean time get him off of the calci-sand and on paper towels. in truth you really shouldnt use that sand at all. it doesnt digest like they say it does and will usually cause an impaction or crystalize the intestines. if you decide you want to keep him on sand you should be able to use a product called repti-sand its really fine quartz sand (like the kind in hour glasses) or you can sift the big pieces out of dry play sand like the kind at lowes. but make sure you have the vitamin problem takin care of first and then always have a calci-dish available

[Boa Enthusiast]

Exactly what leo lover said. Sand will get the poor thing impacted and will stop eating and defecating all together and then wither away and die. Calcium sand as I heard is only 65% digestable but what about the 35% thats not? I would get him on paper towel. Also, leos dont need alot of humidity so dont worry about it because your going to cause more problems.


Kev

[Adidas624o]

yeah she always had a suppliment, she actually doesn't like crickets(I put them in and 5 days later i pull them all back out dead).. go figure she will only eat meal worms but i dust those also. Took her off the sand and just put her back on cage carpet. Shes happy and She's now inlove with her waterfall that we put in :0.. thqanks everyone for the help

[toker]

wow, delayed response, oh well better late than never

Good to hear she is happy and doing well. have any updated pictures?

[Adidas624o]

Sorry, It was snakes dont eat or no internet, so as you should have guessed we didnt have internet for a while. Poor college students have to do what they have to do.

[Adidas624o]

Sorry, It was snakes dont eat or no internet, so as you should have guessed we didnt have internet for a while. Poor college students have to do what they have to do.

Here's new photo's taken yesterday