Please check this out

[Flip]

One of my geeks (geckos) LOL has been comsuming a lot of subsrate, when ever i feed her she get the cricket plus scoops up some extra dirt, is this a consern. Altough she has recently stopped I am wondering if it has any long term or non emediate effect. Any replies would be greatly admired. Thanks in advance. :D

Reed

[Crested Lady]

I only put "never" since I only use paper towels (I had a problem with impaction years ago and stopped using naturalistic substrates). You said you're using dirt... but what type of dirt? Orchid bark, coconut bark, ???

[Flip]

It is coconut husk that I am using. Do you think cresteds prefer dirt to paper towels or vice versa?

[Crested Lady]

As long as they have ample hiding places and fun things to climb on, the substrate really doesn't make that much of a difference.

I was using Bed-A-Beast (coconut fiber) when I lost a crestie to impaction. Haven't used anything but paper towels since and everyone is happy and healthy. :)

[poison_iv]

Yeah, I was all going for the naturalistic set-up thinking it would be cool and all ... but have switched all my geckos to cage carpet... it looks like grass so it's kinda cool... and I had one gecko specifically that did exactly that, she would EAT the soil... others would get a mouthful sometimes and spit it out, but I'd see her eating it... and decided to avoid any possible problems that could arise.

You really don't need a naturalistic substrate... except that it looks nice... but cage carpet looks really cool too and is much neater.

[Jillie]

I voted never, but I also use paper towels. I don't want to take any chances.

[Flip]

Thanks everybody for the suggjestions. I think I will change the sebstrate to paper towel at least for a while to see how it goes.

[Niqui13]

I would think that maybe she is not getting the proper minerals in her diet. In the wild some animals will lick rocks for salt and minerals, eat there own poo, and sometimes actually eat dirt if their diet is lacking in nutrients. Lots of animals will do this, so I don't see why crested geckos would be any different. If they aren't getting what they need, they will go to any means necessary to acquire it. Maybe try putting a little extra calcium and supplements in her babyfood for a while. It couldn't hurt. That may not be the reason she is eating it, but I can't imagine it would taste to good so I don't see why she would eat it if she didn't feel she needed to.

Also, I agree with using the reptile carpet or just paper towels as a substrate. It is much safer. I have all my Cresteds in glass aquariums with a ceramic log, fake braches, and plastic leaves and it really doesn't look half bad with that as a substrate. Plus the paper towels make it very easy to find the geckos since it is such a contrast from them!

Good luck!

[Flip]

It was always happening by accident like when she was hunting. She didnt even know how to spit it out and it look like it was hard for her to swallow

[Chao0104]

Have I ever SEEN the problem, sometimes.Have I ever had the problem with my geckos, never :D

[infernal_star]

I've used eco-earth since the start of my crested gecko "addiction" and one thing I learned that if you feed them in their normal tank, have a section of the cage bare bottomed and drop the crickets there.

[Flip]

I just bought the repti carpet but i need to wash it before use it. Its such a drag since I was hoping to put it in durring their phote period. So I might have to wait until tomorrow to put it in.