Substrates for Leopard Geckos

Leopard Geckos is a ground-dwelling lizard born in the dry grassland and desert region of Asia such as Afghanistan, Nepal, Iran, Pakistan, and India. If you are thinking of Creating a Habitat for leopard geckos at home then you should try to copy their natural habitat as much as possible. Leopard geckos require a stable substrate at the bottom of their tanks because it provides grip, absorbs waste, and keeps the tank dry or humid.

Importance of Substrates for Leopard Gecko's habitat

The habitat of leopard geckos depends heavily on substrates. Your leopard gecko's well-being can be affected by it. Some quality of substrate for your leopard geckos are-

• Easy to clean
• Cheap in price
• Great for lay eggs
• Absorb bad odors and wastes
• Mimic their wild habitat
• Easy to find in pet stores or online

List of Leopard Geckos' Substrates

Here is the complete list of Substrates for your leopard gecko-

• Bioactive soil
• Clay- Excavator clay
• Sand- Calcium sand
• Carpet- Reptile sand mat, reptile carpet
• Paper- Newspaper, paper towels, wet paper towels
• Coconut Fiber (Eco Earth, Coir)
• Corn Cob
• DIY Blended Substrate / Naturalistic Mix
• Ground and crushed Walnut Shell
• Linoleum
• Moss, Sphagnum Peat Moss Mix
• Pine, Fir, Or Cedar Product
• Shelf Liner
• Stone- Stone Slates and Slabs
• Wood Chips And Shavings
• Large river pebbles
• Tiles- Stone and Ceramic Tiles
• Sharp substrates
• Large river pebbles
• Quartz
• Wood chippings
• Rock gravel
• Bark and other forest substrates

Top 6 Best Substrates for Leopard Geckos

As you know, the well-being of your leopard gecko can be affected by Substrates, so it is most important to know which Substrates are good and bad for your leopard gecko. Substrates play a vital role to mimic their wild habitat. Choosing the best and the right substrate is very hard for pet owners. Substrates are Bioactive, Paper towels or newspapers, Reptile carpets, Stone Slates, and Stone or Ceramic tiles. Below is a complete description of the top 6 best Substrates for Leopard Geckos with advantages and disadvantages.

Bioactive

A Bioactive Substrate is one of the best choices for leopard geckos. It is a mixture of soil, sand, and live plants that mimic the natural habitat of leopard geckos. It requires maintenance or cleaning once a year.

Advantages

• Easy to clean.
• Easy to maintain.
• Creating an environment that mimics the natural habitat and stimulating the natural behavior of leopard geckos.
• Doesn't increase Humidity.

Disadvantages

• Expensive.
• Takes a lot of time to set up.
• Sick geckos cannot live in a bioactive environment.
• Small risk of impaction.

Paper Towels or Newspaper

Paper towels or newspapers are used for the bottom of the enclosures for leopard geckos. They are super absorbent. It is commonly used for baby or juvenile leopard geckos because they create a lot of filth. You should lay the two layers of paper towels or four and five layers of newspaper on the bottom of the tank. If you use white paper towels or newspapers then you easily find dirt. Paper towels or newspapers should be replaced every week due to their super absorbency.

Advantages

• Easily Replaceable.
• Easy to clean.
• Safe for leopard geckos.
• They are Durable.
• The geckos like them because they are soft. Softness is good for geckos' bellies.
• Easily Available.
• Inexpensive.
• Easily set up.

Disadvantages

• Completely unnatural.
• Not providing good grips for leopard geckos.
• Easily dirty.

Caution- Don't place these paper towels under tank heaters or near the heating element.

Reptile Carpet

The most popular substrate for leopard geckos is Reptile Carpet. It is used for the bottom of the tank. The carpet is very easy to use and also easy to cut to fit any size of the tank. For your leopard gecko tank, you need only one layer of Reptile Carpet. You need to clean the gecko tank carpet daily because if any dust spots on the carpet for more than two days then it sits permanently.

Advantages

• Low maintenance.
• Easy to clean.
• Easily set up.
• Not Messy easily.
• They are soft and non-abrasive.
• More sustainable and attractive than paper towels or newspapers.

Disadvantages

• Easily Dirty.
• Little risk of ingestion.

Caution- When the carpet is crumpled from the corner, This means it was eaten by leopard geckos. Sometimes a leopard gecko's belly can become red due to rough carpet. Don't use the human carpet for leopard geckos.

Stone Slates

Stone slates such as Stone slabs, and pavers are the best additions to the leopard geckos tank. This is placed above other substrates like Reptile Carpets, paper towels, or newspapers.

Advantages

• Easy to install.
• Cheap in price.
• Easy to clean.
• Natural look.
• They are providing good grips for leopard geckos.
• Easily Replaceable.
• Easy to maintain.
• Easy to remove.

Disadvantages

• Sharp slates are harmful to leopard geckos.

Clay

Clay is made up of plants, animals, Minerals, and all the elements of the soil. Clay is often sold as excavator clay in pet stores. Clay is a soft substance you make into a particular shape or an object but after a while, when we wash it with water then it becomes harder. Using it, you can customize the scenery, caves, burrows, and basking spots for your leopard gecko.

Advantages

• It feels like a natural habitat for leopard geckos.
• Natural look.
• Easily Available.
• It holds heat in the tank.
• Inexpensive.

Disadvantages

• It can be messy quite easily.
• Not easy to replace.
• Hard to maintain.

Stone or Ceramic Tiles

The floor of leopard geckos tanks is usually covered with tiles such as stone and ceramic tiles. They are excellent for lizards that like heat, Such as leopard geckos. A single layer of tiles should cover the entire bottom of the tank. Whenever you see a dirty spot on the tile you must clean it instantly.

Advantages

• Inexpensive.
• A variety of colors and styles are available.
• Easy to remove.
• More durable.
• Easy to keep clean.
• Very attractive.

Disadvantages

• Due to their smooth surface, leopard geckos cannot get a good grip on them.
• It is difficult to set up.
• Not available in pet stores.

Which Substrates are not suitable for Leopard Geckos?

A substrate is an important part of setting up a leopard gecko tank. Wrong Substrates cause serious health issues such as Risk of ingestion, impaction, and injection.
The following are not recommended as substrates for leopard geckos:

Sand

Leopard geckos come from Dry Greenland and desert areas but sand is considered unsafe for leopard geckos because of the risk of impaction and injection. Some signs of eating sand in leopard geckos are

• Not eating food,
• Lethargy,
• Dark spots on the abdomen

The dust in the sand may cause respiratory issues and other health problems. You can only use sand substrates for healthy leopard geckos.

Coconut Coir (Eco Earth) or Sphagnum Moss

This substrate is not recommended for leopard geckos because it holds a lot of moisture which can cause respiratory problems and other health and it can be eaten by them accidentally. You can use this for moist substrates.

Linoleum

Linoleum is both a floor covering and a substrate. It is very cheap in price and easy to clean but It is not approved for Substrates for leopard geckos because Lino installations are very hard and the adhesive glue used in installation can melt under the high heat of a leopard gecko enclosure.

Wood Chips

The term wood chips refer to small, medium, or large pieces of wood formed by cutting or chipping larger pieces, such as trees, branches, and wood waste. It is not recommended for leopard gecko substrates because they are too abrasive and some worms hide in them.

Other unsafe Substrates

Wood shavings Corn cob Walnut shells, Gravel, Sphagnum Moss, Pine, Quartz, Shelf liner, and any other materials with sharp edges.