substrate and diet for leopard geckos

[Soph]

I am very confused. Lots of mixed messages on 'to use sand or not to use sand'

Also use of orchid chippings? forest bed? calcium sand? tissue paper? I would be grateful for advice so i can choose a good substrate and stick to it (without potentially killing my geckos by choking them on wood chip).

Also Diet, i have brought my two geckos (pinky and kinky) up on crickets and occasional wax worm. What else can i give them to vary their diet. They don't like Mealy worm

[Kristy]

Hi, I know it can be confusing. There are a lot of conflicting caresheets out there.

For leopard geckos, since their digestive track is so short and they tend to lick everything and most likely will get a mouth full of sand when they hunt crickets. Its best to keep them on a solid substrate. I have seen lots of cases of impaction from sand, calci-sand, bark, coconut shavings, you name it. So to be safe use a solid substrate with leos.

Some great substrates are papertowel, reptile carpet, non-adhesive shelf liner, and my personal favorite is ceramic tiles. The tiles are great with uth's, very easy to clean. They look the most natural and are most importantly safe.

As far as feeders go there a quite a few leos can eat.
Crickets, Mealworms, Superworms, Discoids (roaches), Silkworms, butterworms, waxworms, hornworms.

I am not sure if you know, waxworms are pretty fatty with little good nutrition so those should be used sparingly. I have heard the same about butterworms but I am not 100% sure on that.

The best feeder out there being Silkworms as far as nutrition goes but they are somewhat expensive compared to crickets and other feeders.
Hope this helps,
Kristy

[Soph]

thank you. feel much better with experienced advice. much appreciated

[Kristy]

No Problem, you are very welcome

[Schlyne]

There are several different types of feeder roaches that can be used. B. dubia, B. latteralis, Discoid's, etc.