New Gecko...

Manitoban Herps · 11-27-04, 10:06 PM

I got a proven adult male viper gecko tonight, I traded my yearling male AFT for him, the viper is small but cute and beautiful. I have him in a 10 gallon cage with a rock pile that performs plenty of hide spots, a waterdish and playground sand mixed with calcium shaved off a cuttle bone.

Does this sound good? Pictures soon

DragnDrop · 11-27-04, 10:40 PM

I can't comment on the setup since I don't have viper geckos, but I would like to ask a 'general' question about your sand/calcium mix.
Why would you mix calcium in with the sand? Are you trying to make your own version of calcium based substrate like calci-sand etc.? The way I see it, mixing Ca in with the sand is encouraging him to eat the substrate to get his Ca. Why not give it to him in a dish or on a small lid? Leave the sand as substrate, only good for walking on and pooping on, not as a source of minerals. This way you're not increasing the chances of impaction.

Just a quesiton and suggestion, I'm not flaming.

Manitoban Herps · 11-27-04, 11:17 PM

I was thinking the same thing Hilde, but lots of caresheets said to do it, so there must be a reason behind it....

bidden · 11-29-04, 07:50 AM

I have viper gecko's, and I wouldn't recomend the substrate you've provided. Vipers demand a high amount of calcium, so putting calcium into the substrate is going to encourage them to eat it, thus creating a very good chance of impaction.

as hilde said, a dish and dusting is a better way to provice calcium.

If you want to use sand I'd recomend washed playsand. You can pick it up at home depot.