Viper Geckos

[Tigergenesis]

I'm interested in acquiring some Viper Geckos, but I'm finding conflicting information in online care sheets and was hoping I could get some guidance from some people who actually keep them.

In particular, what temps should they be kept at (I've heard anything from 85-97 on the warm side) and should they be provided with a humid hide?

I'm hoping to get a trio and house them on Vitasand (Vitamin-Fortified Calcium Carbonate Substrate by Zoomed). I've read sand is okay. I thought about the VitaSand because a couple of caresheets I found mentioned calcium carbonate substrate which I believe that's what the VitaSand is. What about the Reptisand by Zoomed? I was also considering Bed-a-Beast.

I plan to feed crickets and waxworms and was wondering if I might also try silkworms and butterworm.

Any tips/advice would be appreciate. Thanks!

[Kev_Mc]

Hey Tig, nice to see you on 2 forums

You could get away with using washed playground sand without problems

[Tigergenesis]

hey there! Is the Reptisand bad to use? I've actually got some playground sand handy, but really like the darker color of the Reptisand (I know it costs more).

[Kev_Mc]

No the sand is fine, but why waste your money, but if you like the repti sand better it's not wasting your money

Have fun!

[Tigergenesis]

LOL. Any thoughts on the Bed-a-Beast? I've also seen someone say they use peat moss because the brown color provided a natural look.

[Kev_Mc]

Umm, I have used peat moss for my Leopard and fat tail geckos so I would assume it would be fine.

[Brock]

I use a mix of coconut fiber (the bed-a-beast or eco-earth) and peat moss, I also add shredded up moss and maple leaves to that mix as well, and from now on i'll be using a bit of sand in there.

I like the cocofiber/peat moss the best, and I LOVE the smell of peat moss.

-Brock

Edit: this isn't for viper geckos that I use this for, as I don't keep any (yet), but I figured I'd mention that I use this mix as well as the individual substrates and haven't had a problem in 5 years.

[concept3]

If I were you I would go with the bed a beast. Their are alot of people against the vitasand. I have heard it compared to eating a giant tums.

[bidden]

I keep, and have bread vipers... they are very cool looking gecko's.

I would not recomend bed-a-beast or peat moss, IMO they create too much humidity for a desert gecko.

I recomend papertowel or slate/ceramic tile. both easy to clean and safe. I have talked with many ppl that have kept vipers on sand for years with no problems, but I have heard of one case of death from impation. You just run that risk with any gecko on sand.

my personal experience with sand: when I first started to breed mine I put a sand laybox in the cage(they were on papertowel). a couple days later I found a large amount of sand in their poo. turned out the female was eating it for calcium supliment while she was producing eggs. Thankfully she did not get impacted, I removed the sand right away. I used the Exoterra red reptile sand, it is a calcium carbonate sand.

[Tigergenesis]

Thank you for your input. I've seen people starting to put their Leopard geckos on ceramic tile. It can be made to look very nice and helps with their nails. I don't know why I didn't think of it for vipers.

The bed-a-beast does not create humidity at all - unless you mist it, etc. I bake mine dry for my kings,corns and bluetongue. For my ball python (which does need humidity) the misting does cause the bed-a-beast to hold the humidity where I need it - so it can be made to go either way.

So now I'm trying to decide between washed playground sand (or Reptisand by Zoomed), bed-a-beast or the tile - or a combination of 2 of these. Ugh! I'm so conflicted.

When you say 'washed playground sand' - am I suppposed to wash it myself or do I look for a bag that says that? Forgive my ignorance on this one.

Thanks for all the info so far - I greatly appreciate it!

[Mystic Lizzards]

washed playground sand is the name on the bag and it is kinda dust free, but is very good. I use it for my leopard geckos(16 geckos) and haven't had any problems in 3 years, good luck in getting the set up you like best.

[Tigergenesis]

Thank you for that clarification - and I think I'll need all the luck I can get. I love decorating new tanks/cages and always struggle with what to use, but I'm always pleased with the outcome!

Can anyone give me an idea of about how many crickets I can anticipate feeding daily to a pair of vipers?

Also, any thoughts on whether to go with overhead (I was thinking an infrared heat lamp) or under the tank heating?

[bidden]

when babies it's best that they are fed everyday, aprox 6-10 each. I feed my adults on the same schedule as my Leo's, every 2-3 days, and about the same volume.

Make sure you dust at least every other day when babies, they are prone to calcium defecincy(sp?)

Just a heads up incase no one has warned you yet... they are VERY tiny when babies. If you are getting then under 3mths old, it's best if you feed 1/8in crix. Over that they can handle 1/4in. I feed my adults 1/4 still.

Same goes for any worms you want to feed. Make sure they are appropriatly sized. They love tiny waxworms and mealworms!!!

I use an UTH, just easyer to get a temp gradient than using a bulb. my personal preference.

One thing to keep in mind if your looking for advise on cage design... they are from the middle east(israel) so lots of sand and rocks. They love hiding and squishing into cracks.

Best of luck

[Tigergenesis]

Thanks again! I plan on getting some that are old enough to be sexed - I want either all males or all females as I do not wish to breed them.

Do you dust with just calcium or do you also use a multivitamin?

[Mystic Lizzards]

use rep-cal multivitamin and calcium you mix them both to together and just put a bit in the food dish change it when it looks like sand. This is what i do for my my leos and i never have to dust(the multivitamin contains beta-carotine so the animal can't over dose, that is hwy you mix the two