Should've listened to you people!

[ABLuvsKatie]

We got Katie back in November. She was 18 months old and had always been on sand. I didn't want to change anything at the same time she was changing homes. I tried tile on half her tank and the slate tile I had cracked and I just didn't know if it was safe. I finally decided she'd been on sand her whole life, presumably with no problems so I'd stick with it. Lady at Petsmart (I know! ) recommended switching to calcium sand which I don't think she was on originally. It's been since Christmas, I guess, and she KEEPS getting so constipated if not impacted. It's happened about three times now and I'm over it. This dumb sand is also SO much more dusty than whatever they were using before. Maybe she was OK on what was in there before I took the lousy advice. But I'm not going back to sand. I bought non-adhesive, smooth shelf liner today. It seems really cold (as in un-comfy). And I'm worried it'll be a ROYAL mess when she poops - which is still much preferred to no poops! But is this the way to go? I guess I could try tile again. I'm wondering, though, about just cutting a towel, like a bath towel, to the size of her tank? Why wouldn't that work? Would it slide around too much?

There's a great exotic pet store on the other side of town. I need to make a trip up there and talk to him, I think.

Thanks,
Cynthia

 

[crickest]

I found using tile was much easier to keep clean then sand, and there is no issue of impaction. I don't know why using shelf liner would be an issue. Its easy to wipe off and sanitize. The only thing I would worry about is how slick it might be.

You could also use paper towels, but I'm not sure I would try cloth towels. You can find reptile carpet at Petsmart and I've used that and really liked it, especially when my beardie were in a tank. Its thick enough it can't be slid around or bunched up. It comes in green or brown. I was using this in two vivs until I custom made the vivs I'm using now. Its really easy to clean. You can even run it through the washer.

Here is a link to the product on Pet Mountain. It's a lot cheaper on PM, then at Petsmart. Just make sure you order the right size for your viv.
http://www.petmountain.com/product/reptile-bedding/504429/zoo-med-reptile-cage-carpet-assorted-colors.html

 

[ABLuvsKatie]

Thanks for the link. I had heard the carpet was expensive but it's not really...and if it can be washed I might give it a try. Poor Katie, I wish her mommy knew what she was doing! But I'd be so hopeless without this site!

 

[crickest]

I cut mine into sections, since my babies poop in the same area every time they go. That way I didn't have to move everything to pull the piece of carpet out and wash it. Each package has two pieces in it, so you always have an extra. I really liked using it.

 

[athenacp]

Well, Digger was on sand when I first got him, he got parasites and worms at the time he was 1 year old. Vet at the time said use a bath towel, so I did....waited about 4 months, went back to playsand...he got parasites again! Got him over that and he's been on bath towels since, he has his own set and since he poops maybe once every 3-4 days, it's not a big deal I can change the bath towel (or he sometimes poops in the bath or the carpet)

He's 7 years and 2 months now and he just loves his towels