Construction paper as Crested Gecko substrate?

[6StringSamurai]

I've read that paper towels are the best substrate for Cresteds and I've seen some very good arguments to support this.

They still don't look very good though...

Is there anything toxic in green or brown construction paper that would keep me from using it as substrate? Seems to me like that would give me the ease of changing the cage that paper towels would but add some color to the bottom of the cage.

What do you think?

 

[LeilaNami]

Why don't you just use Eco Earth and go for the natural look.

 

[6StringSamurai]

Well, I'm using a verticle aquarium with a screen lid so the paper towel option makes sense from that perspective. Also, paper towels are quick and easy to change and cresteds need more frequent cage cleanings because of their fruit diet.

I was just curious if colored construction paper might be a good way to get the benifits of paper towels with at least a little bit of color.

 

[Thoth]

I believe they won't be as absorbent as the paper towels.

You could also use paper dinner napkin, they come in all sorts of colors, probably would need to go to a party supply store though since I thnk most super markets only carry white.

 

[6StringSamurai]

That's true, the napkin thing is a good idea. I'll check that out.

 

[AneesasMuse]

$1 stores carry every color you can imagine... well, almost... of napkins. You may even find some with a cartoon or something on it.
How old are your Cresties? Any pics of them? I have a few, myself.

 

[6StringSamurai]

$1 stores carry every color you can imagine... well, almost... of napkins. You may even find some with a cartoon or something on it.
How old are your Cresties? Any pics of them? I have a few, myself.

Actually, I just got them today! I was only thinking about it before. I have two 1 month old hatchlings and they are adorable.

I have a bunch of beech wood sticks that I bake in the oven for a few hours at 250 to kill of anything that might be living on/in them. I use them for my tarantula/scorpion cages, do you think my young cresteds would be ok? I just have cardboard tubes there now.

 

[AneesasMuse]

I often find nice pieces of drift and bog woods that I just bleach* soak for a few days and then bake in my oven. It hasn't hurt anyone here yet and I've raised up a few Cresteds from brand new hatchlings to big kids... they're still growing
So, you're using the napkins as of today or did you just get your Cresteds today? I'd love to see pics of 'em.


*cut the strength of the bleach... 1:20 or stronger, depending on the bug infestation or funky'ness of the piece

 

[6StringSamurai]

I just got the geckos How old have yours been when you started feeding them? I have some of the T-Rex Crested Gecko Diet in with them now but I don't know if I should expect them to eat it or not. Online caresheets have conflicting information on that point. They are about a month old and the breeder who sold them is out of town right now. You always come up with good questions the next day...

I'll get you some pictures tomorrow after work, I need to pass them around to the reptile ignorant ones around me anyway, ha ha ha.

 

[TNeal]

I just use newspaper for my geckos. Been using it for years. I have house geckos. I love the way they chip at night.

Tom

 

[AneesasMuse]

Hey... sorry I just saw your questions. Ummm, mine eat in the first week of life. Around day 3, I start putting one tiny pinhead in their face... and then in their enclosure with observation (a cricket, even at this size, can hurt your gecko). If it shows interest and eats it, I give another. On day 4 and so on, I start introducing the fruit by handfeeding. If you dab a little on its nose or lips... tiny amount... it will usually lick it off and then you see the "light" go on in their little eyes, "mmmm, yum? that was different... try that again....". And you can put a little more... like glaze or lip gloss, not a lot... and when they start to rub it off on you, they are done usually (or just not ready to eat yet).
Remember, they have tiny little stomachs, too. They won't clean up a whole dish of food, not even a bottle cap full or half full, for that matter. Just leave the food available over night and look for the slightest indention in the food... lick marks, foot prints, etc. If you see anything different, they are likely eating... just so little that it isn't really noticeable.
As they get to be about 2 to 4 months, the food thing will increase substantially. They will eat 5-6 crickets in one night... appropriately sized, and they will clean out a bottle cap full of food/fruit. Be sure to offer them food every day for the first 3 months or so, and then you can back off to every other day or every third day. (My last Cresteds hatched in September, so I am still feeding every other day or third day)

Good Luck! And if you have any other questions, feel free... even pm me, if you prefer. I check that more than this section, as I am mostly here for my spiders.