Calci Sand

[Reptilerescueden]

Do you like or do you not?
Please share your views as many of us are confused.

[Reptilerescueden]

Understanding the dangers of Calci-Sand
What they tell you:
T-Rex Bone Aid Calci-sand: Made of 100% Calcium Carbonate

T-Rex Calci-Sand (being a mineral) is safe in direct contact with heating elements. It conducts heat well and it is suitable for use with heat mats or cables buried under it to a shallow depth. It does not harbor mites and inhibits the growth of molds or fungus.

T-Rex Calci-Sand makes spot cleaning both easy and accurate. Calci-Sand clumps readily to wet waste material, drying it and preventing it from being spread throughout the enclosure.

T-Rex Calci-Sand is now available in nine colors: Chocolate Brown, Red Rock, Natural White, Blue, Green, Cherry Red, Beige, Black ,Glo-in-the-Dark and the newest colors: Black granite and Red Rock Granite. All colors are created with F.D.A. approved natural food colorants.

What they don't tell you:

Did you know that there are actually safe handling practices for humans that need to be implemented when handling this mineral. The reason for this is actually simple too. Calcium carbonate comes with some hazards.
http://www.reptileforums.co.uk/equip...ml#post1273158

[Trice]

I was told in a reptile shop that it was the perfect substrate for all reptiles, snakes, lizards and tortoises, because no matter how much they eat, they will never become impacted. And they would get the sufficient amount of calcium.

So from that alone i decided i wasnt willing to risk the chance lol

[CWD]

bottom pic is caused by SAND

[sarah1207]

i wouldnt use it myself but i no people that have and there reps have been fine. we have a gecko and he is kepk on repti carpet and seems fine and happy, soon to have babay beardies and they going on good old tesco value kitchen roll

[Faith]

Originally Posted by Reptilerescueden

T-Rex Calci-Sand makes spot cleaning both easy and accurate. Calci-Sand clumps readily to wet waste material, drying it and preventing it from being spread throughout the enclosure.

That says enough for anyone with common sence not to use it

[geckomad]

ugh that pic almost made me sick man come on

[sarah1207]

but it happens....... so i think peeps sho0uld deffo use the pictures as well we now now what damage it can do,

some people use it with no problems,
my brother got his gecko from a garden center and calci sand came in the setup, we soon got rid of if when we seen these pictures(on a differnt website) we now use repti carpet and george seems really happy on that

[Ssthisto]

Originally Posted by geckomad

ugh that pic almost made me sick man come on

Yup, it does make you sick. Especially when you consider that the stuff that DID that to the poor gecko is marketed as an acceptable substrate for them!

I lost a gecko to impaction... and I wish I'd seen those photos before I ever considered putting sand in their enclosures.

[GRB]

One of my friends is considering using it. I think it's a difficult matter - there are countless people on both sides saying that they have had/have not had problems with it. I know some people swear by it.

It makes me wonder (with no real reptile expertise) how these animals survive in the wild - surely gut impaction must be relatively common in the wild? Or do they only eat substrate in captivity (poor diet)? I'm confused tbh.