If you have a gecko and precisely a crested gecko, then you must have already thought about buying a substrate. “Substrate” is basically another bedding term and perfect for geckos.
A few years ago, crested geckos were very rare. Nowadays, they are more popular and become a must-have for all lizard lovers.
Keeping a crested gecko comes with added responsibilities – easy to follow responsibilities. Crested geckos are adorable. They need very little care.
However, if you fail to take the least amount of care, they might keep getting sick.
Apart from being easy to maintain, crested gecko requires a good quality substrate to stay healthy. You need to choose the right substrate to be kept on your pet’s cage.
Here, we are giving the best substrate options for your crested geckos in house.
Contents
How To Choose Substrate For Crested Geckos?
Let’s be honest, every substrate is made to meet the needs of a particular type of reptile. That’s why you need to understand what works best for your pet crested gecko.
And for this, it is necessary to carry out extensive research. If you use a substrate that is not suitable for your crested geckos, they may end up getting sick.
Choosing the right substrate not only enhances the look of your pet’s cage but also keeps spilled water, food, and feces away from your pet.
A well crested gecko substrate need to satisfy some of the conditions.
Here’s what you should look in a substate before purchasing it:
Easy to maintain and clean
This is the very first thing that you should consider while choosing a substrate. You should purchase a substrate that is easy to maintain, clean, and will also keep your pets healthy. A clean cage will also keep your pet well healthy.
Easily available
A substrate is important that keeps your crested gecko pets healthy, especially for crested geckos.
You should purchase a substrate that is easily available. These days, most substrates are available online. Make sure that you select a substrate that is available on most online websites. Also, the amount of substrate needed for your pet completely depends on the size of the cage hence ensure that you have enough in-store depending on the cage’s size.
Maintains humidity
Crested geckos are found in the humid rainforest of New Caledonia. It is utterly important for them to be kept in a substrate that is capable of maintaining well humidity levels for many days.
Both the substrates that we’ve will the details in this article are capable of maintaining the humidity levels for many days.
Spider substrate, coco fiber brick, and sphagnum moss are some of the best substrates for crested gecko.
Not abrasive
Companies that manufacture the best substrates ensure that they do not include any abrasive raw material.
Abrasive is not good for your pet and creates skin problems for your geckos.
Substrate for crested geckos comparison
Galapagos Terrarium Sphagnum Moss
Editor rating: 3/3
- Once the moss becomes a bit damp due to humidity, it becomes soft and aromatic.
- It is extremely easy to work with, and the color does not bleed which happens with most mosses.
Zoo Med Eco Earth Bricks
Editor rating: 2.5/3
- Once wet, it expands to make more than 7 liters of substrate.
- Made using only eco-friendly and natural raw materials.
Best Substrate For Crested Geckos Reviews
After knowing what to look for in substrate for crested geckos. With that in mind. Let’s take a look at some of the best substrates in the market today.
Best seller: Galapagos Terrarium Sphagnum Moss
Last update on 2022-12-30 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
The Galapagos Terrarium Sphagnum Moss is one of the long-lasting mosses.
It comes with long and green leafy moss which differentiates it from other similar products.
This substrate is perfect for you since it helps in controlling tropical humidity. You knew that crested geckos come from the humid rainforest, with a high absorbency rate, Galapagos Terrarium Sphagnum Moss is an awesome fit for crested geckos.
Bonus: if you own a Salamander or a toad, this product is also perfect for you.
It is one of the cleanest moss that is available both online and in markets.
Editor Rating: 3/3
Last update on 2022-12-30 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Overview:
- Durable, made with long-lasting fiber.
- Perfect for people living in or around a tropical zone, helps in controlling excess humidity.
- Very clean, the moss is washed and sieved properly before packing.
- Made using extremely ecologically regulated harvests.
Product highlights
This crested gecko substrate has the best water soaking capability. Which makes it perfect for crested gecko.
It helps in maintaining humidity level in the terrarium which in turn will keep your crested gecko in safe.
We prefer Sphagnum moss and use it along with Repti-Bark which provides the perfect mimic of their natural habitat for crested geckos.
According to many friends and after using this moss for a few months, we can say that it provides really great results. Many people have been using this particular moss for more than 5-6 years.
A Downzone Of Galapagos Terrarium Sphagnum Moss
We have noticed that this moss does not stay wet for a really long time. If you are planning to use this moss, you need to keep adding water from day to day in order to maintain the humidity level.
Adding water daily, it will maintain the perfect humidity level for your pet crested gecko.
Also, the product comes with several medium bark pieces with our batch, which is common for almost all substrate companies.
In case you prefer using bark as an enclosure this will not be a problem for you. If you do not like using bark, you can always remove them.
We have given three stars to this product since it does the work. It is perfect if you do not want to spend a huge amount of money.
Adding water daily to keep it moist is a must. However, it is made using high-quality material. This particular product also smells good for the longest amount of time which is very rare for any substrate.
Most mosses become extremely hard when it is dried, however, this one remains comparatively softer and protects your crested gecko’s skin from scratching.
Many gecko keepers have not tried this substrate previously, but they surely go for it after the first time. It is made using high-quality material and is durable at the same time.
Social
This particular moss is very popular and is used by many. It is one of the best-selling substrates on Amazon and has maximum number of positive reviews.
In order to understand the usage better, watching a video can be helpful. We have added a YouTube review video for your reference.
Galapagos Terrarium Sphagnum Moss Pros And Cons
| Pros | Cons |
| • No large bark pieces • Soaks water quickly and maintains humidity • Eco-friendly • Cost-effective • Long-lasting product • Easily available | • Needs frequent watering |
Zoo Med Eco Earth Bricks
The Zoo Med Eco-Earth bricks are basically made out of expandable coconut fiber and are perfect for crested geckos.
It is safe to use and can be composted and recycled.
Apart from crested geckos, it can be used for any reptiles, insects, or amphibians that you own.
The fact that these substrate bricks can expand up to 7 liters makes it unique. The company is using only natural and eco-friendly materials to manufacture these substrates.
Editor Rating: 2.5/3
Overview:
- Made using only natural raw materials that can be composted and recycled.
- It is perfect for all reptiles, amphibians, or insects.
- Once wet, it expands.
- Easy to use and work with.
Zoo Med Eco Earth Bricks Highlights
The Zoo Med Eco-Earth Substrate bricks come in a pack of 2.
According to the instructions, we broke a little piece from one of the bricks and soaked it in water.
We use this for our crested gecko and it works perfectly. My friends have been using these quite frequently and can say that they work perfectly.
As mentioned earlier, the company uses only eco-friendly raw material which can be recycled.
There are only very few brands that use natural products.
Using natural products also ensures that your crested gecko pet is safe. You can use this substrate for all tropical species, alternatively, you can also mix it with any other organic fertilizer.
Mixing it with other fertilizer will ensure that you have the best vivaria soil.
A downzone of Zoo Med Eco Earth Bricks
However, according to my friends’ comments, this particular substrate is a bit messy.
It might end up making your pet’s food and water dirty which also means that you need to keep changing the water daily.
In order to use this substrate, you first need to soak it in water for at least 30 minutes, take it out and squeeze out the water completely and let it dry for at least 2 hours.
Make sure that the substrate is completely dried before you actually use it. We kept it on a dry area to speed up the process.
According to some users, the brick might not dissolve completely always. If this happens with you, all you need to do is break the brick into little pieces are then allow it to soak for 30 minutes to 1 hour.
Also, if you soak small pieces of the brick, the end result will be muddy and not moist.
Overall, it is a good product and is loved by many customers. The fact that it is made using all-natural raw materials, makes it even better than other similar products.
Social
Since this particular substrate is a bit different from others that are available online.
You need to follow some specific steps to use this product. We found a YouTube video that explains the steps in detail.
Pros and Cons
| Pros | Cons |
| • Made using eco-friendly raw materials. • Can be recycled • Stays moist for a really long time | • Messy compared to other substrates. • You need to wait around 24 hours before actually using the product. |
Fluker Labs Repta-Bark All Natural Bedding
Last update on 2023-01-02 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Product highlights
The bedding Fluker Natural is a gecko substrate made from 100% natural bark.
It can retain very high humidity for a few days. This bedding will not affect pet health because of the natural material. Because it is made from natural bark, it is very environmentally friendly.
Another plus point is this bedding will absorb waste naturally.
With the natural bedding like crested geckos would be difficult to catch the way infectious diseases caused by the unclean environment. Then you won’t worry about healthy when caring for crested gecko or any other lizards with the used of this product.
The ability to absorb water quickly not only brings the perfect moisture for pets but also a good base for their activity.
However, the alternative is this product a bit drier and dustier than some other substrates in the market(such as Zoo Med Eco Earth Bricks) so you should regularly observe for timely intervention.
Pros and Cons
| Pros | Cons |
| • Natural material • Absorb waste naturally | • Drier and dustier than others. |
Exo Terra Plantation Soil
Last update on 2023-01-02 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Many lizard owners say that is a “Creative ideal for their lizards or crested geckos”.
This soil substrate holds perfect moisture for your crested gecko environment with the plantation soil – Exo Terra.
With the coconut husk and some other tropical plants, this product is super safe for crested gecko care.
Besides, this is also the ideal substrate for the growth of plants. Some owners, when they care for a crested gecko, they also grow some plants inside the tanks. The substrate contains no chemicals or dyes. So that you can be assured of the health of your pet gecko in general.
Furthermore, with the soil gecko substrate, you will easier clean your tank.
If you are a lizard owner with some experience, cleaning the gecko’s tanks is not a quick process.
You can even clean it well if you have a soil mix with other substrate types(such as coconut husk – Fluker Labs Repta) in your lizard/reptile tank.
So, the easier option would be better.
Pros And Cons
| Pros | Cons |
| • Idea for grow plants • Easy mix with other substrates |
Conclusion
The crested geckos have a truly unique appearance and are very easy to care for.
They don’t require any high maintenance, you can easily keep them healthy and happy.
However, they are tropical species that remain perfect only in a humid environment.
This is the only thing to remember when collecting a substrate for your crested geckos pet.
All of the substrates we mentioned in our list are made specifically for crested geckos that remain wet for many days compared to other similar substrates. In addition, feeding and cleaning crested geckos is an extremely simple task.
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Last update on 2023-01-02 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API