What is calcium sand?

I bought a leopard gecko yesterday from a pet retailer. They told me to get calcium sand for the ground surface because it is good for the gecko and the most natural of all surfaces. Earlier today I joined an online leopard gecko discussion forum and posted a picture for them to see him. read more

Sand' is a size classification for loose particles. Calcium is an element. I assume you are asking about calcium carbonate sand, where the sand particles are made (mostly) of small pieces of broken shells and precipitated calcium carbonate grains (better known as 'beach sand' in the Gulf of Mexico, for instance). read more

Calcium carbonate (Calcium Sand), which is what these sands are made of, is 100% digestible in moderate consumption. Unfortunately, the bag doesn't list the situations in which the substrate is no longer digestible and why it poses a health risk to you and to the reptile it is being used with. read more

Sand and calcium sand are two different things. Regular sand is composed of tiny pieces of insoluble minerals (i.e. rocks) that may cause impaction if ingested when the gecko eats insects. Calcium sand is composed of calcium carbonate, the same chemical found in antacids, chalk and cuttlebone. read more

My vet told me the #1 problem, and deaths he sees in reptiles is from calcium sand impaction. Heck, do a google or yahoo search on "Calcium Sand Impactions" and take a look at all the stuff that comes up. read more