Well, what can I say? :) It seems like some sort of scientific study is in
order here, but even such a study would be difficult because of physical and
behavioral differences between geckos of the same species which may be
outwardly similar and differences of individuals at different times in their
life.
One thing I might venture to say is that all sand is not created equal. I
believe that after ingesting a quantity of calcareous sand (which is what we
think they want anyway), acids from the digestive system would continue to
be produced until all of the calcium is digested. Silica-based sand, on the
other hand, if it got stuck would most likely just sit there and be
impacted, a very cruel fate.
I might venture furthur to surmise that animals which eat sand (except
little boys and girls) do so because they evolved in a place with a
substance in the sand (in our case, calcium) that they needed.
>From: Rick Ellis <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
>Reply-To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
>To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
>Subject: Re: [Gecko] Is Bed-A-Beast bad?
>Date: Mon, 12 Feb 2001 23:48:34 -0800
>
>Steve G: I've had a female leo on ground walnut hulls for 3 years. NO
>problems - I chose it in part because it looks like a natural desert
>substrate. I continued to raise another younger female on the very fine
>sand she came with. Although she had a dish of calcium and dusted
>crickets, she may have been seeking nutrients prior to egg-laying when
>she ate and became thoroughly impacted from stem to stern with the fine
>sand.
>
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>
Steven Neil Groginsky
mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]
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