Leopard gecko using moist hide as toilet.

I know leo's tend to favour one corner of their viv to go to the toilet in but my new juvenile Anke has decided he or she (i dont know the sex yet) likes to go in the moist box. I normally fill the moist box with damp sphagnum moss but now I am filling it with damp kitchen roll. I tried removing the moist box for like a week and Anke went in the same corner but not the moist box but when I put it back in the following week anke used it as a toilet again. It doesnt really matter that she goes in their apart it would be better if it wasnt used as the toilet. any ideas on how to stop this ?

Welcome the forum! I'm Kathryn I hope you enjoy your time here!

Do you use papertowel as substrate? If its being used as substrate and then as well as the moist hide, the leo may be confused.

Maybe try moving it into a different corner, if that corner is the one your leo has dubbed as his "potty corner".

I often find that the leo's will choose a corner. And once they have chosen the corner, they will poo in that corner no matter what you put there.

Stick a hide in their corner, they'll poo on it or in it.
Stick a water bowl in the corner they'll poo in their water.
They are just stubborn with their corners haha.

I use repti carpet as a substrate, Il try moving the moist hide to a different corner Cheers for the answers

Yeah, I'd suggest moving the hide all together and let s/he have the corner for poopin', haha.


As for the repti-carpet, if you'll read the "Proper housing" thread linked in my signature I bet you'll get some great hints for your viv.

ive moved the moist hide and found some nice slate roofing tiles for my viv

coool

My female leo also started pooping in her moist hide a couple of months ago so I decided to remove the poop and put it in a different spot so she would recognise the smell and now she only poops in the new spot.

Il give that a try when anke next goes to the toilet cheers