Bearded Dragon Enclosure advise.

[ScalelessTime]

I have red calcium sand, a plastic Chinese food lid as a small pool, some red tinted heat catching rocks (stacked for climbing), a wooden plank, and one of my shirts (taming training). What else should I get? I have red that the calcium sand is bad for BDs and has killed many. Any advice to what I should improve to the tank? My bearded dragon eats awesome and feels comfortable about his cage. I was thinking some more would make it a little more entertaining for him.

[smy_749]

Take out the calcium sand, put washed children's play sand or dirt. Not sure what the shirt supposed to do, but I imagine it could get caught on his nails and bother him.

If you want to entertain him, give him a deep layer of dirt to dig around in.

[ScalelessTime]

Thank you. Is there anywhere I could by the dirt or play sand?

[jarich]

I would recommend the soil substrate over the sand. This will allow your dragon to burrow, and maintain its hydration. You can buy it, but the best comes from outside. If you know an area that is free of pesticides, herbicides, pollutants, etc then just go dig up the top 6" or so of the soil. It will be rich in aerobic bacteria, nematodes, etc so is better than anything you buy. If you dont have access to an area like that (I live in the city, so dont either) then you can buy bags of topsoil at most hardware or garden stores. Make sure its just plain ole topsoil, no added stuff for plants like compost, vermiculite, fertilizers, etc. Then buy washed playsand and mix it together at about 70:30 soil to sand. Also, but some gravel or expanded clay hydroton balls (also found at any garden shop). Put those in the bottom about an inch thick, this is your drainage layer so that you dont oversaturate your soil when you water it. Buy some fibreglass screen, like you put in your windows (hardware store, very cheap) and put that over the gravel/clay balls. That will keep the soil up out of the drainage layer. Then add about 4-6 inches of that topsoil mix. After that, either go get some leaf litter (again in a pesticide/herbicide/pollution free area) and put a good layer of that over the top of the soil. You can next add some isopods, springtails, and earthworms to aid in waste breakdown and soil health. (you can find these on many websites, usually dart frog websites are the best) Add in your logs, rocks etc and you are good to go. Make sure to water the soil when you feel it dry out deeper than about a half inch. Feel free to ask any questions you might have.

[ScalelessTime]

How do I clean the tank when needed? Just scoop up the feces?

[smy_749]

How do I clean the tank when needed? Just scoop up the feces?

http://www.ssnakess.com/forums/general-enclosure-discussion/91336-bioactive-set-ups.html