sand impaction how big of threat is it?

[Nicky]

I"m hoping to purchase a beutiful fire red bearded dragon at my cousins pet store where the animals r kept pretty well anyways i have no idea what bedding to use i thought sand because they live in the desert but then there sand impaction is that a major problem for beardies? i wouldn;t know because ive never had one but what about you guys what kind of substraste do you use? and if its sand has it ever caused any problems?

[eyespy]

When I worked at a large vet hospital we saw about 5 to 7 deaths a week from sand impaction, plus 10 to 15 animals that we were able to save, so I'd say it's a fairly big risk. It's very tough to estimate just how high the risk is because so many dragons are never necropsied when they die that there aren't any really good statistics available.

Beardies are not true desert animals, only a very small percentage actually live in sandy areas, they are most commonly found in cattle and sheep ranching areas where there is plenty of soil and vegetation.

[Nicky]

oh ok thx wow thats horrible all those poor dragons well i'll make sure to use soil or something less harmful

[Kappa]

Most of the research ive done says beardies do fine on sand as long as they are large enough to handle it, sub adults seem to do fine on sand? It mostly the smaller guys who have problems with it. Thats what ive read anyways, my guys are currently on repti turf and are only 12weeks old.

[eyespy]

Don't believe everything you read, Kappa! Average age of death for a sand impacted dragon is 5 years old.

[Pia]

I have recently switched from silica sand to Eco Earth, it's a dried cocount bark that you can use dry or moist (use dry for beardies) to reduce the risk of impaction over time. It's texture is very much like soil. Bed a Beast is another brand of the same thing. There are some previous posts on this forum that are very helpful. Try searching under "substrate" if you are interested. My beardie didn't mind the change at all. As for juveniles, reptile carpet, paper towel and newspaper are good choices. Hope this helps.

[Beardonicus]

I totally avoid this problem by using paper towels. The safety of my animals is not less important than how the cage looks.

[Big AL]

Well I dissagree with those who keep their herps on papertowels, newspaper, cage carpet etc unless the animal is sick. I prefer to give them as natural a home as possible using sand, dirt, stones, logs, and plants etc. Its bad enough these guys aren't allowed to run free. We should at least make them as comfortable as possible. Its like buying a dog and locking him in a room to live on newspaper his whole life. Sure he may live longer and have less health problems, but what a crappy way to live. So why would you do that to your herps? I say get a big enough tank that you can give him different layers to climb and dig. Use play sand, large stones or slate, logs or branches and a few plants. Try to make it as close to natural as you can. In warmer weather build him a nice outdoor enclosure and interact with him as much as possible. Good luck with your new pet.....

[eyespy]

They absolutely love being on wheat bran or bed-a-beast, it's light and fluffy enough to satisfy their urges to dig and create wallows without the risk. So why risk sand, which isn't a very natural part of their environment? Most beardies in the wild live in woodlands or cattle/sheep ranchland where there isn't much or any sand.

[Beardonicus]

LMAO.......did you even read your post before you posted it, BigAl? Re-read this:

"Sure he may live longer and have less health problems, but what a crappy way to live."

Hmmmm.....he may live longer and have less health probelms. THATs crappy?!?! Well in that case why don't you just not go to the doctor when you're sick......you may live longer but why go through the trouble of sitting in the waiting room and getting seen by a doctor?

Just by the simple fact we are keeping these animals in captivity, we are forfeiting their "natural habitat." Living in a glass or plastic cage is no more natural than the artificial sunlight we often have to give them or any of the other care methods we use.......so why use the least important "natural" aspect of keeping a herp? Trust me.....they don't care what substrate you keep them on.....but YOU should. If you want your Beardie to have a "natural" life, then get on a plane and go to Australia and release him. This is the only true way to give him a "natural" life.

[Big AL]

Obviously you didnt read your post because you just proved my point. Why keep them in a jail cell their whole life. To me that is crappy. They need to dig and climb and lay out on rocks etc. Its the closest we can give them to a real home. Living in a glass box on paper towels is no way to live....thats just selfish! Let them live as normal a life as they can. If you dont like sand use bedabeast or dirt. Last time I went to Austrailia I didnt notice the outback covered in paper towels and newspaper...

[Beardonicus]

LMAO......you just don't get it do you? There is no way for us to recreate the conditions in the wild......the animals are solely dependent on us for survival. It sounds to me like you don't need to have any reptiles if you feel that they are treated so inhumanely by being kept in captivity. You sound more like an animal rights activist than a herper. The outback doesn't dust the crickets for the animals, nor does it supply veterinary care if the need arises, so why would you bring up something so trivial as substrate? The FACT of the matter is that paper towels are safer.......its not an opinion. If how your cage looks means more to you than the safety of your animals perhaps you should rearrange your priorities.

[eyespy]

He's actually reproducing nature quite nicely, most beardies die of starvation, exposure, predation, etc. long before they would die of old age, and beardies kept on sand run a high risk of dying young from starvation from all the sand that lines their guts interfering with nutrient absorption.

[Big AL]

You are the biggest fool....can you actually comprehend what you read? You obviously are the one that "DOESN'T GET IT" ! Whats inhumane is keeping an animal in a glass box with nothing to stimulate its life. Substrate to dig in as well as plant life and rocks and logs to climb on are important parts of their life. There is more to keeping a pet than feeding it and cleaning its poop. I see how easy it would be in your setup. If you are too lazy or too challenged to build a nice home for your pets maybe you need to find new homes for them.

[Beardonicus]

LMAO......So you're the Pet Psychic now? I don't think stimulation is an integral part of a reptile's life. Sure it helps, but having little or none won't affect your animal. I also never said my beardie doesn't have things to climb on or the like....all I said was that I use paper towels to eliminate the risk of impaction. If you're gonna make your set-up as "natural" as possible, why not add some potential predators or perhaps a drought period.....and don't feed them as much.....oh yeah, they'd have to be outside in order to get natural sun......you see where I'm going? Your attempt to make your cage "as natural as possible" is laughable at best and dangerous at worst. If natural to you means endangering your animals, then go right ahead....just don't say no one told you differently.

[Big AL]

Man you are stubborn!!! Just call it a draw....Its obvious we are on different ends of the spectrum when it comes to our animals environment. I think its a big part of their life and you dont think its too important. All my animals, herps and nonherps, are healthy and happy. I can't ask for anything more.

Nicky sorry for all the arguing on your post. You may want to pick up some books on bearded dragons. The best one I've found is The Bearded Dragon Manual by Phillippe De VosJoli and Robert Mailloux. Post a pic of the little guy I bet he is a cutie!!!