8) substrate

[joer]

Hey guys and gals about to get a Bearded Dragon from my friend that cant take care of him any more just wanted to know what kind of substrate should i use. I use tiles for my leos should i do the same route?

[Se_Steve]

I use Rabbit pellets but cleaned play sand at a hardware store is used by many. Beardie must be over 12 inches for these substrates. Steve

[sheldon]

We use wheat bran ($8.60 per 25Kg). You can get it at feed stores. Works well, easy to clean, suitable for all sizes, and it's okay if they ingest it.

[beardiedragon]

Duck brand non-adhesive shelf liner for babies, playsand for over 10"-12"

[Dragon_Slave]

Sand = bad news

The SAFEST substrates are:

1. Reptile Carpeting
2. Newspaper/Papertowel
and for dragons over 12 inches, Yesterdays News cat litter-the unscented original version (it keeps smells down in the tank, and cannot be ingested as easily as sand, beardies LOVE to play in this stuff!)

[ICULIZARD]

We use sand like a lot of other breeders. Never had a problem with impaction and I believe that as long as a dragon is healthy to begin with you should not see any negative effects. We use Stone Mason Playsand and it's nice and white with no larger pebbles. Do not use Calci-sand from Pet Stores. If your dragon seems ill for any reason, your dragon should be moved to Shelf Liner (what we use for all our babies under 12 inches) or newspaper until he/she is better.

You will find that many people disagree about sand, this argument comes up all the time on this site...It's a personal choice.

Good luck with your dragon :)

Megan
ICULIZARD

[Bighead]

I use slate tile and wheat bran. No downside I can think of. Oh- wait. I keep my water dish on the tile section because if the wheat bran gets wet it can mold. You can also use sWheat Scoop cat litter from the pet store which is in a nice pelleted form, but it costs more.

[drewlowe]

Wheat bran also.

[chamitch]

yea the only thing about weat bran is it absorbs moisture very easy and could mold and u wouldnt even know it. but as long as your not on the coast it should be fine.

[joer]

How do i wash the sand when i buy the play sand?

[huhet]

put it in a pillow case and run water through it

[chamitch]

what makes play sand is its sterilized and washed already so there not much dust. thats why it costs more then just buying sand by the truck load. but yea there is always gunna be a bit up dust so washing it wouldnt hurt. but unless u buy pipe cleanign sand (silica)there will always be dust.

[drewlowe]

I haven't had any problems with my wheat bran, and if it did mold i would know.

if your going to use sand (i don't suggest it) stay away from any "silica" sand (glass).

[Bighead]

ditto.

[meow_mix450]

never had problems with sand, but tiels are great too, i use sand. Also it depends what you want a more natural look?

Meow