uromastyx substrate

[manville]

hey guys, i was wondering what other kind of substrate could be used in a uromastyx enclosure other than sand? Would bark chips, pebbles or potting soil work? I was thinking of mixing some substrate up.

[Linds]

You could use large, flat rocks, or slate tiling. These can definitely help to create a very attractive setup. Definitely not potting soil, these are dry climate critters, and potting soil is best suited to moister environments, and even then, it can be a pain to keep clean (waste blends in), and can be a breeding ground for all sorts of stuff. In its dry form, it can be dusty, and still harbour stuff that is quite different from their natural environment.

[emilsmee]

i heard you're supposed to use bird seed, but i find it moulds really easily. so now i use a product called Desert Blend. it's made of crushed up walnut shells and is digestable. it looks awesome too, and has no smell. i also use a hide box and corkbark for hides because the cork is usually fairly flat and that makes them feel more secure. the hide box is so they can all fit, lol.

hope that helps.

[damzookeeper]

Originally posted by emilsmee
i heard you're supposed to use bird seed, but i find it moulds really easily. so now i use a product called Desert Blend. it's made of crushed up walnut shells and is digestable. it looks awesome too, and has no smell. i also use a hide box and corkbark for hides because the cork is usually fairly flat and that makes them feel more secure. the hide box is so they can all fit, lol.

hope that helps.

I use bird seed and have never had a problem with it molding. Is there too much humidity in your enclosure that could be causing this? Just a thought, I've only had mine since May but have had birdseed in there since I got him and there is no mold. :)

[manville]

ok. i think i am gonna get some tiles and put birdseeds in it too. a portion of it will be covered by sand too. i will post some picture up when it is done up. thanks. i read somewhere that it is ok to use bird seeds. smart idea.

[Linds]

emilsmee,
Crushed walnut shells are quite dangerous to use as substrate. Although they state theat they are digestible, they can cause serious problems if ingested. The small pieces can actually have a cutting effect on the internal organs, causing internal bleeding amongst other things :eek:

[manville]

yeah, they dont really sound too good to me either.

[emilsmee]

i dunno, i use it at the store for years and have never had a problem yet. as far as humidity and birdseed: i live in Windsor, ON, humidity isn't something i can avoid easily. any substrate swallowed in excess can cause impaction though. sand is the worst and birdseed is the best, i just use the inbetween. i've had nothing but bad results with the latter two...

[manville]

sand is not the worst. i disagree with you saying that.

[emilsmee]

i only think it's the worst because which would you think is better to swallow, digestable walnut shell pieces or tiny stones? i'm pretty much going by the fact that it's the least digestable and i've seen more animals die from being on sand than ANY other substrate. today infact there was a lady who brought in a leopard gecko that was on decorative sand (not calcium sand) and it was sooo blocked up with that damn blue sand that it severely needed surgery, which of course the person isn't going to get for it...
it happens at least once a week...

[Pookie]

I have used Lizard Litter in the past and it's worked pretty well. I have also used the Desert Blend substrate. They both work really well. My uro loves to eat bird seed so i think he'd be pretty fat if that was what i used. :)

[Nicki]

Well, many of the most well-respected uro breeders use washed playsand. The granules are rounded. Many people use just newspaper or paper towels only for the very youngest uros who are more at risk of impaction. But it doesn't seem to be a big problem with adult uros.

There is a lot of research and experience that points out that crushed walnut is very bad for reptiles, though. As pointed out before, it can damage the internal organs and kill your pets.

I've used playsand for years, and it has always been perfect for me.

As far as humidity, if your heat levels are up to the appropriate levels, you are lowering the humidity automatically. If the humidity is still high, it works to have an air conditioner to lower the room's ambient humidity.

Nicki

[Gillards]

We have always used playsand and never had a problem. How old is your uromastyx? Remember that birdseed is hard to digest as well!! The will eat the birdseed but only taste the sand so they will injest much more of the seed. I have seen small uros die from impactions caused from birdseed but not from playsand.
Lorraine Gillard

[manville]

My uromastyx is pretty young. Not too sure about its age though. Its a juvenile. I am using both sand and bird seeds right now. I will tell you how they work out. The only bad thing is that it poops on the bird seeds.