I just purchased my first shipment of 100 dubia roaches

Dont know if it matters but I got mine from a company called ABdragons and it's my favorite dubia roach supplier.

Dubias are very easy to care for, they hardly escape, are cleaner than crickets, and live longer. They can't climb surfaces well like other kinds of roaches so a plastic tub with air holes for a large colonies work. I keep mine in a medium sized plastic keeper. Currently not breeding due to space but my beardies are older anyways and these guys last quite a bit. Definitely will be your moneys worth!

Venus, I appreciate your concern, I really do. However, with all non particle beddings I've tried besides repti carpet(in which he would get his nails caught on occasion and the crickets would hide), he would either throw a fit or the crickets would hide and die. He's been on walnut shells for a while without problem. I'm aware that goherping claims that it's sharp but it's really not, just less fine than any sand beddings. I understand that there will always be a risk but, at this point it is quite minuscule and not of true concern.
Again, thanks for your concern of my beardy's health but it really isn't necessary.

That's why I never used the particle substrates or sand. I did the research online right after I got the initial repticarpets for a repurposed aquarium that was definitely too small. Within the first week i got better lighting and the 40 gallon sized enclosure.

My substrate will probably always be repticarpet as i have driftwood in the enclosure now for him to have as texture versus just having the repticarpet.

Since my beardie has always had trouble or lack of interest in live crickets i'll be using the freeze dried crickets going forward as the primary while keeping them dusted in the herpivite or plain if it's an off day for the dusting. The veg i put in the enclosure will continue to have the calcium dusting on it as that is up to 3 times a week minimum up to daily.

Forgot to mention the T5 light i got was from lightyourreptiles.com which I purchased at the suggestion of another forum member back when I joined as I was concerned about lighting issues. I love that fixture and don't regret purchasing it at all. Will have to start monitoring the light in Feb or march as that will be the six to seven month bracket so that i can get a replacement bulb for the 22 inch fixture that i have. That'll be about the time i need to replace the basking bulb as well which i can get locally from petsmart.

Sorry if i upset anyone here but me personally i would NEVER use impact causing substrates in my beardie enclosure.

Well, freeze dried crickets as staple protein for a growing beardy can result in stunted growth and/or malnutrition. As for substrate, I understand why you wouldn't, you're just being a very protective parent. There's nothing wrong with that you're just taking away risk, large or small. In your case, since young/juvenile beardies aren't very accurate at catching prey/not dropping vegetables, it's taking away a large risk. Once your beardy improves and particle substrates are used, then it would be a small risk(which is why I'm not too concerned). Also, Venus, I know you say switch it will gone but then they'd just come back. Personally, I don't think it's worth it to remove a tiny safety risk at the cost of people that you're constantly around with being angry with you. Again, no hostility intended.

The freeze dried crickets are going to be used in conjuction with my mealworms.

The reason is my beardie has always had little or no interest or perhaps aim as you said in catching live crickets. the reason those larger stones are sitting on my repticarpet is any time i put live prey in there regardless of the rocks they'd find somewhere to hide. I can control that with mealworms and the freeze dried crickets (which are the flukers gourmet variety in a can. btw do I have to refrigerate those after i open the can as it's moist inside there).

Veg of some kind is always in there 24/7 changed once a day and misted if it's not being changed.

calcium is dusted every day on the veg and the canned crickets get the vitamin powder as needed which means a couple times a week. otherwise i'll just give them to the beardie naturally without the dusting.

Also why am i still up at 1am?

So if im correct.... you rather risk the life of another living animal that lives 15-20 years to not have other people be mad at you for doing whats best for YOUR own animal?
I know you think that might be best but i just hope if anything goes wrong you wont be stubborn like some people and still risk the substrate that harmed the dragon before.

And its not exactly a tiny risk as you think it is, sure adults "handle" it better as they are more developed however they still have a large risk just like younger ones do, just not extremely.

You have to actually look very closely to see the sharpness, if you just run your hands through it yeah its not gonna feel sharp.
I advise you to read up on the actual substrate your using.

I know this isnt my dragon and i shouldn't worry but it makes me a bit angry that someone could even risk injury of basically what you could consider your child, just to please others. Its possible that i just dont want anyone to experience what i went through at a young age, no kid should ever have to see a baby beardie die in front of them. It teaches you a lesson but knowing its your fault never goes away.
Though i'll leave you alone on the substrate matter, if it dies i guess it dies and you get to learn the mistake of doing that. Though at the cost of a innocent life.

Ah, the convenience factor. I would do the same if I owned a leopard gecko and a beardy if I was as limited in choices as you are. As for the crickets, I'm not sure as I would buy a tube of them rather than the can, I never put them in the fridge and they would last a while anyway. Care wise, your pretty darn good.

Also, Venus, I'm sorry for what you experienced with a past beardy. I understand that I assume the risk of impaction but my bearded dragon hasn't missed his crickets at all in forever and even when he did and ate a couple bits of shell nothing happened. If my beardy does face harm due to the substrate(I really hope no harm comes to him though), I would use it as an example as to why I should use tile for any future animals and I'm sure they would agree at that point. Plus, we're already providing a long, less stressful, and healthier life when kept in captivity compared to in nature. Not to mention we take risk all the time with our beardies. Whether it be giving a beardy a bath and risking not completely drying it resulting in a respiratory issue or allowing it to go outside for some Sun and risk the possibility of escape, we do take risk all the time, the risk I choose is just more obvious than others and pointed out unlike the other possible risk. Also, when people have kids, when those kids grow up, they assume risk themselves, perhaps it may not be directly the parent's fault but who would they be to possibly hold them captive and keep them away from any germs or people for the sake of complete safety? I understand that you'll continue to hate my decision but, as you said, it's my beardy and I would appreciate if you stopped bugging me about the substrate I use.

Shadohari, I'm curious. Where did you come up with that name of yours?

To Venus and Shadohari :
Mind if I had both of you? Id like to have some knowledgeable, semi like minded friends on this site. I understand if such a thing isn't fine with either of you, especially Venus since she seems to have a slight but not so subtle hatred and opposition to my advice and choices (on another thread, "https://www.beardeddragon.org/forums/viewtopic.php?f=18&t=239432).

I dont mind at all, everyone has different opinions, some good some bad. I just sometimes come off a bit harsh when i dont actually mean to most of the time.

I have people on an aquarium forum that also come off the same way as Venus does. However it's not because they're trying to be mean (and it took me a long time to get used to that). It's because they care very much about their children, fish or four legged (or otherwise).

I actually took a step back when i initially read Venus's posts as i realized the amount of care she has for her beardie, as well as the concern for others.

I live in a very nice one bedroom condo unit, and it's unfortunate that I hadn't checked the HOA rules before placing the order. It's the same reason i'm reluctant to purchase Phoenix/Repti Worms.

My local petsmart does Have superworms, and i'm trying veggies on a small plate again to see if they'll start eating it off the plate. Up until now it's been on the white paper towel (though i will go back to that if needed). I don't know if any butternut squash will be eaten today, and my beardie was pretty full after the six flukers canned crickets they had yesterday. I actually have to check the sizes on them as they were almost too big for them to eat.

Put the two pieces of driftwood back in the enclosure yesterday. leaves less room overall but hoping the driftwood would help as it's nails are growing longer and I don't feel brave enough to clip them.





Salad i made last night for beardie was zucchini squash and butternut squash dusted with calcium with the two pieces of the cricket that weren't eaten that day on top. As I mentioned to Key since i live by myself i tend to keep veg in the house that I would use if it wasn't eaten by the beardie in time before it spoiled. Wow actually managed to get this post back on topic.

Enjoy the two 'off topic' pictures have a great day. Also Key to answer your question Shidohari Is part of a name I made up combining two of my favorite anime characters from a long time ago.

Well, hi everybody. Here is a picture with of my shedding beardy.

http://photobucket.com/gallery/user/KeyBlu/media/cGF0aDovSU1HXzEyNDlfenBzaW41bHp3dHAuanBn/?ref=1