Hello,I am looking to make my enclosure for my 4 month old bearded dragon bioactive. I have done some research on the subject, and it should be perfectly safe, especially because I feed my dragon in a container seperate of her living tank. Anyways, I will be putting compost in the substrate, and I was just wondering what I should do should an fungal growth like mushrooms start occuring, as it has a tendancy to do with my compost. would me custodians eat it? Should I pick it? Thanks.
Mushrooms
- Thread starter HillaryBD
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Taterbug
BD.org Addict
Isopods and especially springtails LOVE fungus. That may not stop the initial blooms while your setup is establishing but long term is what will keep things under control. I feed my springtails chopped mushrooms even. I've only had mushroom problems once, with yellow mushrooms that came in on some crappy sphagnum moss from a garden center. I scooped out the offending/colonized soil and threw it away. I remove any shrooms in the dragon enclosure since I can't ID them and don't want him eating them.
If you have the opportunity to let the system establish for a few weeks or more unoccupied then you might be able to see if it's even going to be an issue.
That said, it shouldn't take too much compost, it tends to be heavy and I've found that sandier well draining soils (at least for the upper layers) work better for arid setups (and arid plants) than heavy moisture retaining dirt.
If you have the opportunity to let the system establish for a few weeks or more unoccupied then you might be able to see if it's even going to be an issue.
That said, it shouldn't take too much compost, it tends to be heavy and I've found that sandier well draining soils (at least for the upper layers) work better for arid setups (and arid plants) than heavy moisture retaining dirt.
Varalidaine
Juvie Member
I can't offer any help concerning your question, but I will be really interested in seeing how everything turns out! A little WIP thread would be really fun to follow once you start!
Gormagon
Extreme Poster
I read somewhere(either here or in one of the many articles I have researched over the last 6 months) that mushrooms are toxic to bearded dragons. If I were you I would Google it to make certain. I don't agree with using that type of sub-straight for a dragon because of humidity , fungus and, impaction risks. But that is just me. I know it looks astheticly pleasing but, is your dragons life worth risking over looks?
Can bearded dragons eat mushrooms?
It is not recommended to feed mushrooms to bearded dragons because various mushrooms are highly toxic and lethal for beardies. Please visit our diet page for a list of other dangerous foods for bearded dragons .
Source: http://www.thebeardeddragon.org/bearded-dragon-faq.php#25
Can bearded dragons eat mushrooms?
It is not recommended to feed mushrooms to bearded dragons because various mushrooms are highly toxic and lethal for beardies. Please visit our diet page for a list of other dangerous foods for bearded dragons .
Source: http://www.thebeardeddragon.org/bearded-dragon-faq.php#25
Taterbug
BD.org Addict
Gormagon":17fs1wvq said:
There is a wide range of mushrooms, some can be toxic (which means anything from they can make you sick to your stomach to kill you) and some are fine to eat (if not a good part of a dragon's diet). Its defiantly something to watch out for, but I haven't found it to be a big deal.
Not to say your concerns aren't valid, or that bioactive is the right fit for every one but for my self and many others aesthetics are a fringe benefit. My pets health is my top priority with them, and part of that is environmental and cognitive enrichment. I really wouldn't be able to provide as stimulating an environment if I had to keep things sterile and super clean. A lot of typical enclosures and practices I would consider inhumane, really. Just because they are safe and easy to clean doesn't always make for a healthy or happy inhabitant.
I am not making the switch for aesthetics, but so my dragon can experience a more naturalistic lifestyle. The substrate will not be easily edible, and it will end up being healthier for her because it breaks down fecal matter and harmful bacteria for them. thank you for you concern, though.Gormagon":3hx1i8sq said:
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