How Often Should I Bedding Change?

Hi
My beardie Leonardo is 8 months and 14 inches long from nose to tip of tail. He is in in a 40 gallon tank. I use chips for the bedding, just a little larger than sand. How often should I change the Bedding? I do a spot clean every day, so it is not that bad. The last time I did a bedding change was about 4 months ago when I got a new tank.
How often should I do a bedding change?
Thanks in advance!

BeardieLover1011

Get rid of the chips .... horrible impaction risk in a bearded dragon tank.

BAD SUBSTRATES
>>> sand == BAD AND IF CALCISAND this is EXTREMELY BAD/LETHAL when ingested
>>> gravel == DO NOT USE
>>> indigestible particulate organic material with particles too large to pass through == BAD for beardies.

Best substrates are
absorbant paper towels - a few layers
news paper
butchers paper
loose layed (no glue , no grout) floor or wall tiles
slate
lino

Hello,

I Agree with nobbys, Please get rid of that sand!!

Because particle substrates can cause:
>Particle substrates harbor bacteria and sometimes fungus spores,
>It has a risk of impaction,
>It's very hard to spot clean,
>It smells,
>Respiratory infections and other issues similar to that,
>It can stain the skin on beardies,
>Prolapses,
>Joint issues,
> provides a place for tons of bacteria to breed,
>so not very clean even if you do spot clean it,
>it can cause scale rot sometimes,
>it also can cause fungal infections. And of course death.

There's about a billion other reasons why not to use particle substrates but these are some of the biggest issues.

Unlike a Tegu, or a Blue Tongue Skink, or anything like those species that can be kept on particle substrates, beardies can’t because they are so prone to these things. Those other species are generally on correct substrates as well, which sand isn't very good for any type of animal and lots of people almost always assume desert equals a sand filled wasteland.

Good substrates are:

>Slate tile,
>Carpet (but make sure there is no loose threads which could wrap around a toe and cut off circulation),
>Paper towels,
>Newsprint,
>and Even Linoleum.

So basically, ANY particle substrate = Ton of health issues and a sickly, sad beardie.
Solid substrate = Happy and healthy beardie.

I Hope that this was helpful!

-HippieLizards.