Bearded Dragon SAND.!

[SmaugTheBD]

I know that everyone says to never have Bearded Dragons on sand, and I partially agree with this. NEVER would I house a Bearded Dragon let alone any other reptile on CALCI-SAND. Or any other "fancy"-colored, fake, artificial sand. BUT, there is a type of sand called "Childrens Play Sand", which is not as dangerous as calci because they don't always want to eat it..(other benefits too). A lot of people say tile is the best substrate. How would you like to sleep on cold, hard, uncomfortable, spikey tile? Exactly my point. Which is why in my enclosure i'm going to have (not 100% sure yet, going to read your guys' opinions) half of the tank Childrens Play Sand, and half of it Ceramic Tile. And of course I will feed him outside of the enclosure, and his greens/veggies in a bowl on the tile side. Also, I will bath him once a week which also usually gets out the impaction, if this is to ever happen. (and if it does, I learnt my lesson about sand) I was talking to a breeder on the phone earlier, (the place im getting my Beardie from in 2 weeks,) She houses them on all sand, and says nothing has ever happened to them..

ALSO* If you ever looked at pictures of Central Australia, you'd know there is sand, rocky outcrops, slate rocks, and grasslands. Which kind of relates to my enclosure a bit, trying to make it seem as natural as possible. They even say Beardies will eat some of the sand in the wild to get minerals out of it! Not sure if this is true, but..yeah.

Picture of CENTRAL AUSTRALIA: WHERE BEARDED DRAGONS LIVE!
http://s1136.photobucket.com/albums/n483/smaugthebd/?action=view&current=central-australia.jpg

So leave your opinions here, and your stories. Thanks.

 

[lauraj1055]

It's up to you what you want to do.. you know the risks of it, so there is no need to even go through it, but because my beardies are on tile, they have little fleece blankets they sleep on... so they never sleep on cold hard tile. OR they sleep in their hammocks.

 

[SmaugTheBD]

It's up to you what you want to do.. you know the risks of it, so there is no need to even go through it, but because my beardies are on tile, they have little fleece blankets they sleep on... so they never sleep on cold hard tile. OR they sleep in their hammocks.

I like the fleece idea. also, where do you get a hammock? or whatever those are

 

[lauraj1055]

You can get them here:

http://www.beardeddragons.co/beardeddragon/index.php?route=product/product&path=64&product_id=99

 

[WyattKB]

Obviously you know the risks, and you are going to go with sand anyway? *sigh* I am going to hate seeing you post a topic on here soon how to clear up impaction...

 

[Claudiusx]

Well like stated, you know the risks. You don't however, know whats in a dragons head. My dragons look comfortable as ever just laying flat on their tile during night. And if they aren't laying on their tiles they are laying on their logs or what not.

How would you like to live in a litter box, is what I say to how would you like to sleep on tile.

-Brandon

 

[SmaugTheBD]

Obviously you know the risks, and you are going to go with sand anyway? *sigh* I am going to hate seeing you post a topic on here soon how to clear up impaction...

Must be a lot of risks in the wild.. and I also know how to clear impaction even though he wont have it because hes eating salad on tile, and crickets/worms completely out of the tank.

 

[SmaugTheBD]

Well like stated, you know the risks. You don't however, know whats in a dragons head. My dragons look comfortable as ever just laying flat on their tile during night. And if they aren't laying on their tiles they are laying on their logs or what not.

How would you like to live in a litter box, is what I say to how would you like to sleep on tile.

-Brandon

well like i said above, I have a sand part and a tile part, + different decor for him to bask on.

 

[Claudiusx]

Must be a lot of risks in the wild..

There is.... thats why they live longer in captivity.

Don't get me wrong im not trying to bash you or anything Smaug, because I firmly believe its the owners choice what they want to do with their dragon, but I also want to educate at the same time.
If you want to house on sand, its your option that you alone control, but please don't think im being a jerk or trying to bash you for what your doing, again, im just trying to give you all the info possible.

-Brandon

 

[pudden318]

ok guys retract the claws everyone has a different opinion on this matter, so you do what you fit for your situation.

 

[SmaugTheBD]

Must be a lot of risks in the wild..

There is.... thats why they live longer in captivity.

Don't get me wrong im not trying to bash you or anything Smaug, because I firmly believe its the owners choice what they want to do with their dragon, but I also want to educate at the same time.
If you want to house on sand, its your option that you alone control, but please don't think im being a jerk or trying to bash you for what your doing, again, im just trying to give you all the info possible.

-Brandon

Tile is just to hard to obtain, and i dont know ANYWHERE I can find it..also how would you cut it to fit EXACTLY to the enclosure? just confuses me..

 

[WyattKB]

Even if you are feeding him outside the tank or on tile, all bearded dragons still lick the ground constantly. Whenever he is on the sand side of his tank, he will lick the sand and ingest it. It is unavoidable with sand... Why not just go all tile and add a alfalfa pellet box in one corner of the tank? That way, he will not eat the pellets (99% of beardies hate the taste of em) and he can still have comfort and dig. It is such a better setup.. Also, your beardie will poop in the sand and even if you scoop it there will still be juices in the sand. Keep him on tile, and it is so much easier to clean and he won't be living in a giant litter box. How would you like to have half your house a giant toilet. Please, I'm not trying to bash you either, just consider what I am saying. I have had an impacted beardie from previous owners keeping him on sand, and I almost lost him. I don't want other people going through that.

 

[Claudiusx]

Well, idk about your location, but most home improvement stores sell it, and will cut it for you.
Like stated above, its your choice in what you want to do. We are all friends here and no one is going to hate you just because you use sand :mrgreen:

-Brandon

 

[SmaugTheBD]

Even if you are feeding him outside the tank or on tile, all bearded dragons still lick the ground constantly. Whenever he is on the sand side of his tank, he will lick the sand and ingest it. It is unavoidable with sand... Why not just go all tile and add a alfalfa pellet box in one corner of the tank? That way, he will not eat the pellets (99% of beardies hate the taste of em) and he can still have comfort and dig. It is such a better setup.. Also, your beardie will poop in the sand and even if you scoop it there will still be juices in the sand. Keep him on tile, and it is so much easier to clean and he won't be living in a giant litter box. How would you like to have half your house a giant toilet. Please, I'm not trying to bash you either, just consider what I am saying. I have had an impacted beardie from previous owners keeping him on sand, and I almost lost him. I don't want other people going through that.

Yeah, im getting tile I believe, if not im just getting non adhesive shelf liner for now. I just got a little too convinced by a beardie breeder. and the look of sand is amazing, but for the health of the animal, ill keep loose substrates out of mind.

 

[SmaugTheBD]

Well, idk about your location, but most home improvement stores sell it, and will cut it for you.
Like stated above, its your choice in what you want to do. We are all friends here and no one is going to hate you just because you use sand :mrgreen:

-Brandon

I just got a little too convinced by a breeder..i guess ill just use tile or something. but will the stores cut the tiles that day? or does it take a few days for them to custom size it?