Is Calcium Sand Really THAT Bad?

[xLilliax]

Ah, yeah that sounds like a plan..and I know how it goes getting the food and water dishes full of sand..I hate it.
I'll try the tile for her as soon as we move (Oct. 1) and I plan on getting everything redone for her tank and start working on building a new one. She's getting a bit big for hers now (She turned 3 today ^_^)
Anyways, I'll probably steal your idea Crickest, and go with the 1/2 tile - 1/2 repticarpet, sounds like a super good idea, managable and not a ton of work to clean. 8)
Thank you tons everyone!

 

[Dagron]

I just wanted to point out something I noticed when I researched substrate for my beardy, I found it odd that this factor is not mentioned here and that is Toe Curling. I noted that it was mentioned in a number of articles and books that I read before purchasing my beardy. Now I am by no means an expert but my friends have had great success with the calci-sands for quite some time. I just wanted to mention it as it was something that was bothering me as I was reading up on these forums.
:study:

 

[Kemptastic]

Hello :}

Just a quick suggestion, I personally, am afraid to use sand for my beardies. Due to the possibilties of impaction, I use Newspaper to floor thier vivs. Its not the most attractive thing, but its alot safer, and it makes it easier to clean out :}
Good Luck

Mo.

 

[xLilliax]

I've had newspaper for her before, kind of a pain if you ask me, but if I ever have to, I'll use it!

How does the tiles/repticarpet do for heat?

I'm afraid that the tiles might get too hot and burn her belly.

 

[crickest]

I use tile on the warm side of the tank, with the basking spot raised above the tile. I place my digital probe on the top of my basking spot to monitor the basking temps. If my basking temp is spot on at 105 - 107, then the tile beneath is (which is warmed by the light, but not overheated) is warm to the touch, but not hot. I also have a piece of wood near the basking spot that Spark can lay on or crawl under. The spot under the bark is tiled and usually cool to the touch. He likes to go under there to sleep, when he can be bothered to move off his log when the lights go out. On the other side of the tank I just have repti-carpet. The carpet helps keep the cool side cool and I use it because Spark likes to poo on it.

 

[Rachella]

I haven't read the rest of the board ((I'm not being ignorant, just lazy, my apologies!)), I just thought I'd share my two pennies.

I've been using sand for Dude and Girl the majority of this year. I've used paper towels and tiles before and I think the choice to switch to sand was purely for appearance. ((Don't fuss at me yet, folks.))

I think that if you're -careful- with it, sand shouldn't pose a problem. It -can- be a problem if you're irresponsible with it, such as putting babies or even juveniles on it. They tend to be very curious and want to lick things. When I put sand in my beardies tanks, I kept an eye on them like a hawk for several days ((not too hard, they sat in the same room as my computer)) to make sure they weren't getting 'curious' about it.

I also made absolutely certain to feed them outside of their tank. This included vegetables and feeders. I will admit that I experimented at times to see if I could find a bowl/dish deep enough to keep sand from being a problem while still allowing the beardie to feed, but I found that even if it was, beardies loved to tromp around and drag the sand with them wherever they went so sand got in them anyways. The experiments always failed.

For poop removal, we used a wide sand shovel and basically scooped out the poop and all sand around/over/under it as well to minimize any chance of bacteria becoming a problem. Because of this, we ended up replacing the sand quite frequently and that was getting to be -expensive-.

That was the factor that made me switch back to tile. Girl's new tank is lined up with tile and so far she is loving it. Her tank could fit two squares width-wise comfortably but the third was an inch over, so we ended up making the entire back part of her tank a ramp which she really, really seems to enjoy, especially since she's now near a window and will spend all day looking outside from the vantage point the ramp gives her.

Dude still has sand, but his tank is next for renovation.

Just thought that'd share that sand, when proper precautions are made, isn't always a -bad- thing, but the sacrifice is being extra cautious, extra careful and willing to follow a certain set of protocols and responsibilities that come with it. At least, that has been my own, personal experience with it.

But yes! Tile and repticarpet and non-sand/loose substrate types are always the better choice!

 

[xLilliax]

Thanks Rachella, that was helpful. I agree, that the sand does get expensive having to replace it so often, and she does get sand in her food and water!

But the tiles don't get too hot for them when the light is on them? How are they for holding heat?

 

[Rachella]

Naw, the tiles don't get nearly hot enough to worry about them burning her. They may get -warm-, but never so much that it's something to worry about. If anything, Girl seems to appreciate them and loves plopping her big 'ol belly((she's turned into such a pig!)) right down on them.

You can get a box of tiles for relatively cheap at any hardware store ((Like Lowes or Home Depot)). We ended up splurging and bought a box of nice tiles... 26 of them? I think for about 20 bucks, though. I've also heard that they'll cut them to size, too. But I've only read that and I haven't actually -asked- them or gotten it done, though I do plan on seeing if they'll do it for Dude when I get his tiles.

 

[xLilliax]

Aw, yeah I think that I'm gonna really look into that. I've seen some vivs with tiles and the repti carpet and they do look really nice. I only liked the sand mainly because it gave them that deserty look. =)
I think I might do 1/2 her cage in tile and 1/2 repti carpet....she needs a larger cage. She's getting a bit too big for hers hehe.

How big are your beardies?

 

[Rachella]

Yeah, that was about the same reason I had picked sand. Although I do enjoy the nice, rocky look that the tiles give them.

Dude is 17 inches and Girl is 16. I -just- measured them, since it needed to be again anyways!

Girl has really -grown- these past few months! :love5: She used to be so much smaller and now she's nearly as long as Dude is! Granted, she doesn't even -look- like it, but the measuring tape cannot lie! :mrgreen:

 

[xLilliax]

Haha, that's awesome. I've gotta measure Lillia sometime. I'm goingto the petstore in about an hour to get her some crickets/superworms, and repti carpet. It's my birthday today, and usually when I spoil myself, I spoil my animals even more. She's getting a new Hammock today too! =D

 

[Dannye92]

I used to u tile bout it became really annoying as my dragon pooped then stood in it and ran everywhere else, iv switched to sand and its so much better, my dragon loves it to! He runs around nd explores the entire viv much more, and although people say sand harbours bacteria etc etc mine never actually poops in the sand! Mine always poops on driftwood where he basks. I have only had one problem is when i feed him and the locust jump into the water then the sand. That has happened once but nuffin happened!