New To Bearded Dragons

[AntAPD]

This is my first Bearded Dragon and i just picked it up this morning and its been exploring its tank all day. It's probably about 4-6 inches long not counting tail. I have the UV light a basking bulb and a 30 gall tank (36x18x12). It has a Calcium sand substrate in it that i got at the pet store. It seems to be really active and everything but it just started digging about an hour ago. It first starting digging in the sand underneath one of the structures in his tank and I thought he was chasing a cricket. Once i moved the fake-log thing he/she started doing it near its water. I looked online and it said that females do it when their tryin to lay eggs but i just got this thing and I believe the guy at the store told me it was a male because of some color spots on its underside. Im not worried about it either way (male/female), i'm just curious why its digging? Should I get more substrate so it has more room to dig? Or just leave it and eventually it'll get the idea that its not making any progress.

 

[dobiegil2000]

Please do not get more substrate for your beardie. Calcium sand is known to impact beardies (especially babies) which could kill them. Safe alternatives are: paper towels, tile and newspaper. Please check out the care pages on this website and look at beautiful dragons. org for information regarding feeding of your new little one.

Hope this helps.
Robin

 

[Elora]

IMHO you may want to take all that sand out and buy some non stick shelf liner or paper towels for your little one. I first had my beardies on the calci sand so I know how hard of a job it is to get it all out of the tank but it is defiantly worth it. Calci sand can cause impaction as the previous poster noted which could kill your new baby! It would be a load off your back to remove the calci sand so that you dont have to worry about that happening. The calci sand is really expensive and not as clean. Non stick shelf liner is way cheaper and if you get the one without the holes it is so easy to clean up the poop! plus no worries about any poop left behind wich could also make them sick.

anyways congrats on your new baby and i hope you stick around so we can hear about all the great times you will have with him!!!