Replacing Substrate, best way to get sand out?

[Blakeybutt]

Hello all. I've finally got some tiles for Sally's enclosure. I have a big of sand in there right now. What is the best way to clean the sand out?

I have a Central vac in my house. Would that work? Or, am I forced to scoop it all out?

 

[doe222]

I would use a shop vac. If you do not have one, yea scoop out 99% of it and then run your vacum. If you had access to a shop vac you just suck it all up in there. I am happy you are getting rid of the sand please dont tell me your putting more in there. Sand is bad for beardies and can/will cause impaction.

 

[Blakeybutt]

I would use a shop vac. If you do not have one, yea scoop out 99% of it and then run your vacum. If you had access to a shop vac you just suck it all up in there. I am happy you are getting rid of the sand please dont tell me your putting more in there. Sand is bad for beardies and can/will cause impaction.

No, I fear that it was what had me worried for weeks. She hadn't pooped for over a month. I came on here, and asked what to do. They told me to use olive oil, and BAM, it worked. Now, I can only suspect it was the sands fault. I'm putting tile in it this time. Sands the devil.

 

[doe222]

Lol yes sand is the devil, Ceasars first case of impaction had me shaking as well. The olive oil trick i learned from users on here definetly helped. To many meal worms in one sitting. I didnt think it would cause impaction but it definetly did.

 

[carlisv]

My Richard was raised on sand before we got him, and when we tried to change his substrate he went on a hunger strike. (It wasn't just relocation stress - it lasted two months.) He would actually have levitated to keep from touching the reptile carpet or tile if he could have. So I had to be sneaky about it. We put tile in, then covered it with sand, and every time he was in the bath I took out a cup or two of sand, hoping he wouldn't notice. He desperately avoided the tile areas that began to show through, but eventually gave up. When we were down to hardly any sand we just vacuumed it out with a shop vac.

Isn't it ridiculous the lengths we go to to keep a 1 1/2 pound lizard happy?