O.K I recently brought this subject up on another reptile site forum. My point was , 'why do we need to keep our dragons on loose substrate'??? What benefits does it provide?? Is it health? Is it environmental? Nobody could give me a definative answer! Best that was offered up is the old ' well i've been using it for x years with no trouble! In my opinion that's like saying 'i've been playing russian roulette with live ammo and it's never caused me any harm!
Why use sand, messy, gets everywhere, in glass tracking, in water bowls, in food bowls, it absorbs faecal matter/moisture making it a breeding ground for bacteria (eye infections). How often are you buying reptile sand and doing a complete sand change to keep your viv fresh-think of the expense!
Alot will admit they us sand because they consider it a 'natural' look to their vivarium, however beardies do not live in the Sahara desert but on a very hard baked clay! Why no let us attempt to replicate this!
My solution was this! When I built my vivs a landscaper friend (after bribing with a bottle of wine) kindly cut to size some very nice natural stone (indian sandstone) leaving a 2mm gap on all joints. These slabs we bedded on a number of large 'blobs' of silicone and then the gaps sealed with a fine bead of opaque silicone sealant. The entire floor was the sealed with a matt stone sealer!
Moisture cannot penetrate this floor, nothing what so ever can drop between gaps (there is none) and the whole this is so very easy to keep spotless. Hoover/vac up any dust/skin etc , sponge down with a mild antibacterial - job done!
The stone is also excelent for claw health, never had to clip myself or visit a vet. Great at what I describe as 'temperature smoothing', the stone absorbs huge quanties of heat energy. Radient heat (from the basking bulb) is more readily absorbed than convected heat. As a reult the cool end seems to stay cooler and the heat is released at night to give a nightime background temperature.
I think the results look great but more importantly provides your Beardie with an environment free from any risk (big or small) of Gut impaction and the fatal results of it!
