Sand.. why not?

[lauraj1055]

Hi guys,
As most of you long timers know, I have been around for awhile and love these guys so much.. I have a baby that I am going to sell and the lady who is wonderful, was going to put her on calcisand. I highly advised against it. So, I just want everyone to share nicely on why sand is so bad. I am going to send her to this link so she can read it. And any pictures and stories will be great. I don't do this for the money, and I love to educate people. I broke down when I left Petco the other day and all the dragons were lying lifeless on orange sand, and all stained .

Thanks everyone for your input!

 

[dragonlover3]

Bearded Dragons come from Australia where it is called desert because of low rain fall, not because Australia is a sand dune desert. Think "The Outback." though the dragons are found in several areas in Australia. The ground is dry and hard packed. Bearded Dragons mainly live in trees, scrub, brush, grass lands and rocky areas. Juveniles live in trees, they burrow into holes in the tree trunks.
Bearded Dragons have not evolved the protective anatomy in their nose, airway, ears and eyes as sand dwelling lizards have. Sand dwelling lizards also have an expanded foot structures which allow them to run in the soft sand. Bearded dragons are tree lizards.They have long slender digits with climbing claws. The claws also assist the female in digging in the hard packed earth for laying eggs. {I wonder how many sand dwelling lizards have or need climbing claws.}
Sand is contaminated and unsanitary.
Sand harbors the dragon's liquid waste that is unable to be removed.
Sand harbors the residual solid waste that breaks up and falls back in when being poop scooped out.
Sand harbors bacteria, mold, fungus, parasite ova and more.
Sand dusts up and without the protective anatomy the sand dweller have evolved, bearded dragons can inhale the contaminated sand causing respiratory difficulties and/or respiratory infections.
The contaminated sand can get in their eyes and cause irritations or infections.
The contaminated sand increases risk for infection of any wound.
Sand can be ingested. This has risk for a critical impaction or bowel perforation which is life threatening and requires a vet assessment.
Safer and cleaner alternatives are newspaper, paper towels, non-adhesive shelf liner, linoleum, textured ceramic tiles or slate.
I hope this helps.
Amanda

 

[Mistyck]

http://www.beardeddragon.org/forums/viewtopic.php?f=34&t=194984

http://www.beardeddragon.org/forums/viewtopic.php?f=34&t=132151

 

[lauraj1055]

Thanks Amanda!