Sand Yay or Nay? - Your Chance to Preach to a Newbie

[ElectricPaladin]

So. Sand.

On the one hand, my book (Bearded Dragons, by Philip Purser, ISBN978-0-7938-2887-6) recommends sand. The author claims that in 25 years of breeding and keeping bearded dragons, he has never had a dragon become ill or die due to sand-related illnesses. He furthermore writes that bearded dragons like to burrow for thermoregulation and stress relief, something they can't do on tile or reptile carpet.

On the other hand, most of this board seems extremely anti-sand and pro-tile. I've read horrifying stories of gut impactions and eye infections and murderous guerrilla crickets, and I really don't want any of them to happen to my pet-to-be. Tile is better for their health, better for their claws, and easier to clean, or so you seem to say.

So I'm just thoroughly confused.

Fortunately, it's a moot point for a while yet. According to the pet store lady, the beardie I'll be taking home the week after next is going to want to live on reptile carpet for a while more. Eventually, however, he's going to get to be old enough that I'm going to want to move him to something a little more ambitious, and I'm going to have to make up my mind.

Is a compromise possible or desirable? I could easily fill have the enclosure with sand and the other half with slate tiles (the same pet store lady tells me that in our climate I can dispense with under-tank heating, which gives me a little more freedom when it comes to substrate, since I don't need to worry about a thick layer blocking out half the heat). Can anyone explain away the apparent benefits of sand or tile? Can anyone confirm or deny claims of gut impactions?

Thanks.

 

[Rukii]

I say nay. I've never experienced it first hand, but I've heard WAY too many horror stories to even think about chancing it. I keep all 5 of my dragons on ceramic tile. It is incredibly easy to clean, doesn't smell or hold bacteria or moisture, and it looks really good too! I see pet stores and others keeping their dragons on sand with no problem, but I would never chance it. To me, it's like someone leaving a pot of boiling water on the stove with a toddler unattended right next to it. Is it automatically dangerous? No, but would you even give an accident a chance to happen? Of course not. That's just my views on it.

 

[Isismommy26]

i would go with half and half and none of that calcium sand! there is sand that glows in the dark. Who in the hell would want to put their pet in that?!

 

[LennyTheLizardKing]

Hey,
Nay.

 

[Buggsy]

I have tile in my tank. Not only does sand pose an impaction risk, but it also harbors LOTS of bacteria. Think about it like living in a giant litter box. Now i haven't had to deal with impaction, but parasites i have. No matter how fastidious i was clanking it everyday by girl still got infected. That was with a half and half tank. Since i completely removed it there have been no infections.

That being said i do have a female, and she can sometimes lay eggs, so i have a lay bin ready and if she is more active than normal it gets popped in the tank. The sand is completely removed and the box cleaned after a week (usually she will lay within this time if she has eggs.)

i have a fleecy blanket in her hide she digs into/snuggle into in winter but even when i had sand she used to ignore it most of the time.

In my experience its just not worth it. Many of the books available are very outdated and use info from when keeping beardies was uncommon (say 20 years ago). Even some pet shops and 'some' breeders just recommend what they have read, and not what is the most up to date info.

 

[LennyTheLizardKing]

Dont listen to anything pet stores tell you, Most of them have no clue whatsoever.. If you like carpet, you can go half tile/half carpet.

 

[nair88]

i think this sums it up nicely - viewtopic.php?f=34&t=132151

 

[kimmie]

Nay - WHY take the chance? You'll have those that will say there aren't any problems ...but the article/post nair88 pointed out hits it right on the money! It's just not worth the risk!

 

[iAdoptDragons]

Okay One, I lived in Aussie for 15 Years On a Reptile ranch Reserve. When we first got our Licenices, we use to Take the animals tthat were on out land and put them in Enclosers with sand. It is there natural Habbitat. People say it isnt well i ask have they ever Lived her? Yes the sand is dry But reptiles like to dig to get out of the heat there is almost thousands of miles of open desert In Aussie and Ive seen first hand action. Only time a Bearded dragon will stike a Prey is when he thinks he can get it first time which most do and they dont ever touch the substrate. Ive had 2 day old babys On sand untill they were 6monuths old. Yes some did have a slight problem but it is the way of Nature. I say Yes. Why people may ask, these animals Love to dig to hide from birds and hawks and to keep cool or dig for water. Here is a pic of my encloser where I keep Beardies over 6inch on sand:

Written By John Hewer Of Reptile Reserve Here in Sydney Australia.

 

[Isismommy26]

Okay One, I lived in Aussie for 15 Years On a Reptile ranch Reserve. When we first got our Licenices, we use to Take the animals tthat were on out land and put them in Enclosers with sand. It is there natural Habbitat. People say it isnt well i ask have they ever Lived her? Yes the sand is dry But reptiles like to dig to get out of the heat there is almost thousands of miles of open desert In Aussie and Ive seen first hand action. Only time a Bearded dragon will stike a Prey is when he thinks he can get it first time which most do and they dont ever touch the substrate. Ive had 2 day old babys On sand untill they were 6monuths old. Yes some did have a slight problem but it is the way of Nature. I say Yes. Why people may ask, these animals Love to dig to hide from birds and hawks and to keep cool or dig for water. Here is a pic of my encloser where I keep Beardies over 6inch on sand:

Written By John Hewer Of Reptile Reserve Here in Sydney Australia.

what kind of sand do you use?

 

[iAdoptDragons]

I use a really thin speacail sand imported from Aussie the same sand Beardies live on, they love it. Its hard/soft, nice and keeps cool

 

[Isismommy26]

cool!

 

[RedInkAus]

Okay One, I lived in Aussie for 15 Years On a Reptile ranch Reserve. When we first got our Licenices, we use to Take the animals tthat were on out land and put them in Enclosers with sand. It is there natural Habbitat. People say it isnt well i ask have they ever Lived her? Yes the sand is dry But reptiles like to dig to get out of the heat there is almost thousands of miles of open desert In Aussie and Ive seen first hand action. Only time a Bearded dragon will stike a Prey is when he thinks he can get it first time which most do and they dont ever touch the substrate. Ive had 2 day old babys On sand untill they were 6monuths old. Yes some did have a slight problem but it is the way of Nature. I say Yes. Why people may ask, these animals Love to dig to hide from birds and hawks and to keep cool or dig for water. Here is a pic of my encloser where I keep Beardies over 6inch on sand:

Written By John Hewer Of Reptile Reserve Here in Sydney Australia.

What's the name of the reptile reserve in Sydney mate?

 

[iAdoptDragons]

http://www.riverland.net.au/gluepot/reptile_amphibian_species.html

You can come by and ask to talk with me.

 

[RedInkAus]

http://www.riverland.net.au/gluepot/reptile_amphibian_species.html

You can come by and ask to talk with me.

Wait, I'm getting a bit confused here mate :? . Gluepot reserve is in Waikerie, South Australia, I asked for the Reptile reserve in Sydney NSW, i.e. "Written By John Hewer Of Reptile Reserve Here in Sydney Australia" and your location says New Jersey :? . I was trying to search "Reptile reserve Sydney and John Hewer" and no matches and the link you provided me is a South Australian reserve.