Sand

[FfelixalEx]

I know that most of you guys here disapprove of sand, but hear me out. Bender only eats food out of his bowl (salad) and basically lives in his rock pile basking area, which has a cave that he sleeps in underneath. The Cave substrate is tile and the rest of the tank is alfalfa Pellets. I also do not feed him in his tank, I hand feed him on my floor. Would it be safe to get sand for everywhere except in the cave? I want to get rid of the alfalfa. I also already have read the sand article (by Jess, right?) multiple times. Thanks for reading this ridiculously long comment and helping me and bender out

 

[aussiefreak101]

Some people and breeders use washed and sifted playground sand. If you can find silica free as well that'd be better too. I've also heard people's complaint is that when you scoop the sand you're only taking the solid and not the sand. Use a dixie cup...it removes solid and any sand around the solid that would have absorbed the liquid.

 

[williamscaleb91]

hey there, I know around here everybody says sand is pretty much the worst thing ever for a beardie, and really maybe they might have more experience than me. But I have friends who have their beardies on sand and haven't had any problems, I kept my Han on alfalfa for quite awhile but I wasn't a fan, so I just transitioned him to sand, but like you I don't feed him on it or anything, I'm going to see how it goes, I've been monitoring him pretty closely. I'm not a beardie mind reader or anything but he seems to like it, he runs around more, and at night he likes to slightly burrow down into it underneath his climbing log. I have been making sure to scoop up all the wetness around his poop as well.

 

[MBrian]

The main problem since you feed your beardie outside of his enclosure would be that most beardies like to lick everything in their enclosure. So every time your beardie licks the floor he's licking up sand it may pass through when he poops but it may not. Sand doesn't get digested and after awhile it is possible for it to clump up and cause your beardie to be impacted if it doesn't pass through. The way I look at it is I would rather be safe then sorry?Sure, you may be lucky and nothing will happen but just the same something can.

 

[FfelixalEx]

Thanks

 

[Kalyn876]

Here is a thread dedicated to sand.

viewtopic.php?f=34&t=132151

 

[Mummapinkham]

My beardie Harry has had sand all his life, or so I was told, and when I removed it he was MAD. Still is because he only has a small play area. He loved his sand and he played in it and now he just mopes around. When I got him he was in the Kids Playsand and I am thinking of putting it back in and making a second level for him to eat in so he is sure not to get the sand on his food. I think it is more by preference, but I do understand the worries that some beardie parents have. I was worried too, but as humans we want to live in comfort and be happy and my Harry baby is just not happy without it.

 

[Kalyn876]

Try to give Harry at least two weeks, beardies hate change and Hoodoo moped around for two weeks when I took out the sand. I stuck to tough love and I think he really enjoys not having sand in his mouth eyes and nostrils. In my opinion it's not worth the risk of irritation, infection or worse. I used sand with Hoodoo for many years but we both prefer the shelf liner now that I know better.