sand!!

[dirkandbex]

please please tell me why sand is not recommended for my terrarium.....thanks

 

[zimbabwepegasus]

Ok... this one is sorta a hot debate in reptile land.
The basic argument goes:
Beardies have Jacobsen's organs and therefore often use their tongues to explore their surroundings. Obviously, it's eating sand is also risked by feeding in tank, if you do use a sand substrate. Eating sand can cause digestive issues, and carries the risk of impaction (when the digestive tract is blocked by too large an object), which can result in death. This is especially an issue with young beardies on account of their size.

This much I will say resolutely- the debate as to whether playsand is safe rages-Calcium sands, which are generally advertised for lizards, are most definitely not safe! They have a tendency to turn into a cement like substance when wet and the inside of a beardie is wet. High risk of impaction there!

Personally, I think playsand- like for children- is perfectly safe for juvenile and adult beardies. I prefer using tile and setting up a sandbox for my beardies. Tile is easier to clean and naturally files down their nails, which on adults get quite sharp.

 

[fresnowitte]

Very well said zimbabwepegasus. An you did it without saying anything to fire up the conversation. :wink:
I'm going to push it a little farther though.
(Tip toeing with teeth grit reluctant to cross over that hot topic fire line) :laughing6:

Other than the impaction issues.........Think about sand in this way.........
Say your beardie poops in his viv........you can not get all of the wettness/residue of his poop out of the sand without changing and washing. Sand harbors the bacteria left behind when you pick the poop up. This can end you up with a beardie with parasites. So sand in your viv is much like a "Litter Box."
Would you let your beardie crawl around in your cat's litter box even if there was no poop in it?
NOT! :wink:

(Tip toeing awaaaayyyyyyyyyy) :lol:

 

[mishelly58]

Nicely said by both of you!

 

[mpinsky]

*toes the debate line to make sure she's safe*

I've used playsand since Shenron reached adulthood and have no problems (fortunately for me, Shenron normally poops on his basking log and rocks, so it is not too much of a problem), except until recently, though this may be due to a cricket shell. However, I sift my playsand REALLY well before hand so there are no little pebbles in it. This might be why I haven't had a problem...until now. I'll hopefully be switching to tile next year.

However, I definitely recommend the tile, especially since you can just rinse them off and stick them in the dishwasher when they're dirty.

In the end, it's really up to you.

 

[fresnowitte]

*toes the debate line to make sure she's safe*

I love it! :laughing6: Is it still safe? ~Tip toeing ~ eyes squinted ~ ducking head~

:laughing6: Do I dare post anymore....... :silent:

I use to use the particle substrate too and switched to tiles about a year ago....an I love them. :mrgreen:
I just don't support using sand to anyone if I'm not sure they are going take the precautions needed. And that they understand all of the cons to using it. Not to say they don't have good intentions but have they all of the information. You have to admit there is a lot of learning that we do when we make that decision to welcome a beardie into our hearts and homes.~Still Learning Myself~ :wink:

I think sand should be left to the more experienced owners so no beardie is put at danger. Get to know your beardie and what all is involved in caring for them before making the decision to try sand if that is your preference.

I think that is the point I'm trying to make. This is just my opinion. :wink: Don't throw anything! :lol:

:lol: It is always so hard wording your post in hot topics.
I sat on this reply 45 minutes debating whether I should hit submit or back page.
When I finally decided go for it!

 

[gregorydragon]

:laughhard: :laughhard: :laughhard: :laughhard:
Good show everyone. Very cordial. I like it! Other discussions on this subject are a bit intense.

Watch out!

 

[fresnowitte]

:laughhard: Jeff I love the little dodging the bullet smiley face. :laughing6:

 

[civicgrl88]

If I may add my .02 as well...
When I used washed play sand I found that it didn't clump as much as the pet store sands did but was still being ingested more than it should be. It did give my dragon a chance to dig but at the same time it also made his enclosure a disaster because sand would be flung everywhere and in his food and water bowls. Even when my dragon would walk his tail would throw sand everywhere. It was always stuck in my beardie's nose and eyes also which obviously isn't good. Scooping the fecal matter out was very easy but the liquid part of the fecal matter was absorbed into the sand and couldn't be taken out like the other part of the fecal matter can be. Since I couldn't remove the liquid part of the fecal matter, it then started to create an odor inside the tank that you couldn't believe. I must say that the sand did absorb the heat very well but it was also that fact that the odor from the fecal matter was so much more pungent. Also it is pretty costly to maintain. I personally like non particle substrates for all of my Bearded Dragons and my Rhino Iguana as well. I personally find the safety issue more worthwhile than the aesthetically pleasing issue. No one should be ashamed of using non particle substrates, many respected breeders use newspaper as their substrate choice. Loose sand isn't natural to a Beardie anyway. Hard compact clay with a light layer of loose dirt/sand is more natural to them so if one wanted to go a more natural route as far as particle substrates, the excavator clay would be more natural to them.

 

[fresnowitte]

Awesome post civicgrl88!

 

[civicgrl88]

Awesome post civicgrl88!

thanx! i made a specific thread on all the substrates...i forgot to add it into my sig....heres the link viewtopic.php?f=34&t=96824