substrate question

[RamboRocky]

I mix fine sand and soil (with no fertilizer) with water to a muddy mass. This mass is then beeing packed hard in layers in the terrarium. When the mass dryes out, it will become a hard substrate that`s not far from their natural enviroment. It`s even good to burrow in, and my female burrowed a really nice egg-laying den in this substrate. The risk for impaction is also minimal.
In my opinion, reptiles who is well cared for, should be kept in an as natural enviroment as possible - with a natural set-up you can never go wrong in my eyes.
If your BD is eating of the substrate, it`s not the substrate that is wrong, it`s probably your keeping. BD`s rarely eat of the substrate when they are fed right amounts of food (with a high variety of veggies/fruits/berries and insects properly gut loaded) and sufficient amounts of trace minerals, vitamins and calcium. Calcium intake have to be seen in relationship of properly UV lights and amount of calcium given.

i want to know if my baby beardies should have this type of substrate

 

[Neromom39]

You probably won't find too many members that would promote this type of substrate...especially for a baby. As beardies are "lickers", they may ingest some of the loose substrate and if too much is ingested, this can lead to impaction, which almost always is diagnosed later rather than sooner. If you think you might want to use a sand or "natural" looking substrate, it is typically recommended to wait until your beardie is a sub-adult or adult and is a well established eater, minimizing the risk of taking up some of the sand when he eats.

Robin

 

[rwjr82]

I have two beardies both between 7 and 8 inches. I tried using the digestible calcium sand on half of my viv and carpet on the other. While the sand never caused any digestive problems it did however irritate the eyes of one of my dragons. So badly that his eyes were swollen shut due to particulate sand matter getting stuck behind the third eye-lid. At first I thought it may have been a vitamin A deficiency, but once I removed the sand and gave the beardies a bath everything was ok. I dont use sand anymore and may never agian...

-Rich