substrate to use and correct temp

[loopeloose]

Hi i have a beardie just after abit of help.She is about 5-6 months old and 10inchs long. My first question is im using crushed walnut in the tank now ive read on this forum that it can cause problems and it should not be used so what can i use in stead i like the desert looking vivs i know shes to young for sand thats why i went for walnut.
My second question is about the correct viv temp. I live in england and have been told by a local pet shop that my viv should be 96 at the hot end and 74 at the cool end.Is this the correct temp or does it need to be hotter as my dragon is not very active and i wondered if it was to cold.
Cheers Andy

 

[BrittanyS]

I would get rid of the wallnut shell ASAP. You could use sand colored tile or maybe tan repti-carpet.
The basking temp should be about 108. Cool end should be around 75-80 I think. (The temps im using are in farenheight form)

 

[FoodMonster]

Howdy. I switched my dragons onto children's play sand sifted through screenwire when they were 11 inches long. Before that I had saltillo tiles (made of the same stuff as clay plant pots). These look kind of desert like. I like the desert look too.

I tried paper towels but the crickets get underneath and I did not like the look, but a lot of people like them. Some folks use non-adhesive shelf liner. There are also special washable mats you can buy at the pet shop that look like indoor-outdoor carpet. But none of these look desert to me.

As you said, it's a good idea to get rid of the walnut right now. Here's a link to a necropsy of a dragon that died of crushed walnut. (Caution: these are pics of a dead dragon that is cut open. Please don't look if it will make you unhappy or nauseated. Thank you to Kristin King for good science.) Halfway down the page are pics labeled intestine. It seems like anything chunky or clumpy for substrate could be dangerous.

I think you are right about the temp. I keep my habitat a little warmer at around 80F on the low side and 110F on the high side. There are several places to bask along the high side so they can vary how hot they want to be. Increasing the temp a bit may perk up your dragon. I had my temps a little lower for a short period at the start of winter and my dragons were less active at the lower temp.