When to switch to sand

[Taegrin]

Right now, I have a reptile carpet in the tank. I don't really have any problems with it, except that it seems a little bit unsanitary for my bearded dragon. I clean it weekly but that doesn't change the fact that... It's gross.

And I want to get sand. A good friend of mine has an adult bearded dragon (granted, she's blind for some reason but I think it has to do with the fact that he doesn't supplement her at all) who does perfect on sand. I'm going to start having Archaeon feed in a different container, and I rarely give him worms as anything more than a treat so I just kind of drop them in his food dish when we have them. He doesn't really lick anything but the items in his tank, so there's not really a worry of him ingesting the sand, or too much of it.

I'm not asking for anyone to say, "Oh, don't use sand, it's bad!" I want sand; I don't want tile or paper towel or to continue using the reptile carpet forever. Please don't tell me the risks of sand; I already know them and I'd do as much as I could to minimize them.

So, he's about 10" to 12" long, I'm not really sure how old that is. When would be an ideal time to change the carpet for sand?

 

[Catalyst]

Young dragons have a kink in their digestive system which increases the risk for impaction - this is why it's suggested that we keep them on solid substrates and why its a bad idea to feed them certain foods. The generally safety guideline is sixteen inches long for feeding superworms - a food restricted from younger dragons because of the impaction risk. The reasoning being that when the dragon is sixteen inches long, the digestive system has straightened out and the risk is decreased. With this in mind, I would say that 16" would also be a good size for switching a dragon over to a loose substrate if you wish to do so. It may be fine to switch over earlier, but I'd rather play it safe than take that risk. Feeding live food in a separate tank is a good idea, as is putting the salad bowl on a piece of tile or rock to keep it separate from the loose substrate. Of course you'll always want to keep a close eye on him to ensure that he's not trying to eat the substrate at any point.

I use a coconut fiber bedding (bed-a-beast, eco earth, there are various names for it) for my girl and she is doing well on it. It doesn't have the dust that comes with sand, or the potential risk of eye problems as the dry sand is kicked up. It's also relatively easy to clean and switch out. Just something you might want to consider since you're set on a loose substrate.

 

[Taegrin]

All right, thanks, I'll look into it.
My dad likes the idea of tiles. He asked me to ask what kind of tiles you guys use.
Although, my beardie is kept in the basement so I'm worried that the tiles would get way too cold in the night, which is part of the reason I'm set on sand; it'll hold heat much better.

 

[Catalyst]

You can use almost any textured tile - slate and ceramic are both popular options. I like the look of slate, looks very rock like and natural. The tiles will only get as cold as the ambient temperature, my girl was on tiles until recently and it worked great. I only went with the loose bedding to try it out for a change and see if she had a preference. You could put a blanket or towel in there with him at night, there are many here who use "blankies" for their dragons. You may also find that your dragon sleeps up on his branch/basking spot so it may not matter what substrate you use. My girl usually pushed the blanket aside and slept right on her tiles :roll: Another option would be to use a ceramic heat emitter at night if the temps are going to drop too low - but as long as it's above the low sixties she'll be fine.