Zen habitat enclosure substrate help

TheBeard9789

Sub-Adult Member
I have 2 Zen Habitat enclosures 4x2x2 and it has the custom mats as substrate my question is that I would like to put natural substrate down. I was thinking of getting those heavy plastic bags they put around windows for winter as a bottom. Then fill their enclosure with possibly soil/play sand but I wanna make sure the plastic and/or substrate isn't toxic for them nor will cause problems. They LOVE digging but you can't do it with the mat they have as substrate right now

Any ideas?
 

KarrieRee

BD.org Sicko
Beardie name(s)
Hiccup he is 6 and Blaze is 4
I have 2 Zen Habitat enclosures 4x2x2 and it has the custom mats as substrate my question is that I would like to put natural substrate down. I was thinking of getting those heavy plastic bags they put around windows for winter as a bottom. Then fill their enclosure with possibly soil/play sand but I wanna make sure the plastic and/or substrate isn't toxic for them nor will cause problems. They LOVE digging but you can't do it with the mat they have as substrate right now

Any ideas?
Put a dig box in the tank for them -- and keep your regular mat in the tank -
 

TheBeard9789

Sub-Adult Member
Original Poster
Put a dig box in the tank for them -- and keep your regular mat in the tank -
I have thought of that but I would need to take out many of their decor hides and basking platform to be able fit it. I did think of possibly finding something the same length of their enclosure with decent depth. Then put everything in side it kinda like a liter box and then fill it up so I will only need soil and can keep the mat inside the enclosure. Unless someone can find some dig box or has a suggestion that is big enough for them all I see is tiny ones and custom box's much smaller than them

Note: beardies are 18" long snout to tail
 

KarrieRee

BD.org Sicko
Beardie name(s)
Hiccup he is 6 and Blaze is 4
I have thought of that but I would need to take out many of their decor hides and basking platform to be able fit it. I did think of possibly finding something the same length of their enclosure with decent depth. Then put everything in side it kinda like a liter box and then fill it up so I will only need soil and can keep the mat inside the enclosure. Unless someone can find some dig box or has a suggestion that is big enough for them all I see is tiny ones and custom box's much smaller than them

Note: beardies are 18" long snout to tail
@AHBD any ideas for him?
 

TheBeard9789

Sub-Adult Member
Original Poster

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KarmaMoon

Member
Beardie name(s)
Nova
Ok so how i would do this is still the dig box idea. use the zen mat. I love mine. but then take Styrofoam and make a rectangle (Think of a swimming pool) and how deep you want it to be. you could add a ramp up to it, making it stone like with grout covering it all with grout like any DIY Hide. think of a upside down hide in a way.

See my bad drawling of a idea
and then you will see how I made my own hide.
You will see i but the foam and hot glued it together, then took three layers of grout giving it a rock finish. just make a POOL like with a ramp up in to it, above the sand pit you can always attach a net or something.
 

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TheBeard9789

Sub-Adult Member
Original Poster
Ok so how i would do this is still the dig box idea. use the zen mat. I love mine. but then take Styrofoam and make a rectangle (Think of a swimming pool) and how deep you want it to be. you could add a ramp up to it, making it stone like with grout covering it all with grout like any DIY Hide. think of a upside down hide in a way.

See my bad drawling of a idea
and then you will see how I made my own hide.
You will see i but the foam and hot glued it together, then took three layers of grout giving it a rock finish. just make a POOL like with a ramp up in to it, above the sand pit you can always attach a net or something.
So is this a hide or dig box idea? I have plenty of hides and stuff they both use a corner XL hide that is cozy. I just hear dig box a lot and I am fine with putting a bin inside and making a ramp into it so they can dig. I just need the correct dimensions I have heard 15x15 but that seems awfully small I want it to be big enough but not to big
 

KarrieRee

BD.org Sicko
Beardie name(s)
Hiccup he is 6 and Blaze is 4
So is this a hide or dig box idea? I have plenty of hides and stuff they both use a corner XL hide that is cozy. I just hear dig box a lot and I am fine with putting a bin inside and making a ramp into it so they can dig. I just need the correct dimensions I have heard 15x15 but that seems awfully small I want it to be big enough but not to big
I would go look and decide in the store - if it's too big take it back and look for the next size down etc
 

Dinky26

Member
Beardie name(s)
Mango
Something like this but MUCH bigger? This easily fits inside even if I get a longer box
I’m planning on making my own sandbox (in my spare time) It’s going to equal to 1/4th of the enclosure. Initially I was going to tile up to it then I said it needs to be movable. I scored a really good deal on Facebook marketplace for an enclosure, was going to build one..,
 

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