Posted by:
LdyPayne
at Thu Dec 18 19:43:57 2003 [ Email Message ] [ Show All Posts by LdyPayne ]
Very good points, CheriS!
Sand in bearded dragon natural habitats isn't 3 inches deep, alot of times it's hard as dried clay. Then there are rocks, grass etc., always changing as they move around. In captivity we have to find a balance between what is good for the dragon, easy for us to keep their environment clean and what looks good. personally, the latter is the least important than the first two points. If i wanted a nicely landscaped glass tank, I would use colorued glass and plastic or satin plants..and put in a toy lizard to complete the pretty display. Plastic reptile toys are looking more and more real, especially those that cost more than $20.
For my bearded dragon's adult home I had originally planned to use washed play sand. I even designed the cage to have a plexi-glass section along the front to help keep sand from being kicked out of the cage as could happen if the entire front was screen. I also had it designed so there wasn't a lip to make it more difficult to brush out the sand when it came time to change it. By the time the tank was finished built, I decided to go for plastic table cloth instead. The real reason I decided to not use sand, was the hassel of lifting a 50 lb from my car to my house, then lugging buckets of sand from the basement, to the tank..and the task of cleaning the cage.
I was especially glad when I noticed some baby bearded dragons at the local pet store on sand (not sure if it was calci sand or the repti-sand they were on, they look the same to me) who would do the taste lick..and there tougues get all covered with sand. Then it would spend a few seconds swollowing the sand, then did it again. The dragon I bought from a breeder often taste licks his enclosure, often enough that I notice it whenever he is moving around in the tank and I can just imagine how much sand a dragon can pick up just in a day from doing what it would normally due. Anybody want to get an ideal how much sand can be picked up on a tongue..dip the tip of yoru own tougue into some sand, I am sure you will find it's quite a bit.
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RE: Reminder: Don't beleive everything you see on a forum - LdyPayne, Thu Dec 18 19:43:57 2003