Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I am going to redo my bearded dragon enclosure and want to use sand. At what size do you recommend this. I know a lot of you will never recommend it, but I know some have used it and have never had any problems. I have plenty other herps on sand, just not bearded dragons. For the record, I do not feed crickets, so he does not have to go "searching" for his food, and can make a sand free feeding area to play safe. What about the play sand? I know that cacli-sand is crap. I use play sand on all my other desert herps. Any other recommendations. TIA

Joe

I use playsand from home depot(i like the really light almost white sand, it looks better imo) for my bearded dragon...i mean the only concern is impaction, which can happen at any time, but im sure more often when the beardie is young...i waited a few months after i got my baby to transfer her to sand...she has done fine ever since. also if you said you just feed greens, then im sure you will be fine(IMO)...hope this helps...
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0.2 normal ball pythons
0.2 normal Redtail boa
1.1 100% Het Albino Redtail boa
1.1 Bearded Dragon
0.1 GF Eryn (WC)
0.1 Brindle Boxer (Marley)

Thanks for the input. THats the sand I have. When I said I don't feed crickets, I mean I feed other insects, mainly mealworms and superworms. I do feed greens, but no insects then can get away or out of the dish, unless its a cricket mash, when I mash up live ones (he will not eat anything that has been dusted with vitamins, so this is how he get em.

>>I use playsand from home depot(i like the really light almost white sand, it looks better imo) for my bearded dragon...i mean the only concern is impaction, which can happen at any time, but im sure more often when the beardie is young...i waited a few months after i got my baby to transfer her to sand...she has done fine ever since. also if you said you just feed greens, then im sure you will be fine(IMO)...hope this helps...
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>>0.2 normal ball pythons
>>0.2 normal Redtail boa
>>1.1 100% Het Albino Redtail boa
>>1.1 Bearded Dragon
>>0.1 GF Eryn (WC)
>>0.1 Brindle Boxer (Marley)

If he's interested in worms, maybe you should try phoenix worms, silkworms or butterworms. I have used phoenix worms and they're really squirmy so it attracts her attention really well, the same with silkworms but they seem to be able to escape the dish. I have butterworms but haven't tried them yet. they seem like more of a treat like wax worms. but silk and phoenix worms seem to be pretty great.

OOPS here's a website so you can check the worms out
www.mulberryfarms.com

I don't change to sand till at least 12" long. I use the Lighthouse brand from Toys R Us for what it's worth. I feed crickets on the sand and have never had a problem.

I start using play sand when my beardies are a few months old. I also feed them crickets and various worms on the sand and have never had a problem.
I like the ease of cleaning the sand-- I use a kitty litter scooper that I attached a fine mesh wire to, so it sifts out dragon poop as well as cricket legs, buried wormies, and bits of veggie that got covered.
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0.2 cats (Pandora & Journey)
0.1 bearded dragon (Kleio)
0.0.1 green tree frog (Squishy)
0.0.3 fishes (namoli, Asana, Adagio)

Sorry but i would just never take the risk in using sand!

hi

i use already 7 years sand .
i hatcch many babies and let them grow to say 2,3 months when i selling them .
i put them direct on sand when they hatch i never got problem and not one got inpacted i hatch between the 100-200 beardies a year.
it never happend to me.
once they hatch then they never died .
i use a sand that pigneon onweners using its dust free its riviersand with rounded edgde and there r in some tiny shell parts.
its 350-400 celcius heated and coccodiose free .
so 12 beardies i own and many babies and alreayd using 7 years that type of sand never gave problems.
i not like calsi sand,bark, crusted walnut shells
those substrate r not good for beardies.
the sand discussie already is going on of the time i am visitng this forum say 7 years .
you have sand lovers and haters
am a lover.
byeeeeee
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www.dragoncave.nl

hi
when i give cricks i put them in freezer say 1-2 min i look every 20 sec and when they not move any more i dust them and trow them in .
then they can easy eat the cricks if they just start to move again .
also then iwil prefent eating sand and you not have tail and toe biters because the cricks run fast and beardies running fast to catch the cricks and bite acidental.
byeeeeeeee
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www.dragoncave.nl

I use playsand all the time. Not with like teeny tiny hatchlings but with like 2 month olds and stuff like that. I think its all about judgement. If you think your beardie can handle the sand then put them on it. I bring my crickets from work and my cars usually cold so the crickets go into shock so they arent moving much. I just go home and put some calci dust in the bag shake em up and then poor the slowmoving crickets right in their food bowl. I think I am going to start throwing my crickets in the fridge for a monute before I feed them just so they are stunned and stay in one place...almost a gauranteed way to stop impaction.
Thats just my 2 cents.

I'd use sand at sub-adult. so the babies are curious and may eat the sand and clog themselves. sub-adult are ok and porb. won't eat it!