Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I have been using bran pretty much the entire time I've had my beardie (wich is one year tomorrow) and I love it and he loves it but this last bag I got had these little cocoons in it and tiny moths. I opened up one of the cocoons and there was a little mealworm looking bug. I wanted to know if the moths, worms, or cocoons are dangerous to my beardie, if he eats them or if the worms eat him. Opinions please.

they are harmless. but can be a pain, before you put it in your dragons enclousre be sure to freeze the bran overnight to kill anything that might be in there, those moths can be a pain in the butt, they seem to just grow in numbers by the day
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reiko
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ick..I would take it back to the store...who wants worms in their wheat bran?

Another reason why I personaly don't think wheat bran or any other grain is good as a substrate for bearded dragons.

pests are usually never a problem, i have been feeding the same red wheat bran for years and years to my horses and never seen a worm, a mite or anything in the stuff. if there are already creepy crawlies in it from the store, yeah good idea to return it. i never even freeze the bran i use, only if i buy from a different supplier just to be sure. i have never had a problem with it in well over a year using it as substrate for my dragons, it always smells great, looks great and is safe for my guys as an alternative particulate substrate they can dig and play in, i wouldnt use anything else, when i have seen 1300 pound animals with sand impactions i need no further proof with a dragon weighing less then a pound. i also do keep half the enclosure in shelf liners and half in bran, it does make for ease of pooper scooping and cleaning up veggies in the area without the particulate substrate, keeps things super clean and tidy. guess we all do just what works best for us and our dragons

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reiko
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Thank you so much for the help guys.=^-^=