Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Settling in nicely...

Is that repti-sand or calci-sand you have him on? If so you need to remove that ASAP. Even if its just normal sand, he looks way too small to be on particulate substrate. Dragons less than 6 months old should be kept on newspaper, paper towel or shelf liner. It may not look so cool but its better for him until he develops more.

I'm not trying to be harsh or leture you - I made the same mistake when I first got Fuego, and it was the great advice from all the people on this forum who are way more experienced than me that has helped me keep Feugo so healthy.

Good luck with the new one.
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Ross

1.0 Bearded Dragon (Fuego)
2.1 Roommates (require more cleaning up after than the dragon)

....if that cord is going to a heat rock, it should be removed. If you have proper lighting you should not need a heat rock. They can malfunction and cause serious burns.

Cute baby. Good luck with him.
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1.0.1 bearded dragons (Ocho / Domo-kun)
0.1 kingsnake (Rio)
1.0 ferret (Playstation)
1.0 cat (Wally)
0.1 dog (Tima)

Its not malfunctioning, its becuase dragons sense heat from their heads instead of bellies, so they may sit on it to long and get burned.
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1.0.0 Bearded Dragon (Pyro/Sandfire/Orange Cross)
0.1.0 High Yellow Leopard Gecko
0.1.0 Albino Leopard Gecko
1.0.0 Choclate/Tan Dapple Miniature Dachshund
1.0.0 Isabella Miniature Dachshund
0.1.0 Red/White Piebald Miniature Dachshund

Aol Instant Messanger - Bdubedub

that may be true, but if the heat rock stayed at the proper temp it wouldn't be a problem. It's when the heat rocks malfunction and get WAY too hot that the lizards don't notice and they get burned.
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1.0.1 bearded dragons (Ocho / Domo-kun)
0.1 kingsnake (Rio)
1.0 ferret (Playstation)
1.0 cat (Wally)
0.1 dog (Tima)

Thanks for the suggestions. The cord is to the temp probe I have in the basking spot. I use a UTH at night and a 75 watt bulb during the day. It is repti-sand as the substrate. I used it because every care sheet I read and book I bought said it was ok, but they didn't specify any difference with age. So since I've relied on the kingsnake forums for several years to help me keep healthy ball pythons and red tails I'll trust you on the repti-sand. It's outa there. But what is the reasoning behind not using sand as a substrate for juveniles? I only ask because the use of substrate has also been a topic of much debate for snakes. Many of the most knowledgable experts in breeding snakes have been using aspen and other substrates for years. Recently people have tried to make the argument that these substrates are bad for the snakes and could harm them if swallowed while feeding. According to experts such as the Barkers and the Sutherlands they have observed aspen being injested over the years without any repercussion. I've used aspen for years without any issues either. It seems the claims of substrate problems are for the most part unjustified. I would tend to trust those who have been pioneers in the feild of captive breeding snakes rather than the new guy who has a small breeding program based on the information these long time experts have compiled. So I'm just wondering what is the justification for sand being bad for baby Beardies.

I'm no expert, but from what I understand babies have bad aim when chasing insects, and tend to lick their surroundings a lot out of curiosity. I think also simply because they are smaller it's easier for them to get clogged up.

I was at the vet just a couple weeks ago and saw a juvi that was impacted on reptisand, and I don't think he made it. He looked horrible. I was talking to my vet and she said she sees it a lot.

I personally don't have experience with it, because I've never used it. My theory on it is, if the risk is there, don't take it. Better safe than sorry.
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1.0.1 bearded dragons (Ocho / Domo-kun)
0.1 kingsnake (Rio)
1.0 ferret (Playstation)
1.0 cat (Wally)
0.1 dog (Tima)

I have seen an impacted Beardie at the VET and it is not a good way for a reptile to die. It is a combination of starving/poisoning. For an adult beardie washed playsand from a Home depot type store is acceptable but lizzard babies are to small to ingest sand. My VET reccomends desert top soil. But I live in Tucson. Also it is very dusty, and covers anything around with dust, including the Beardie. I now have 3 uro's on desert top soil, but my Beardies are on Duck shelf liner.

I think as far as sand goes,I think it is just a preference of sorts. Some people say use only paper towels, some people swear by using sand. When I took my dragon in and told her what substrate he was on (Play sand and repti-sand) she said that was fine. Many books out on the market claim to keep babies on sand without issues. THe only thing is, you have to keep them REAL clean and be real conscienscious on keeping their poo cleaned up. Or else, in my case, the dragon gets coccidia and has to end up on paper towels only. What I have decided to do is give them both. I have half the tank covered with paper towels, and have with a couple inches of sand. They seem to prefer to eat their crickets on the paper towels, and only dig around in the sand. But really, I think you will hear arguments both ways about substrate. So..good luck in whichever you choose!!