Can you use Desert blend for substrate? I don't like sand.I think ESU makes it that stuff.
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Substrate for Bearded Dragons
Gpoop
Jul 08, 2004 08:36 PM
Replies (1)
kephy
Jul 08, 2004 09:22 PM
If you mean that ground walnut shell stuff then the answer is a huge NO. That stuff can do some terrible things to your lizard's insides if swallowed, not to mention that when wet or soiled it can grow some nasty molds and fungi which are harmful.
Here's a link w/ more info on it and other harmful substrates...
www.anapsid.org/substrates.html
"Walnut Cob/Walnut Litter/"Desert Sand"
Many years ago, bird keepers became aware of the problem associated with using walnut shell litter for their birds: shortly after being wetted with water or feces and urates, a colony of bacteria started growing, often underneath the surface of the litter. So, what happened when the walnut shell recyclers found they'd lost a significant share of the bird market? Repackaged their crushed shells for reptiles, of course! One went one step farther and touted theirs as safer than sand. Given that I've never seen sand get moldy, that's a pretty odd claim to make. Why is walnut shell (and corn cob, for that matter) not suitable for reptiles? Aside from promoting bacterial and fungal growth (yes, even when they have been "heat treated" at the factory), they can stick to the hemipenes/cloacal tissue when it is everted during defecation and are thus retracted up into the body, causing irritations and inflammation. They also cause irritation, inflammation or injury to the digestive tract if ingested intentionally or accidentally - and no matter how closely you watch your reptile, you aren't watching it 24/7. If that reptile is an arboreal lizard who spends a great deal of time investigating new things with its tongue, ingestion is guarantee."
Besides, whatever it is you don't like about sand I doubt will be corrected with any other particle substrate.
I use and recommend non-adhesive shelf liner. It may not look "natural" but IMO that isn't as important as safety, plus it's very easy to keep clean and does look nice in it's own way.
For some other ideas read this page.
www.anapsid.org/substrates2.html
It covers a lot of different options and their pros/cons.
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Amanda
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2.0 bearded dragons (Ocho / Domo-kun)
0.1 kingsnake (Rio)
1.0 ferret (Playstation)
1.0 cat (Wally)
0.1 dog (Tima)
