Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I HAVE HEARD SAND CAN CAUSE SAND IMPACTION WITH MY DRAGONS AND AM CONCERNED WITH THIS. WHAT ARE THE CHANCES OF THIS HAPPENING AND WHAT SUBSTRATE SHOULD I REPLACE IT WITH IF SO. I HAVE HEARD OF USING NEWSPAPER BUT THAT DOESNT LOOK VERY PRESENTABLE WHEN I AM SHOWING THEM OFF TO MY FRIENDS NOW DOES IT. SOMEONE PLEASE TELL ME WHAT I SHOULD DO IN MY CASE.

There is always a chance of impaction with sand, even washed play sand. The best thing to do is not housed dragons on sand at all. Instead you can used non-stick shelf liner or plastic tablecloth (both come in all kinds of colors and patterns), newspaper or unprinted newsprint. paper towels work too.

If you want to use sand, make sure the dragon is at least 6 months old and over 10". Feed insects either in a different container or place papertowel or something over the sand, to limit the amount injested. Don't use calci-sand, repti-sand and other calcium or crushed walnut based substrates.
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PHLdyPayne

Well ive been using repti-sand for 3 years now and I love it. I wash it well before I use it but even when not washed its the best dust free sand I have found on the market. I have put everyone of my dragons on it since they were about 2 months old and I have never had an impaction. Even when my male is breeding and fighting for dominance over my females and he gets a mouth full of the stuff, he is totally fine. I wouldn't put babies on it just to be sure, but once they are 2 months old that is where they go right on my repti-sand! I would never use Calcium sand because ive worked at 3 different pet stores and have seen a bunch of reptiles die from it. Plus they really don't get any calicum from the sand. Hope that helps.
-Amy
www.CalicoDragons.com