Reptile & Amphibian Forums

hi im new here(not new to bearded dragons though lol) and i was wondering what substrate is the best for an adult bearded dragon.I've seen many options but i just cant decide which to use. Could you tell me the ones that you use.

Thanks
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Tad
Cincinnati, Ohio

I am no were near a pro and i have only had me beardie for about 7 months but i have read up on substrate quite a bit. I am using Sand for My beardie becasue he loves to burrow and dig and it is easy and inexensive ot keep clean. i have heard of a couple of others. i don't think it matters exactly what type you choose but i do know that some pick up mold really quickly which can be deadly for beardies. I personally think sand is the best but then again my freinds would probably just say newspaper for the easiest. i would wait for a couple more post with some other opinions and then think about which one you think is best.
kay

The issue of substrates have often been debated here. You pretty much have to decide which one works the best for you. Some go for washed playsand as it has a more natural appearance (I don't see why, as bearded dragons don't live in deserts, mostly arid areas with hard packed sand, not lose 'beach' like sand). Others say keeping the dragon on paper towel or newspaper is better because there is no chance the dragon will eat it. Other similar substrates are non-stick shelf liner (Duck Brand, the non porous kind). I have used plastic tablecloth with excellent results (I bought a 3'x100' roll on sale, spot clean daily, replace completely every month or so)

Pretty much everybody agrees that petstore bought products are a nono, either causing a high risk of impaction, choking or allow for bacterial and mold to grow. These include any 'calcium' based sands, crushed walnut shells, bark mulch or shavings etc.

To summarize, the best choices for an adult dragon (and for babies, excluding sand) is: non-stick shelf liner, papertowel, newsprint, plastic tablecloth, non-porous tiles or washed playsand.
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PHLdyPayne

I use ceramic tile in my beardies tank...the kind I bought is a sandy color and has a pattern on it that resembles wind blown sand, it is slightly rough to the touch so my beardie has no problem with traction...it is easy to clean...I bought mine at lowes and they cut it for me...plus you can always stack two or more to get a correct basking temp...I tried paper towel and didn't like because crickets got under it too easily and sometimes it would slide, that's how I learned beardies don't walk so great on smooth slippery surfaces...yes, crickets can get under the tile if there are large enough gaps between tile so measuring is important...I won't risk impaction with sand...

Hi Tad,
On half of my BD's enclosure is playsand (4" deep) and on the other half I have non-stick shelfliner (Duck brand)(and a ramp for him to get into the shelfliner side without having to jump all the time. My guy LOVES to dig in his sand and never has a problem eating it so I dont have to worry about impaction. His basking side is the sand and his cool side and eating side is the shelfliner side. I feed him his crickets in a separate tub also to make sure the crickets dont get into the sand area. He also loves to sleep there in the sand in the CUTEST ways!! He only goes to the bathroom on the shelfliner side so it makes cleaning soo much easier!!

I think BDs need an area to dig in so they shouldnt just have shelfliner or tile or whatever. I think there should be some particulate substrate like playsand for them to have some fun!! Good luck in whatever you choose!!
Meghan
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1.0 Normal Bearded Dragon (Sam)
2.2 Russian Tortoises (Leo, Cole, Piper, Prue)
0.2 Dogs (Molly-Beagle, Zoei-German Shorthaired Pointer)
View My Photos: http://photos.yahoo.com/ph//my_photos

thank you all for all of the great idea...it's going to be hard to pick which is best but im sure ill find it....thanks again!
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Tad
Cincinnati, Ohio