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Devon_Paul I've settled in...
Joined: 07 Jul 2007 Posts: 44 Location: Devon, UK
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Posted: Fri Apr 11, 2008 6:44 pm Post subject: Substrates for Beardies |
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Hi guys, I am looking for a little advice. I currently use Calci-sand as a substrate for my 3 Beardies and had no health concerns whatsoever to date. However, and this may seem a little vein, but it is always sooo dusty. My dragons are usually covered in a fine powder which covers up their lovely colours and markings. Whenever I take them out, I am also then covered in dust from their bodies.
So the question is, what natural looking substrate can I use, that is proven not to have any related health issues but also provide the advantage of not being too dusty, whilst still being easy to clean?
Thanks. |
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negri CaptiveBred Addict!
Joined: 05 Jun 2006 Posts: 585
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Posted: Fri Apr 11, 2008 8:44 pm Post subject: |
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lino or padded tiles is easy enough to clean , or if you want it looking a bit more natural play sand or slate/tiles _________________ Eyeless frogs welcome...
Crested Geckos 1:7:4 + 8 Eggs
White Treefrogs 0:1:0
Green Anole 0:0:1
Fire Belly Toads 5:6:0
Bearded Dragon 0.1.0
Leopard Geckos 1.1.2
Albino Cali King 1.1.0
And a Fish Called George... |
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tigerbaby2k Key Member
Joined: 24 Dec 2007 Posts: 361 Location: Cardiff / Newport
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Posted: Fri Apr 11, 2008 10:10 pm Post subject: |
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Ive used Hemp (Ambiose) with great success. Keeps the viv clean and dry, is digestible, although they rarely pick any up. Looks good too. Otherwise play sand (allow to dry out) is fine. The calci sand can actually encourage them to eat it... Some people use wood chips. At the end of the day, people will vary in what they use and as long as it doesnt retain moisure (avoid bark) and is easy and cheap to clean/replace and is non harmful to them then its personal preference. I always keep babies on plain paper/old newspaper until 5-6 months old. _________________ Sophxx
Counting down the weeks til I get my Cham! My beardie is 10 1/2 years old
1.0 Bearded Dragon
1.0 Lhasa apso
1.1 Lionheads
0.1 Syrian Hamster |
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dantro CaptiveBred Addict!
Joined: 14 Jun 2007 Posts: 792 Location: Essex
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Posted: Fri Apr 11, 2008 10:22 pm Post subject: |
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Ive used and tried a few different substrates, but i must admit Playsand is the best so far, looks good, its there for digging if they want. I wouldnt use anything else now ... But at the end of the day its down to personal choice. _________________ Cheers
Dan
1.1.0 Ackies (10 eggs cooking) 4.9.6 Stenodactylus S. (22 eggs cooking)
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Devon_Paul I've settled in...
Joined: 07 Jul 2007 Posts: 44 Location: Devon, UK
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Posted: Fri Apr 11, 2008 10:33 pm Post subject: |
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Hi, many thanks for all of your replies. It seems like play-sand is a popular choice and is very similar to calci-sand in look etc. Is this not as dusty either? |
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dantro CaptiveBred Addict!
Joined: 14 Jun 2007 Posts: 792 Location: Essex
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Posted: Fri Apr 11, 2008 10:54 pm Post subject: |
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Its not dusty at all, just make sure u dry it before u put it in and make sure its non silica, i get mine from mothercare, but Argos do it too ... _________________ Cheers
Dan
1.1.0 Ackies (10 eggs cooking) 4.9.6 Stenodactylus S. (22 eggs cooking)
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Jaffa I've settled in...
Joined: 24 Dec 2007 Posts: 22 Location: Gravesend
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Posted: Fri Apr 11, 2008 11:32 pm Post subject: |
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I swapped from the calci sand earlier this year to the repitle sand stuff, it looks far better without the dust |
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minno Key Member
Joined: 08 Apr 2007 Posts: 376 Location: nottingham
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Posted: Sat Apr 12, 2008 10:04 pm Post subject: |
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i use that black exo terra desert sand, and have no problems with it at all, cept for a deep substrate prepare 2buy a few bags lol, _________________ 1.0.0 Rankins Dragon
2.1.0 Crested Geckos
??.??.?? Lobster Roaches |
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Lynne ___________
Joined: 30 Jul 2007 Posts: 8265 Location: Kincardine-on-Forth
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Posted: Sat Apr 12, 2008 10:09 pm Post subject: |
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tiles or lino like negri says. easy to keep clean too. and is good for the claws. _________________
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Dracowoman2 Captivebred Colonel
Joined: 29 Oct 2007 Posts: 2205 Location: Gwent
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Posted: Tue Apr 22, 2008 1:03 am Post subject: |
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I've got siliconed kitchen floor tiles in my vivs, and I usually use porridge oats as substrate on top of that. They work like cat litter, keep the smell to almost zero after they have done what they do best, are cheap as chips as 2 bags of the really cheap Tescos or Asdas own brand do a 4 foot viv nicely and there is no risk of impaction.
Just my personal preference as I won't have sand anywhere near my beardies or geckos just to be on the safe side. In the wild what they actually live on is more like compacted granite anyway, they are not actually a desert species per say _________________ www.draco2.co.uk
"Life without animals isn't life, they give much and take little"
Claire |
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