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good substrate for bearded?

monkeybumpz

Juvenile Dragon
Messages
111
If I buy from home depot. Should I still steam it and wash it? Just hot water is good enough?
 

PatsyB

Super Moderator
Staff member
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Beardie Club
Messages
9,390
Location
Chicago
When I got my sand I washed it real good with hot water and then baked it until it dried. I don't use sand anymore, it was too hard to keep clean and Dexter didn't really like it anyway.
 

diegothediggy

Bearded Dragon Veteran
3 Year Member
Beardie Club
Messages
1,341
Is it safe to use sand if I don't feed in the enclosure?
It is safe as long as ur beardie longer than 14" but i had sand n found a few problems. If u have an activw beardie like i do the sand ends up in the food bowls. It also gets stuck in the.run of the door and makes an awful sound. Also u have to clean it all the time so bits of salad dnt get lost in there n go stale. Also when they poop its quite hard to make sure u got it all. I have tile well 3/4 tile n 1/4 sand in the basking end coz the like to dig. Diego also sleeps in his sand. :)
 

diegothediggy

Bearded Dragon Veteran
3 Year Member
Beardie Club
Messages
1,341
What I do with my tile is I seal all cracks and crevices with 100% silicone. Keeps water and poop from getting in the cracks.
I like that gud idea i may pinch that in the near future :) i use sand to full the gaps :)
 

Luvthemanimal

Bearded Dragon Veteran
Messages
832
Location
London Ontario Canada
The silicone can be taken off really easy. It's really flexible and peels off. I don't move the tile though. When he poops I spray it with bleach and take paper towel and wipe it off. It's really easy to clean

Never use bleach it's very toxic to your animals...... Hot water and vinegar is a safe and good alternative.

Is it safe to use sand if I don't feed in the enclosure?

Sand is for you to make your enclosure look pretty and serves zero purpose for your beardie. It can cause impaction and respiratory issues. Although they are "desert" reptiles there NATURAL substrates are rock and clay...... If you choose to use sand use washed and sifted play sand from home Depot.....

Can I get sand from the local park?

NO.
 

adam5906

Bearded Dragon Egg
3 Year Member
Messages
10
I use I/4 cup bleach to one gallon of water. I ready about using it as cleaner on another website. It's so diluted it's fine for the bearded dragon. I do however make sure it's dry so they can't lick it up
 

Josh

Administrator
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3 Year Member
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1,483
Location
Redlands, CA
I'd be very careful with both bleach and sand. I know some folks are extremely careful and know what they're doing and their method has worked for them for years. I just caution on the use for newbies who might not know all the precautions to take.
I prefer using an easily cleanable substrate like paper towels or even newspaper-like material or butcher paper. I really like using slate tiles too. They retain heat, are easy to clean, look nice, etc. There's so many options, I choose to not take any chances with questionable stuff.
 

PatsyB

Super Moderator
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9,390
Location
Chicago
Paper towels are nice but a pain in the butt if you have a very active dragon that will rip them up as he runs over them! I actually got so frustrated that put down construction paper last night and so far with all his running around Luci has not ripped it up yet. I may be looking into the slate tile idea. Will have talk one of my coworkers into taking a trip to Menards with me!
 

Jon Macintosh

Juvenile Dragon
Messages
136
Location
Missouri
The silicone can be taken off really easy. It's really flexible and peels off. I don't move the tile though. When he poops I spray it with bleach and take paper towel and wipe it off. It's really easy to clean

Would you be willing to post photos of your tile with the silicone?

I've made plans to get tile and actually mortar/grout it into the enclosure, but if this is a viable option I'd rather do it seeing as how I'd be able to take up and remove it at any time.
 

adam5906

Bearded Dragon Egg
3 Year Member
Messages
10
Yeah when I get home. I use clear silicone but you could use white if you wanted to. Clear doesn't take away the beauty of tile
 

adam5906

Bearded Dragon Egg
3 Year Member
Messages
10
Yes but not to hold it to the enclosure. My tile had alittle gap along the bottom and crickets would crawl under the tile and not get eaten so I silicones around it. Also when you get silicone make sure it's 100% and has no extras like preventing mold
 

Jon Macintosh

Juvenile Dragon
Messages
136
Location
Missouri
Yes but not to hold it to the enclosure. My tile had alittle gap along the bottom and crickets would crawl under the tile and not get eaten so I silicones around it. Also when you get silicone make sure it's 100% and has no extras like preventing mold
Thanks for all the recommendations - I look forward to the photos.

I wouldn't be so concerned with it holding either, but more for the reason you described and so that nothing could possibly get down under the tile.
 

adam5906

Bearded Dragon Egg
3 Year Member
Messages
10
Thanks for all the recommendations - I look forward to the photos.

I wouldn't be so concerned with it holding either, but more for the reason you described and so that nothing could possibly get down under the tile.
Sorry just got home and he left me a surprise
ImageUploadedByTapatalk1402613835.055756.jpg
ImageUploadedByTapatalk1402613853.963477.jpg
ImageUploadedByTapatalk1402613877.802176.jpg
 
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