Substrate for babies????

[LizardLady4]

just a thought i have coconut fiber in the tanks for my babies when they hatch...should i have paper towel or sand instead for them.its my first clutch so I'm not to sure

 

[crypticdragons]

paper towels is the most effective and cheapest way. Coconut fiber and sand both hold bacteria. And since babies immune systems are not very strong yet if you put them on a substrate that holds bacteria they can end up very sick.

 

[TheVirus]

Babies are small and dehydrate faster than the sub-adults and adults. Thats why you'll see more impactions with babies kept in the same conditions as adults. Also, most breeders keep babies in open top enclosures, and that coupled with the enclosure being so dry, leads to dehydrated dragons, and impaction.

So its not that babies can't be kept on loose substrates, its that they can only if your conditions allow them to be. If your a new breeder, and you've never kept more challenging species of reptiles, then I recommend using something like paper towels. Good luck with the babies and be sure to post pics!

 

[renich]

Not adding anything new, just agreeing that coconut fiber shouldn't be used for your babies.

 

[TheWolfmanTom]

I use non adheasive shelf liner. Its cheap and it cleans up in a snap.