What substrate is best?

[sixfeetunder]

I wont use sand as i hear beardies can eat it and i worry too much. Ive seen tiled vivarium's? I was thinking Beech wood chip.
Any advice?????

 

[sixfeetunder]

Also if anyone mentions Carpet. How would you clean it

 

[bouncer36]

found your forum here i will send those pics here ok i use tile on mine works great easy to clean

 

[Strange_Evil]

Tile is best, after that things like news paper and butchers paper. But hands down tile is best,it holds heat and is easy to clean.

Don't use anything loose,you got the right idea staying away from sand. As bearded dragons are pretty clumsy eater and will often kick food out of the dish onto the substrate then eat it. Sand is also very dirty, when they defecate it may seem less messier,but most of the waste is just absorbed to the bottom where it will harden and mold or become a pain to clean out.

Wood isn't best,it would eventually mold,and wouldn't make a really stable surface for the dragon to walk on.

I used reptile carpet for a few weeks,its a pain, you have to wash it in cold water by hand, and its not easy. I tried the washing machine and it shrunk. My bearded dragons were also getting there nails caught in the stuff.

Tile defeats all the flaws above, 0 risk of impaction,won't rot,holds heat,doesn't fracture nails (actually helps keep them trim) and easy to clean.

 

[sixfeetunder]

how would i stick these down?? Would i use aquarium sealer??
Thank you very much bouncer for finding my post

 

[bouncer36]

your welcome i just lay my down

 

[jynx stephens]

what kinda tile do u use? stone tile or artifical like what u might find put down in kitchens or bathrooms sometimes?

 

[Fliehigh]

I use ceramic.

DON'T Seal it down. Alot of Herps regret doing this as you cannot clean under them. I actually line the bottom with papertowel and then put the tile on top of them. Works great, easy to clean and change.

 

[jynx stephens]

how well can ceramic hold heat? it is winter at my house and in haveing a little bit of heating issues at the moment

 

[Fliehigh]

It holds it very well.

 

[sixfeetunder]

Everyone has told me they hold heat very well, if not put foil behind your radiators to reflect heat. Also maybe make the basking spot warmer x

 

[sixfeetunder]

what kinda tile do u use? stone tile or artifical like what u might find put down in kitchens or bathrooms sometimes?

Ceramic a little rough not shiny or he or she may loose grip

 

[jynx stephens]

yea i dont really have a modern house lol our heat source is a big wood stove and the heat lamps i have on my dragons im trying to come up with ways to keep the tanks heated well and find a better bedding to use for every one. i have my 2 babies on newspaper at the moment and crushed english walnut shell bedding for my 3 adults till i find something better.

 

[sixfeetunder]

Can anyone answer this??
Do dragons actually hibernate??

 

[sixfeetunder]

Also what is burmate??

 

[jynx stephens]

burmate is basicly a reptiles version of hibernateing

 

[jynx stephens]

i think..... i know it's something like that....

 

[Exile Skimmer]

your correct burmating is hibernating for reptiles easy way to put it and im not a pro ((correct if me wrong)) but i think they burmate right before they are about to go into mating season my beardies are to small or havent had them long enought ot do it so im not that worried but as some1 said before do not glue your tiles down and it will be a pain for you to the point where u just start over ((been there done it)) this is just me and no hate on any1 else but i put the reptile carpet down then tile ontop and its a life saver b/c if they pee and it goes between the cracks of tile, the carpet gets it and if they go poo its mostly on the tile you pick it up wash it and good to go. . . . about once every month i take all tile out bake it to kill anything i cant see, let it cool down and put it back in and good to go, while my tile is baking i wash my carpet and let it dry outside ((covered so dirt doesnt get on it)) and you my friend have a clean tank.... there are people who use the fake tile ((idk the name)) but its like a plastic floor but looks like tile and they just cut it to the size of there tank. . . if your beardie is small i would use newspaper bc its quick and easy and when they are small berdies liek to use the bathroom bc they like to eat haha. . . its really up to you but the most common thing is wall tile bc it is small and easy to cut and has no chemicals in it bc it is used as a backwash for your stove or sink

 

[sixfeetunder]

Thanks everyone. My Viv came this morning well got dropped of.
I may still tile not really sure, but don't want sand ever
My DP is my new vivarium