Bearded Dragons Washington DC

Common Substrates For Bearded Dragons

If you keep a bearded dragon, you will need to line the bottom of his vivarium with a substrate. Some types are harmful, so you'll need to choose wisely. This article will discuss some of these good and bad substrates for bearded dragons.

Play Sand

One of the most popular choices is washed playground sand from a hardware store. Dragons live in sandy desert areas in the wild, so this type of substrate does a good job simulating that environment. Play sand is easy to maintain since you can scoop feces out like you would with a litter box. One potential problem with juveniles is accidental ingestion which could cause intestinal impaction.

Carpeting

Another popular bearded dragon substrate is carpeting. Carpeting designed for either indoor or outdoor use is fine. This type of substrate is relatively easy to maintain too. You can simply toss it in the washing machine whenever it gets dirty. You need to make sure that the carpet doesn't have any loose threads. Loose threads can easily lead to impaction if it's swallowed.

Paper

Some owners like to use paper products as a substrate. Paper towels and newspaper are good. Maintenance is simple as you'll just toss the paper out and put more in whenever it gets soiled. Just make sure that any newspaper you use doesn't have toxic ink.

Walnut Shell

Walnut shell is never a good substrate for a bearded dragon. It's small enough to be swallowed and cause impaction. Also, the edges of the shell are very, very sharp. This can cause serious harm and even death to your dragon.

Shavings

Some types of wood shavings may be suitable for use as a substrate for bearded dragons. However, you should never use pine or cedar shavings. Pine will lead to impaction. Cedar shavings produce aromatic oils that are harmful to your beardie.

As an owner, there are probably many more things you need to learn about proper bearded dragon care. Fortunately for you, bearded-dragon-care.net provides everything you need. So, stop by today to start learning about important topics such as bearded dragon heating.

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