Question about Tile

On this other site everyone stuck on tile. If you use the word "SAND" everyone trips. I was just wanting to get some more info on this topic. I keep my bearded dragons in sand. Is that not a good idea? Should I change all my tanks to tile?

Hello William,

That is a good question.
I will give pros & cons of sand. I just would like to know what type of sand you house your dragons on?
The most commonly found sand, calcisand or reptisand are NOT recommended because they are contributing to deaths from impaction in baby & juvenile bearded dragons. Adults can & do get impacted but usually much slower than babies so death is not as quick, because it builds up over time.
Calcisand claims that it is calcium based & digestible so if your dragon ingests it the sand will not harm him. That is completely untrue because the sand hardens like cement once it is wet which makes it practically impossible for your dragon to pass it & can kill him from impaction.
I do not recommend loose substrates of any kind for baby dragons because of impaction risks but also due to bacteria buildup in loose substrates.
IF you do choose sand, the only type of sand that is deemed safe & acceptable, in my opinion, is the washed & sifted playsand which does not clump & harden like the calcisand or reptisand does & will gradually pass through if ingested.

So, there you have it. You can make a more informed choice. I hope that helped out a little bit.

Tracie

I undrestand the sifted part. But how do you wash the sand?

Hello,

Well, I am pretty sure that the washed & sifted playsand is already washed when you purchase it from Home Depot.
I have known people who literally washed the sand, then baked it in the oven or baked it outside in the sun to make sure it was clean & dry.
That is about as basic as you can get it. Do not use bleach or anything, just hot water.

Tracie

is tile i good substrate for cleaning up after beardy poop? what type of tile can it be uses and can i use thatself stick fake tile ???

Hello,

Normally, most people who are using tile will use the textured type of slate tiles that you can get at Home Depot or most hardware type of stores. They are very easy to clean as well. No need to put grout down either.
You can put shelf liner on the bottom of the tank, then, line up the tiles on top of that & if anything runs in between the tiles, just pick up & wipe down. That way too, you can easily remove the tiles for a more thorough cleaning or if you want to change them or change tanks you can more easily.
Are you talking about the stick on type of lineleum or tiles? The problem with that is that is has glue & or adhesive which can be toxic once the tank heats up. It can let off fumes that will be harmful to your dragon. IF you are going to use anything like that, make sure it is non-adhesive type of flooring.

Tracie