Should I change the sand in my dragon tank?

Question

I have had my beaded dragon for about 2 years. I use calcium sand but a lot of people tell me to change it to carpet or news paper. I been thinking about it but have not. for one reason is because my dragon has been doing fine. out of the two years nothing has caused me to take him to the vet because of change in behavior due to the sand. should I keep the sand or change it now? After two years.

Answer 1

You know... I'd have to say just leave it. If it isn't broke, don't fix it, right? That and I haven't heard of any problems in using the sand... Now, I'm not as familiar with lizards as I am with other reptiles and amphibians but I do stay up to date on what's going on in the herp world. But I can tell you... Do NOT use newspaper. Been there, done that... Hideous, aweful mess.

Answer 2

I do not say one way or the other 2 years of success is a long time. but check out the website below and you can get a different perspective on calcium sand. because of the controversy associated with impaction and the advice of my vet, I do not use sand. as far as the belief of calcium sand dissolving in your lizard and being benificial. try putting some in a glass of water and stir it vigorously see how much actually disolves. leave it over night. I am sure many many people yourself included use it every day and with great success so use what I say with the grain of salt/sand it's just one oppinion in a million. if you want to keep the sand you can clean it by taking it out and soaking it in water/bleach solution 4oz per 1 gal to loosen any stool material and filter it through a mesh screen rinsing very good. then let it dry completely in the sun adgitating it often for 5 days this will ensure all bleach/chlorine is gone. this will kill the bacteria that may be present. I know it is sand and it is under a heat lamp etc. but bacteria can actually survive up to 290 degrees if not higher.

Answer 3

Calcium sand is "tasty" to a dragon. If your dragon is not receiving enough calcium in it's diet, it will get it elsewhere. Excessive consumption of sand will impact your dragon which could cause death. Adult dragons are okay to be put on regular playground sand but defiantly not for any dragon under 14 inches. If you want to use sand, use playground sand. You can buy it at Home Depot for cheap, is much safer for them because it does not have a dust like calcium sand that could causes respiratory infection and does not hold smells. Downsides to sand is that you can not sterilize it and you cannot ever completely remove all of the feces. I personally use shelf liner on most of my dragons; 6 are on playground sand. Shelf liner is easily cleaned, easily sterilized and I can feed my dragons in their down enclosures. I put the dragons that are on sand individually into a separate enclosure to feed them so they do not eat the sand when they go for a cricket or roach.

Answer 4

I keep all of my lizards on calcium sand and have never had a problem. I have several leopard geckos (I've had them for 5 years), 2 bearded dragons, 2 mali uromastyx, sandfish skink, blue tongue skink, and a few others. They all have calcium sand.

Answer 5

I had a bearded Dragon and I used sand. He loved digging in it. I can imagine it is more like their natural habitat than carpet or newspaper.

Answer 6

Check out the following

According to them, calci-sand is fine but it needs to be changed frequently for cleaning. It also says some people choose to use a reptile carpet.

Answer 7

you really want to have that sand changed every 3-6 months. You need to change it.

Answer 8

its ok not to change the sand,if it dosnt harm your bearded dragon.most people use carpet or newspaper just because the newspaper is easy to clean,when it gets dirty youll just throw it away and replace the newspaper,while in carpet they can easily clean it up.
wether you change it or not,it dosnt matter'it wont harm your dragon....

Answer 9

I would change it just to be safe. Rather safe then sorry.