What is the best bedding for a bearded dragon, thats about 2 years old?

Answer 1

Plain ol' newspaper. My dragon is eight years old and she's been kept on the morning news the entire time. I have four different reptile vets that I use, and NONE of them recommend sand for any lizard. There's too much risk of impaction with sand. They might live in the desert, but we can't recreate that type of environment in captivity, so it's best to avoid sand due to the risk of impaction.

Here's the plus side of newspaper:
Non-toxic
Cheap (usually free - ask family and friends for thier paper when they're done reading it)
Easy to change.
Won't be accidentally eaten.

Answer 2

What ever is easiest for you. I have two adult beardies, and I use the special cage carpet in one (and it's a pain to clean and let dry), but I have an Under the tank heater in his cage, and to keep him from getting burnt I have to have the carpet. In the other beardies cage I just get whatever is safe, cheap and easy to clean. I do get the stuff made specially for reptiles though, even though it's a little more expensive I know it's safe! I'm sure the mulch and other stuff would probably work too, but I've never wanted to risk it. I read on a website somewhere that the majority of people on those forums use ceramic tile, because it's easy to clean, and it simulates there natural habitat (compacted hardened clay). I've never tried that before, but it's an option, and I bet it holds heat good too. Just be carefull not to get anything to big that they might eat and not be able to digest. That's more a worry in baby beardies, but I still worry about it in my adults too.

Answer 3

The easiest I found were ceramic tiles. Bought from home depot.. I payed about $2.00 for the large ones. That way when mine went to the bathroom I washed the tiles off, easier to clean up.

Some people say because its an older dragon they won't consume sand or mulch that they use for bedding and get compacted. However I am not one to take chances.

Answer 4

Again this is where digestive issues can come into play, Beardies are explorers, and like to eat and taste what ever they can. Their natual habitat is a clay soil base.... hardend more like clay, therefore much easy for them not to digest.

I DO NOT recommend the earth soil or the sand, their lil systems can not digest it if swallowed. I simple solution is newspapers or Paper towels, I prefer the paper towels for a couple reasons.

When too hot my beardie can hide under it to cool, and a very easy clean up.

again there are many websites to view about bedding for beardies and I recommend www.peteducation.com

Good Luck

Answer 5

Sand and gravel is the habitat they came from. Nobody ever carpeted a desert or lined it with newspaper (but newspapers are the next best choice) and mulch would be the worst of all. Go with their natural bedding.

Answer 6

Since he's an adult, you can use cypress mulch for bedding. I use it for all of my older lizards and they really love it. I get mine at Home Depot or Lowes and it is seriously only a few dollars a bag. Most pet stores carry special sand substrate, which is also a good choice for an adult Beardie.

Answer 7

I have a beardy who is also about 2 years old and i use the calcium sand from the pet store it hold in heat, they can digest it if they eat it and it is easy to clean up. Hope this is helpful.

Answer 8

I likes useing sand or eco earth. You can use the mulch too but I usually use that stuff for my high humidity animals like my rainbow boa and such.

Answer 9

Calcium sand or cage carpet is best for adult bearded dragons...
It should be calcium sand from a pet store because it's safe for them to ingest...
Sand also hold more heat for them...

Think about it, where are they from? What do they live on there?.....SAND

Hope this helps...GOOD LUCK!!!

Answer 10

Sand from the pet shop. Easier to pick up the poop also. I did use grass turf but they get their nails stuck in it.