substrate?

[drm255]

What is good to use for substrate? I heard paper towels or playsand. What about ground walnut hulls? That is what the pet shop who sold me my hatchling used.

[Dr.Oviparous]

It depends completely on what type of animal it is intended for. In any case, avoid Cedar and Pine. Even though they sell it in pet stores, both will make animals ill in the long run.

If it is for a snake, play sand will probably not work. Although there are a few very select species that may use sand, most do not do well on it at all.

For all of my snake enclosures I use compressed aspen, or just normal shredded aspen. I prefer compressed aspen because it holds humidity better, and is less expensive in the long run because it can expand so much.

Cypress mulch can also be used, but takes some preparation, and is not worth the hassle in my opinion. But, it is very cost effective in the long run. If you would like to use it, I'll (or I'm sure the first other person that stumbles onto this thread will) explain the process of preparing it to be used as a substrate.

I don't like walnut hulls because they are expensive, and not any better than aspen. I've never used them, or really even looked into them as a substrate.

[drm255]

Sorry, my hatchling is a bearded dragon with tail about 7 inches long.

[tmfleo1]

Well for a baby beardie paper towel or news paper or even cage carpet would work Zoo Med makes some cage carpet that is precut to size and is washable

[Pork Chops N' Corn Bread]

Agreed with tmfleo. Cage carpet is a pain since beardies poop a ton and you will have to change the carpet almost everyday. Paper towels work great decause no chance of impaction, claws wont snag like they can on carpet and cheap to replace daily.

[drm255]

I just bought a bag of repti-sand for the tank is this ok, I hope so.

[tmfleo1]

Maybe once it gets larger not when there small even though all the special sands for reptiles say there safe they can still cause some major problem #1 being impaction which can lead to death so for now I'd use paper of some kind or the cage carpet .drm255 what type of enclosure are you using and what kind of heat source ??????

[drm255]

I have a 20 gal tall tank and a 75 watt basking bulb with a 15 in 5% uvb tube set on a timer on 9:00 am and off 10:30 pm.

	Geek Auto Linker or Gallon Geek Auto Linker Gallon - United States liquid unit equal to 4 quarts or 3.785 liters

	Ultra Violet Radiation B Ultra Violet Radiation B

[drm255]

I hope this works. Here is a picture of the little girl, her name is Tabbie.

[tmfleo1]

Shes a little cutie !!!!!! : ) lol looks like you use the same kind of hides I do .

Anyways do you use a heat mat ?

[futureCROChunter]

Almost all loose substrates have the risk of causing impaction in your dragon. When sand is wet, it clumps together, that means, whenever your dragon goes for a cricket or is just licking its enivornment(which they do a lot), those bits and bits of sand build up over time and will clump together and could hurt your dragon. I know a lot of people will tell you that its ok and that they have used it for years with no problem. I am just telling you that people's dragons have died from impaction of sand, wood chips, and other loose substrates so you are taking a risk when using it.

Safe substrates include: newspaper, paper towels, non-ahesive shelf liner, repti carpet, tile, and no substrate.

[drm255]

No, the tank is on top of a hot water rad. that heats the apartment.

[tmfleo1]

Well check this out

http://www.zoomed.com/html/repti_cage_carpet.php

[Dr.Oviparous]

I don't recommend carpet; I've seen beardie's nails get stuck in it. Luckily they were clam about it... but, if one felt trapped, I could see it stuggling and possibly doing damage to the stuck digit by twisting and turning in a panic.