Sand consuption okay?

[mattgrizzlybear]

Okay I know that eating sand can cause impaction and other health problems but I was reading my Reptiles magazine and reading an article about bearded dragons and the sand for their substrate. The sand that you buy special at pet stores are supposed to calcuim or something and that they can be digested easily. Is that true and does anyone have any experience with it? Thanks!

 

[Jacqui]

No, it's not a good thing. First glance you would think it would be amazing stuff to use as your animal should get a calcium addition from any accidental injestion. The fact is almost any reptile person will warn you, this stuff causes more impaction problems and deaths then regular sand. I think it's just about on the same unsafe level as are those heat rocks.

 

[cemmons12]

Jacqui is dead on, again!

 

[drgnfly2265]

I have never used sand with Bowser. I also have 2 bearded dragons and have never used sand or any kind of loose partical substrate for them. I use non-adhesive shelf liner with them. Other than it can cause impaction, I also wont use it because it can get in their eyes.

 

[arotester]

Sand particles tend to cling on to other sand particles and form big lump and it stays in there due to gravity.Same thing happens with calcium sand .

 

[mattgrizzlybear]

So the company is probably stating a false statement about the sand. Thanks! I knew sand causes impaction and it is sad when I see a lot of pets on it because they are "desert animals" so they are used to sand. If they are on sand in the wild why not in captivity some people ask. I guess we just can be better than Mother Nature!

 

[Jacqui]

I guess we just can be better than Mother Nature!

No in my mind, it's because we are not as good as Mother Nature is.

 

[Tom]

So the company is probably stating a false statement about the sand. Thanks! I knew sand causes impaction and it is sad when I see a lot of pets on it because they are "desert animals" so they are used to sand. If they are on sand in the wild why not in captivity some people ask. I guess we just can be better than Mother Nature!

They are not on sand in nature all that much, and if they are on sand there is likely nothing growing there to eat. If there was something growing there, it wouldn't be covered in condensation since it just came out of a fridge and it wouldn't be laying on its side in the sand so mouthfuls of sand could be ingested with each bite of food.

Bottom line: What happens in nature cannot be fully duplicated in captivity, so we need to try to replicate what DOES work and is practical for a captive situation, but also be aware of potential problems that occur in a captive environment and take precautions to keep our charges safe and healthy.