is it safe? beach sand

[Nero Egernia]

In Western Australia it's against our license conditions to use sand as a substrate for pythons.

 

[bluedragon]

thank u Scutellatus a sutible answer substrate fo blue tongue
thanks

 

[Rob]

thank u Scutellatus a sutible answer substrate fo blue tongue
thanks

There have been plenty of suitable answers in this thread, you've just seemingly chosen to ignore them. Besides, just because wild Blue Tongues have been observed to do alright living in beach areas doesn't mean they will fare the same in your box of sand.

 

[bluedragon]

wow thanks rob and no i dont have a box of sand

oshkii why is that

 

[Prof_Moreliarty]

Because it's not suitable as a substrate..

 

[pinefamily]

It seems this thread has been started with the idea of using "free" substrates. What you need to do is to use the most suitable, not necessarily the cheapest, substrates. Otherwise what you save on substrate cost will be swallowed up by vet costs.

 

[pythoninfinite]

I could say that most reptiles can do OK on roads too. If you want a natural substrate, put several layers of newspaper down, go out into a park or the bush, and rake up a bucket of gum leaves. This is a perfectly good substrate and looks very natural. You don't need to worry about ticks or any other critters. I've been doing this for 50 years+ and never had a problem. But when I was a kid my animals did have problems with respiratory infections, shedding difficulties and impactions because I kept them on sand, when knowledge was less available. Many of them also died because treatment options weren't understood.

Don't bother trying to reinvent the wheel. Your animals will suffer.

Jamie

 

[caz2y5]

I do believe that what Jake / Bluedragon is asking, is If it's okay to use sand from the beach. In Australia it's actually illegal to remove sand from any beach.

 

[Flaviemys purvisi]

Can you explain why zoos use sand (usually red sand) in their enclosures while I'm guessing they have a combined experience of more than the average keeper of experience?

Not saying you're wrong but I think for some carpet species there wouldn't be a problem?

Edit: also from my experience with sand it's usually quite hot in the middle of the day

Aesthetics is the only reason they use it... saying that zoo keepers have a lot more knowledge or experience than the average herp enthusiast is highly debatable, you should see the way they all keep fresh water turtles... sand (not beach sand which is extremely high in siica) but natural river sand is the only suitable substrate for freshwater turtles, yet you see zoos with exhibits crammed with rocks, stones and gravel. A turtle's shell is made from bone and covered with thin scutes made from keratin, the same stuff as our fingernails. What do you think happens when a turtle's shell is constantly in contact with rocks (which are harder?) The shell becomes scarred and pitted and then susceptible to shell rot. Several zoos in South Australia still refer to turtles as tortoises... err huhh... with turtles, the only way to know where and how they live is to actually get in the water with them.... turtles prefer Sandy silty sections of creeks and rivers where they can bury themselves.