Ackie Substrate Question

[Varanoidea]

No plans to get ackies as of yet but I'm just curious as to why sand is so recommended fairly universally when its a great debate for bearded dragons? Is there something about their physiology which makes them less prone to issues with it?

 

[NickGeee]

It is quite fine and usually can be somewhat digestible.
Lizards that have it as a substrate are less prone to get impactions.

 

[BDkeeper]

And it's easier to dig in then coir peat or something and there from a desert background so it just suits them better

 

[NickGeee]

Coir peat is very easy to dig into.

 

[sandfireackie]

I have a 4 month old red ackie and we have the stuff that you would put in a rabbit's cage on the floor and we did ask a specialist to see what flooring a red ackie would need

 

[BDkeeper]

Coir peat is very easy to dig into.

but it wont hold a tunnel will it? not like moistened sand

 

[NickGeee]

It would if it was damp, I'm talking about the brick stuff that you put in water.
But yeah moist sand holds pretty good.

 

[Rogue5861]

I'm using red sand with my Ridgies a find it to look a lot more natural then fake grass or anything else. I think you will be hard pressed to find many Aussie keepers of beardies that suggest to keep them off sand, it's something the yanks have decided as a collective to believe. My beardie has been on sand since 3 months old and my Ridgies since 3 weeks old.

Impaction has a lot to do with temperature of basking site, I have seen my beardie eat sand on many occasions (licking it up) and haven't had any issues (45c basking spot till 12 months old). My Ridgies would be lucky to get any sand at all on their crickets, it's the way they grab them within their jaws (unlike a beardie that uses its tongue) and then normally find something hard and rough to adjust the crickets to swallow them.

Ridgies also will eat bigger insects then a beardie for their size. Mine are 7 weeks old and already eating big medium crickets (no wings).


Rick

 

[Varanoidea]

I'm contemplating changing the tiles in my beardie's enclosure to playsand, would you suggest having it slightly damp?

 

[NickGeee]

It would be completely fine dry but if he's digging maybe make it a bit wet so he can make a burrow.

 

[Varanoidea]

To anyone who mixes sand with soil for their ackies, what products do you use?

 

[Rogue5861]

To anyone who mixes sand with soil for their ackies, what products do you use?

Sandy loam/top soil might be ok (80% sand 20% soil) only problem I could foresee would be that it doesn't get a crust an stays very loose.


Rick