See that's the thing, the topic of conversation wasn't 'sand vs pellets', it was whether or not sand can impact and kill a bearded which it can, i can seen no evidence of pellets doing so and if i had i probably would'nt be using them.
When i first started up i was using sand as told by a few storeclerks, started learning more, lost one dragon to impaction and i switched to newspaper, i had my beardies on newspaper for years. I started breeding and looked for something the dragons could nest and dig in, came across these pellets, successfully has many of my beardeds on this substrate for what would be over four-five years now with no mishaps
I also got given a rescue beardie and within about five days it was dead, two necropsys on both beardeds proved sand was the culprit. (and the rescue beardie was on newspaper as soon as i got it) He had many baths and laxatives, nothing worked.
I NEVER said they can't cause impaction (though i have seen NO evidence of it) but it's ALOT less likely than with sand.
No i'm not a scientist
Ishah just a curious human being with alot of experience below her belt.
I've covered the whole licking and tasting the enclosure thing on another thread.
Sand particles get stuck to the saliva on the tongue of the lizard, it either gradually swallows more and more and the sand sits at the bass of the stomach, or it chomps up one lot of sand that eventually kills it.
The pellets are too solid and too heavy to be picked up simply by licking, i've observed it many times and they don't come off the ground, like i said i have only ever had one issue when my oldest bearded picked up a piece a long with carot my sister dropped onto the enclosure floor, she immediately spat it out and i'm assuming it was because it was too solid and didn't taste very nice.
and i don't feed in the enclosure at all.
:evil:I've seen various x-rays and necropsys done on beardeds and i've only ever seen sand impaction cases, and one bearded that had swallowed a toy soldier.
I'd rather the newspaper substrate for ease of cleaning and then make it look more natural with real branches, logs, rocks and for my own personal touch, old cows bones... I think that really puts an edge on it! All steralised for days on end before introduced to my beardies of course! I think the bones are great! Really hold the heat and gives it a nice feel to the whole "aura" of the enclosure!
