In the previous post, we have discussed choosing and buying the terrarium for your bearded dragon. We discussed how to choose the terrarium of the right size, where to place it and answered other questions.
In this post, we will talk about two important terrarium setup steps – choosing good and safe substrate. So what is the best substrate for bearded dragons? We will talk about different types of substrates and tell you about their pros and cons.
Terrarium bedding substrate options and their pros and cons
Substrate is the material that you place on the bottom of the terrarium – it absorbs feces and other waste to make it easier for cleaning. The substrate is also giving a bearded dragon some sense of natural environment and provides with traction. While there are different types of substrates, some of them might not be the safest options.
No substrate at all.
Some bearded dragon owners choose not to use any substrate for the terrarium. You should only use this approach when your bearded dragon is still a baby.
- The pros of no substrate with baby bearded dragons is that you will not need to wash or change the substrate regularly and will be able to see their stools. There is also no risk of impaction.
- The cons are that you will need to wash and wipe the floor quite often. You also can’t use this technique with grown bearded dragons as they need a substrate to help wear down their nails – bare floor is slippery and looks unattractive. Overall, it is better to at least use paper towels or newspaper.
Newspaper – the cheapest option for a terrarium substrate.
- The pros of using newspaper as a substrate are: easy removal, low price (sometimes free) and easy changing. There is also no risk of gut impaction if your bearded dragon ingests it. Newspaper or paper towels are best substrates with hatchling and baby bearded dragons.
- One of the cons of a newspaper substrate is that you will have to replace it frequently. Newspaper also looks unattractive, not naturalistic and doesn’t provide a base for wearing down the nails. It is also not very absorbent.
- Newspaper ink has also been a topic for concerns. Daily newspaper cutting to fit the terrarium might become tiring – otherwise live bugs might hide under it and attack your beardie if the newspaper has any gaps in coverage.
Recycled paper substrate bedding – often used for hamsters, rabbits, guinea pigs and other rodents.
- Pros of recycled rabbit pellets are that is it lightweight, recyclable, natural, absorbent and can be ingested safely.
- The cons are following: these pellets can cause allergies in humans and bearded dragons. It is also rather expensive and too soft for digging. To remove any poop, you will have to look for it around the floor and scoop it. What is more, rabbit pellets will get moldy if your bearded dragon spills any water on it, which increases chances of a respiratory infection (due to inhaling of mold spores). Because of it, you will have to replace the bedding frequently.
Alfalfa bedding substrate
- Pros – easily digestible, absorbent, natural. It is also good for some light digging.
- Cons – alfalfa has a strong smell that many people hate. It can also crumble and cause dust to accumulate in the terrarium, potentially causing a respiratory disease in your bearded dragon. Another drawback of alfalfa is that it gets moldy when the air is humid or when there is a water leak on the substrate (this can also cause respiratory infection). Bacteria and fungi might also colonize alfalfa pellets and can make your beardie sick if ingested.
Sand substrate – reptile sand, play sand, non-silica sand
- Pros – looks attractive, naturalistic, easy to change and clean, good heat conductor, good for digging.
- Cons – choosing sand as a substrate for your bearded dragon’s terrarium is not recommended. Sand has been linked to gut impaction (impaction in intestines resulting from swallowing the substrate). Sand is also dusty and it makes feeding live insects hard. When your bearded dragon eats live insects from the sand, it will swallow some of it.
With sand substrate, you have to offer the food with tongs or place them in a separate bowl so your beardie doesn’t ingest the sand while eating. If you decide to choose sand, never do so with babies (there is a high risk of impaction). The best substrate with babies is newspaper or towels.
Wait for your dragon to turn at least turn 5 months old to use sand. Never choose silica (sharp), coarse or unwashed sand for your bearded dragon’s terrarium. While using sand is not recommended, if choosing one go for non-silica play sand. You can also mix the sand with natural soil.
Overall: using sand as a substrate for your bearded dragon’s terrarium is not recommended due to a risk of gut impaction. Gut impaction can be hard to detect straight away and will require an expensive operation.
Otherwise, it is fatal to your bearded dragon. You can try using sand if you really wish but check if your bearded dragon ingests any of it. If yes, switch to other substrate. Normal stools will tell you that bearded dragon is passing the small amounts of ingested sand well.
Pebble substrate
- Pros – attractive and good for burrowing
- Cons – will cause gut impaction and damage bearded dragon’s teeth when it puts them in the mouth.
Using pebbles as a substrate for your bearded dragon’s substrate – highly discouraged. If you really want to use pebbles, choose larger rocks to prevent your bearded dragon from swallowing them. However, large rocks can damage the teeth.
Carpet liner substrate
- Pros – easy to care for, no need to change regularly- can be washed with hot/cold water and dried. It can’t be
digested, so there is no risk of gut impaction. It is also absorbent and a good heat conductor. The green carpet also looks attractive. The carpet liner will come in a roll that you can cut to the needed size. Just measure the surface that you need to cover and cut. - Cons – some people fear that their bearded dragon’s claws can keep getting stuck in the carpet. Overall, carpet liner is very convenient and easy to clean.
digested, so there is no risk of gut impaction. It is also absorbent and a good heat conductor. The green carpet also looks attractive. Tile substrate for bearded dragons
- Pros – no risk of impaction, looks beautiful and rather easy to clean.
- Cons – can be hard to install initially
Best tiles to use for your bearded dragon’s tank are slate or ceramic tiles. Don’t grout the tiles or glue them to the bottom of the bearded dragon’s tank. You will need to take them out for cleaning. Also, you can use non-adhesive linoleum or vinyl flooring.
You can place a cloth or a plywood on the bottom before putting the tiles though, to protect the tank glass. If you are not sure how to cut the tiles at home, you can request to have them cut at the shop after you make measurements.
Unacceptable substrates for your bearded dragon’s terrarium
While all the substrates that we discussed have cons, you can still use them with great caution. But there are some substrates that you must not use for your bearded dragon.
Few of them include chipped bark, mulch and coconut fiber, moss, potting soil and anything else that holds in moisture. Also, never use artificial turf (AstroTurf) – it is not the same as reptile carpet! A
stroTurf is made of synthetic materials that fall of with time and cause impaction risk in bearded dragons. Avoid all these substrates due to a high risk of impaction. They also increase humidity levels in the terrarium, which is not suitable for bearded dragons.
What is the best loose substrate for bearded dragons?
While you must avoid using any loose substrate in a bearded dragon’s tank, you might really want to find the best choice. One of the best choices for loose substrate would be topsoil mixed with play sand (50/50). But please remember, that there is still risk of impaction.
You can divide the tank and have only half of it with loose substrate, where your bearded dragon is resting. Do not use loose substrate where your bearded dragon eats. And don’t use loose substrates until your dragon turns 12-18 months old.
Best substrate summary:
The best substrate solution for your bearded dragon’s terrarium is newspaper (especially for babies) and a carpet liner. You can use sand, but with much caution. Switch from sand if your bearded dragon ingests it regularly. You can also use ceramic tiles, but they can be expensive to setup and hard to walk on.
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In the next post, we will talk about lighting and humidity in bearded dragon’s terrarium.