I am picking up an adult female bearded dragon tomorrow and I am setting up her cage tonight. I was just about to head out to the store to pick up some stuff for her, but I wanted to ask, what do you guys think is the BEST substrate to use on bearded dragons. I was told millet is the best, but I fear that it will start growing if water is spilled in the cage or anything. I have also though about play sand, but don't want to run the risk of impaction, even though play sand is probably cheapest. So what do you guys suggest for a good substrate choice? Thanks!

In my opinion, slate tile is the best. I definitely would not use millet. You are right about the sand. Many of us believe, and know first hand the dangers of loose substrate, ie. sand, calci-sand, etc. If you are strapped for cash, paper towel or non-adhesive shelf liner will do quite nicely. I like the look of tile and you really don't have to replace it. It cleans up nicely and gives them a nice, natural looking cage.

I actually have decided I am going to go with tile with a small strip of reptile carpet on one side. I saw that some people did this and liked the look of it. I am picking up the tiles tomorrow morning. Good thing I have a nice evenly sized cage for her: 4 foot by 2 foot floor space, so the tiles will fit together nicely.

reptile carpet. under no circumstances use calci sand. never. my poor dude died on it after five years.
by the way...does sand come washed? because i always hear "washed play sand..." i heard its pretty good, safe too...but how do you wash it?

Yea I know calci sand really sucks. I decided to go with tile, and she seems to love it... and it makes the cage look GREAT!

And the sand doesn't come washed. Washed play sand means wash it yourself and then let it dry, then put it in the cage. But it just seems easier to use tile. That way I just have to spot-clean daily rather than doing that AND buying new sand every few weeks.

At least for me, slate is the best. All you have to do is take one out wash it off, scrub a little, and put it back in. Easy as pie.

Corey

I like either slate tile or indoor/outdoor carpet. Slate tile is by far the easiest to clean though and looks really nice.

Don't use any type of sand, as others have posted it isnt safe for them, and play sand is made out of glass, that is not good for anyone to eat especially a beardie.

At the minute i'm using Bird Sand, was recommended to me and have had no problems

Well, you won't know you have a problem until it's pretty bad. That's the thing about impaction, it takes a while to build up before you can tell there's a problem.

I love my tile! We grouted it and everything- very easy to clean!

Yea, I have learned tile is the way to go. Really easy to clean too! (my male beardie is a MESS with his salad)

why wouldn't people recommend Sand even though Beardie's live in the desert :?

Because some BD's eat the Sand and get compaction and can die. Personaly mine has been on sand since Day 1 and i have never had a single problem. but everyone is different.

fair enough, just thought that a well fed Beardie would pass the sand through it's system.

beardies don't live in the dessert of sand and their natural substrate is more like a compacted clay/dirt

Only a few live a a desert classification(which desert can also mean ice or a variety of things) and that is mostly hard packed red sand/clay. Beardies in their natural habitats live in lake regions (lake Eyre) or grasslands and some in rain corridors. It is a great misconception that they like on sand:

Please see this link which is also mine for photos of Australia and their natural habitats in 8 pages of photos:
http://www.bearded-dragon-network.com/oldbvd/ozmain.html

Personal for Captive Beardies I perfer a combo of Shelf liner all over, a small carpet area and then folded paper towel for their litter area.. they can be trained. You can also add a small sand box for adults (mostly females as long as you monitor they did not ingest it) There are many photo or xrays online of sand trapped in otherwise healhty dragons and lizard species

what about newspaper does that work?

beardies do not read ... j/k

Newspaper makes stained scales and some types if ink used are not healthy for them to breathe in. if you have to use a paper, use butcher paper or paper towels