• Papertowels
• NON-Adhesive Shelf Liner
• Reptile Carpet
• Newsprint
• Yesterday's News
• Butcher Paper

Bad Substrates:

• Cacli - Sand
• Repti - Bark
• Repti - Sand
• Desert Blend
• Bran
• Pine
• Wood Chips
• Gravel
• Dirt (also has problems of fungus)

Any substrate that is not in the good list, is a no-no.

Impaction is a serious condition in Bearded Dragons and it is caused by something that has created a blockage of sorts inside of the Beardie. Impacted substrates/insects put pressure on the spine, they do not have disc between the vertebras that protect the spine like other animals. Lower impactions will usually display a slight raised area along the mid to lower back or you can feel it in the abdomen area.

Impactions can occur for several reasons. For example, when a reptile is fed too large or inappropriate food (bigger than the space between the eyes), feeders that have chitin shells and the reptile is too young to digest them, basking temperatures that are too low for adequate digestion, dehydration and also when some meds are administered from parasitic die offs.

Ingested substrate, such as sand granules, stick to the intestinal track when it is ingested and slowly, over weeks or months, builds up into a cement like blockage inside the Beardie. By the time you become aware there is a problem, it is usually very major. At that point it will require medical intervention by a professional. Most substrate impactions result in death without the upper digestive system being flushed out or surgical intervention to remove the impaction. Even if they only eat 2 grains of it a day, it will eventually impact them. If you MUST use sand, the only safe one is washed and screened childrens playsand. It is not flavored or colored so there is less of a chance the dragon will want to eat it. If the sand has pebbles you must screen it out so that only the smallest grains remain. You can use regular door screen, or a kitchen strainer, to remove the pebbles. Playsand is not good for young dragons, and is never a good substrate if you feed on it. Feeding on it can make it just as dangerous as the other sand substrates. Sand is not the Bearded Dragon's natural environment... they live on hard packed soil in the wild. They are not adapted to living on loose sand, so it can cause a lot of serious problems. A lot of owners will use the non adhesive shelf liner and put a small container of sand in one end for the baby to play in. If you want to use sand this my recommendation.

A few breeders I know do use sand for their older dragons and have had absolutely no problems with impaction. However, this does not mean that sand is safe. Sand HAS and continues to cause impaction in Beardies all over the world, a local herp vet here has seen many cases of this. I do not recommend using sand, but you may decide otherwise.

Symptoms of Impaction:

• Inability To Excrete Regularly
• Trouble/Straining When They Excrete
• Leg Trembles
• Regurgitation
• Dragging One or Both Back Legs (Hind Leg Paralysis)
• Not Walking Properly
• Loss of Appetite
• Slight Bump Along Spinal Cord
• Not Very Mobile
• Front Legs Don't Move (Major Impaction)

If you see any symptoms of impaction in your Beardie, seek professional help A.S.A.P. The sooner you get help, the better of a chance your Beardie has to live.

For more information on Impaction: http://www.reptilerooms.com/Sections+index-req-viewarticle-artid-87-page-1.html