I have used all kinds of substrates, from repti carpets to calci sand to newspaper to regular printer paper. I was also using too much decorations for my baby beardie. It was losing weight and was looking stressed out. The pet store/ breeader told me to use Reptilite cali sand which worked fine, but I was scared of inpaction. The crickets would hide under the papers and on or in the decorations. The repti carpet needed cleaning all the time. So my last option was using rabbit food pellets. I was using the pellets for about two or three days after use I could see the change. My beardie was gaining weight and looked very happy. I feel if you keep the tank set up very simple and use rabbit food pellets your baby beardie will be fine until old enough for sand. The crickets will actually eat the rabbit pellets so that work out in two ways. Theres more than on way to skin a cat. But the pellets worked extremely well for me. I dont feel I used poor husbandry. I feel I was just seeing what really worked best. Becauese three web sites would say use paper, six would say use washed play sand, 12 would say use repti carpet (which works great if you like cleaning the all the time. So if I would say which substrate is the best for baby Beardie. I would have to say rabbit food pellets. Its cheap and very effective. It does have a odd smell.
7/23/06
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