THanks your all so very helpful!

I'm a bit puzzled on substrate too as I have read a few of the threads on here and they say don't use Calcisand or sand, but a friend of mine was told to use calci sand by a shop who specialise in reptiles?

Also alittle off topic but what is the best size beardie to buy from a shop?

Wonder why shops say that, oooooooo yes because its so expensive!

So I take it that Calci sand really is a big No No!!

I know its expensive but I would have thought if they run a reptile specialist shop that they would love them and want the best for them?

Bob

Hi
Just a quick question, if I wanted to keep water dragons what sort of viv would be recommended due to the high humidity needs for them?

Thanks

Theres an ongoing debate regards Calci-sand. Some people swear by it and haven't had problems, then other people detest the stuff as animals can eat it and there are many concerns over it causing impaction (sp? Was a long weekend and my spelling there just dosn't look right ...)

I belong in the last camp. I wouldn't touch the stuff personally - better to keep your pets safe than be sorry they had a painful death or serious condition that needed sorting.

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In this case then I would be in camp number 2 as I am all for animals safety and comfort! so what substrate would you use?

Also anyone got any info on chinese water dragons?
As I understand the high humidity can rot the wood?

For babies use paper towel. Easy to clean up even if it dosn't look amazingly good or authentic (Not many kitchen roll plains in Oz!).

Adults, using slate tiles and stone with a thin covering of sand in the cracks. Think the pro breeders and keepers use this method (Its what I'll be doing too I think) as it both looks good, gives them a good surface to keep claws trim on but minimises the risk of impaction or injesting the sand when hunting crickets etc. Think playsand is meant to be a lot safer than Calci sand.

Not sure about CWDs mate, I'll let other people talk about that, though I'd hazard a guess at some kind of sealant on the wood maybe? Not sure though, so don't quote me!

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Thanks for that, any good websites where you can get the slate tiles from?
How long do you keep them on kitchen roll then? and I take it you cover the bottom of the viv with it?

Sorry for the ignorance but I am really new to this!

I always use MDF for all my vivs and have done a fair few for my wife as she has a few beardies.I paint them and then varnish with Ronseal Floor Varnish and dont have any problems at all.

This viv is 60x24x24


And a mixture of vivs bottom viv is 36x24x24 middle viv is 36x15x12 and top vivs are both 23x15x12 these are the growing on and hatchling vivs.


All are made out of 18mm MDF and have 2 coats of blackboard paint then 3 coats of floor varnish and all vivs are silicone sealed during the build.

All the vivs except the hatchlings vivs have play sand in them and the hatchlings have carpet.

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Thanks for that I'll have to get on the CAD later and design one for my Dad to cut up and paint for me I think!!