zoomed Zoo Med XR-10 Excavator Clay Substrate, 4.5 Kg

Product Information

Some lizards are able to dig helical burrows pretty deep. They can dig as low as 3.6 meters below their environment’s level. Now we come to the options that we, as beardie owners, would and do actually use. After considering all the options available, which comes out on top for us? Although you can make your life easier and just use whatever towels are available, you do have many options when it comes to material, texture, colors, weight, and sustainability. Reptile carpet is usually the choice if you want fast clean-ups and easy setups. For the most part, it is fine to use, except blue tongue skinks love to dig and burrow.

The issue is that it only takes having one problem to regret a poor substrate choice. It’s like people who don’t use their seat belts because they’ve never been in an accident. It’s silly logic. Don’t wait until after you have a crash! Excavator clay is a relatively new type of substrate on the market. When you get the clay moist enough, it can be shaped as any modeling clay; when it dries, the shape you created stays firmly in place. This is how this particular substrate lets you have some fun with building your own, customized leo scenery – caves, burrows, basking spots, and so on. We just don’t trust loose particle substrate because of the health concerns they can pose and carpet or tiles obviously don’t give you the features that the clay does when it comes to digging. First, it’s cumbersome, dirty, and labor-intensive to put in. With Repti Chips, we open a bag, pour it in, even it out, and voila! With clay, it’s not that simple. There is a mixing process, a forming process, and drying time. We simply didn’t want to go to that much effort!

Reason #4 Zoo Med Excavator Clay 20lb Can Hold Its Shape

We have big dreams for our little beardie. We have plans for a much larger, custom enclosure at some point in the near future. When we do, we plan to mix two of the above options together. Some options, such as paper towels, are cheap and easy to replace, simplifying the cleaning process. It’s the ability to burrow, dig, and lay eggs that matters. It’s not that they sometimes live on sand in the wild. Other things besides sand can provide these functions while not presenting a health threat to your beardie. The one thing I would not recommend in any case is using perfumed paper towels. Always go for the ones that are the lowest in chemicals. Naturally bleached (or unbleached) non-perfumed varieties are the best. Being a more solid substrate, it is safer to offer live feeder insects on as it gives them fewer places to hide. It’s also very easy to clean when your beardie poops said insects out!

Also, you can use towels made out of recycled paper, like the Seventh Generation Unbleached Paper Towels ».Sand particles that are not mixed well may contribute to impaction (unlikely if your BTS isn’t suffering from calcium deficiency) If for no other reason, avoid them because there is something better. What are those better options, you ask? Read on, my fellow beardie lover. Substrate we like but don’t love If you’re still opting for coconut coir, make sure that you get a brand that is made out of organically-grown coconut and, ideally, intended for use in reptile and amphibian tanks. You will usually have two choices: to get loose bagged substrate, like this 10-quart Fluker’s Loose Coconut Bedding for Reptiles ».