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If you mean "impacted" then no, it can't. Walnut shell is more likely to cut open the insides of your animal then get stuck. Use a mix of top soil and washed play sand. NEVER Calci-Sand!!!
I've never heard of cutting substrates, just those that get stuck. Although neither has happened to me with any substrate. I guess it depends on many husbandry factors as well. I actually use the zilla walnut shells for my beardie and my uro, too. I like 'em. I don't think another brand makes them, or do they?
Crushed walnut and manufactured sand are really the only two notorious "cutting" substrates. Please try to stay away from walnut shell, it really is dangerous, especially for a uromastyx! (They taste everything.) It does have something to do with the husbandry, but in the end, you have very little control over whether or not your animal decides to lick the ground. Check out the link kennyboy019 posted, that is the stereotypical result of walnut shell.
I had 2 bearded dragons (In separate tanks!!) for a few years who died from overheating. It gets extremely hot where I live and the window in my office was left open. The combo of the window, heat lamp, and a Mercury Vapor UVB lamp was too much :*(
It has a high chance of becoming impacted because the shell chunks hook onto each other in the stomach, and it is very sharp. So not only does it get stuck, as the Beardie tryes to pass the shells it shreds their insides. Loose substrate in general is looked down upon because it can harbor bacteria and no matter what you think your Beardie knows, it will still eat some.
"Acceptable" substrates include: Shelf liner (without holes) Loam (A kind of mix with sand and clay. Very firm. Good for digging. Popular in Germany) Tiles Paper towels/News paper (Good if dragon is sick and you need to keep a very clean enviorment, or if you too lazy to clean up after you pet (read: Pet Stores))
And as was mentioned before, calci-sand of ANY TYPE is of the devil!
This website should be shutdown. I almost threw up just looking at the thumbnails. The person who did the dissection should be shot in the head multiple times.
Why? To make sure people stay ignorant about the terrible ordeals they put these animals through?
That dissection was done a dead lizard, It was done to prevent more dying in that way and it was done extremely professionally. The point IS to make you throw up. Would you still use crushed walnut after seeing that? I sure hope not.
I actually have 2 health dragons. my 2 year old female I have kept on newspaper since I got her. My 4 year old male has been kept on newspaper since I rescued him 3 months ago. I had him checked out at the vet because he was kept on sand for 2 years.
That's wonderful, but you seem to have missed the root of my comment. Why should the site be shut down? It's purpose and execution are exceptional. I see no reason for it to leave and every reason for it to stay.
I agree with everything you said, however I do not believe in using artificial substrates you mentioned (Tiles/Paper/Shelf Liner) OTHER than quarantining or hatchlings. I recommend using either butcher paper or paper towel only for hatching BD and uromastyx under 6.5". As for walnut shell, I do not recommend it, no matter what you buy, it will always be sharp, and on the unlucky chance they eat some.... pouch. What you stated about impaction I also believe, however (this may be a little confusing) "CRUSHED" walnut shell and "GROUND" walnut shell are two different things, as you stated above:
"It has a high chance of becoming impacted because the shell chunks hook onto each other in the stomach, and it is very sharp. So not only does it get stuck, as the Beard trees to pass the shells it shreds their insides."
You were talking about "CRUSHED" walnut shell, it can both impact AND cut. On the other hand, "GROUND" walnut shell is slightly better. (Zilla makes the ground stuff). It is actually smaller, rounder and therefore not AS sharp. I am not supporting the stuff, but it is slightly better. This relates to sand. Natural/Beach/Playground sand is worn down and is almost spherical, whereas man made sand (crushed gravel) is extraordinarily sharp and compares to the bane of my existence (Calcium carbonate substrate... *shiver*). My reply above to jehan was a bad one, I realize now I made a typo. I said: "However it is always very unlikely." I meant to type: "However it is always very likely" I am telling the truth, I messed up bad and unfortunately can't edit it...
And for the record: As I've mentioned about three times on this page, what you mentioned as loam is definitely, hands-down the best substrate for BD!
Thanks for clarifying Brandon. If I ever get another Dragon (Read: If my wife lets me...) Im going Loam all the way! And yes, not being able to edit a post is a pain in the @@@!
Is there a way you can delete this, please. I know you've made a new one, but some people may only read this one and quite frankly this is one is dangerous.
I got my bearded dragon from my brother. my brother never held him when he was little and now he wont let me hold him.. the closest I have gotten has been my hand on his back. is there anything I can do?
ya just be persistent hold your hand in the cage once a day like with birds after he gets used to your hand pet him every time in a couple of weeks he will let you hold him
You obviously HAVEN'T done your homework. I do not mean to be offensive, but I care about your animal more than being your friend... You have wrongly instructed every person to have read this post... Newsprint??? Come on!!! At least have the courtesy to supply your animal with something it will like! I deeply recommend a mix of top soil and washed play sand. Ten Gallon Aquarium??? What are you thinking. Show me ONE caresheet/book/morethanuselessarticle that says a ten gallon aquarium is even slightly useful other than for a hatchling??? An adult is unlikely to be stressless in anything but a 50g+! It is also extremely hard to rightly keep an animal in a small aquarium filled with only two small logs and a bowl.
Please, give the animal to someone who deeply cares about it or take the time to learn how to care properly. I am not insulting you, only your practices! All I ask of you is to go out to buy a modern book, or spend thirty seconds on a worthwhile site (Like here ) I realize the chances of this are slim to none, but I'd prefer to prevent a death.
Oh, and for the record: Impaction does not happen to healthy animals. Impaction is common among BD and LG only because they are common; and commonly improperly taken care of! I have not yet met a conservationist who wishes to pave the American deserts because of the poor reptiles that die each day from impaction.
If you have any questions or would like to take some initiative towards your animal's life PLEASE contact me. I would be MORE than happy to help out your bearded dragon.
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I had 2 bearded dragons (In separate tanks!!) for a few years who died from overheating. It gets extremely hot where I live and the window in my office was left open. The combo of the window, heat lamp, and a Mercury Vapor UVB lamp was too much :*(
Crushed walnut is extremely dangerous to BD's. There are multiple reports of them getting impacted and dying.
CAUTION!! Very graphic photos!!!
http://mrskingsbioweb.com/beardeddragngrossanatomy.htm
It has a high chance of becoming impacted because the shell chunks hook onto each other in the stomach, and it is very sharp. So not only does it get stuck, as the Beardie tryes to pass the shells it shreds their insides. Loose substrate in general is looked down upon because it can harbor bacteria and no matter what you think your Beardie knows, it will still eat some.
"Acceptable" substrates include:
Shelf liner (without holes)
Loam (A kind of mix with sand and clay. Very firm. Good for digging. Popular in Germany)
Tiles
Paper towels/News paper (Good if dragon is sick and you need to keep a very clean enviorment, or if you too lazy to clean up after you pet (read: Pet Stores))
And as was mentioned before, calci-sand of ANY TYPE is of the devil!
That dissection was done a dead lizard, It was done to prevent more dying in that way and it was done extremely professionally. The point IS to make you throw up. Would you still use crushed walnut after seeing that? I sure hope not.
"It has a high chance of becoming impacted because the shell chunks hook onto each other in the stomach, and it is very sharp. So not only does it get stuck, as the Beard trees to pass the shells it shreds their insides."
You were talking about "CRUSHED" walnut shell, it can both impact AND cut. On the other hand, "GROUND" walnut shell is slightly better. (Zilla makes the ground stuff). It is actually smaller, rounder and therefore not AS sharp. I am not supporting the stuff, but it is slightly better. This relates to sand. Natural/Beach/Playground sand is worn down and is almost spherical, whereas man made sand (crushed gravel) is extraordinarily sharp and compares to the bane of my existence (Calcium carbonate substrate... *shiver*). My reply above to jehan was a bad one, I realize now I made a typo. I said:
"However it is always very unlikely."
I meant to type:
"However it is always very likely"
I am telling the truth, I messed up bad and unfortunately can't edit it...
And for the record: As I've mentioned about three times on this page, what you mentioned as loam is definitely, hands-down the best substrate for BD!
I do not mean to be offensive, but I care about your animal more than being your friend...
You have wrongly instructed every person to have read this post...
Newsprint??? Come on!!! At least have the courtesy to supply your animal with something it will like! I deeply recommend a mix of top soil and washed play sand.
Ten Gallon Aquarium??? What are you thinking. Show me ONE caresheet/book/morethanuselessarticle that says a ten gallon aquarium is even slightly useful other than for a hatchling??? An adult is unlikely to be stressless in anything but a 50g+!
It is also extremely hard to rightly keep an animal in a small aquarium filled with only two small logs and a bowl.
Please, give the animal to someone who deeply cares about it or take the time to learn how to care properly. I am not insulting you, only your practices!
All I ask of you is to go out to buy a modern book, or spend thirty seconds on a worthwhile site (Like here ) I realize the chances of this are slim to none, but I'd prefer to prevent a death.
Oh, and for the record:
Impaction does not happen to healthy animals. Impaction is common among BD and LG only because they are common; and commonly improperly taken care of!
I have not yet met a conservationist who wishes to pave the American deserts because of the poor reptiles that die each day from impaction.
If you have any questions or would like to take some initiative towards your animal's life PLEASE contact me. I would be MORE than happy to help out your bearded dragon.