Post by hoomanslave on Nov 10, 2020 13:10:28 GMT -5
Dig boxes are an excellent accessory to make for your bearded dragon. They provide enrichment, safety, and are especially important for females. They are also inexpensive to make and easy to maintain, requiring only a few materials. It gives them all the benefits of loose substrate with none of the risks.
In order to make a dig box, you will need one item from each of the following lists:
Box materials:
-Reusable plastic bin (easy to clean, durable, but may have sharp edges that must be sanded down). Aim for one about 8 inches tall.
-Cat litter pan (disposable, kitten or senior cat)
-Old shoebox
Substrate:
Many people have had success with different kinds of substrate. It may take some experimenting to find out which kind you and your beardie prefer. However, pure sand should not be used.
-Vermiculite
-Sand and topsoil mixture
-Eco Earth
-Flax or millet seed
-Shredded bits of fleece or other fabric
STEPS:
1. Cut a U-shaped opening in the dig box with a sharp tool, and smooth down any sharp edges. If you are not able to cut open the box or would rather keep it in one piece, you can use a branch or a rock as a stepstool so that your beardie can enter it.
2. Fill it with a layer of your chosen substrate and mist lightly if desired. The substrate should be around 6 inches deep, but gravid females may need it to be deeper. Be careful when misting, because water can ruin certain dig box substrates such as alfalfa pellets.
3. Place it in your beardie's tank and watch them dig, burrow, and play in the box! This works well when paired with a regular solid substrate, because it gives your beardie the option to burrow and dig that it would not have on the solid substrate. Do not feed you dragon inside the dig box.
In order to make a dig box, you will need one item from each of the following lists:
Box materials:
-Reusable plastic bin (easy to clean, durable, but may have sharp edges that must be sanded down). Aim for one about 8 inches tall.
-Cat litter pan (disposable, kitten or senior cat)
-Old shoebox
Substrate:
Many people have had success with different kinds of substrate. It may take some experimenting to find out which kind you and your beardie prefer. However, pure sand should not be used.
-Vermiculite
-Sand and topsoil mixture
-Eco Earth
-Flax or millet seed
-Shredded bits of fleece or other fabric
STEPS:
1. Cut a U-shaped opening in the dig box with a sharp tool, and smooth down any sharp edges. If you are not able to cut open the box or would rather keep it in one piece, you can use a branch or a rock as a stepstool so that your beardie can enter it.
2. Fill it with a layer of your chosen substrate and mist lightly if desired. The substrate should be around 6 inches deep, but gravid females may need it to be deeper. Be careful when misting, because water can ruin certain dig box substrates such as alfalfa pellets.
3. Place it in your beardie's tank and watch them dig, burrow, and play in the box! This works well when paired with a regular solid substrate, because it gives your beardie the option to burrow and dig that it would not have on the solid substrate. Do not feed you dragon inside the dig box.