When it comes to having a bearded dragon, one of the best things and the fun part about being an owner is to have the ability to decorate their habitat in any way that we want. Being responsible owners, we always want to make sure anything we put in the tank is safe for our pet.
It’s common to ask questions regarding the items you place in the tank. Today, I’m going to answer two fascinating questions: can I use rocks from outside for my bearded Dragons & can I use wood from outside for my bearded dragons.
It is essential to be very cautious before adding anything new, especially if it is something from outside your bearded dragon habitat. With that said, here are the answers you are looking for.
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Can I Use Rocks From Outside For My Bearded Dragon?
Yes. You can add rocks from outside in your bearded dragon tank as long as it is sterilized to kill off the bacteria and any chemical that may be harmful to your pet’s health. Unlike insects and plants, rocks are a few things that can be brought from outside or your yard and placed around your bearded dragon.
The only reason for that is because you can sterilize the Rock and kill all the bacteria. Outdoor Rock tends to be hard and solid; therefore, picking the rocks carefully is more important. You can not just take anything from outside as it is from the wild as most things are not suitable for your bearded dragon well being.
How To Pick Rocks For Bearded Dragons?
Placing Rock from outside in your bearded dragon tank is completely safe once it is dried and sterilized. It is essential always to be mindful when choosing the size of Rock because some may potentially have choking hazards if your bearded dragon tries to consume it.
Fortunately, you don’t have to worry about finding some decent-sized rocks in the wild if looked carefully. If you choose a gemstone as small as pebbles for your bearded dragon’s enclosure, you might have to look for a better one.
Your bearded dragon can ingest rocks as small as pebbles, resulting in choking and death. When it comes to bearded dragons, you can be surprised by what kind of things they can try to eat, even if it doesn’t seem to be edible.
For many, you can be surprised with what kind of things bearded dragons can choose to indulge themselves. In addition to that, you will also want to make sure that the rocks you have selected are not pointy, sharp, or jagged to injure your pet.
Always choose the stones on the positive side but not entirely thin and don’t break easily. Also, choose the one that isn’t small. If you find such a rock, you will be in luck. This kind of Rock will always keep your bearded dragon safe while enhancing the coolness of your tank.
This kind of Rock also serves as a hiding spot for feeder insects to make your bearded dragon hunt. Ensure it is placed in the corner for your bearded dragon’s well-being.
How To Sterilize Outside Rock For Bearded Dragons Cage?
It is almost impossible to see all the chemicals, grime, and dirt that can cover a rock with your naked eye. Therefore, it is essential to sterilize the stones before placing them into your bearded dragon tank. If you go by looks alone, every Rock you will see for your bearded dragon will look the same eventually.
But unfortunately, this is hardly the case. To be clear and on the safe side, you will always want to boil the eggs on high heat in a sturdy metal pot for at least 15 to 20 minutes. Afterward, you can let it dry and clean it off with soap and water.
Boiling the rocks in the water alone is enough to kill most bacteria and viruses. It would help if you always stuck to sterilizing your Rock as it’s an almost guaranteed way to eliminate any harmful bacterias that may be present on them to pose a threat to bearded dragons.
Remember to remove any visible dirt that may be stuck to the rocks before putting it in your pot to boil. Boiling water is an excellent way to kill things that you cannot see with your eyes. Regarding the drying part, try to pat them using a tower or something with no soap or detergent.
I would recommend you use a napkin or a paper towel as both don’t have anything on them that could be spread to your bearded dragon. Make sure to dry them off safely and place them within your bearded dragon’s enclosure to enjoy.
If you don’t want to boil your rocks, then consider putting them in an oven or stove with a temperature of 350° F. If I were at your place and had to choose between the two, I would love to stick with boiling them as it seems to be the safer and most accessible option.
Can I Use Wood From Outside For My Bearded Dragon?
Yes. You can use wood from outside for your bearded dragon tank as long as it is safe. Avoid getting Woods from softwood trees as it contains a toxic substance known as sap. Sappy trees can be harmful to bearded dragons for various reasons.
It would help if you always went with the hardwood trees like maple, oak, and ash. Find a wood from an area that is unlikely to have any chemicals or pesticides sprayed on it. You should avoid picking any wood from a location close to farmers’ fields.
Also, avoid picking up woods from areas that may have been fogged for mosquitoes. Rather than choosing a wood that has been left on the ground for a long time and has been decaying, go with the ones that have recently fallen. However, the live trees will work fine as well. As long as it is sterilized, all hardwood trees can be used for your bearded dragon tank.
Interesting Further Reading
- Do Bearded Dragons Need Humidity? (2022 Review)
- Can Bearded Dragons Eat Romaine Lettuce?
- 7 Reasons Why Is My Bearded Dragon Fat?
How To Sterilize Wood For Bearded Dragons’ Cage?
Like Rock, You can’t sterilize wood by boiling it. However, if the branch you have chosen is small enough to fit inside your microwave, consider yourself lucky. Set your oven to 250° F with a 10-minute (recurring) timer. After 10 minutes, place your branch in that oven and bake it for at least 2-3 hours.
Check it every 10 minutes to ensure the wood is not set up for burn. The oven’s heat will slowly kill all the microbes and bacteria living inside the wood’s tissue. Remember that using a higher temperature will not increase your chances of killing the bacteria.
Rather than that, it can even set a fire if you try to make the process any faster. Believe it or not, at 250° F, baking the wood for 2 hours is not that long. Once 2 hours have passed, get your wood out of the oven and let it cool off.
Conclusion
You know that rocks and Woods found outside are suitable for the enclosure of a bearded dragon as long as it is sterilized thoroughly. The sterilization process will kill off all the bacterias, fungi, and viruses that might be living on the surface of the Rock or beneath the tissue of the woods.
It would help if you never chose a rock with sharp or pointy edges and smaller than pebbles. Following that, you should also avoid picking up any wood from sappy trees as it can be toxic for bearded dragons if ingested.
By keeping all these in mind, you can have any safe rock or timber, according to our article, to place in your Dragons enclosure. You have all the ideas on what type of Rock and wood you should choose to sterilize and put in their habitat.
I hope you like this article and consider sharing this one. Your one share will make many aware of our environments with lots of safe items that can be used in a bearded dragon enclosure. Rather than wasting money on purchasing wood or Rock, you can make people aware of getting the Rock and the wood from outside and sterilize it to be used in their reptiles’ enclosure. Check our other articles on bearded dragon care and its enclosure setting. See you in another article, take care and goodbye.
94% of pet owners say their animal pal makes them smile more than once a day. In 2007, I realized that I was made for saving Animals. My father is a Vet, and I think every pet deserves one. I started this blog, “InPetCare”, in 2019 with my father to enlighten a wider audience.