Home

>

Reptile

>

Hi my name is Cameron and I got sand for my adult bearded dragon and I used to have a Matt like what you use for a golf course surface and I was wondering how do you make your bearded dragon from not licking the sand and swallowing it?

Hi my name is Cameron and I got sand for my adult bearded dragon and I used to have a Matt like what you use for a golf course surface and I was wondering how do you make your bearded dragon from not licking the sand and swallowing it?

Updated On January 7th, 2018

Pet's info:

Image profile

Answered By Ady Y. Gancz, DVM, ABVP (Avian), ECZM

Veterinarian, Board-certified avian specialist

This question includes photos that may contain sensitive content. Click to view.

View more to consider that the photos may include sensitive content.

Hi Cameron and thank you for your question. I would recommend that you keep using the mat rather than sand exactly because of the concerns you have mentioned. You could get 2 mats and use one while the other is being cleaned. There is no real way of preventing them from swallowing sand.

Vote icon

1Pet Parents found this answer helpful

Other Answers

See More Answers

Related Questions

left image

Please help I thought this was a hotspot at first because he was just licking it and I thought he just rubbed himself raw by licking it. Now it’s scabbing over after putting sulfadene on it but he’s still licking it and I don’t really know if it’s still a hotspot or not he’s itching on his body and now there’s a tinier version right above his tailbone, it looks like the same thing as the big one The little one isn’t as irritating though not raw at all. Still has fur on it not itching as much.

Hello and thank you for using Boop by Petco. I hate to hear Cutty is having this problem! Being itchy can be quite uncomfortable for pets and is also hard on their human companions. A hot spot is an infection that often has a trigger such as fleas or allergies. They are very itchy. Cutty could be itching and scratching for many reasons. The most common reasons are •Fleas •Allergies (environmental or food) •Skin mites •Bacterial or fungal infection •Endocrine Disease Here are a few quick check points: If there has been any new treats or food within a few weeks of the itching, stop giving the new item. It could be related to the itching. If your pet have a history of itchy skin or ear infection, it could indicate an underlying condition like allergies or thyroid disease. If other pets in the household itching, it could indicate a communal cause like fleas or scabies. Here are some things you can do at home which may help with any red/irritated areas: 1. Stop any licking (since this can make it worse) - Cutty should wear an elizabethan collar at all times. - Remember that the collar must come out past his nose in order to be effective. 2. Next, wash the area once a day with either plain hand soap (like Dial) or a medicated pet shampoo. Rinse the area well and gently towel dry. -This will help to control the number of topical pathogens as well as remove oil and dead skin cells. 3. Lastly, apply a topical antibiotic twice a day to the red areas. Make sure the skin is dry before application. -Just a dab will do and rub it in well. Neosporin is fine to use. *Always wear gloves to handle skin lesions and wash hands thoroughly afterwards. Here are some tips that can improve over-all skin health and decrease itchiness: 1) Add in an omega fatty acid supplement. - Your veterinarian will carry some nice products - You can also find a good product called Welactin online. 2) Change the diet to something like Royal Canin or Nutro as they are aimed at skin health. *It will take 4-6 weeks for any diet or supplements to take full effect 3) Wash your pup in a pet oatmeal shampoo and conditioner once every 2 weeks for general health. If you use a topical flea prevention, you will need to look for a compatible shampoo. 4) If environmental allergies are suspected, a daily antihistamine can also help. - Dogs can take Benedryl or Zyrtec 5) Keep your pet current on a good flea prevention. Fleas will do nothing except cause more irritation for an already sensitive pet. I recommend to stick with oral products that last a month or longer like Simparica, Nexgard or Bravecto. Please discuss these options with your veterinarian. Have Cutty examined if- •There is severe itching/licking •If the itching/licking gets worse •If in 5 days the skin lesion is not significantly better or if it is not fully healed in 2 weeks •If in 4 weeks the licking or scratching do not start to improve Sometimes no over the counter options will work and they need a stronger medication from the veterinarian. I hope this helps and please feel free to reach out any time. Sincerely, Dr. Elizabeth

Read More

My dog had an anal gland that burst about 2-3 weeks ago. I took her to the vet and they drained it, I gave her a full round of antibiotics and pain medication and she wore a cone. It’s been almost 3 weeks now, the area is fully healed but each time I take the cone off, she licks random parts of her back and legs until they bleed. Can this be a lingering side effect from the meds she finished about 2 weeks ago? She has never done this until after this incident. Appetite and energy are normal.

That's not a typical side effect of giving an antibiotic, but it is possible that Brooke is still experiencing some pain related to the anal glands, and so she is licking to relieve it. It's also possible there is another issue, such as irritation on the legs, that are causing her to want to lick and chew. If you haven't already, I would schedule a recheck with your veterinarian to make sure the anal glands are healed up and to look for any other issues such as pain in the legs or around the anus, allergies, parasites, etc that may be causing her to lick. In the meantime, keeping the Elizabethan collar on may help. There are also no-lick wraps that can be placed on the legs that may help deter licking if there is no injury (once you've gotten the OK from your vet). Distraction through a puzzle or chew toy such as a Kong stuffed with treats or food may also help redirect this behavior into something more positive if it's stress or habit-related instead.

Read More

3 year old lurcher just finished season. Small dark brown clots/mucus in urine past two days. Eating and drinking as usual, no other symptoms - no smelly urine, not excessive licking area etc

It's possible that the discoloration is from the tail-end of Ripley's heat cycle, however, if the spots continue for more than a day or so, or you begin to see other issues such as more frequent urination, cloudy urine, straining to go (squatting a lot with small amounts, etc), or other more systemic symptoms such as vomiting, diarrhea, changes in appetite, etc, it's a good idea to get Ripley into your vet to rule out any other issues such as a urinary tract infection.

Read More

Hi, I got home tonight and realized that my dog is licking at his 'sheath' and that's not normal for him. I looked and it is red, no lumps, bumps, swelling, or discharge. It just looks irritated, I have put a bit of Vaseline hoping it would deter the licking. Is this something that could be alarming?

Hello, thank you for using Boop by Petco. Sorry Duke it having this issue. Typically a dog will constantly start licking a specific area if it is causing pain or discomfort. Remember, they cannot verbally tell us something is wrong so, often times, you have to go by their behaviors to tell you something is amiss. There may be something inside the prepuce (sheath) that is irritating, he could have a urinary tract issue/infection that is causing the licking, etc. The vet will need to check him penis, a urine sample and explore the prepuce. I do think you need to take him to your vet for an exam, however, I do not think it is an emergency. In the meantime though, you should put a cone collar on him to prevent the licking. Vaseline will not deter licking. ( https://www.petco.com/shop/en/petcostore/product/contech-procone-soft-recovery-collar-1558315 ) Hope this helps. Best wishes.

Read More

I’m looking for advice with my 18 month old female Crested Gecko. This dark spot on her tail appeared after we came back from a vacation. Is this tail rot? Should I see an exotic vet or is there at home treatment I can provide?

Hello, thank you for using Boop by Petco. The end of the tail looks to be a healing injury to me. The tissue does not look necrotic (dead). I think you can try to treat it at home with this product: ( https://www.petco.com/shop/en/petcostore/product/zymox-small-animal-topical-spray ) Use as directed on the label. If after a week or so, it is not improved or if it looks worse at any time then take Autum to an exotics vet for evaluation. Hope this helps. Best wishes.

Read More

Hi my dog Deogie has been biting and licking his paws and trying to literally pull off his toe nails like they itch or something and his paws are red and his nail bed is a light brown color. Can he have athletes foot? And can I use hydrocortisone cream or athletes foot spray? Please help it looks like it can be really annoying for my baby!!

Thank you for contacting Boop by Petco with your question about Deogie. Poor guy sounds very uncomfortable! If he is biting and licking his paws a lot, that tells me he is quite itchy, and that is usually a sign of allergies. It's not a sign of a fungal infection, and it's not called athlete's foot in dogs, it's called ringworm. This is something that needs to be diagnosed by a vet in order for him to be treated correctly, and I would take him into a vet today or tomorrow. Until he sees a vet, put a cone on him to keep him from biting at his paws. You can buy one at a pet store if you don't have one at home already. I hope this helps!

Read More

right image
image

Have A Vet Question?

Book an appointment with the pros – our expert vets are here to help.

Book Now

Sponsored