Beach sand?

[BocaJan]

I went to my local Home Depot this morning and they do not carry any sanitized dirt. All of it had fertilizer in it. The only sand they had was the stuff you put between patio blocks. NOT CLEAN. So, since I live in Florida I thought I could take a trip to the ocean and pick some up. I can wash it, even bleach it, and let it sit in the sun for weeks and let it bake. Does that sound like a plan? I have a plastic tub I can use to set it outside. Certainly some of you FL and CA people have thought of this before.

 

[Justin Carl]

I got a 20 pound bag of white playsand at Ace Hardware for 4 bucks.

 

[lbesok]

It's hard for me to believe that they didn't have any play sand I know Wal-Mart carries it for the sand boxes for like $3 and you get a HUGE bag. Sometimes they keep it outside though, and you have to ask them in gardening to bring it in!
I would suggest this before wasting time an energy on beach sand I have thought about it before, but it seems more trouble than it's worth to bake cleanse and so forth. Good luck though, I hope you find something that works out.

 

[dondeb562]

I thought silica sand (childs play sand) was not recommended...? I do see some people say to use it and some say no way. Can top soil be used???

 

[BocaJan]

Guess I'll go to Wal-Mart, it's closer. Thanks.

 

[lbesok]

I thought silica sand (childs play sand) was not recommended...? I do see some people sayto use it and some say no way. Can top soil be used???

I use a mix of 50/50 play sand/organic soil for them to lay in!
Have never heard that silica isn't recommended, but I could see it being horrible if it got ingested!

 

[kinyonga]

I think the salt content of the sand taken from the beach along the ocean would concern me. I don't know how much washing it would take to get it out.

I have used a brand of washed play sand for years now that is produced by Kings. It comes in a white bag with red, blue and yellow toys on the front of it. It has caused no infections in the chameleon's eyes or if ingested during the digging process. I have even had some veileds eat it and it caused no impaction. (I have had many chameleons necropsied and never had one been reported to die of impaction.)

 

[dondeb562]

so can top soil or potting soil be used? I have read some of the other threads on here on making a nesting box and all the links provided suggest potting soil, like this link for instance:
http://www.chameleonnews.com/new/?page=article&id=114