Is Repti-Sand Harmful if Eaten?

[PVsPlayHouse]

I was told to provide my female veiled with sand so that she will not become egg bound. What age do they start to lay eggs? She is almost a year old, so I provided her with repti-sand- but she appears to be eatting it, because I am seeing large sand covered waste at the bottom of the enclosure. Is this harmful? Any suggestions or insight would be appreciated!
Thanks!

 

[Eppler]

are you talking about the sand that is made of calcium?

 

[tkilgour]

I have used it in the past, and had a chameleon ingest it. The chameleon is fine and has had no health issues. The product is marketed to be safe for reptiles, but I guess that doesn't really mean much. However, I found it is far cheaper to just buy regular play sand.

 

[PVsPlayHouse]

Yes- the Calcium sand.

 

[ferretinmyshoes]

I hate that stuff. Seen way too many impactions in beardies and other lizards. It's not that the calcium sand is particularly worse than other sand, it's just that it's marketed to be safe when it still causes sand impactions leading to death in reptiles. Try to discourage the behavior if possible.

 

[moviemanmania]

I am seeing large sand covered waste at the bottom of the enclosure.
Thanks!

Not to be gross, but have you closely examined the waste? I'm curious if sand is just covering the poop or if there is actual sand within the poop. If you dissect it, you can tell weither or not she is actually eating it. I can't imagine a chameleon just freely eating up sand... Maybe a picture and a closer look might light onto the issue.

 

[Dorrithe]

My chameleon is also eating her sand

I have the same experience! My chameleon is also eating the sand from her sandbox. I found lots of sand in her stools. My questions is WHY she would eat sand.

 

[Syn]

If she is female she could be trying to lay, or it is possible she isn't getting nutrients she needs.

 

[jdog1027]

I just lost a female this week who was gravid. She had 40 eggs inside her. I dissected her just to see if I could see anything out of the ordinary, and boy did I. The last 3 inches of her digestive tract was absolutely packed with sand. It was swollen to the size of my ring finger and was as hard as a rock. I had always had trouble with this particular female when she was gravid. I had been palpating her and I knew something was definitely wrong. It felt as if though she had a rock inside her. I have never used a sand box within a females cage until her, because I've always been able to see the signs of when they would be ready to lay. I gave it a try with her because she was so problematic during her pregnancy, and I would constantly catch her eating the sand. I know alot of experienced keepers on this forum insist on keeping a sand box in the cage for egg laying, but in my honest opinion, I would take it out if she is eating it. I would post the pictures of her 'autopsy', but they are horrific.

 

[Cham Fan]

I agree with other posters about the harm that can come withusing sand as a substrait. It is NEVER recommended for leos (which I have) because of all the impaction problems. Even the calci-sand is not good because that actually promotes them eating it (with leos anyway). If a cham needs a laybox can you use another substance like vermiculite or hatchrite as a substrait? It seems like the chunkier pieces would be harder to eat and removes alot of the possibility or ingestion.

 

[laurie]

I am a bit different. I don't use sand, I use sighed organic soil. I always feel because it is less "rock like" it should be easier on the chameleon. All my girls lay in soil, most next to the roots of the plant I stick in for them to hide in.