I too am loving this discussion!
I had a similar experience trying to determine the best substrate for beardies. After extensive research on the pros and cons of various options I ultimately settled on play sand. No issues in the 11 months we have had Tad. But Tad was also 4-6 months old when we got her. I understand that impaction risk is greater in baby dragons. In Tad’s new tank (whenever we finish building it) she will have tile, plus a dig box filled with either sand or coconut fiber.
Tad refuses to poop in her tank so it is easy to keep the sand clean. I don’t feed crickets because of the noise, smell, and general bother. Her main bug food is dubia roaches. But we mix it up with other insects from time to time (mealies, supers, waxworms, hornworms etc.) We have a leopard gecko too so we keep a fair number of feeders on hand. When she hit about 1 year old, Tad sort of slowed down a bit. She was out of the rapid growth stage and therefore had less appetite. These days I don’t have a set schedule for Tad’s bug feedings, but she generally gets bus 2-3 times a week. If she has been eating her salad well for a couple days, then she gets bugs. If she is being picky and turning up her nose at veggies, then no bugs for her until she starts eating veggies again.
Her salad always has at least one hearty green: collards, mustard greens, kale, or turnip tops. Then I add other stuff based on what we have in the house that week. She likes sweet potatoes, winter squash, zucchini, bell peppers, and most other common veggies, except Swiss chard. That was a flop. Berries, especially blueberries, are a favorite, but I have to hand feed them to her. If I put them in her salad she picks them out and leaves the veggies behind.
Tad will not drink from a dish, and hates being misted, so I give her a good soak in the sink twice a week.
I just made a thread that's called tarantula lovers thread if anyone wants to see what we get this weekend...
