Arid Substrate Mix
- Regular price
- $10.00
- Sale price
- Unit price
- $10.00/10L
Give desert reptiles a real outback floor. Our Arid Substrate Mix is a sand-based bioactive substrate blended in-house so it stays dry and warm on top, holds the burrows desert species love to dig, and still supports hardy plants and a dry-adapted clean-up crew.
Ideal for: Bearded dragons, pygmy bearded dragons, knob-tailed geckos, Gillen's monitors and desert burrowing scorpions.
What's in our arid substrate mix
We publish our ratios so you know exactly what your animal is living on.
- 75% Sand: gives structure and drainage, and helps burrows hold their shape.
- 15% Coco Coir: holds moisture, stays soft underfoot and gives plant roots an easy medium to grow through.
- 15% Peat: holds moisture and gives the mildly acidic soil that forest plants prefer.
- 10% Bark Bedding: adds structure and airflow, and slowly breaks down to feed isopods and springtails.
- 5% Crushed LECA: keeps the mix open and airy so it doesn't compact or go sour.
- 5% Horticultural Charcoal: keeps the mix open and helps it stay fresh-smelling.
Optional toppings: Bark bedding, coconut fibre, spinifex branches, crushed dragon stone and maple leaf rocks.
Bag size: [add bag sizes, e.g. 5L / 10L / 20L]
How to use it
- Lay it 8–10cm deep, or 15cm+ for burrowing geckos and scorpions.
- Pack it down firmly so burrows hold their shape, then lightly moisten the bottom layer.
- Keep the surface dry and warm under the basking lamp.
- Seed with dry-tolerant isopods such as powder blues for a bioactive arid setup.
Safe, tested and fertiliser-free
- Every batch is mixed from new or sanitised ingredients and contains no fertilisers.
- This is the same mix we test and use in our own custom bioactive enclosures.
- Don't let animals eat substrate. Feed from a dish or tongs, or cap feeding areas with sand or moss.
- These ratios are a broad guide. Research your species' needs and ask us if you're unsure.
Arid substrate FAQ
What is the best substrate for a bearded dragon?
A firm sand-and-soil mix that holds digging and gives a natural basking surface. Our Arid mix is built for bearded dragons and other desert reptiles.
Can bearded dragons have a bioactive enclosure?
Yes. Arid bioactive setups use a sand-based substrate, hardy plants and dry-tolerant clean-up crews like powder blue isopods.
Is sand safe for reptiles?
A mixed substrate like this is widely used. Feed from a dish or with tongs so your animal doesn't swallow substrate with its food.
Pairs well with: Central Bearded Dragon (Pogona vitticeps), Powder Blue Isopods (Porcellionides pruinosus), Stainless Steel Sand Sieve, Bearded Dragon Enclosure Starter Kit.
Blended in Surry Hills, Sydney, and shipped Australia-wide.
Supplies ship within 1 to 2 business days, depending on stock, and usually arrive 1 to 3 days after dispatch.
Live animals ship on Mondays and Tuesdays only, so they are never in transit over a weekend. Order by 11am Sunday to ship that week. Orders containing a live animal ship together on the next live dispatch day.
We hold live animal orders during very hot or very cold weather and ship them once conditions are safe. We’ll let you know if your order is held.
We ship Australia-wide. Live animals cannot be shipped to the Northern Territory or Tasmania.
Read our full [Shipping Policy].
Our Surry Hills store is small, so we keep in-store stock deliberately limited. Not everything online is on the shelf, so call us on (02) 7813 9640 before visiting for a specific item.
All reptiles and amphibians are sold online only, due to permit requirements.
Visit us at Shop 5, 450 Elizabeth Street, Surry Hills NSW 2010. Open Wednesday to Sunday.
Every live animal is checked before it leaves us and packed by an experienced keeper.
If your animal arrives dead, contact us within one hour of delivery with a photo, and we will send a replacement. You don’t pay shipping on the replacement. Photo helps us identify what caused death so we can help prevent it from happening again with your order, and others.
Someone needs to be home to receive the parcel. We can’t cover animals left at a depot, sent to an incorrect address, or reported more than an hour after delivery.
Reptiles and frogs: most states require a licence before you buy. After ordering, email your licence details to info@biotastudio.com.au or add them to your order notes. If we don’t have them, we’ll contact you by SMS or email before your order ships.
Insects, spiders and supplies: most don’t need a licence, but rules vary by state and species.
See our [Reptile & Frog Licensing Guide] for every state.
New to keeping reptiles, frogs or insects? Our free [Care Guides] cover housing, temperature, humidity and feeding for every species we sell. Need somewhere for your animal to live? Shop [Ready-made Enclosures] or have one [custom built]. Questions? [Contact us] and an experienced keeper will help.