![]() ![]() ![]() Impaction victim (Mods, if the link IS contrary to the rules, accept my apologies and feel free to delete the link) Quite to the contrary, I'm not a big fan of the site, (no offense to members there, I just find it to be under-moderated and the the signal-to-noise ratio a bit high for my tastes) but I think it is important to spread observations on varying aspects of husbandry, and there is good info to be found there if you don't mind the frat-house atmosphere.īe sure to note that the frog involved was a very young specimen, which surely plays a part in the diagnosis. I don't think it would be a breach of etiquette to provide a link, as this is not an attempt to advertise another site. There is a thread at another forum that graphically illustrates the possibility and consequences of coco-fiber impaction. Soil and peat (the soil-like form, not the loose mossy form) are also common alternate substrates, but again - any of it consumed in large quantities can cause impactions. (Also, obviously, sufficient hydration and temperatures do help with the normal passage of bowel movements in any species). Most frog keepers I know do use coconut fiber as loose moss has shown itself to be a cause for impaction in some species, but young animals should always be tong fed or fed in a separate container, and frankly it's not a bad idea to tong feed your adults. Impaction risk goes for ANY particulate substrate, really, especially in younger animals. Honestly there's no real reason to keep leopard geckos on sand as it does not reflect their natural habitat, and there's no reason why animals that do live on sand in the wild can't be tong, bowl, or seperate-container fed. Here is a link with some pics of an impaction caused by calcisand (somewhat graphic). A few grains licked up here and there won't kill your pet, but you can bet your last red cent that if a baby leopard gecko gloms down a few mouthfuls striking, he's not going to digest it and will more than likely die of an impaction. The problem with the "digestibility" of calcisand is that, when consumed in large quantities, it decreases the stomach pH to the point where it can't be digested anyways - and such large granules of calcium were never easily digested to begin with. How big was your frog out of curiosity? Very young froglets are often best kept on a nonparticulate substrate like damp paper towel (though it must be cleaned frequently to avoid redleg). ![]() Another thing you can try if the frog will not tong feed is simply to place it in a tupperware or bin to feed some say this is too stressful, but I know many keepers who do just this with their younger frogs sans complications - and it's certainly less stress than being badgered with tongs or getting an impaction from substrate ingestion. Tong feeding, as mentioned, does decrease the chances. This is especially problematic if the coconut fiber was too dry or the frog was insufficiently hydrated if the frog was continually inverting its stomach I would think this is a possibility, but just plain overconsumption from clumsy strikes will do the trick as well. What mushroom spore said! Young pacman frogs do occasionally suffer impactions from consuming substrate, even one considered safe like coconut fiber. ![]()
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