# Wet substrate related health problems



## purplezephead (Aug 26, 2011)

What are the potential issues related to the frogs health if the substrate stays wet? My substrates are always wet, I have leaf litter and/or moss on top of most. I was just wondering what I should be looking for. I plan on changing the substrates soon and adding better ventilation, but wanted to be sure/on the look out for any problems caused by them living on wet substrate. Most have been in these terrariums for at least a year. I have one frog that I just noticed is missing toes on one back foot, could be he has always been missing those toes but I can't say for sure; would something like that happen b/c of wet substrate?

Thanks


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## Pumilo (Sep 4, 2010)

Foot rot has been reported on dendroboard several times over last couple years (that I've seen). I believe it is a bacterial infection caused by wet substrates. Terribilis seem to be particularly susceptible to it.


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## Dane (Aug 19, 2004)

I've seen some sort of edema in the feet and toes of a tinctorius group that I kept sealed in a high humidity enclosure for several months. I didn't realize the issue until it was too late for several of them.
It would help to know a little more about the overall conditions. Are there areas of the tank that are drier? Is the viv vented?


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## Dendro Dave (Aug 2, 2005)

Well if your substrate is ok enough to grow moss, you might not have much of an issue...typically a really wet substrate will kill moss, or at least cause it to go really dark looking, like almost black.

Your substrate should almost always be moist to the touch...saturated is what you don't want.

Other potential health issues are possible respiratory issues, and anything that fungal or bacterial blooms might cause or aggravate since really wet conditions may make a prime environment for that stuff to occur.


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## purplezephead (Aug 26, 2011)

They are sealed with a metal screen top that I put saran wrap on to hold humidity (I have cats, found out quickly that glass won't work). There is magnolia leaf litter, but it's all fairly moist (limp when you pick it up); and the substrate in some is fairly wet/dark, but others are still brown colored. I never need to mist as it stays humid, but do mist every few weeks to clean the glass and plant leaves. I'm trying to figure out a way to add ventilation w/the screen top. If I just don't cover a portion w/the wrap, then ALL the food will be able to escape into my house. I'm thinking of adhering no see-um mesh to a 1-2 in strip along the length in the front and taping saran wrap to the rest, just don't know if I'll be able to get it where it'll be "bug proof." The moss I have in there is sphagnum, only 2 tanks have live moss (one is some kind of terrestrial moss I picked up at a show and the other is java-it's growing on a waterfall, though to be honest the substrate in there is moist enough for it to grow). All my plants are doing fine: philodendron, prayer plant, golden pathos, aluminum pilea, purple waffle; they grow the best in the tank w/the waterfall. The leucs in that tank stay more on the plants themselves than the ground-it's totally overgrown. The frog I mentioned that has missing toes is a vanzolini, I don't know if there are any problems they are prone to (i.e. foot rot); there is no blister on his foot, just has no outside toes (he has the 2 closest to his body. I'll try to get pictures, he hides a lot.


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