# substrate Impactions



## Matt Mirabello (Aug 29, 2004)

what are peoples experiences with poison frogs getting impactions (or other health issues) from ingesting substrate? I am experimenting with some mineral soil based substrates and was trying to figure out which particle sizes would be best as well as materials that could be problematic (eg perlite).

looking to hear peoples first hand experiences with direct verification of an impaction

Matt


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## Ed (Sep 19, 2004)

Hi Matt,

When rearing tincts on peat moss, they would often pass fecal pellets that contained a high proportion of peat. Out of about 60-80 froglets only one ever showed signs of impaction on it. 
The peat particles are probably much larger than most of the particles in your soil mix... 

Ed


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## Dangerously (Dec 19, 2007)

I would imagine that the malleability of the particles would matter as well. Something as malleable as peat could be pushed through the intestines easier than a similar size piece of perlite or wood for example. Just a thought.


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## Matt Mirabello (Aug 29, 2004)

I know that absence of evidence is evidence of absence but so far I have not heard any documentation of a poison dart frog dying by eating a soil particle/rock particle. All documented cases I have heard (2) involve organic substrate and polyacrylamide water gel.

Thanks for the feedback, I will keep researching this


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## EDs Fly Meat (Apr 29, 2004)

I lost at least (2) from solo cocofiber substrates. Currently I use a sphagnum moss, wood chip, cocofiber mix, and have not had any problems. I would be very interested in a Matt Mirabello recipe. That clay stuff you had at IAD looked way cool.


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