# Leaf spikes harmful to frogs?



## RussS (Oct 11, 2005)

We introduced a pair of auratus to a new viv that had one N. Pimienta brom in it. The frogs were literally bouncing around in the tank the whole first day exploring. That evening I noticed what looked like a scratch on the female. Though there was no bleeding or skin detachment, it looked pretty serious. The Pimienta was promptly removed. The frog has since fully recovered.

Has anyone else had similar experiences? Can frogs injure themselves on broms with leaf spikes? Was this just a freak incident?

Thanks in advance.


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## themann42 (Apr 12, 2005)

i've never heard of a frog scratching themselves on a plant, and plenty of kinds of crypts and broms have the little spikes your speaking of. my guess would it's just a freak accident.

are you positive it was even a scratch? your post made it seem that this all happened within the course of a day. i can't imagine a scratch healing that fast. i can't think of anything else it could have been though.


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## RussS (Oct 11, 2005)

themann42 said:


> i've never heard of a frog scratching themselves on a plant, and plenty of kinds of crypts and broms have the little spikes your speaking of. my guess would it's just a freak accident.
> 
> are you positive it was even a scratch? your post made it seem that this all happened within the course of a day. i can't imagine a scratch healing that fast. i can't think of anything else it could have been though.


The scratch healed in four or five days. Am I positive it was a scratch? I think so. The frog appeared a bit stressed by it at the time. Most Neoregelia I'm familiar with have a single spike at the end of the leaf. This N. Pimienta has a row of pretty spikes along the leaf edge.


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## slaytonp (Nov 14, 2004)

Darts seem to be able to avoid saw-toothed bromeliad scratches better than I can when I invade the tanks for clean ups.


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## KeroKero (Jun 13, 2004)

A very large number of broms (if not the bigger percentage than small or no spiked) have some teeth to their leaves. They just aren't common in the frog hobby due to thoughts of the frogs being impaled (our own urban legend!) or the fact that if you ever have to mess around in the tank you tend to donate blood (my personal reason for not using them anymore, they hurt!).

A lot of wild frogs have scratches on them - most of the pumilio I saw in Costa Rica had nice scratch patterns to them depending on their habitat (if they live and breed around spikey plants, they probibly get cuts from them). Seems to me that its just a hazard of their environment. I know that I camped in an area where spikey plants prevailed and I had the scratch mark/scabs, and even some scars to prove it. I passed them off for a while as a scrap with a gator (scary how many people believed that right off, what does that say about me?) but in reality I fell on a tree that had 2 inch spines up the trunk, right after my guide said "do not fall on this tree!" Yes, a tree bit me.

But then you've also got to take in account the personal plant preferences of the frogs... I've only seen wild auratus in CR, and they were no where near bromeliads, spikey or otherwise, so maybe they aren't programmed to dodge spikes like a pumilio (who often breed in broms - the spiker the better, more protection from predators). Pumilio are experts at dashing into plants, where an auratus wouldn't be (plus they are much bigger and more akward). So while we might go, Oh! They are a PDF! Of course they like broms and broms are just soooo cool I want them in my tank! In reality the frogs might have little or nothing to do with them in the wild.


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## kleinhanz (Oct 18, 2004)

My auratus would have superficial scratches form broms and cryps but never a wound. You could only see them in the right lighting if you were looking closely.


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## RussS (Oct 11, 2005)

Great insights. Thanks for the informative responses.


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