# Essential Oil Diffuser



## melbel (Oct 5, 2010)

Does anyone have any information as to whether or not an essential oil diffuser will have adverse effects on PDFs? My wife has recently become very interested in essential oils and wants a diffuser. I have no prior experience with oil diffusers, but from what I gather, they release tiny particles of oil into the air in a mist, almost like a humidifier. My concern is she wants to use it in the bedroom, which is where our frogs are housed. Will the oil be harmful? I have them in Exo Terra terrariums with glass tops, save for about a 1.5 inch ventilation gap. I have looked on the boards, but have found nothing about essential oil diffusers. I did read an entertaining thread about marijuana use and frogs though. Any ideas or advice?


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## 55105 (Jan 27, 2015)

The "diffuser" is just an insanely overpriced custom ultrasonic humidifier. Same exact tech used in household "cool mist" humidifiers which use a ultrasonic transducer plate.

The plates can produce aerosolized droplets about ~0.5 - 1 micron that can get virtually anywhere. Most of us have a form of ventilation incorporated into our vivariums too.

My wife was really into essential oils for a while. Spent a small fortune on it and now she never uses them. They do make really good pet friendly cleaning supplies tho. 

I wouldn't risk using it in my frog room. Those oils are actually pretty high grade (hence the price) and frogs have very sensitive skin. I honestly don't know much about biology... Not my specialty  but hopefully someone can answer whether it's frog safe or not.


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## Stryker (Nov 7, 2016)

I would say oil diffusers are bad for frogs. Since frogs are considered environmental indicators and their skin pretty much absorbs anything in the air and water, I just see melted vaporized oil cubes with scent in them as just a real bad idea.


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## melbel (Oct 5, 2010)

I was kinda thinking along the same lines. Just wanted to see what other people thought. Thanks.


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## Ed (Sep 19, 2004)

Many "essential" oils contain active compounds that have various levels of toxicity to various organisms like fish, frogs, insects, and even mammals. Consider cedarwood oil, some of the active ingredients in that oil are the basis for a number of pesticides or thymol (from thyme) which is used as a fungicide, insecticide, rodenticide and antimicrobial. The risk comes from the total exposure (dose dependent) for the amphibian. You can check the risks to some extent by googling the essential oil "active ingredients" and then googling those ingredients for their ecotoxicity. Then you can make a guess on the risk to the animals or simply don't use them in the same area as the frogs and makes sure to wash your hands before you do any work with the frogs or their cultures (as some have insecticidal activity). 

some comments 

Ed


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## logansandres (Feb 12, 2017)

Well, I am a quite long - term essentil oils user myself, but up until recently I didn't use diffusers. So some months ago I bought myself an ultraosnic diffuser , you check it out here. + get some basics too10 Best Essential Oil Diffuser Reviews Of 2017. I think ultrasonic work better than others cause they are less prone to leaking.


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