hi, i was wondering if eco earth can cause impaction because i have recently noticed my anoles grabbing a cricket and also a small amount of eco earth ( the type where you have a small block and put it in water and it expands) i have also seen my frogs doing it i thought it would be fine but i am not goin to take any chances thanks alot every1 lewis
Common wisdon says it doesn't, but I've yet to see anything but anecdotal evidence for this. That being said, I use a lot of Eco-earth and have never had a problem with it. Which, of course, doesn't mean it won't happen tomorrow. So, does anyone have any links to actual scientific studies on the causes and frequencies of impaction, based on substrate?
I dont know if it would but i would think it would depend on how much they were eating... like if they are just getting a bit when they chomp a cricket it shouldnt be a big deal but if they are eating it on purpose then i wouldnt keep it...i havent seen any studies or anything but if anyone has one id like to check it out....
im not sure btu my gut tells me that it can impact, id do some reasearch and see if it does. you can never be too safe
Anything they can eat that is non-digestable (like dirt and sand) can cause an impaction. It all comes down to how much they eat vs. how big their intestines are. And if it can build up slowly and have a cumulative effect. 1 spec of dirt won't do it. But if 1 spec gets trapped every day, they'll slowly develope a full impaction. So you have to watch out for more than just the immediate impaction.
ok then thabks i will keep an eye on them when they eat and maybe think of feeding them in a seperate container
friend of mine has beardies and one of those eats the wood chippings he has them on .. it does it on purpose not by accident is this unusual??
If it's eating the substrate on purpose it's probably lacking something in it's diet. Yes, I should think it is unusual and incredibly dangerous!! Wood chips of any sort are a known impaction risk, they absorb liquid in the stomach/intestines and swell, and cannot be passed nor are they digested. Your friend needs to re-think the substrate choice immediately, and figure out what is making the B.D. want to eat it in the first place. There seems to be not much right in that situation :?
thanks i will pass the info on to him but cant think what hes missing on the diet front they eat well and often with loads of variety
