Naturalistic substrates: • Coco fiber: This substrate has grown in popularity because it is resistant to breakdown, lasts for a year or more, and makes an environmentally friendly alternative to peat moss. It comes dried and compressed into bricks for easy shipping. Soak the coco fiber brick over night in water and squeeze out excess moisture prior to laying at the bottom of your enclosure. If you use it on top of a layer of gravel, use a piece of shade cloth or fiberglass screen cut to fit between the gravel and the fiber. This will prevent the fiber from mixing with the gravel. • Moss (sheet and sphagnum): Sphagnum moss can be used as an alternative to foam rubber, and is just as soft, provides more burrowing/hiding opportunities, and is anti-fungal/bacterial. New Zealand or Chilean sphagnum moss is superior to other types of sphagnum, such as Wisconsin Sphagnum. Moss should be soaked for 24 hours and rinsed thoroughly before use. This produces a soft, moist substrate that is easily changed. In quarantine situations or others where the moss is not used for long, it is possible to heat sterilize the moss and recycle it for horticultural applications. Live mosses can be collected locally, but it is possible for these moist mosses to retain Bd that could infect your collection (Bd spores are most easily transferred from one moist surface to another). Some culturists treat the live moss with a diluted itraconazole (0.01%) solution prior to use in amphibian enclosures but this may not effectively reach every zoospore of the fungus. Considering the risks and consequences to a collection, collecting live moss for the terrarium is not recommended. • Modified Orchid Substrate: For long-term (3 years +) use in terrariums, a modified orchid media developed at the Atlanta Botanical Garden has shown some promise. This mixture was developed for growing tropical epiphytes where moist, acidic, and well-drained conditions are needed. With proper drainage below, epiphytes such as 6 Such as Carefresh Pet Bedding®
Amphibian Husbandry Resource Guide, Edition 1.0
A publication of AZA’s Amphibian Taxon Advisory Group, 2008
12
Chapter 1: General Amphibian Husbandry
bromeliads, aroids, and even some orchids can be grown terrestrially within the amphibian enclosure. The recipe for the mixture follows: Modified Orchid Substrate (Atlanta Botanical Garden) 1 part peat moss 1 part fine horticultural charcoal 2 parts fine orchid (fir) bark 2 parts milled sphagnum 1 part medium tree fern fiber Mix, Moisten well for 24 hours before use (if possible) as components tend to be very dry! Ecologically friendly substitutes: o Ground Coconut (coco-peat) in place of peat moss (see www.peatmoss.com for information on environmental restoration practices from peat moss producers). o Bruc Fiber (an ericaceous weed harvested in the Pacific Northwest) in place of tree fern fiber. • Potting soil: In general, soil is not a good choice as this industry is poorly regulated in terms of components. Potting soil tends to become compacted and become permanently oversaturated with water under terrarium conditions. If there is no other alternative, use only steam-sterilized potting mix without vermiculite, perlite, or other artificial additives such as fertilizers. Potting soil can harbor and encourage the establishment of nematodes and other parasites, so its use should be limited. However, some fossorial amphibians (e.g., spadefoot toads and many salamanders) may do best on a soil substrate. • Rocks and Gravel: Gravel is a useful, inexpensive, and relatively easy-to-clean substrate. It is widely available from most pet supply dealers and comes in a variety of sizes and colors. However, it is heavy and can lend an unnatural look to your vivarium if the appearance is overly uniform. Be careful that your animals will not ingest the gravel by accident as this can cause impaction. In particular, aggressive feeders such as horned frogs (Ceratophrys spp.) are known to ingest gravel when feeding. A generous layer of moss on top of the gravel layer can reduce the risk of accidental gravel ingestion. • Sand: Play sand is relatively inexpensive and usually well rinsed prior to packaging. Pick a grain that is not powdery but that has some substance to it. Note that sand, if consumed in substantial quantities, can pose an impaction hazard. A calcium-fortified sand7 has been employed to aestivate species such as Budgett’s frogs (Lepidobatrachus laevis).