Impaction....?

Aeon

Member
Joined
Jan 26, 2019
Messages
58
Location (City and/or State)
Shenzhen, Guangdong
I've heard all about this impaction risk which has often got me to wondering where it all came from?
See I'm quite a practical thinker and I see things that maybe others miss.
Allow me to share my thoughts on what I've understood about substrate, namely sand and the term impaction.

I first heard of impaction when I got my Bearded Dragon Freyja about 4 years ago. I was told on many forums and also on YouTube vids that sand was a great big no no due to impaction.
My initial reaction was to start looking to other substrates to lay down in her vicarium. Being the practical kind of guy I am and also having the love for my animals that I do, I try to create a happy, as close to their natural environment as possible.
First thing I noticed is that they come from Australia in the desert. No sand there right I thought.

Confuzzled!!!

Also I have over many years studied birds, reptiles and dinosaurs all of which injest small stones often referred to as gizzard stones to help them digest food items mainly due to the fact that they don't have teeth, so they can't chew the same as we mammals can and start the breakdown of matter before it his the stomach.
Obviously if you are rolling peeled apples and bananas in the sand then feeding that to your Turtle, Dragon or Tortoise then you are gonna come across problems.
So my thoughts are that impaction 85% of the time is down to poor husbandry and a lack of care 25% it is unavoidable. I would also say the same applies in the wild.
Sand is everywhere reptiles are so how can sand be such a poor choice of substrate when it occurs so abundantly in nature.. .

Let me know your thoughts on this.

Aeon x
 

Toddrickfl1

Well-Known Member
Tortoise Club
5 Year Member
Platinum Tortoise Club
Joined
Jan 7, 2018
Messages
7,103
Location (City and/or State)
Ga
The only question I have about impaction is I hear a lot that Moss, Spahgnum Moss in particular is an impaction risk. Im failing to understand how something soft, and organic (so I'm guessing digestible?) Would be more of a risk than something harder, like cuttlebone, or carrot? Can someone enlighten me?
 

Yvonne G

Old Timer
TFO Admin
10 Year Member!
Platinum Tortoise Club
Joined
Jan 23, 2008
Messages
93,405
Location (City and/or State)
Clovis, CA
I think it has to do with what breaks down during the digestion process and what passes, or tries to pass, through without breaking down. For one, sand is heavy and lays on the bottom of the stomach and accumulates. It's not able to make it up and out the 'tube'. You can read about sand colic in horses and get a better understanding of what sand does in the stomach, better than I can explain it. I think moss is one of those things that doesn't break down, and just blocks the passages. Cuttlebone probably doesn't break down, however, it doesn't accumulate in the stomach or intestines. It passes through just fine.
 

Grandpa Turtle 144

Well-Known Member
5 Year Member
Joined
Apr 3, 2013
Messages
10,878
Well my option of sand Impaction is : If there is a one in a million chance for my torts ! I can find something else for my torts !
By the way not all deserts are 100 percent sand . But you have a good option . Have a great day ![emoji217]
 

ascott

Well-Known Member
10 Year Member!
Joined
Apr 10, 2011
Messages
16,138
Location (City and/or State)
Apple Valley, California
The only question I have about impaction is I hear a lot that Moss, Spahgnum Moss in particular is an impaction risk. Im failing to understand how something soft, and organic (so I'm guessing digestible?) Would be more of a risk than something harder, like cuttlebone, or carrot? Can someone enlighten me?

One word "stringy"....stringy stuff can wrap around the intestines and reek havoc....
 

Pastel Tortie

Well-Known Member
Tortoise Club
Platinum Tortoise Club
Joined
Jul 31, 2018
Messages
4,264
Location (City and/or State)
North Florida
The only question I have about impaction is I hear a lot that Moss, Spahgnum Moss in particular is an impaction risk. Im failing to understand how something soft, and organic (so I'm guessing digestible?) Would be more of a risk than something harder, like cuttlebone, or carrot? Can someone enlighten me?
I'm sort of echoing what @ascott posted about sphagnum moss (probably Spanish moss as well) being stringy.

Human hair doesn't break down well in the digestive systems of dogs, cats, tortoises, and various other animals. Most threads don't break down either.

I'm wondering if moss might have a "dust bunny" effect in the digestive system... It seems like the bigger a dust bunny is, the larger it grows, accumulating more material until it's removed from the environment.
 

ascott

Well-Known Member
10 Year Member!
Joined
Apr 10, 2011
Messages
16,138
Location (City and/or State)
Apple Valley, California
I'm sort of echoing what @ascott posted about sphagnum moss (probably Spanish moss as well) being stringy.

Human hair doesn't break down well in the digestive systems of dogs, cats, tortoises, and various other animals. Most threads don't break down either.

I'm wondering if moss might have a "dust bunny" effect in the digestive system... It seems like the bigger a dust bunny is, the larger it grows, accumulating more material until it's removed from the environment.

Absolutely. The bigger the bundle the bigger the mess....I would not use the stringy crap, period.
 

New Posts

Top