Illness/Sickness: Fire Salamander ate big chunk of moss

[Jonny Doum]

I just went to check on my fire salamander and make sure the temps and humidity are correct (they were), and I caught him in the middle of eating a mouthful of his substrate! The substrate is a mix of top soil and coconut husk, with beaked moss put under some of the hides. I think he mainly ate a chunk of the beaked moss. There were no food items in the tank when he did this.

I'm afraid of impaction, and I have also never heard of fire sallies just eating moss. What, if anything, should I do? Has anyone else had this problem?

 

[vistajpdf]

My White's Tree Frog has done this although he took in the substrate w/ a cricket by accident and more than once. He has been fine - have had him almost a year.

Good luck. Keep an eye on him. Are you absolutely certain something wasn't lurking in the moss along the lines of food?

Dana

 

[Jonny Doum]

Hi Dana

No I guess I can't be 100% certain that something wasn't there, I think an earth worm may have escaped into the tank. He seems fine though. I am a little paranoid about his health. Thanks for the reply though, it helped put me at some ease.