While paper towels need to be changed out every few days to keep bacterial growth in check (which can stress the frogs and increase the chances of their escape), leaves can be left as they are for the full 3-month quarantine period provided waste is misted off the surfaces or removed on occasion.I would be careful using plant cuttings or leaves since if they aren't well sterilized they can allow free living (non-infectious) nematodes to colonize the enclosures which can give false positives on fecal checks.
While paper towels need to be changed out every few days to keep bacterial growth in check (which can stress the frogs and increase the chances of their escape), leaves can be left as they are for the full 3-month quarantine period provided waste is misted off the surfaces or removed on occasion.
It is always good to boil and bake the leaves before putting them into any enclosure as well. There may be a low disease risk to your tropical vivarium plants as well from not doing this, especially from oak leaves.
Always use dried leaves, not green leaves, when laying down leaf litter. This is for the health of your frogs and plants.
Ed,Depending on what you are treating and how, I would strongly suggest sterilizing the container immediately after treating the frog (If you are using dusted flies then that becomes more problematic) to prevent reinfections by some parasites.
The risk is reduced as the frog's have the medication in thier system particularly if you are working with a systemic like ivermectin. Even fenebendazole (panacure) has a halflife in the body before it is excreted so this provides protection against immediate reinfection.Ed,
If you move the frogs to a new container immediately after treatment, won't they just pass parasites into the new container with their first stool? Will the parasites and their eggs be killed immediately after treatment before any can be shed in the next stool?
How quickly after being shed can they reinfect?
I understand moving them to a new container immediately, because their current container is infected, just wondering how quickly you should move them again to prevent reinfection from any new sheds?
Thanks
If hookworm eggs are shed and hatch in the substrate, how soon can they re-parasitize? assuming an untreated frog...How long can they live in the substrate without a host? 1. assuming wet paper towels...2. assuming nourished soil... Can they regenerate without a host?... some like Rhabdias and hookworms have a greater chance of reinfection inbetween treatments as they can directly parasitize the frog through contact with the substrate. If they have something like those, then discuss the impact on the frogs of the need to change the enclosure more frequently with your vet. ....
This is interesting.If the frogs are in poor condition, you may want to consider setting up a long-term temporary enclosure to allow the frogs to adapt to captivity before instituting a full scale quarantine.
Yes, thank you for adding that, I forgot to write it last time. I've never had to deal with parasites in quarantine with my limited collection, so it slipped my mind. Definitely change it out in the case of infection.Actually if the frogs have parasites you can't leave any substrate in the quarantine enclosure between treatments as you will encourage reinfection
I am not meaning to suggest that the mag. leaves are going to be some sort of 'substitute' for good QT practice, such as changing the substrate out--sorry if I implied that.On what premise are you basing the idea that your magnolia leaves are not going to magnify bacterial populations the same as paper towels?
On what premise are you basing the claim that oak leaves are more of a disease risk than any other dried leaf?
Breakdown of the structure can't be used as indication of higher bacterial load when you are working with a material that breaks down in water over time...Paper towels have a composition that is more conducive to bacterial growth than do leaves--they are more porous, multi-layered and more absorbent in general. They also break down faster than leaves, notwithstanding the action of isopods or other decomposers.n
So do oak leaves. The hulls contain the same humic acids as do the leaves see Fulltext for example of the reaction of the hulls...Magnolia leaves inhibit bacterial growth to some degree, namely staphylococcus aureus.
Botanical medicine in clinical practice - Google Books
How many of these are transmittable to the frogs?I'm only comparing oak leaves to magnolia leaves, sorry if that wasn't clear. Oak leaves are susceptible to more diseases that I've observed than magnolia trees are. That's just from my personal observation, not a tried-and-true absolute, I suppose.
I was concerned for the more harmful bacteria that come from human skin, e.g. staph and strep.Breakdown of the structure can't be used as indication of higher bacterial load when you are working with a material that breaks down in water over time...
The whole bacteria thing gets tossed around a lot as a negative but people don't bother to really think about what it actually means. If we think about it, we should actually be encouraging the growth of a biofilm on the bottom of the enclosure (not necessarily quarantine enclosures) as much of this biofilm is going to be the same bacteria that convert nitrogenous wastes in aquarium filters and soil. The formation and sustained biofilm is actually beneficial to the enclosure as it helps prevent buildup of ammonia or nitrite.
Yeah, I know.So do oak leaves. The hulls contain the same humic acids as do the leaves see Fulltext for example of the reaction of the hulls...
I was actually concerned for the live plants in the enclosure.How many of these are transmittable to the frogs?
I would be much more concerned with Aeromonus and PseudomonadsI was concerned for the more harmful bacteria that come from human skin, e.g. staph and strep.
I am all for encouraging good gut and skin flora and fauna.
I wouldn't be that concerned...I was actually concerned for the live plants in the enclosure.
I have some endangered plants in my viv, so it comes to mind.
Thanks again, Ed!![]()