Gravel with FBT, ok if covered?

[Danny Stammers]

I'm preparing my tank for a few FBTs I'll be getting in a week or 2.
I want to make it 50-50 land and water. I thought I'd use gravel to make the base for the land part so it serves as a water drain and filter as well. I'm worried about ingestion, though. I've read that they can eat it by accident, so I'm starting to get doubts about it.

Is the use of gravel a definite no-no, or can it be used and covered with moss for example?

[Johnny O. Farnen]

It is definitely a bad idea UNLESS it is covered up. I use live moss to cover the gravel in my FBT enclosure, even thou the gravel actually glued in place with epoxy. Take no chances, have no disasters.

The risk of them ingesting it even covered is pretty high, as they will uncover it from time to time.

[Danny Stammers]

If the chance is that high, I'm not even going to consider using that, then. I still got tons of play sand, and I'll use that instead.
Is sphagnum moss ok to use for the land part?
They only sell fermented soil here, so I'll have to look for something else, too.

[Han]

I do use gravel for many years now, no trouble at all.
To create landparts it's easier to use piled up rooftiles, bricks, wood: non polluting
and lots of hidingspots available (sudmerged, half-submerged and dry) , easy to maintain/clean.

Han

[Eddie]

I've just started using slate rocks,very thin rocks piled together that make caves on land for them to hide under.I just put green moss on the land and it looks natural.

[Johnny O. Farnen]

Originally Posted by damien

If the chance is that high, I'm not even going to consider using that, then. I still got tons of play sand, and I'll use that instead.
Is sphagnum moss ok to use for the land part?
They only sell fermented soil here, so I'll have to look for something else, too.

Even play sand is a risk for small frogs and toads.
Moss is definitely the way to go. Coir, commonly called coconut substrate is also a viable option.
Use the forum search function to find a thread called "Caudate Bar". This picture heavy thread shows the complete build process of a vivarium with a water feature that was unsuitable for caudates, but perfect for the Bombina orientalis that are now residing there.

Originally Posted by HanP

I do use gravel for many years now, no trouble at all.
To create landparts it's easier to use piled up rooftiles, bricks, wood: non polluting
and lots of hidingspots available (sudmerged, half-submerged and dry) , easy to maintain/clean.

This is the way to go, I should have been more clear in my previous post. gravel is a bad idea for terrestrial use. If your set up has a water feature. gravel on the bottom is fine as this species rarely dives deep and usually feeds on land.

Han

Originally Posted by warrior

I've just started using slate rocks,very thin rocks piled together that make caves on land for them to hide under.I just put green moss on the land and it looks natural.

This is the absolute safest way to go. Excellent suggestion!

[cweiblen]

I thought it was OK to use gravel, as long as the individual stones are larger than the toad's mouth?

I'm using aquarium gravel in the bottom of my tank and also piled up in a couple of places to reach the surface of the water. The stones that I have are sometimes called river rock and they're about 3/4 of an inch in diameter. I think my toad would have to try really hard to get one in her mouth.

So, I think it's OK to use gravel, as long as you get the big kind. Unless we hear an account of a toad that actually ingested large gravel? Has anybody ever seen this happen? I sure hope not.

On another topic, I don't use any large slate or other rocks, because I'm afraid that larger stones might shift and injure my toad. I lived in San Francisco for a while, so maybe I'm just a worrier because of the earthquakes.

Instead, I bought an aquarium decoration from the fish store. It's shaped like a pile of rocks, with an angled top. I arranged it so it slants up out of the water for a land area. The cost was about $25 and it was definitely worth it in the long run. It weighs a lot less than regular rocks would, it's easy to clean, and I know that it isn't leaching any contaminants into the water. Also, it's growing some wonderful algae, so it doesn't look like a big plastic rock. It looks very natural.

Good luck with your new setup!

[Johnny O. Farnen]

Originally Posted by cweiblen

I thought it was OK to use gravel, as long as the individual stones are larger than the toad's mouth?

I'm using aquarium gravel in the bottom of my tank and also piled up in a couple of places to reach the surface of the water. The stones that I have are sometimes called river rock and they're about 3/4 of an inch in diameter. I think my toad would have to try really hard to get one in her mouth.

So, I think it's OK to use gravel, as long as you get the big kind. Unless we hear an account of a toad that actually ingested large gravel? Has anybody ever seen this happen? I sure hope not.

On another topic, I don't use any large slate or other rocks, because I'm afraid that larger stones might shift and injure my toad. I lived in San Francisco for a while, so maybe I'm just a worrier because of the earthquakes.

Instead, I bought an aquarium decoration from the fish store. It's shaped like a pile of rocks, with an angled top. I arranged it so it slants up out of the water for a land area. The cost was about $25 and it was definitely worth it in the long run. It weighs a lot less than regular rocks would, it's easy to clean, and I know that it isn't leaching any contaminants into the water. Also, it's growing some wonderful algae, so it doesn't look like a big plastic rock. It looks very natural.

Good luck with your new setup!

I agree with you 100% on river rock. However, generally when folks say "gravel" they are talking about aquarium gravel. That is an impaction risk many people here have learned about the hard way.

A lot of folks in situations like yours utilize aquarium silicone to hold rocks and such in place. This was standard practice for me when I lived in California.

One of the big issues with gravel used as land is that waste builds up in it over time resulting in anaerobic decay.

[The World's Strongest Scientist]

I used just gravel for my tank. Big mistake. I lost two FBT's in a matter of a month. Very sad to tell my kids that their pets were dead.