small round ball found in moist hide

[MichaelJ]

in two of my male's (father and son) I've found two very small perfect circle balls. One burst upon removing it and fluid came out (in my face which was nice)

From the research I've done it doesn't seem to be Prolapse because their is no tissue hanging out of them. But were concerned none the less.

I'm wondering if this is just normal activity or something serious. I'm also wondering if it is a product of the vermiculite/peat combination and has nothing to do with the geckos themselves.

Any Ideas?

Thanks in advance.

Michael J

 

[Golden Gate Geckos]

I have absolutely no idea what you are talking about.

 

[MichaelJ]

that makes me feel better.. if you've never seen anything like this it leads me to believe that it's the peat/vermiculite. When I was a kid I remember digging in the dirt and finding things similar to these things. I think they may be part of roots from the soil or sod that was laid over it. I think it's probably growth of the roots due to misting of the peat mix.

 

[Kotsay1414]

Do you have any pictures of it?

 

[MichaelJ]

no but it looked like a small clear bb.

 

[outrageous]

yeah. I see those things in my yard consistently.....its definitely not your geckos!

 

[MichaelJ]

yeah. I see those things in my yard consistently.....its definitely not your geckos!

thats what i was thinking but wanted to be sure.

 

[Intense Herpetoculture]

It's fertilizer! Do you have live plants in there? Either way, it can kill your geckos, thought you might want to know.

 

[MichaelJ]

It's fertilizer! Do you have live plants in there? Either way, it can kill your geckos, thought you might want to know.

i have no live plants in my housings. I use only a mix of vermiculite and peat moss..

 

[Intense Herpetoculture]

Well, it's still fertilizer.

i have no live plants in my housings. I use only a mix of vermiculite and peat moss..

 

[MichaelJ]

Well, it's still fertilizer.

okay.. if your so staunch on that it's fertilizer, what would you suggest on changing?

being constructive is usually the best form of help to others.. and according to your sight you are a provider of education to breeders, zoo's , and retailers of captive and wild caught herps. I would think you'd be a bit more constructive.

also why i have I only found it in only two hides.. I guess my best bet would be to use a sifter or strainer on all my peat before putting into my hides..

Canadian sphagnum peat moss (CSPM) is partially decomposed sphagnum moss. It’s large cell structure enables it to absorb air and water like a sponge. Although peat moss does not contain nutrients, it absorbs nutrients added to or present in the soil releasing them over time as the plants require. This saves valuable nutrients which are otherwise lost through leaching.

Where does it come from?

* Canadian Sphagnum Peat Moss is derived from the slow decomposition of sphagnum moss which accumulates in Canada’s bogs (or peatlands).
* Canada has more than 25% of the world’s approximately one billion acres of peatland.

How is it harvested?

* Harvesters clear bogs of vegetation and then dig shallow ditches to lower the water table so that the peat will dry and that the equipment necessary to harvest the peat can operate on the field.
* Once a bog is ditched, harvesting begins. Harrows loosen the top peat moss which then dries in the sun for two to three hours before being vacuumed into large harvesters.
* It is transported from the field to the plant where it is screened, graded and baled for storage or shipment.


Vermiculite: This is a mineral called mica that is heated and puffed up to form lightweight, sponge-like granules capable of holding both water and air generally used as a soil additive to lighten up and introduce air pockets into the soil.

Hmm.. I'm not seeing anything regarding fertilizer are you?

as i said before I believe it to be part of the original or possibly new root system that was growing or is growing from moist conditions. These small fluid filled balls are most likely parts of hydration systems to plants or "peatland" as described above. It's natural but at the same time I will be more careful to sift through my mix before filling each hide.

 

[robin]

i dont use vermiculite in my humid hides so i dont know. i use sphagnum moss. it some in squares or rectangles compressed and covered in a bag (i think a half a cubic meter). i buy it at the garden department. some of the bagged sphagnum does contain fertilizer that why you have to watch out.

whether it is fertilizer or not you might want to take them off of it until you find out exactly what it is. * if it was fertilizer you would think your geckos would already be dead from it but who knows
i have never seen these things in the sphagnum. either its the vermiculite or you got

 

[monkeygirl]

i found a snail in one of my guys humid hides, i think the spagnum moss is just literally picked from the ground and packed by zoomed (i think its by them) its probably some root thing like you say

 

[DanTheFireman]

I'd have to go with Justyn on that one. Osmocote, Nutricote etc. is a time release fertilizer. It comes like tiny mini BB sized balls that swell up to what you're describing when water is introduced. The little beads are formulated to burst at different times giving a steady supply of nutrients to the plants. I get my vermiculite from an agriculture supply house, most likely it was purchased in bulk for distribution by a supplier somewhere in the marketing chain and that supplier also packages fertilizer, etc.

 

[MichaelJ]

Well we just weren't sure and didn't want to take the chance. We switched back to cocoa fiber. I think it was the peat not the vermiculite though. I bought the vermiculite at a agriculture supply house, but we picked up the peat at Home Depot. Lesson learned.