Recent Impaction - Tomato Frog Substrate Suggestions

[Kaiju]

I recently lost one of my tomatoes to severe impaction of coconut fibre. Currently I have my other one on moist paper towels. He stays in his water bowl no matter how high the humidity is.
When I did have the fibre I kept having issues with little gnats laying eggs in it even when I spot cleaned. I get rid of them (or so I think) and a month later I have to change it all out again.
The one who passed away had eaten alot of substrate one night trying to eat the maggots that had hatched.

Is there a different substrate I can use?

[jasonm96]

Sorry for your loss :/ As tomato frogs are a burrowing species coir would usually be considered the best but impaction is almost always a risk with a substrate. Although paper towels can be used and are safer, they don't allow them to burrow. It might be hard to compromise a 100% safe substrate and one that allows burrowing. You could try feeding them in another enclosure if possible but I suppose this may stress them out. Because sphagnum moss has long fibers that soak in a lot of moisture and therefore pack down well, this may be relitively safe and will help with the humidity requirements as well. It could be placed ontop of the coir.