Glossary · 🩺 Health
Impaction
Impaction is a blockage of the gut, often from swallowed loose substrate, oversized prey, or (underlying it) dehydration, low temperatures or poor UVB — a potentially fatal problem.
The substrate itself is usually a symptom, not the sole cause: a well-hydrated, warm, properly-lit reptile passes small amounts of substrate fine. A bloated animal that has stopped passing waste needs a vet.