http://www.exfoliators.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/VERMICULITE-CHEMICAL-ANALYSIS.pdf
The first component on the list is silica (SiO2) at 38-46%. I have found a couple of cases of silicosis in reptiles floating around the internet that have re-raised my concerns. Could you please explain and clarify to me that this will not become problematic, say, if dust is produced when the vermiculite rubbed together. Because the vermiculite did appear to work wonderfully as a substrate and I would still very much like to use it, but this will only be once I know that it is 100% safe for long-term use.
Andrew
Some good points Andrew
The "cases" of silicosis I found doing some research today all seem to relate to actually one case that was published in Frye's book in 1995. Interesting case and pathology results certainly appear consistent with silicosis. It is interesting to note though that they mention that the affected animal (a green iguana) was housed on a high-silicate commercial cat litter. It does not state the name/type of the litter and given this was written nearly 10 years ago I would be pretty certain it was not a vermiculite cat litter as it did not exist then (vermiculite did but not as a cat litter!).
Which brings me to silicosis... this is a pulmonary disease caused by the inhalation of CRYSTALLINE silica. This form of silica is not found in the vermiculite. In fact in the quarterly report I have been supplied it states "X-ray diffractometry of the chemically digested bulk material generally detected no concentrations of crystalline silica present in the samples of vermiculite". I also found a number of other articles discussing the apparent lack of long term health issues in miners working in vermiculite mines.
I would never say that any product is going to 100% safe for a reptile. The fact is that almost all substrates on the market have their pluses and minuses. They all have their risks and benefits. The fact is that our animals breathe in many potentially dangerous chemicals in their enclosures every day (e.g. dust from substrates, fungal spores from wet timber, insecticides sprayed directly into enclosures to treat mites, smoke from melamine enclosures being heated by poorly located heat lamps etc.)
One a potential risk level I would put vermiculite very far down my list based on what I have experienced and read.
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What period of time did you trial the substrate over Shane @
drsimpson? Was the stuff that you were given a prototype or regular production stuff because I would imagine that they would give you the best quality product if that was in their control since it was a trial?
I have been using it for 3 weeks. Only a short time but so far I have been impressed with it.
The product I was given was not a prototype. It is the same material that is commercially available through Pet Barn stores. It goes under the name "Natural Pet Litter" and if you Google that you will find their website. It was supplied to me in the bags that it is sold in.
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I believe it is already on sale there.
Haley and all... I am not trying to convince anyone one way or the other to use the product. If you don't like it then don't use it. What I am trying to impress on everyone is that if you are going to comment on something please make sure you have done the research and are not just making "off the cuff" remarks about something. By all means ask questions as some have you have done... as a scientist I am trained to do that all the time (much to my wife's annoyance!!!). I am happy to answer anyone's concerns to the best of my knowledge and if I am not sure I will either say so or try and find out the CORRECT answer for you.
What I have presented to you is the facts as far as I am aware and my own personal experiences with the product. Take that information as you like.
Here are a couple of photos of the product that I have been using:
This is a close up of the product I have showing particle size.
This is an image taken of the product inside one of my dragon tanks.
