proper ventilation
I have not need seen many posts about this. Naturally , with my A. moreletii being under –the –weather, I have been doing quite a bit of reading and research as to any possibility of the cause. I am sure there are more experienced members that could add additional information here.
I have been in the ‘human’ medical field for 30+ years and find this reading very enjoyable.
Proper ventilation is extremely important to reduce the buildup of carbon dioxide. (CO2).
High CO2 levels make it difficult for a frog (especially those close to the bottom of an unventilated enclosure) to get rid of waste products. In an on-going (insidious) high CO2 situation that is on-and-off ; this increases the risk of infection and opportunistic parasitic infestation. “On-and-off’ meaning - alleviating the stagnant air by opening the door of an enclosure.
Risks of this ,preventable, situation are increased when one does not enter an enclosure often enough -- that is closed up too tightly when trying so hard to increase the humidity level.
An acute CO2 issue creates stagnant air which increases respiratory rates leading to breathing problems.
A lethal, acute, problem called “acidosis” can occur. Early symptoms of this could be a frog falling onto the floor all stretched out w/ their legs behind them. One may never see the fall- only the stretched out position. I have read, on FF , posts that describe : “I found my frog on the floor and it’s not breathing, I think it dead. When I pick it up I noticed it started breathing again” . Or, “ My frog throws himself on the floor and looks dead!” It could be that opening the door added the ventilation the frog needed to breathe again. This acute emergency needs AIR. A frog that cannot breathe may also be seen on the floor, very flat w/ out their legs tucked in. This could be signs that it is asphyxiated ( unable to breathe ) !
Remedies: EASY ! Open the door !!!!!
Plenty of plants-- for CO2 uptake
( my RETFs sleep in those vines)
Screened areas – especially in our vertical conversions!
( this is one of the screened ares of my recent vertical conversion,
the other is on the very top for the cords/mist tubing to pass through)
little computer fans - or any fan
(this little fan is positioned above my 2 enclosures -on a timer- comes on for 15 minutes,
every 3 hours, during the day when the lights are on)
Lynn
Current Collection
Dendrobates leucomelas - standard morph
Dendrobates auratus “Costa Rican Green Black"
Dendrobates auratus "Pena Blanca"
Dendrobates tinctorius “New River”
Dendrobates tinctorius "Green Sipaliwini"
Dendrobates tinctorius “Powder Blue"
Dendrobates tinctorius "French Guiana Dwarf Cobalt"
Phyllobates terribilis “Mint”
Phyllobates terribilis "Orange"
Phyllobates bicolor "Uraba"
Oophaga pumilio "Black Jeans"
Oophaga pumilio "Isla Popa"
Oophaga pumilio "Bastimentos"
Oophaga pumilio “Mimbitimbi”
Oophaga pumilio "Rio Colubre"
Oophaga pumilio "Red Frog Beach”
Oophaga pumilio "Rio Branco"
Oophaga pumilio “Valle del Rey”
Oophaga pumilio "BriBri"
Oophaga pumilio "El Dorado"
Oophaga pumilio "Cristobal"
Oophaga pumilio "Rambala"
Oophaga “Vicentei” (blue)
Oophaga sylvatica "Paru"
Oophaga sylvatica "Pata Blanca"
Oophaga histrionica “Redhead”
Oophaga histrionica "Blue"
Oophaga lehmanni "Red"
Oophaga histrionica "Tado"
Ranitomeya variabilis "Southern"
Ranitomeya imitator "Varadero"
Ranitomeya sirensis "Lower Ucayali"
Ranitomeya vanzolinii
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