Frog ate 2 x 2 inch piece of paper towel, what to do?

[emandkel]

My big ornate, about 3" long, just ate a piece of paper towel about 2 x 2 inches. I had torn off that piece to get a small spider in his enclosure, and I accidently dropped it and he ate it before I could get it.

Help? What, if anything, do I need to do to help ensure he passes it ok?

[Namio]

My big ornate, about 3" long, just ate a piece of paper towel about 2 x 2 inches. I had torn off that piece to get a small spider in his enclosure, and I accidently dropped it and he ate it before I could get it.

Help? What, if anything, do I need to do to help ensure he passes it ok?

If you follow up with large nightcrawlers the paper towel should pass without problems. Was the paper towel moist or dry? Either way I would probably soak your frog in shallow lukewarm dechlorinated tapwater, especially if the paper towel was dry because moisture should help breaking the paper towel apart.

[GrifTheGreat]

I would hold off on any solid foods for a couple of days. They will increase the risk of impaction- which is very possible in this case. Their bodies are not made to digest this sort of material. Most paper towels are also bleached so even if his body could digest it, it wouldn't be good for him. He should be able to pass since he is a larger frog, but he is still at risk. You will have to monitor him very closely for the next few days. I would get him a dose of Reptiaid. Give him a soak like Namio said. Keep his temps up for the next few days. Heat aids with digestion. Try to keep his enclosure 81-82 degrees during the day and around 78 at night. Keep his humidity up as well.

It is important to remember that these are ambush preditors. Their natural instinct is to bite and swallow anything that moves near them even if it turns out to be a foreign object not food. Other people have lost frogs to similar occurances. Non-digestable materials can cause impaction and death. Keep a very close eye on him.

Keep us posted.

[emandkel]

Thank you, I figured a dose of Reptiaid and no food may help. Maybe a swim in another day or two as Ra suggested in another email on impaction. I just hope I didn't kill my big guy. I have to say he's my favorite pacman frog right now.

I feel like an idiot that this happened.

[EagleWeaponX]

Dont worry man, stay calm and listen to grif! thats what i did, and my frog came back from a 9 day food strike, he is only a quarter. These creatures are very hardy. As long as you listen to what these people tell you i think he will be fine.
Best of luck and wishes.

[Heatheranne]

You can try a nice luke warm honey soak too. It stimulates bowel movements. Reptaboost is a great idea Grif, bc it is wet, therefore not only providing nutrients, but lubricating the intestines and helping to push it through.

[frogsubrosa]

My frog ate a corner of paper towel as it was chasing crickets when I just got it at 1.5".

I just assumed that the paper towel will pass, and it did.

However, the corner of paper that my frog ate was no where as big as 2"X2". It was just fingernail-sized.

[emandkel]

I gave him a dose of Repta Boost and a lukewarm water soak yesterday afternoon / evening soon after I figured out that would be the best start to help him. He pooped soon after I put him in there, so I changed out the water and continued to let him soak for a little bit. I plan on giving him another soak in a little while, maybe with a bit of honey added this time.

Now as I read another post on pooping, it sounds like he may have a parasite issue as well. The last 3 soaks (one over a week ago, one a few days ago, and then last night) resulted in brown dirty water. The first of the three mentioned started out normal but then was looser as he finished. The 2nd mentioned I saw him poop, it just came out and collected on the bottom of the container like fine dirt, quickly dirtying the water when he moved. The last time I didn't see him poop, just saw the brown water and he wanted OUT of it.

This started soon after I switched his diet to worms. He's had 100% worms for the past week or so. So, could this be a result of parasites, or maybe not digesting the worms as well as he should (indicating needing a change in diet), or a problem with the worms themselves? All of my pacs have eaten the same crickets, many are eating mostly worms now, and I haven't seen any issues from the others. Comments on this, anyone?

[GrifTheGreat]

I gave him a dose of Repta Boost and a lukewarm water soak yesterday afternoon / evening soon after I figured out that would be the best start to help him. He pooped soon after I put him in there, so I changed out the water and continued to let him soak for a little bit. I plan on giving him another soak in a little while, maybe with a bit of honey added this time.

Now as I read another post on pooping, it sounds like he may have a parasite issue as well. The last 3 soaks (one over a week ago, one a few days ago, and then last night) resulted in brown dirty water. The first of the three mentioned started out normal but then was looser as he finished. The 2nd mentioned I saw him poop, it just came out and collected on the bottom of the container like fine dirt, quickly dirtying the water when he moved. The last time I didn't see him poop, just saw the brown water and he wanted OUT of it.

This started soon after I switched his diet to worms. He's had 100% worms for the past week or so. So, could this be a result of parasites, or maybe not digesting the worms as well as he should (indicating needing a change in diet), or a problem with the worms themselves? All of my pacs have eaten the same crickets, many are eating mostly worms now, and I haven't seen any issues from the others. Comments on this, anyone?

Earthworms and Night Crawlers make their poop softer. Sometimes it falls apart in the water and causes it to become dirty. If you actually haven't seen runny poop coming out them he is probably fine and has no parasites. They will always want out of the water after they foul it with their poop. Don't assume that he has parasites. You will need to see it outside of water to determine whether its runny or just fell apart.

When you check it look for little rice looking worms in the poop. Also protozoa cannot be seen without a microscope so if he has runny stool caused by these single celled organisms you will need to see a vet to get Panacur Dewormer and Flagyl antibiotics. I wouldn't worry until you know for sure.

[emandkel]

Overdue update: he passed the paper towel piece on Tuesday!