This can't can't CAN'T be normal or good!

[LizardMama]

My frog pooped either yesterday or the day before, I threw in 4 crickets and he ate 2 and he ate 2 last night. Last night I noticed that he had gone from his normal size to balloon size that looks so uncomfortable! I put him in a bowl with some water and he did pee yes but he didn't poop. Can someone give me some input on what I should do to help my frog get back to normal size?

[Maharg]

Is that tap water? Are you treating it with drops or using spring water? Whats the temp in the tank like?

[GrifTheGreat]

When was the last time you changed the substrate and what kind of water do you use? How often do you change his water?

[LizardMama]

Temp - 82-86 degrees
Humidity - 70%
Substrate - Coco Fibers Echo Earth
* He's due for a cage cleaning, I'm heading to the pet store to get more dirt soon
Cage - 10 gallon
Water - Bottled Spring Water, change every day

[GrifTheGreat]

Temp - 82-86 degrees
Humidity - 70%
Substrate - Coco Fibers Echo Earth
* He's due for a cage cleaning, I'm heading to the pet store to get more dirt soon
Cage - 10 gallon
Water - Bottled Spring Water, change every day

What do you feed his crickets? If this is caused by something he ate it is definitely NOT good. Does it feel like water or air?

[Maharg]

Temp - 82-86 degrees
Humidity - 70%
Substrate - Coco Fibers Echo Earth
* He's due for a cage cleaning, I'm heading to the pet store to get more dirt soon
Cage - 10 gallon
Water - Bottled Spring Water, change every day

Define "hes due for a tank cleaning". Do you think your frog is toxing out from it?

[LizardMama]

I do a complete cage cleaning once every 4 weeks, I spot clean wherever I see a mess

[Maharg]

It could be something your feeding your crickets at grif mentioned. Do you handle the frog a lot? With clean hands?

[LizardMama]

I never handle my frog except to move him into a container when his cage needs cleaning

[GrifTheGreat]

I never handle my frog except to move him into a container when his cage needs cleaning

Do you use the same water to expand his substrate as you do in his water dish?

[Maharg]

Hmm..well im throwing out possibly less informed troubleshooting questions then grif. Id answer their question about whether it feels like air or water, if and what you are gut loading the crickets with, and its never bad to answer the trouble in the enclosure sticky at the top of the Pacman section. If nothing obvious stands out in those answers, a vet is usually the answer.

[LizardMama]

It honestly feels like air, I use tap water that I've boiled on the stove to expand the substrate

[Maharg]

It honestly feels like air, I use tap water that I've boiled on the stove to expand the substrate

That might be your issue. I dont know how effective just boiling the water is for removing heavy metals, chlorine, ammonia or chloramine.

[LizardMama]

Okay I stand corrected, I went and gently poked my frog to see if it was hard or not and it's not. It's not squishy-squishy but it isn't hard

[GrifTheGreat]

It honestly feels like air, I use tap water that I've boiled on the stove to expand the substrate

There is your problem. He is toxing out from chemicals in the substrate. Does your tap water come from city water or a well? Chlorine will evaporate out of the water from boiling and letting it sit out for 48 hours, but this does not remove heavy metals or Chlorimines which remain behind. You must treat tap water and well water with a de-chlorinating agent or water conditioner to remove these harmful chemicals and metals. They slowly build up in the frog's system and will cause them to Tox Out over time.

Buy some plain Epsom salt and a water conditioner used for fish like Prime or Rept-Safe. Treat a gallon of the tap water per the instructions on the conditioners label and add one teaspoon of Epsom salt to the gallon. Let it disolve and then make a shallow bath that is Luke warm. Soak him in the bath for 15 minutes. Have a second bath ready that is also treated with the conditioner and Luke warm. No deeper than the frog's chest level just below the throat. Use this second bath to rinse the salt water off his body. Same 15 minutes in the second bath.This second bath must be plain treated water without Epsom salt.

Try this and keep me posted. Find a vet that treats herps to keep on hand because if the soak doesn't work and he gets worse you'll need to take him in.

[DVirginiana]

And absolutely don't put him back into the tank with the substrate expanded with tap water. Clean it out while he's in the water bath Grif told you about, and soak some paper towels in treated water or the bottled spring water and put them on the bottom of the tank until you can get new substrate.

[LizardMama]

I'm glad it's the start of the month otherwise I wouldn't be able to go get Epsom Salt or conditioner, how much is the conditioner?

[GrifTheGreat]

I'm glad it's the start of the month otherwise I wouldn't be able to go get Epsom Salt or conditioner, how much is the conditioner?

It depends on the brand usually. Repro-Safe is more expensive, but it is reptile and amphibian specialized. Prime is cheap and barely takes any to treat the water.

[LizardMama]

Where can I find the conditioner?

[LizardMama]

Fluker's Dechlorinator Instant Water Conditioner - Supplements & Medications - Reptile - PetSmart

Is this a good product to use?