Results 1 to 9 of 9

Thread: Unwell African Clawed Frog

  1. #1
    ross800m
    Guest

    Default Unwell African Clawed Frog

    Hi there, I'm relatively new to this forum but for the last 3 weeks my ACF has not been interested in her food. She is acting completely normally apart from this, but has developed a lump at the side of her head, with little red dots. They aren't getting worse (or at least not quickly) but I'm starting to get worried. Anyone seen this before/know what i should do?
    So far I have cleaned out the tank thoroughly, changed filters and done a decent water change - but no improvement. She is still very fat as she always has been and is otherwise well. There is also a male ACF in the tank who is absolutely as he always has been and even started croaking at the inappropriate time!!
    Attached Images Attached Images  

  2. # ADS
    Circuit advertisement
     

  3. #2
    Amphibians
    Guest

    Default Re: Unwell African Clawed Frog

    Do you have a local frog savy vet?

  4. #3
    Moderator tgampper's Avatar
    Join Date
    Dec 2009
    Nationality
    [United States]
    Location
    Bellevue, NE
    Age
    72
    Posts
    1,676
    Blog Entries
    2
    Picture Albums: Member Photo Albums

    Default Re: Unwell African Clawed Frog

    I am not a vet, but based on your description, I think it is a bacterial infection. You will need to isolate the frog and get it to the vet as soon as possible. If you want to try a treatment and can handle the frog safely, try swabbing Bactine or another topical antibacterial ointment (no Betadine) on the wound. If it is a minor infection, it can take about 5 days to clear up. But as always, you need to get a second opinion from an vet. The vet will be able to isolate the cause of infection. Once you find out what is causing the infection, Paul has an excellent frog first aid sheet on the forum (look under the Care Info) menu. Good luck!
    Terry Gampper
    Nebraska Herpetological Society




    “If we can discover the meaning in the trilling of a frog, perhaps we may understand why it is for us not merely noise but a song of poetry and emotion.”
    ---
    Adrian Forsyth

  5. #4
    ross800m
    Guest

    Default Re: Unwell African Clawed Frog

    Hello again,
    Unfortunately despite my best effort wee Hurley passed away yesterday. I had tried using an anti internal bacterial but she didn't improve in the end. Hopefully young Sawyer will manage as a widower now, as I think he may try to eat any froglets if I were to get any.
    Thanks for your help and advice, there just aren't enough specialist vets around it seems!

    Ross

  6. #5
    Moderator tgampper's Avatar
    Join Date
    Dec 2009
    Nationality
    [United States]
    Location
    Bellevue, NE
    Age
    72
    Posts
    1,676
    Blog Entries
    2
    Picture Albums: Member Photo Albums

    Default Re: Unwell African Clawed Frog

    Quote Originally Posted by ross800m View Post
    Hello again,
    Unfortunately despite my best effort wee Hurley passed away yesterday. I had tried using an anti internal bacterial but she didn't improve in the end. Hopefully young Sawyer will manage as a widower now, as I think he may try to eat any froglets if I were to get any.
    Thanks for your help and advice, there just aren't enough specialist vets around it seems!

    Ross
    Sorry to hear of your loss. Hopefully your other frog will do just fine. In general, clawed frogs are very hardy animals and immuned to many diseases that inflict other frogs. I believe that decades of captive breeding and use in genetic and biomedical testing may have weakened their immune systems so that new frogs do not have the capability to fight off disease. Good luck with Sawyer.
    Terry Gampper
    Nebraska Herpetological Society




    “If we can discover the meaning in the trilling of a frog, perhaps we may understand why it is for us not merely noise but a song of poetry and emotion.”
    ---
    Adrian Forsyth

  7. #6
    Kurt
    Guest

    Default Re: Unwell African Clawed Frog

    Sorry for your loss.

  8. #7
    liljackson
    Guest

    Default Re: Unwell African Clawed Frog

    i have a female albino african clawed frog who has recently developed red spots on her. her behaviour hasnt changed at all but the spots seem to be spreading and one is getting darker please help me i have no idea what to do and am getting worried.

  9. #8
    Moderator tgampper's Avatar
    Join Date
    Dec 2009
    Nationality
    [United States]
    Location
    Bellevue, NE
    Age
    72
    Posts
    1,676
    Blog Entries
    2
    Picture Albums: Member Photo Albums

    Default Re: Unwell African Clawed Frog

    Quote Originally Posted by liljackson View Post
    i have a female albino african clawed frog who has recently developed red spots on her. her behaviour hasnt changed at all but the spots seem to be spreading and one is getting darker please help me i have no idea what to do and am getting worried.
    Where are the red spots, usually reddish spots is a sign of a bacterial infection?
    Terry Gampper
    Nebraska Herpetological Society




    “If we can discover the meaning in the trilling of a frog, perhaps we may understand why it is for us not merely noise but a song of poetry and emotion.”
    ---
    Adrian Forsyth

  10. #9
    ross800m
    Guest

    Default Re: Unwell African Clawed Frog

    Sawyer didn't eat anything for around 3.5 weeks, so I went to my local "Pets at Home" where I bought my frogs from, to get the water tested. It was very high in ammonia, nitrates and nitrites and so I started doing water changes of 10-20% every 2nd day. After a couple of changes he started eating again!! The following night he started croaking and he has barely stopped since - its just SUCH a shame that he is now alone with all his little frog-hormones going!

    I went back to get the water re-tested and it was better but still high in ammonia and nitrates, so I have been advised to use a tank-start type bacterial additive to boost the bacteria that breakdown the ammonia.

    It seems this problem has come about through a bad combination of dead worms trapped (and unseen) under the gravel, the old filter stopping working and being replaced (without adequate bacteria to colonise the new one) and perhaps my poor deceased frog releasing ammonia before I got home to find her.

    I would recommend getting your water tested if you have any problems at all, it's easy and is fairly easy to fix. If the water is OK, then move on to the other possiblities.

    Thanks for everyones help, Sawyer is very happy now!

Thread Information

Users Browsing this Thread

There are currently 1 users browsing this thread. (0 members and 1 guests)

Similar Threads

  1. African Clawed Frog age record?
    By John in forum Aquatic Clawed Frogs
    Replies: 14
    Last Post: April 29th, 2018, 05:42 PM
  2. Albino African Clawed Frog looking thin
    By mateosbaby in forum Frogs
    Replies: 12
    Last Post: May 23rd, 2010, 09:51 AM
  3. Albino African Clawed Frog
    By Ging88 in forum Frogs
    Replies: 3
    Last Post: April 26th, 2010, 05:56 PM
  4. Albino african clawed frog - newbie.
    By Ging88 in forum Aquatic Clawed Frogs
    Replies: 2
    Last Post: April 25th, 2010, 02:33 PM
  5. African Clawed Frog
    By jellybean in forum Frogs
    Replies: 4
    Last Post: October 20th, 2009, 05:47 AM

Tags for this Thread

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •