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Thread: A Devastating Day for Pyxie Project: Warning Graphic Image

  1. #1
    Jeff Kennedy
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    Default A Devastating Day for Pyxie Project: Warning Graphic Image

    So today was a typical day around here. All the animals were cared for and then we concentrated on our usual 2 hours worth of Pyxie Project feeding and documentation. Today was the second day in of the feeding cycle so everyone usually doesn't take in as much food from the feeding bin. P17, whom was one of our contenders for that 10" Pyxie we desired, shyed away from food altogether in the bin today. This is pretty strange for him but like I mentioned, the second day of feeding they don't take in a lot from the bin. Well somtime between 4 PM and 5 PM, regrettably P17 passed on. I walked by the enclosure and observed him on his back with what appears to be his entire stomach coming out of his mouth. There was also some stomach contents scattered around the cage as if maybe he had regurgitated some of it prior to passing. This is a severe blow to the project. This is only the 2nd (knocking on wood) frog that we have lost from the project with the first coming on the second day when it was a little more expected because the froglets were so small and fragile. I'm really beside myself right now because of course he being the biggest was one of our favorites. He had this menacing look to him and you could tell that he was going to grow up to be a real bada$$. He was 4" already at the time of his death. The project must roll on for now despite this so the enclosure has been cleaned and a new specimen will be inserted. We have researched and we know that sometimes frogs can throw up the entire organ (stomach) if they are suffering from indegestion or what not and that it can sometimes prove fatal. This is the only thing that we have to go on at the moment. Anyone else have any similar experiences ever occur?


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  3. #2
    jtay
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    Default Re: A Devastating Day for Pyxie Project: Warning Graphic Image

    That sucks, sorry for your loss

  4. #3
    Jeff Kennedy
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    Default Re: A Devastating Day for Pyxie Project: Warning Graphic Image

    Thanks. We put in a ton of work every day on these guys to try and give them the best life possible. We are floored right now. This is like losing your star quarterback.

  5. #4
    Malachi
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    Default Re: A Devastating Day for Pyxie Project: Warning Graphic Image

    That really sucks! Sorry for your loss. I had a frog throw up his stomach once, I caught wild northern leopard frog as a kid and taking it home it did that. It soon passed, I was pretty upset. I am sure it was stress that did it in.

    If you raised all of them in a similar manner i would be inclined to believe that this was out of your hands. A possible genetic defect? some weird illness/infection? possibly causing enough stress to the guy that lead to him expelling his innards.

    Hopefully someone else can shed some more light.

  6. #5
    Jeff Kennedy
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    Default Re: A Devastating Day for Pyxie Project: Warning Graphic Image

    Yeah, not sure Malachi. They have all been kept the same way and P17 has been absolutely thriving. The only thing that we can think is that maybe it was the first time that he ever did it and he didn't know how to get it back in or whatnot. Beats the hell out of me. I am just floored man.

  7. #6
    John911
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    Sorry to hear Jeff.

  8. #7
    Mordecai
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    Default Re: A Devastating Day for Pyxie Project: Warning Graphic Image

    He measured at 2 1/2 in. on Oct 1. Today, he was exactly 4 in. He grew and inch and a half in 20 days! I just don't understand. He will be missed very much.

  9. #8
    Jeff Kennedy
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    Default Re: A Devastating Day for Pyxie Project: Warning Graphic Image

    You hate to de-value any other living thing but it just leaves me baffled that it had to happen to such a (what appeared to be) healthy, strong, enormous example. We have others that aside from it throwing a hitch in our data, wouldn't have affected us near as much as this guy did. We swore to not bond or get attached to any of these guys until it was over and we decided which ones we were keeping but it's kind of hard not to when you interact with them as much as we do on a daily basis. This really sucks. He was one to watch out for. His head was absolutely massive.

  10. #9
    Kevin1
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    Default Re: A Devastating Day for Pyxie Project: Warning Graphic Image

    The frog might of ate something toxic or inedible, any chance of that happening?

  11. #10
    Jeff Kennedy
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    Default Re: A Devastating Day for Pyxie Project: Warning Graphic Image

    On our end absolutely not. The substrate is a 50/50 blend of co-co fiber and all natural top soil (no additives, etc.). All of our feeder insects are kept in sanitary bins that are cleaned every couple of days with a scrubbrush (no cleaners). If he ingested something toxic, it could have only came in the form of another insect that might have made it's way into his enclosure, i.e. a spider or ant, etc. This sucks. I've been in a fog since 5PM.

  12. #11
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    Default Re: A Devastating Day for Pyxie Project: Warning Graphic Image

    Im so sorry to hear that Jeff... Im not sure how true this is but Ive heard that frogs can vomit up their stomach to empty out. Ive never seen or experienced this my self though. It would be worth finding out. I hope this is just a one off. Im glad the project will still go a head. Good luck.

  13. #12
    Jeff Kennedy
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    Default Re: A Devastating Day for Pyxie Project: Warning Graphic Image

    Thanks Ebony. Yes, that is what we are finding out through research. That it can be anything from indegestion to toxicity. It also mentions that sometimes it can prove fatal which obviously was the case here. I'm pretty sure you can rule out the toxic thing because they just don't come in to contact with anything else. The indigestion or upset stomach is a possibility as he didn't eat like he normally would have today. Plus there were other contents from yesterday regurgitated in his enclosure. It's like he was trying to empty his entire stomach and couldn't get it back in or have the know how. Either way we are tore up here and it helps to have the encouragement because at times like these you just want to throw your hands in the air and say "to hell with it".

  14. #13
    froggiez
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    Default Re: A Devastating Day for Pyxie Project: Warning Graphic Image

    so sorry for your loss

  15. #14
    Jace
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    Default Re: A Devastating Day for Pyxie Project: Warning Graphic Image

    I am so sorry to hear about your loss, Jeff and Ella. Even with a project as big as yours, it can be hard to keep that distance when you come to know them. When you have big hearts on top of it, well, that can make it downright devastating. I hope this is the worst you have to experience. Hugs to you both.

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  17. #15
    pixiefrogman
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    Default Re: A Devastating Day for Pyxie Project: Warning Graphic Image

    So sorry for your loss. After taking such good care of the frogs, I can only imagine how you feel when one passes.

  18. #16
    Jeff Kennedy
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    Default Re: A Devastating Day for Pyxie Project: Warning Graphic Image

    Thanks guys for all the condolences. We are starting the day today, trying to be optimistic, but I can't say that it feels much better. We are mad that we lost one of our prime specimens to some freak thing and we are on edge now, waiting for it to happen again. After rearing all of the froglets out of that fragile, froglet stage, we thought that we were in the clear with these guys now. I hope you are right Jo-Anna. I hope this is the worst that we will experience because this alone has been a severe blow to our morale. After all of the endless hours that we put in daily on the project alone, I'm not sure if we can withstand another blow such as this. Ugh.......sooooooooo frustrating.

  19. #17
    Jace
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    Default Re: A Devastating Day for Pyxie Project: Warning Graphic Image

    Jeff, any project as big as this is going to have a few glitches and unfortunately, a few that just don't make it. In this case, I honestly think there is nothing you could have done and not knowing how to prevent it really bites. Now, if you were just doing this for the research, you could shrug it off and act like nothing happened. You guys care, and because of that, this hurts and you will feel it for a while. However, if you look at all those other little faces, you know you willl continue. Not because you have to but because you want to. You two are doing something really great. P17 and all the others is proof of that. One day soon you are going to succeed at your goal. Not at having a 10" legend (though that will be very cool and a definite bonus!), but being surrounded by healthy, happy, frogs. Wait-it's already happened...I've seen the pictures.

  20. #18
    Jeff Kennedy
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    Default Re: A Devastating Day for Pyxie Project: Warning Graphic Image

    Thank you Jo-Anna. You comfort me like my own mother . That is if my own mother actually cared about frogs or understood the weight of this blow. It's getting a little better. This afternoon we replaced P17's enclosure with P31. We decided to retire P17's number for the study because too much data had already been compiled for him and too much work had went in to producing him. P31 is a very, very fiesty male. He was a part of our control group that was only being offered gut loaded crickets as food. We still had to change his water dish daily but there hasn't been a whole lot of hands on contact with him. Today when I went to re-house him, he filled up with air, hissed and jumped a good 10" straight up in the air trying to nip at me!!! At least he's going to make this interesting. It was a nice distraction to say the least.

  21. #19
    Jace
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    Default Re: A Devastating Day for Pyxie Project: Warning Graphic Image

    Hmmm, your mother, eh? Well, at least you didn't say grandmother! I'm only 32 after all!! Sounds like P31 is going to keep you on your toes. My female does the same thing-she hisses so loud my cat poofed herself up and growled at her one time. Get Ella to count all your fingers after all dealings with him-it's one thing to put your heart into it, but not actually body parts!

  22. #20
    Jeff Kennedy
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    Default Re: A Devastating Day for Pyxie Project: Warning Graphic Image

    Ugh......(removing foot from mouth). That my lady, is why you should put your age in your profile. I am also 32 so feel free to call me Dad It must just be that norturing vibe that you have.

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