White's Tree Frog Help Please ?

[kirby1306]

I have had my WTF for six weeks now - he is only about 2 1/2 months old in total . We have him ina 20L tank, climbing branches and vines with a water bowl and coconut husk subtrate. A humidity of 60%, the tank is heated on one side using a heat mat and all food is dusted with vitamins and calcium.
We were feeding him around 3 crickets everyday (we were told to do this as a baby and cut back as he gets older) , and he gobbled them all up - now however he's not eating them at all. I was told by another site to try and force feed him using tongs and see if he will take them, but he just uses his front limbs to push them away. He hasn't eaten anything as far as i'm aware for 8 days now and obviously there have ben less faeces.

Other the lack of appetite he is absolutely fine, he moves around his tank , he goes to his water bowl, he is an absolutely gorgeous colour - but isn't keen on the eating thing. What do I do?

Would trying him on mealworms help to bring his appetite back?

I've attached this picture so you can see his size in relation to his age. This was taken about two weeks ago and his colour has changed now , more like a jade colour (absolutely stunning to look at) - one thing I did notice was that he seemed to be shedding, but we haven't seen him do the yawning thing or anything like that so i'm not sure if there is any relevance.

Thanks for your help
Kirb x

[Azhael]

I would not try to force feed it, it´s an extremely stressful and potentially dangerous process.
Mealworms are hard to digest and not very nutritious at all, i wouldn´t feed it to it. However i think that it´s lack of appetite might come from being fed only crickets, so try to vary its diet. Earthworms and waxworms should atract its attention nicely.

I don´t know if it´s just me but are its eyes and mouth ok? I kind of see something not entirely ok there....

[kirby1306]

Hi thanks for your response. The yes aren't like that at all, just looks that way in the picture, think he may have been asleep =D
Ok thanks for the info about the meal worms, I was advised on another site to tempt him back using them but if they hold no nutritious value then I guess there would be no point !
I suppose I could vary his diet now, I was a little cautious because of his age.

Anyone else have any input ??
Thanks Kirb x

[Kurt]

Sleeping frogs don't look like that! Have a listen to his hearing, put him up to your ear and have a listen. Is there crackling or is the breathing normal? Just to make sure he isn't holding his breath, wet your ear so you will feel his breath in case you can't hear it.

You said he was shedding, but you saw no yawning. Does skin slough off in your hand when you handle him and if so, its it flakes or longer pieces that kind of resemble runny eggs?

Is he still climbing or does he stay on the bottom of the enclosure?

If the answer is yes to any of these questions, then you need to see a vet as soon as possible.

[kirby1306]

Hi Kurt ,
Well he was asleep when I took him out of his tank to take the picture, that's why I said I assume his eyes looked that way because he had literally just opened them. Also his eyes don't look like that now ... they look very fresh and bright. I am intending to take another picture for you gusy so you can see what he looks like now , but am worried about disturbing him too much , I don't really want to stress him out. But no , I don't think there is a problem with his eyes, just the picture I think!

As for the breathingit's absolutely fine and normal for him. You can clearly see him breathing too with no crackling noises - so that one is ruled out

The shedding, I assumed he was shedding because he had some skin on his back that seemed to be peeling (kind of like when we have peeling lips) - there is no resemblance of runny egss and it doesn't come off in my hand etc. The skin isn't there now though so I don't know if it was shedding. Just to say at this point too that there are no open wounds, cuts, grazes , lesions at all on him.

He is climbing yes. He is actually very active =D Which pleases me . I assume his activity would slow down but it hasn't . He loves climbing in and around his branches and vines , and only goes to the bottom of his tank to access his water bowl.

Like I said , he seems perfectly normal other than his lack of appetite. One poster has mentioned feeding him more of a variety of food now. I didn't do this initially because of his age , but as it has been reccomended , I will give it ago to entice his appetitie back.

Please let me know what you think, from my responses.

Many thanks for your help thus far
Kirb x

[Kurt]

Well, I guess we have ruled out respiratory infection, chytridiomycosis, and hypocalcemia. So try another food source and se what happens. Also what is the current temperatures he is kept at?