Update on Motto Motto

[DirtyBird]

Ok, so on the suggestion of the others, i put juvenile Motto back into his rubbermade container, and put that inside the bigger tank. I keep the humidity between 75 and 85. The temp is 80-84. He is on eco-earth substrate. The day light is a dimmed flourescent bulb, the night light is a row of dimmed red LEDs, both on a 8to8 timer. He is still not eating on his own. I have has him about 2.5 months. He ate the first day, then once again a week after, both on his own. But then he wouldn't eat. I waited the first few weeks after moving him, offering him food every night around 10 or 11. Ive offered crickets (small, medium, large), wax worms, butter worms, earth worms, pinkie mice, a mini minnow. Nothing. He wouldn't go for any of it. After the third week, i started to force feed him. I force feed a couple crickets now and then, but mostly butterworms, and earthworms. Dusted in calcium d3, and repti_amphibian vitamin powders every other time, repspectively. Ive been ff for about a week and half now, still offering the food for him to take by himself every time. He still shows now interest in goin himself. He has gained some weight, looking more healthy in that aspect, but.....

I have noticed that he has a mouth deformity... the yellow inner lip on the lower jaw, that is normally not visible with the mouth shut, is always visible, and looks curled out. And the upper lip looks curled under, like its pulled too tight, and wrapped itself under his tooth line. I fist noticed it on the first force feeding, but didnt know it was abnormal till the guy at the lps pointed it out, and showed me the ones he had. Im thinking this could be why he doesnt eat.

Ive also noticed that he doesnt sit right, on his legs. The rear feet usually dont even touch the ground, and the front flop like he has very little control, or not enough strength to hold himself up. I will post pics of him when i get internet back on. (this is on my phone)

[Sublime]

Since the LEDs don't emit heat, do you just use it for viewing him at night? You could try leaving some crickets in there while you leave the room for a few hours instead of watching over him. Some frogs are secret eaters and don't eat readily even if the environment has correct temperature and humidity. The vitamin powder should only be dusted once a week and the calcium with d3 every other day. People have already mentioned stress related issues I'm sure, but I don't know where he is housed or what's the scenario during the day going on around his tank? Could you explain please.

The mouth deformity could be genetic or developed MBD (Metabolic Bone Disease) earlier on (prior to you buying him) that caused his bone development in his mouth to form abnormally. If it were a self-induced injury, it most likely would of already healed in the first couple of weeks. If that were the case, you would need to keep him on a soft diet, i.e. earthworms. What is the procedure during feeding time when he is non interested in food?

This question gets asked thousands of times in the pacman section, but I'll ask it... Do you use dechlorinated water (I'm sure you already do)? Maybe signs of vitamin toxicity; do you notice his legs or feet twitch? Seems like his bone growth has been diminished from not eating (malnutrition) and needs to get more intake of calcium w/ d3 to get his bones working again. By the way, a fluorescent light is not needed for these guys; only if you were growing live plants would it be necessary.

[DirtyBird]

Yea the LEDs are purely for my viewing. The flourescent is for the several live plants in the other end of the 20l tank, that his rubbermaid is inside. I have noticed twitching once, it wasnt for very long, and only the one time. I was suspecting mbd, and i thought dusting wit the calcium-d3 every other time, and then the multi-vit every other time would help stop, or mayb recover him.

I have left med crickets in the rubbermaid for several days, with a piece of that goat loading orange stuff. Nothing. Tried the worms, but they disappear into the dirt. I have only seen two bowel movements since ive had him, one when i got him, and one was about a week ago

[Sublime]

You could get confirmation from a exotic veterinarian (or someone else who has found this effective) to go ahead and pick up Flagyl (Metronidazole) in the oral liquid form and treat your frog for an appetite problem. Don't do the multivitamin that much, more than enough will lead to toxicity quickly. Calcium w/ d3 you don't have to worry about as much - just check to see that your brand doesn't contain high amounts of d3 in it as that is not needed. Calcium is very hard to overdose if you follow a regime.

The temperature at night stays the same as the daytime, even after the daylight goes off and there's only night time viewing?

[vivalabam]

The lip deformity shouldn't stop him eating, one of mine is a grade B so his lip doesn't sit right, he still eats like a trooper!

I just leave crickets in with him over night and they are usually gone by morning.

[DirtyBird]