I'm scared to force feed my pac man frog

[LIZZIE82]

I'm SO frustrated. Pocket is doing better and has a lot more energy. He's now impossible to feed though. Tonight, he would NOT open his mouth. Period. End of story. Kept turning around and was just being awful. I poked him in the eye at least three times by accident. I got fed up, put him in a kritter keeper with a paper towel and 6 crickets to see if he would eat. I put him in a dark room... came to check on him about 30 mins later and he was on his back!! I think he was throwing one his famous tantrums and hit the side of the keeper and fliped himself over and couldn't get back over. I tried to feed him again by force and he refused again. I put him back in his tank, in a clean water dish, upped the temp and covered him up. I'm still pretty upset over this. I thought we were doing soo good. Last night, he ate his booster, 3 crickets and I put him in his tank and he was really looking good. He's starting to fill out and I looked back on pics of him a week ago compared to now.... You can really tell the difference. Now, he's being stubborn and I'm afraid this is what he is going to do every night. Not to mention, Im sure my neighbors could hear me... and are now wondering why I keep calling my pocket a brat!

[Sublime]

Actually, your frog being found on his or her back is a sign of them being stressed. From the scenario you gave us, it seems like there is too much human contact and moving into another bin to eat. Let him chill for a few days in his normal tank with a few crickets periodically and don't get yourself so stressed out. Especially if you're yelling real loud, it could be bothersome to him and he'll refuse to eat. They have ear drums too .

[GrifTheGreat]

I'm SO frustrated. Pocket is doing better and has a lot more energy. He's now impossible to feed though. Tonight, he would NOT open his mouth. Period. End of story. Kept turning around and was just being awful. I poked him in the eye at least three times by accident. I got fed up, put him in a kritter keeper with a paper towel and 6 crickets to see if he would eat. I put him in a dark room... came to check on him about 30 mins later and he was on his back!! I think he was throwing one his famous tantrums and hit the side of the keeper and fliped himself over and couldn't get back over. I tried to feed him again by force and he refused again. I put him back in his tank, in a clean water dish, upped the temp and covered him up. I'm still pretty upset over this. I thought we were doing soo good. Last night, he ate his booster, 3 crickets and I put him in his tank and he was really looking good. He's starting to fill out and I looked back on pics of him a week ago compared to now.... You can really tell the difference. Now, he's being stubborn and I'm afraid this is what he is going to do every night. Not to mention, Im sure my neighbors could hear me... and are now wondering why I keep calling my pocket a brat!

Remember what I said about staying calm and to be patient with Pocket? You are doing exactly what he doesn't need now. Too much stress is bad. If you yell and get aggrivated you're going to make things worse. Poking him in the eye is really going to stress him out. You yourself are making things more difficult than it actually is. Don't rush when trying to force feed. You're going to injure him. If he refuses to eat and acts stressed like flipping on his back then stop and place him in his home and let him be til the next night. Fighting with him will most definetly make things worse. Never yell. He can hear and your tone combined with him being able to sence your emotions will severly complicate his reaction to you and he will fight you more. He will fear you and not see you as helping anymore. CALM DOWN! Keep us posted.

[LIZZIE82]

I know, I feel really bad. I lost my cool due to all the other stress I'm under. He was doing well this morning. I think he will probably eat tonight. He probably felt my stress and responded. Poor Guy. :-(

[GrifTheGreat]

I know, I feel really bad. I lost my cool due to all the other stress I'm under. He was doing well this morning. I think he will probably eat tonight. He probably felt my stress and responded. Poor Guy. :-(

Don't lose your cool. You have to be patient and yes I'm sure that he responded accordingly to your frustration. They ars stubborn animals and if they don't want something they aren't going to take it. You have to be focused when force feeding because you have to be quick. And if you're stressing yourself then you're stressing him and your not going to be able to get the food in his mouth because you're trying too hard and he's going to move away and refuse. This time around be extremely gentle and when you speak to him do it with a soft voice. Be caring and show him that you're not trying to harm him and are trying to help. I always would show Grif the food before I would try to force feed to prepare he so she knew what I was going to do. You should do the same. Even with the seringe of booster. They are much more responcive if they already know what it is you're trying to do.

[LIZZIE82]

Update: I came home from work this afternoon and I tried again with Pocket. I apoligized to the little guy and I think he forgave me. He ate hs booster, 2 crickets and a wax worm. I've got a lot of stress in my own personal life right now.... I think he has been feeling that. I still feel really bad.

[LIZZIE82]

I'm wondering if it's normal for my frog to smell? Or, does he maybe Have an infection? I smell something that I would describe as fishy smelling. His water is changed at least daily. His substrate is clean. I smell it When I have him out for feedings. I normally rinse him after he's done eating and then place him back in his fresh water.... thanks!

[GrifTheGreat]

I'm wondering if it's normal for my frog to smell? Or, does he maybe Have an infection? I smell something that I would describe as fishy smelling. His water is changed at least daily. His substrate is clean. I smell it When I have him out for feedings. I normally rinse him after he's done eating and then place him back in his fresh water.... thanks!

Does he urinate when you get him out? You could be smelling amonia if he does. Signs of an infection on the dermal tissue or skin would be apparent and show. Really reddish areas on the skin also sores and dry flakes of skin. Red leg is a bacterial infection in which the thighs will appear severly red from the bacteria bursting blood vessles. Other syptoms to red leg are loss of appetite/bloating/listlessness/and lythargy. It could also be from the booster. You have to give the correct dosage to weight. Most of them tell you how much to give your frog based on its weight. Too much can be harmful as these supplements contain lots of vitamins which could build up in your frogs system and harm of kill him. It is possible that this is where the smell is coming from.