Worried about my froggie, help?

[nlopez]

Phew! I was hoping it was just food and poop. Thanks for all the wonderful info! I did not feed him last night as I thought he might not have any more room for food. Is it safe to feed him as long as he will eat? I'm concerned he will just keep eating until he pops. And, is he in pain when all filled up with poop like this? I would like to soak him to help him poop, but I know its better to touch them as little as possible, so I try to prevent it when I can.

I actually have been having some problems determining how wet to keep his substrate. I was told that keeping it wetter would help keep humidity up, which I am finding out to not be true. I think I will try the plastic wrap with holes poked in it on his screen lid, as that seems more logical to better trap heat and humidity. It would be great to not have to buy a humidifier.

I do have a UTH, but its on the side of the tank (opposite from the water dish). I was concerned about him having a warmer place to go, because the lamp I was using seemed to be sucking the humidity out of the tank as you described. It currently has a blue "daylight" bulb to simulate his 12/12 cycle, but I have not used it for 12 hours at a time since the first time because it left his terrarium REALLY dry. Also, I'm not sure this blue bulb really produces much heat, but was called a basking bulb. Is an infrared bulb preferred?

I have been misting his tank, substrate and walls, especially when the bulb had dried out his tank as I described. However, I feel like I am misting him constantly in efforts to keep up the humidity. How many times a day should I need to mist him? Hopefully covering his screen lid will help with this.

Thanks in advance for your help. Like I said, I am a new frog mommy so I have a lot of questions. And btw, the Care Sheet is extremely informative (I've read it a few times since being here already).

[GrifTheGreat]

You can use that daylight blue bulb. What is the wattage? You can buy a infrared bulb for night time and during the day if needs be. Preferably at night. You can handle your frog as long as it is only when necissary. Soak him tonight in the luke warm de-chlorinated water with honey. Only 2 to 3 drops disolved in the water. Be sure before you handle him that you wash your hands thoroughly with a very mild cleanser then rinse them with de-chlorinated water. Make sure the water you are soaking him in is no deeper than up to his chin. Hold off on feeding him til after you soak him. Be careful as he will not be used to you handling him since you don't almost at all. He may squirm and jump away. Keep us posted.

[nlopez]

I never thought I would be so happy to see poop! Encouraged him to move into the warm dechlorinated water with honey, and he pooped just about immediately and is returning to normal size. What a relief! I think I will wait until tomorrow to feed him since he looks like he is prepping to poop some more tonight.

However, he DID seem to be afraid of me, and it made me feel like I was going to hurt him. To be honest, I was scared he was going to bite me. I hope I get better at picking him up so I can be a better mommy. Are there any better ways to pick him up? He didn't seem to keen on the idea of me touching him.

I can't find info about the wattage of the bulb, but I think I saved the paperwork it came with, I'll just have to unfile it tomorrow (it is a bit late here). If anyone knows though, it came with the Zilla Basic Tropical Starter Kit- I'll try to look up the wattage tomorrow when I have the product sheet in front of me.

[GrifTheGreat]

I had that kit. Its a 50 watt bulb so its fine. The best way to pick up your frog is from behind an after you get under him slowly bring in your other hand to stabilize his so he doesn't jump out of your hands an get hurt. If he didn't puff up and bark/screech at you then he want going to bite you. If they feel threatened they puff up with air to make themselves look larger and then warn the attacker by snapping at them and making a barking sound. They will also scream at the attacker and it is an almost deafening sound. You did well. Did you change out his substrate? He needs new if you didn't because they will become ill if kept in water logged conditions.

Frogs are unpredictable and can leap from your hands in a split second. You must always use caution when handleing them and moving them around. Although their body design if for abssorbing impact they can still become injure seriously if they jump from our hand while we're standing. I hold them low to the ground when I move them around. Kind of makes me look like Igor or Quauzee Moto Lol! Your frog will become used to you handling him but it just takes time. He trusts you enough to feed him but not enough to hold him. Mine have gotten used to it and will actually sit on my hands while they're open. When they're ready to go back home and I pick them up they let me know by pushing their back legs into my hand like they're trying to burrow. Telling me "I want back in my dirt." They get used to us it just takes time.

PS, You're very welcome.

[nlopez]

I woke up this morning and he is all inflated again! I hope it is just more poop and I'm going to try soaking him a bit more.

I was afraid to pick him up because he did puff himself with air so I knew he felt threatened. I hope he doesn't bite me and knows I am just trying to help him go potty.

I am going to change his substrate today. Unfortunately, I was not home yesterday to do it, and then with freaking him out late last night I didn't want to bug him more. :/

Oh, and thanks for confirmation on the bulb wattage!

[GrifTheGreat]

I woke up this morning and he is all inflated again! I hope it is just more poop and I'm going to try soaking him a bit more.

I was afraid to pick him up because he did puff himself with air so I knew he felt threatened. I hope he doesn't bite me and knows I am just trying to help him go potty.

I am going to change his substrate today. Unfortunately, I was not home yesterday to do it, and then with freaking him out late last night I didn't want to bug him more. :/

Oh, and thanks for confirmation on the bulb wattage!

No problem. He is probably full of water from the substrate being too wet. He'll be fine. You don't have to use honey in the soak everytime. You just use it when they're constipated. When you change his substrate he should be back to normal. It isn't unusual to see them full of water like that. They aso puff up from time to time without feeling threatened.

[GrifTheGreat]

they also puff up very large when they shed. It is normal, but a bit startling the first time you see it.

[nlopez]

Is it weird I want to see him shed?

Also, he has been in his new, not muddy substrate since this morning and looking happier! Thanks again for all your help.