Green Tree Frog appears sick -Please Help!

[jumblygirl]

Hello

I have a green tree frog probably about two or three months old. This is my first frog and my first attempt at keeping an amphibian. My frog seemed just fine until I checking in on her today. She was lying on the substrate with her legs elongated out. But when I gave her a gently spray of water she jumped right up. She moved around after that (within the past hour since I found her like this), but her legs (one the other or both) she is sometimes leaving extended when sitting on a leaf or branch. I have not observed her doing this before. Her forelegs seem fine.
She seems lacking energy and is moving around a little, but slowly and sometimes clumsily. I gave her a couple sprays of water to make sure she was hydrated. I also tried to forceps feed her mealworms and crickets, but she didn't respond. I did find a couple crickets from before in there, which I don't usually. I am wondering if I should force feed her. I also read the emergency care sheet that suggested let her sit in water with honey in it. This has come on very suddenly. My apartment tends to cold, but I keep the vivarium by the heater and have a mat pad heater attached to the back of the vivarium. Still tends to hover around 20C/70F. She is the only frog in the vivarium (8L hemi, coconut husk substrate, several live plants of different species). I just changed out the substrate a week ago. She had a cricket sitting on her head earlier and didn't do a thing about anything about it. She is paler than usual and lying on the substrate in a way indicating that is not having the energy or ability to move well or with good co-ordination.

If anyone can help me to care for her I would greatly appreciate it. I've become quite fond of her.

thank you!

[JHansson514]

I wouldn't do a honey bath quite yet. From what I've read that's more of a last resort type treatment to give them a burst of energy when they are very lethargic. I don't think it is necessary for you to force feed the frog yet either. The frog will be okay if it goes without eating for 2 or 3 days, as long as food is offered. I would say after 5 days is when to consider force feeding since it can be stressful to the frog. I don't know a whole bunch about this specific frog type, however 70F during the day seems a bit on the cool side. Do you have a heat light for the tank as well? Since your frog is having trouble with his back legs, I'm wondering if it calcium deficiency, as this is a common symptom. How often are you dusting the crickets with calcium? The frog should get dusted crickets at least once a week minimum. I have seen others on the forum recommend it even more frequently than that.

[jumblygirl]

Thank you for your reply
I dust crickets every feeding with the herpavite mineral/vitamin set (with calcium and VD3). Too much maybe? The hind legs issue was only today, I'd never seen her have this before, but I will keep my eye on it.

Actually, I've been thinking/wondering a lot about the lighting/heating situation, since my building is not the best. I'm following what I've read: a light bulb (incandescent(?) swirly energy saver kind that you use all around) and I have one of those heat pads you stick to the outside of the glass on the back on the tank. The heat pad seems to have been a waste of money though, it doesn't seem to put out any heat. When I put my hand on it, it feels a bit warm, but that's it and I haven't seen any effect on the thermometer in the tank. Any advice on how to deal with heating to keep her more cozy would be great. I was thinking to try a reptile heat lamp. But I've hesitated because I've read about not to use these (as they are UV lamps) with amphibians that are nocturnal, such as the GTF.

[FrogLover2009]

What I would do is keep checking up on the frog and make sure that it has enough heat. The main thing (besides not eating) is lethargy in frogs brought on by horrible temperature changes. If your in an area where its winter, its a lot harder to keep heat going depending on what you have. the right lighting and heat will not be affected by the weather outside, but I would recommend checking up on the frog, make sure it eats, and then get an upgrade on the lighting and heating situation. If your frog is still not eating and looks pale to you....take it to the proper reptile veterinarian....better safe than sorry. -Tink

[Sunshine]

I don't know if this will help but I have two green tree frogs and I use a 50 Watt infrared heat bulb with a dimmer and that helps me a lot because my house is old and drafty.

[jumblygirl]

Thanks guys. That makes sense as in central PA is just dropped to cold and snowy from relatively warm for January only about a week ago. I think I will try an incandescent heat lamp. I found a Zilla Night Black Heat Incandescent Spot Bulb on Petco.com, but it only comes in 50W, 75W, and 100W. Since I have her in an 8L hemi tall, I am worried that these might be too strong wattage and make the tank too hot. I would have a regular light on a timer still for day time, so that the heat lamp can be on all the time as necessary. Right now the tank is hovering around 20C-22C (68F-71F), which image is too cold. She seemed to be shedding some skin too when I examined her last night. Or at least I think it was that. It was a white, a bit goopy, thing coming off her.

Would a 50W black heat incandescent spot lamp be appropriate for a GTF in an 8L hemi tall? My radiators are seriously old school and they are on/off only, no thermometer in the apartment. Maybe a ceramic bulb would best? Do they come in different powers? If so which would be appropriate?

Thanks so much guys!