Is he shedding?

[lenore]

Hello! I'm new to the forum and to frog keeping really. I got my first frog a few weeks ago. He's a male Pacman frog. He's over four years old I took him on as I was looking for one and the person who I got him from couldn't keep him any longer. Anyway to my question, he's gone very pale and I supposed it would be because he was going to shed but he's been like this for over a week is this normal? I've started thinking it might be due to stress but do they go whitish because of stress? Am I being paranoid? Or is there really a problem? Should i take him to the vet to be sure? I just don't want to go to the vet if there is nothing really wrong with him. He still eats and croaks at night. So I'm just not sure. I'm soo confused!

[Kurt]

Unlike snakes, frogs don't lighten when shedding. They can lighten or darken depending upon the background they are positioned on. So if the substrate is something light in colour like paper towels, the frog will lighten in colour. On a dark substrate such as shredded coconut shell, it will darken.

I have two White's treefrogs in a tank that is flooded with water to about seven to eight inches deep. The back of the tank is painted black. There is a artificial tree stump emerging from the water. One frog hangs out on top of this stump, the other sleeps directly on the back wall. The one on the stump is green, the other brown. When they are fed, they are placed in a white translucent box where they both turn green. Upon returning to the tank, they go back to their favorite spots and turn back to the shades they were before.

So I wouldn't worry. Unless of course the substrate is dark and the frog has lightened, then it may be time to see the vet.

[lenore]

Thanks for the reply. But I think a trip to the vet is due because he is on shredded coconut shell. :s

Would he go pale if he was stressed? I'm gonna take him to the vet anyway but I'm wondering if it would be better for him to be in a different room than my budgies as they are constantly making noises.

Thanks for the help.

[Kurt]

I have never seen a frog turn pale from stress or noise, so I guess a trip to the vet is in order.

[John]

What temperature are you keeping him at? If it's too cold this could happen, and if it's too dry he could be starting to prep for aestivation.

[jody]

I agree about the too low temp. and he is proly sulking. the one we have that we bought sulked for several months, eating very little. he likes his coconut bark floor very wet. and is happy at 85-90 degrees. our second horned frog was left on our doorstep in december. he sulked for a couple weeks looking pale and sleepy but is just as happy as the other now.