Please Help, My New Tomato Frog Won't Eat

[emandkel]

I am a newbie on keeping tomato frogs as well, but unless she is getting thin, I would not worry. The more you "mess" with it, the more stressed the frog is going to be and therefore more likely not to eat. Puffing up and/or hissing is defensive behavior. On the other hand, it may be stressed with all the additional room it has and you may want to either house the frog in a smaller setup or block part of it off so it can find and catch it's food easier.

Tomato frogs are diggers and will bury themselves. I have what I think is a young adult to adult male tomato frog that I purchased at a pet store as an adult/young adult. My setup is a 10-gallon aquarium with coconut fiber (about 2 - 3 inches deep) plus a couple fake plants, and a water bowl. Mine has never used the water bowl that I have seen at least. Mine mostly stays buried and I rarely see it out, even in the nightime (they are nocturnal frogs).

I put a few small crickets in every night. Sometimes one or more are gone by the next evening, sometimes not. I know he is still alive as his hole is usually under a fake plant and when I look under the plant, sometimes his nose or part of his head is visible, and he often moves just a little if "disturbed" in this way. Sometimes I can't see him as he completely burrows out of sight.

Also, if the frog hasn't been fed worms before, it may not eat them. I'd stick with whatever the pet store was feeding for a while until she settles in, then try new foods.

[DonLisk]

Your frog needs time to acclimate to the new home. It is very stressful for them to be packaged up and the dropped into some place unfamiliar.

Give the frog time to settle in. Usually one would make sure you have the right temps, humidity and the tank is ready for them. You want to limit how often you go into the tank or rearranging things. Provide a day night light cycle and have the tank in a low traffic, quiet area. Outside startling noises, people passing by, all will create stress and cause the frog to take longer to acclimate to the new home.

If you have a shallow round cereal or desert glass/ceramic bowl, use that to pur the crickets in and have the bowl sunk into the substrate so the frog can see them and get in and out easily.

relax, sometimes this process takes weeks and the more you relax the better off he will be.
Just watch weight and physical condition of the frog over this time.

[GrifTheGreat]

You are causing unnecessary stress. You should not handle her or move her during feeding. Stress will make them stop eating and can be fatal. She needs Time to be able to settle in to her home. I also think that right now the 20 gallon is too large and could also be causing stress. I do not own Tomato Frogs and am no expert, but there are many things you should not do and constant handling and disturbing a new frog while it adjusts to its new home is a definite no. All you should do is offer food and let the frog be for a day or 2 possibly longer.

Try not to disturb her and let her settle in.

[Mikae3000]

Okay, I've done as you've all suggested. I divided off half the tank (so there's 10 gallons now) and am just leaving the frog be. I put a couple crickets in last night, but they've climbed up the divider (it's cardboard), so I guess I'll have to find a different divider. I used a little dish to put some squash in so the crickets have something to eat instead of potentially biting the frog.

Thank you so very much for your help. I'll keep the forum updated of any changes. I'll just let her be for the next few days and weeks. Thank you so much. >.<

[GrifTheGreat]

Okay, I've done as you've all suggested. I divided off half the tank (so there's 10 gallons now) and am just leaving the frog be. I put a couple crickets in last night, but they've climbed up the divider (it's cardboard), so I guess I'll have to find a different divider. I used a little dish to put some squash in so the crickets have something to eat instead of potentially biting the frog.

Thank you so very much for your help. I'll keep the forum updated of any changes. I'll just let her be for the next few days and weeks. Thank you so much. >.<

You misunderstood what Don was saying. You place the crickets in a slick glass bowl that is small and sink it into the substrate. The crickets can't jump out of the glass dish because it is slick and therefore you'll know whether the frog has eaten any because the crickets can't escape to go hide.

Don't wait weeks just a couple to 3 days. If the frog doesn't eat soon you may have to force feed which I hope it doesn't come to that.

[Mikae3000]

You misunderstood what Don was saying. You place the crickets in a slick glass bowl that is small and sink it into the substrate. The crickets can't jump out of the glass dish because it is slick and therefore you'll know whether the frog has eaten any because the crickets can't escape to go hide.

Don't wait weeks just a couple to 3 days. If the frog doesn't eat soon you may have to force feed which I hope it doesn't come to that.

Ohhh, okay. I'll set that up then. I have a good glass bowl for it.

[Mikae3000]

Okay, I left 3 crickets in a little glass bowl in the night. None were eaten so far. I know the general location of where the frog buried herself Friday night, and it doesn't look like that area has been disturbed. Hopefully tonight she will eat.

[GrifTheGreat]

Okay, I left 3 crickets in a little glass bowl in the night. None were eaten so far. I know the general location of where the frog buried herself Friday night, and it doesn't look like that area has been disturbed. Hopefully tonight she will eat.

You can just unburry her head so she can see after placing the crickets in the bowl. Then just leave her be.