Concerned Mommy post.

[lefthandedjanice]

I haven't noticed much growth from Ipcus. I bought him ~4 months ago when he was about the size of a quarter.
Everyone posts these amazing pictures of their gorgeous huge pacs, and then I look in my tank and I have a tiny little thing still. I'm wondering if I got the runt, or if I'm a bad frog Mom, or everyone else just have spectacularly fast growing babies.

Each picture is a month apart. Does he look healthy and on-track?



He also had a day where he flipped himself over a few times. I'm thinking it was because I was in the middle of transferring him into a new tank and he was just stressed. I had a waterfall in there which made quite a bit of noise which may have been the issue. He hasn't done it since I took it out. Just want to be safe though.

[Wizzlewuzzle]

He's adorable! Yes, the flipping was almost certainly stress from the tank change. What/how much/how often are you feeding him? And are you using calcium/d3 and a multivitamin?

[lefthandedjanice]

I tong-feed him 2-3 gut-loaded crickets every few days, alternating calcium/d3 dustings. He's so hard to feed at times though, so I keep a couple crickets in his tank just in case he gets hungry on my off days. I don't use a multivitamin though. Maybe that's the issue here. Pff.

[Ra]

He's adorable! Yes, the flipping was almost certainly stress from the tank change. What/how much/how often are you feeding him? And are you using calcium/d3 and a multivitamin?

I had always thought that flipping, rolling and spactic movements of the limbs was a result of toxing out, not simple stress.

Before changing terrariums, how often in the four months that you had him was the substrate changed?

[Wizzlewuzzle]

I'm no expert on using crickets as a staple, but that doesn't sound like a whole lot, considering his size in the more recent photos. Is 2 or 3 all he'll eat in one sitting? Have you tried to give him more and he just won't eat them, or do you just stop after a few? Also, have you tried him with any other types of food, like nightcrawlers?

[lefthandedjanice]

It's a hassle trying to get him to eat ANYTHING. It's been that way since I got him. It seems like he's just eating so I'll stop bothering him more than eating because he's hungry. I tried a few months ago with nightcrawlers, and he was more annoyed that I even brought them into his living area than anything. He turned away and hopped into a corner. Haha. I just bought him a thing of mealworms by accident (I asked for waxworms and didn't check), but I read that frogs can't digest them. Should I try again with the worms and see if he goes for it?

[Wizzlewuzzle]

Sure, couldn't hurt to give it a try. What temperature and humidity are you keeping his tank at?

[lefthandedjanice]

Humidity used to sit around 50-60% with his old tank, but I threw some hydroballs in with the new one and it's been sitting steady around 75%. Day temp around 80, night temp dips down between 70-75.

[Wizzlewuzzle]

70 is a little too low, even for night time, but I don't think it would keep him from wanting to eat. He does look healthy.

[Wizzlewuzzle]

I had always thought that flipping, rolling and spactic movements of the limbs was a result of toxing out, not simple stress.

Before changing terrariums, how often in the four months that you had him was the substrate changed?

She didn't mention any rolling or spastic limb movement, just flipping himself onto his back. And yes, it's very common for them to do that when they're stressed.

[Heatheranne]

Hi guys!

Get your temps up to 80 degrees. This will stimulate his metabolism and make him hungry . Your humidity is fine. 80% is ideal. Be sure to calcium/vita D3 powder every other feeding and multivitamin dust once a week. This will stimulate growth and keep him healthy. He looks fine, but will feel even better and will grow nice and strong for you if you do this . Babies and juveniles should be fed daily, as they are going through their growth spurts. Adults generally eat every 2-3 days. Feed him every night as much as he'd like in 15 minutes or until full. They can eat about 1/3 to 1/2 their body size or more In one meal. Be sure his food is no bigger than the width between his eyes. Avoid anything with an exoskeleton such as mealworms or super worms. They cause intestinal impaction. Use cut up night crawlers, earth worms, crickets, or mini roaches. Do not feed him on the moss in case of accidental ingestion.

Yes, flipping over is a sign of stress. Twitching or tremors are signs of vitamin and mineral deficiencies.

Hope these pointers helps . Keep us posted.

[GrifTheGreat]

He doesn't look too undersized for a four month old male. The males do grow slower than females. He doesn't look too underweight either.

You are getting some great advice. Get the temps up (75-79 at night, 80-83 during the day), offer food daily, and use a mulitvitamin once a week (not on the same night as a calcium dosing). Try to minimize any stress. Make sure you use dechlorinated water.

He is still young enough that he could be a "late bloomer." He may never reach monster size, but what counts is that he is healthy. Keep us posted!

[lefthandedjanice]

He doesn't look too undersized for a four month old male. The males do grow slower than females. He doesn't look too underweight either.

You are getting some great advice. Get the temps up (75-79 at night, 80-83 during the day), offer food daily, and use a mulitvitamin once a week (not on the same night as a calcium dosing). Try to minimize any stress. Make sure you use dechlorinated water.

He is still young enough that he could be a "late bloomer." He may never reach monster size, but what counts is that he is healthy. Keep us posted!

Thanks so much. I'll run out to get some multivitamins later today, and I'll try to get my temps up a bit.
I'm sure Ipcus will appreciate it too.

[IvoryReptiles]

At this age, it is important to feed or at least offer food on a nightly basis. It may take some effort on your part to get them to tong feed, but that's your job as an owner. We feed 200+ a night at times......if I can do it for that many nightly, surely you can make the effort for one. If you tease them with the worm bits.....jiggle them, make the worm do the zombie dance and tickle the mouth with it, their instincts should kick in and walla......eaten worm bit!! They can be trained to feed from the tongs. Once they start to associate the tongs with food, they will get all excited upon seeing the tongs......we have quite a few that attack the tongs no matter what!!

Best of luck to you & the frog. I see that all other advice has been given already and by some great folks.

[Heatheranne]

( Ha ha!!! Had to laugh a bit...that always cracks me up "the zombie worm dance"! )