Feeding vs. Size

[Megalechis]

I went to a different pet store than the one I got Ruby at today. Their FBTs were larger than her, and my usual pet store does usually get their pets in at a younger age. I haven't noticed any growth of Ruby since I got her, and she looks a bit skinny to me compared to the larger ones I saw at the other pet store.

Do you think I should up her feeding to four crickets every three days until she looks more rounded out? Or should I supplement some of her meals with something more fattening, like a meal or wax worm? Or maybe just feed her crickets themselves with something higher in protein or fat - most of what they get is kitchen vegetable scraps.

[FriedrichsFrogs]

what are ur usual feeding schedules like?

[Megalechis]

Three crickets every three days - what the pet store I got her from said they'd been feeding her.

[FriedrichsFrogs]

that seems really skimpy, no offense, if that what the store told u then they must have just been trying to cut corners. I have 2 FBTs and in the sumer ill feed them 15 crikets (so about 6-8 per frog) ever other day with red wigglers twice a month. With winter creeping up ive been feeding them 15 every three-four days but even still, 3 crikets every 3 days is definitely lax. Id highly recomend upping their feed to at least twice that + continue to increase it until theyv had their fill for 1 feeding period. They let u know when theyv had enough

[Megalechis]

Some of my online research claimed FBTs would eat as much as possible, past a healthy amount, leading to obesity.

[FriedrichsFrogs]

ha, as odd as that sounds that does sound accurate. Though my FBTs are very active and always seem to have a pretty slim abdomen come the third or fourth day after feeding

[Megalechis]

Regardless I should probably up her feeding a bit I think. Maybe I'll see just how much she can eat one day, and then cut it back to a healthier sounding number.

[FriedrichsFrogs]

Exactly, every FBT has quite a unique personality

[FrogFriend]

If you know that your FBT is still young, then she does need to be fed more crickets more often. I think it does also depend on the nutritional status of the toads. I have 4 and I throw in at LEAST 2p/toad and feed them every other day, 2 of them are quite large (which are my popular female toads) and 2 of them are quite fit (which are my males). But honestly, sometimes one toad is quicker on the draw and will eat more than another one. I let them hunt and if one doesn't get any food in that feeding I will watch closely and monitor other feedings. If I am seeing that maybe he's just too slow then I will use my amphibian tongs, grab a cricket and waggle it in front of whoever isn't getting to the food. Gotta remember that their natural environment is a feast or famine. Sometimes they catch food, sometimes they don't, but if they don't they will be more inclined to be assertive in the next feeding. But unlike natural environment, I have the ability to do what I need to do in order to ensure that they eat, but still try to make it in a "hunting" fashion. Also, something to consider, FBTs like to be in groups. If it's just her, she may be lonely and down and not eating due to isolation. Plus, some subspecies of FBTs are just smaller than others...all things to be considered. If she looks healthy, isn't dropping weight, is eating everything you throw in her tank, then she's probably doing fine. FBTs are known for eating everything that is put in, but my experience is that they will stop when they don't want any more, but all toads (like people) are different.

[Megalechis]

I'll admit she was an impulse buy. After getting her and discovering they could be kept in groups I decided to get 1-2 more, but not from the same petstore who doesn't seem to be taking good care of their creatures in my opinion. Within the next two weeks the plan is to adopt another two from a frog owner/breeder I met who is moving out of FBTs. Unless he backs out of the deal she should have company soon.

She gets really active at times, as if she's looking for more insects, so I'll move her up to feeding every other day, and start playing around to see how much she can and/or will eat until she looks a little closer to the nice well-fed, healthy ones I've seen at the other petstore and breeder.

[FrogFriend]

How long have you had her? If she's still young then she should be fed daily. Or, if like you said, she came from a store that didn't take good care of their critters, then yeah, she may just be behind.

[Megalechis]

I've had her two, three weeks now?
I'm really not sure on age. But looking at the photos in the Members Gallery she looks smaller and leaner than all of them.

New plan of action, if there's no objections;
I'm going to feed her for the second time today, right now. Then I'll do daily feedings until she either begins growing or fattens up a bit - at that point, I'll re-evaluate her feedings again.
She eats fine with no one else around, so my hope is to get her at least a little better fed before she gets her two new tank mates - just in case they're capable of taking all the food.

[FrogFriend]

Another thing I was thinking about is your cricket care. Do you have a cricket keeper? How many crickets do you keep at one time? Do you have some kind of food and water (crickets are stupid and if you put a container of water down for them they will drown, I take a paper towel and get it wet- that and apples will suffice for fluid intake) for the crickets? Are you dusting them with Calcium powder before feeding Ruby? They don't have to be dusted each time but you want to make sure that they have food to eat so that they 1) Don't eat eachother and 2) so that they have food in their bellies so that they can give good nutrition to your FBTs.

[Megalechis]

I keep my crickets in a three gallon thick plastic tub, and keep anywhere from 6 to 24 at a time, depending on how often I can get into town that week. They've been getting fed kitchen vegetable scraps and a high protein carnivore fish food, and I do the paper towel water trick inside a peanut butter lid for easier cleaning of the wet areas. Only had one cricket drown so far, one arrived dead, and 1-2 died while here. The dead ones I've either given to my fish or let the other crickets eat them.

I wasn't aware amphibians needed powdered food at times like reptiles, but I suppose it makes sense for the extra nutrients. When I get my paycheck this week I'll be sure to find a suitable product.

[boaman]

after reading this i guess im over feeding mine then...I feed mine three crickets every day....but I also breed my own so this way I dont get over run lol. So is three a day over feeding? They act like they are starving to death when i feed them lol..

[FrogFriend]

Mega-
Yeah, they need additional nutrients that they can't get in their enclosure, ie Calcium, the crickets don't need the dustin at every single feeding- especially if you are going to start feeding daily- but about every other feeding should suffice. It sounds like your crickets are getting what they need to stay healthy and provide proper nutrients to your FBTs. I do the same about getting a bigger number at a time since I too have to drive to town to get them. I did however, have to find a number that is enough to feed them for awhile but not too many that they would die on me. Anyway, sounds like you are on top of the cricket thing. Keep us posted on how she does with the new feeding schedule.

[FrogFriend]

Boaman-
How man FBTs do you have? Do you find uneaten crickets? Are you feeding your crickets (otherwise you have toads eating an "empty" diet)? Are they young (juveniles eat more food, more often)? Are your toads active or lethargic? Are your FBTs overly rotund? Each FBT is different in size, hunting skills, etc. I have one FBT that is quite rotund but she is 1) a very popular female (if you get my meaning) and 2) an excellent hunter. Another of my females is just large in size in general- she gets a bit bigger when the boys start barking but stays about the same shape. Then I have two boys. Both are quite sleek, one is a quick hunter with the crickets and the ladies. The other is not as good of a hunter, I try to allow him to work on his hunting skills but if I notice that he hasn't gotten any crickets I make sure he does. So, are you over feeding? Maybe. I know that doesn't help much- but honestly, like I said, it depends on your toad. There does come a point where one can say for certain it's too much- like 3 crickets/3 times a day/ every day WOULD be too much. As you can see, there are many things to consider. But yes, you are right that many FBTs act as though they have never eaten when the crickets get thrown in- but that's just how they are, don't let that be the gage. Remember, even though they are "pets" they still have it engraved in their brains to eat as much as they can b/c who knows when food is coming around a gain.

[Megalechis]

When the daily alarm reminder went off to feed my other pets and mist my plants I added two crickets to her enclosure. I didn't want to give her too many as she had five yesterday, which judging by what the petstore fed her might've been the most she's ever had in a sitting. But just from getting those extras yesterday I could see a big increase in her activity level today. My computer desk is right next to her tank, and all day I could see her diving, swimming around, and climbing to the top of her cave, when usually her activity only peaks between noon and two PM, and around eleven at night, with some occasional diving throughout the day.

[FrogFriend]

That's great! That's part of the way you find out what they need and how much they need. Glad she's doing better. Keep us updated!

[Megalechis]

I didn't expect change so quickly. She's been much more active the past couple days, and doesn't have the sunken in look to her stomach anymore. Sure, that's probably due to just having more food in her stomach not actually fattening up in that short amount of time - but she looks better and isn't hiding in her cave as much. Thanks for the help.