Chubby Firebellies, no exercise

[ejh805]

A fat toad is a healthy toad

[Faith]

Our of my three, one of them is quite chubbeh. I think it's cute but I've read multiple times they shouldn't get that big. I feed mine every other day, 3 crickets each. The other two are a lot more active (swimming wise), I guess that's why, but Fatty (aka Azazel) just sits there, eats and occasionally tries to nom on one of the other two (boredom, guess that's what it'll do to you.) I bought a lot of stuff to put in the 'dry' side of their tank (I have a half/half one set up) and they rarely go over there. They swim, hang out in the water plants, and sit on the dock all day.

[Hoppity100]

They each eat 3 crickets? Wow, mine eat crickets when I turn them loose in the tank once a week. The other days they have a choice of wax worms or mealworms. The earthworms I bought are too long, I cut them up but they did not wiggle long enough. You must get the small crickets which is what I buy. But mine look bored, they sit on the driftwood or in the water on a plant leaf. One chirps every night which I like. But, I would describe mine as chubby eventhough they swim. Yeah I have a dry area they sometimes sit in but are usually in or near the water. I'd get mine guppies but don't want to risk giving them a sick fish.

[Faith]

Yup, each eat 3 crickets. I drop them directly over each frog, one at a time, and they snap it right up. I feed them when I see them spaced apart from one another (sometimes Fatty will steal crickets from the rest but lately I've been fast enough that he's still eating his.) I would turn my crickets loose but after a horrible experience with my chameleon and free roaming crickets, lol, I'm just paranoid. I'll probably do it eventually but for now I like to make sure they get the same amount. I do get the small ones from Petco. I haven't tried any worms yet, I considered it but the crickets are so convenient, I just go with that

[Hoppity100]

They are except I have to keep buying them, and I tried housing them in a clear plastic box with screen top and naturally they would escape sometimes. I even had one in my car and I don't know how it got out, the bag was tied shut! For 4 FB's I buy 20 small-med crickets then turn them loose. They hide in the plants. This way they live longer.

I just found some corn meal in the kitchen so I can add that to my worm container. When I buy wax worms I open at least 6 before I find a good one. Stores don't check, so I do. What do you think of giving frogs small roaches? They don't sell them here but after reading they cause impaction I would not buy them. Wondered what you thought...

[kroberts009]

you know i have to be honest, i have been thinking about dubia roaches myself. but for my firebellies, leopard geckos, and my red eared slider... i hear they are a great staple diet, but i really dont know if i can bring myself to purposely bring roaches into my home! haha, i know it is not quite the same thing. but a roach is a roach, just like a spiders a spider

i hear mealworms cause impaction too, but i think it just depends on the animal and their ability to digest? ALTHOUGH, i was super impressed the other day, i had a wax worm in the same feeder dish with the meal worms and a meal worm quite literally ATE THROUGH the wax worm. guess thats why people also worry about the mealworm eating through the frogs stomach..

would love to hear what you find out about the roaches though!

[Hoppity100]

Well, dubia roaches I think are odorless and easy to keep. Like you said a roach is a roach and I don't mind a cricket in the house but I'm not fond of roaches. Also not fond of spiders or stinging insects in here either. I'm not crazy about mealworms but the store suggested them and I found out later wax worms and earthworms are better, easier to digest. If roaches cause impactions then why take that risk? I mean, people would not swallow a whole ham! LOL so, mine get worms and have a weekly cricket fest of small ones. If my frogs get really picky then maybe they'd like a taco or arby's laughing gee, they should be happy, they get a variety. They look bored, too. Wish I could entertain them!

[ejh805]

you know i have to be honest, i have been thinking about dubia roaches myself. but for my firebellies, leopard geckos, and my red eared slider... i hear they are a great staple diet, but i really dont know if i can bring myself to purposely bring roaches into my home! haha, i know it is not quite the same thing. but a roach is a roach, just like a spiders a spider

i hear mealworms cause impaction too, but i think it just depends on the animal and their ability to digest? ALTHOUGH, i was super impressed the other day, i had a wax worm in the same feeder dish with the meal worms and a meal worm quite literally ATE THROUGH the wax worm. guess thats why people also worry about the mealworm eating through the frogs stomach..

would love to hear what you find out about the roaches though!

Just FYI Kristie, there's never been a documented case of a mealworm or superworm eating its way through a frog or out of its stomach, so you can put that worry to rest

Your frogs bodies are specially designed to digest whole food items that are very chitinous. And no offense to Hoppity, but you should probably disregard where she stated "If roaches cause impactions then why take that risk? I mean, people would not swallow a whole ham!". Roaches do NOT cause impaction and are very healthy for your animals. Big ones may cause a little constipation but that's not a serious problem. Feed the right size, and you'll be fine. And as stated many times before, frogs have evolved to digest whole prey items, and their digestive systems are far different from humans, so the ham comparison is moot...