Chubby Firebellies, no exercise

[Hoppity100]

Ok, so I now have 4 chubby frogs. Does anyone else have a similar situation? Yes mine happily eat when food is provided because they are bored and have nothing better to do than eat. They could be swimming but instead sit around, staring out the window. They even wait for crickets to come to them! They often wait on their driftwood like they are looking for my hand. I'm surprised they don't applaude when I am near their tank. If hamsters have a wheel, is there any way to exercise frogs? If I had a bigger tank I'd turn them loose in it so they might get the idea to move around more. Just wondered if others have frogs like mine that eat because it is a hobby for them. Thanks and any tips are welcome.

[Dynamitella]

Haha! So it's not just me?
I've got two fat males. Females arriving next week.
Since they are (were) young when I got them this summer, I was advised to feed them "one small bug each day". So I did, and now I have two potbellied frogs and not firebellied
I'm cutting down on the food now and only feed them every 2-3 days to get them used to it.

[Hoppity100]

Oh, its not just me either! I read some people only feed their frogs like twice a week or maybe less. Well, I can't go 24 hours and longer without eating. I don't think my frogs should either. They look forward to worms or crickets. I think its their nature to sit, what else can they do? With that in mind, feeding them gives them something to look forward to. So they are chubby. Its from sitting, not so much eating as long as they are not given too many worms too often. I'm not concerned really. Mine are happy though. Glad to know someone else has same thing.

[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!

[kroberts009]

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!

haha, all something to keep in mind.. every now and then i see a cricket roaming the house. which really doesnt bother me... the first time a roach got out, i think ide about die! not to mention when our crickets get too big for anything i feed, i throw them out the front door into the bushes. i dont think my apartments would be pleased if they found out, but lol i think they would be even more unpleased if i was throwing out large roaches

[Hoppity100]

Yeah that is funny...although I'd rather have a roach in here than an ugly spider LOL

[ejh805]

haha, all something to keep in mind.. every now and then i see a cricket roaming the house. which really doesnt bother me... the first time a roach got out, i think ide about die! not to mention when our crickets get too big for anything i feed, i throw them out the front door into the bushes. i dont think my apartments would be pleased if they found out, but lol i think they would be even more unpleased if i was throwing out large roaches

You could probably keep those that are too big to feed as breeders so you don't have to keep going out to buy more.

[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...

[kroberts009]

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...

thanks for all the information! im more worried about having to touch roaches then the impaction, so its just something i am going to have to get over, if im serious about it. i hear that dubia's are wonderful as a staple diet.

mealworms may not be able to snack their way out through a frog, but they can sure make a nasty go at a wax worm. was quite suprised when i found a mealworm stuck through a waxworm about a week ago in one of our feeding dishes. persistant little buggers

have a great day!

[Hoppity100]

I could try that except they don't live that long in their box. I don't know why, it has cardboard, food, damp cotton balls. Actually I am so busy today and next week that I don't have time to try and breed. Can try when the busyness is over.

[ejh805]

thanks for all the information! im more worried about having to touch roaches then the impaction, so its just something i am going to have to get over, if im serious about it. i hear that dubia's are wonderful as a staple diet.

mealworms may not be able to snack their way out through a frog, but they can sure make a nasty go at a wax worm. was quite suprised when i found a mealworm stuck through a waxworm about a week ago in one of our feeding dishes. persistant little buggers

have a great day!

I have a near phobia of roaches so I completely understand. I have a colony of dubia that I'm trying to get established right now. The babies look like roly polys so they don't bother me. They're actually a little cute as much as I hate to admit it. The adults give me the willies still. But I leave them alone for the most part anyways. I used to use crickets and dubias are 1000% better. No stink, no mess, no noise, no escapees, and they live up to a year (or so I've heard).

And I completely agree with the mealworm comment. They do have one heck of an appetite.

[Hoppity100]

Yep, mealworms are not nice, for sure. But mine are happy with crickets and wax worms. I don't want to see mine with any impaction, so, best to not give them roaches. Worms can slide thru easier and are soft. Stores don't sell roaches here, just worms and crickets. Back to exercise...my frogs consider exercising going after dinner. LOL