Is it a deficiency?

[Shaymac620]

A couple of weeks ago I posted a question on here about my frog who is pictured below. The lovely and knowledgeable people on here told me it was a calcium/ vitamin deficiency. So I bought Repashy Superfoods Vitamin and Calcium Supplement. Unfortunately it was too late to save my frog, but I gave the supplement to my sisters for their frogs. The problem though is that one of their frogs seems to have the same problem. I don't have a picture to put up on here, but his legs are sprawled just like my frog's were. I told my sisters to dust the flies once a week, but is that enough? Also, the container says there is no need to buy other supplements because it has them all in one, is that true? We are first time frog owners, so we had no idea they even needed a supplement. We are just worried that this is going to happen to the rest of the frogs and if there is anything we can do to prevent it from happening again.

Some background info:
-They are gray tree froglets
-We raised them from tadpoles, which we found on our pool cover last summer
-We haven't had any other troubles with them before
-I don't have a pic of my sister's frog, so here are the pics of mine I posted a couple weeks ago:

[CJ PELCHER]

Is the little guy even eating the flies? If so how often?

Yes the container is correct you shouldnt need any other suppliments.

[Shaymac620]

Is the little guy even eating the flies? If so how often?

Yes the container is correct you shouldnt need any other suppliments.

Well they have only had the supplement dusted on the flies twice since we bought it, but according to my sister he did eat them. There are two other froglets in the tank, but she makes sure to put in enough for the three of them. Should I have her dust the flies more often?

[CJ PELCHER]

Every other feeding.

EVERY FEEDING for the weaker one. Until you notice improvement.

Id wait for heather or Lynn the 2 moderators to second that as well....

ALso they look big enough for pinhead crickets.

[Shaymac620]

Every other feeding.

EVERY FEEDING for the weaker one. Until you notice improvement.

Id wait for heather or Lynn the 2 moderators to second that as well....

ALso they look big enough for pinhead crickets.

I was wondering if they would be big enough for crickets. Do you know where I can get the really small ones? I went to Petco one time and they only had three sizes: small, medium, and large. The only thing with that is, they aren't all the same size. Even in the "small size" ones some of them are big and some small. I just don't want to end up buying the small sized crickets and only being able to feed them half of them.

[CJ PELCHER]

you need PINHEAD crickets... they are smaller than the small ones... PETCO should have them...but if not you may have to order online...

[Heatheranne]

Yes, CJ is correct. Use the supplement daily until the tetany resolves, then go to every other day. You may want to pick up some liquid calcium replacement for a soak or two until symptoms resolve.

Tetany is a group of symptoms exhibited when one has low blood calcium levels. Symptoms and effects can include numbness, tingling, twitching, tremors, lack of coordination with waking and hopping due to lack of the ability to contract muscles, seizures, weak or brittle bones, paralysis, and can lead to MBD. Lack of calcium can have effects on bones and muscle. It can even effect the functions of swallowing and bowel motility, due to the limited contractility.

Vitamin D3 is necessary for proper absorption of calcium. In nature vitamin D3 is absorbed from the UVB light emitted from sunlight. In captivity it is necessary for us to provide the vitamin D3 through supplementation.

Calcium in nature is ingested by the foods in which frogs eat, indirectly. The insects that they eat feed on leafy green plants which provide the calcium. It can also leach into some water sources from calcium rich rocks.

[CJ PELCHER]

you need PINHEAD crickets... they are smaller than the small ones... PETCO should have them...but if not you may have to order online...

In addition to this. PETCO IS THE WORST PLACE TO PURCHASE CRICKETS AS THEY HAVE A 500% profitable rate on them. PLUS THEY ACUTALLY COUNT THEM. I would seriously look into finding another vendor for crickets.

[Shaymac620]

Yes, CJ is correct. Use the supplement daily until the tetany resolves, then go to every other day. You may want to pick up some liquid calcium replacement for a soak or two until symptoms resolve.

Tetany is a group of symptoms exhibited when one has low blood calcium levels. Symptoms and effects can include numbness, tingling, twitching, tremors, lack of coordination with waking and hopping due to lack of the ability to contract muscles, seizures, weak or brittle bones, paralysis, and can lead to MBD. Lack of calcium can have effects on bones and muscle. It can even effect the functions of swallowing and bowel motility, due to the limited contractility.

Vitamin D3 is necessary for proper absorption of calcium. In nature vitamin D3 is absorbed from the UVB light emitted from sunlight. In captivity it is necessary for us to provide the vitamin D3 through supplementation.

Calcium in nature is ingested by the foods in which frogs eat, indirectly. The insects that they eat feed on leafy green plants which provide the calcium. It can also leach into some water sources from calcium rich rocks.

Thank you so much for all of the information, it was so helpful! I will tell my sisters to start dusting the flies every other day.

[Shaymac620]

In addition to this. PETCO IS THE WORST PLACE TO PURCHASE CRICKETS AS THEY HAVE A 500% profitable rate on them. PLUS THEY ACUTALLY COUNT THEM. I would seriously look into finding another vendor for crickets.

Wow, I didn't know how bad they were. Do you know where else I could buy pinhead crickets? I live in MA and the only pet stores I know of are Petco, PetSmart, and Pet Supplies "Plus". I'm worried about buying them online because one, it is expensive to ship them, and two, you never know in what condition they are going to be once they arrive.

[Sasha]

In addition to this. PETCO IS THE WORST PLACE TO PURCHASE CRICKETS AS THEY HAVE A 500% profitable rate on them. PLUS THEY ACUTALLY COUNT THEM. I would seriously look into finding another vendor for crickets.

LOL! I used to buy 100 crickets at a time and there was one girl that would recount my bag and put back the extras!

Wow, I didn't know how bad they were. Do you know where else I could buy pinhead crickets? I live in MA and the only pet stores I know of are Petco, PetSmart, and Pet Supplies "Plus". I'm worried about buying them online because one, it is expensive to ship them, and two, you never know in what condition they are going to be once they arrive.

I was afraid of ordering online too but it so worth it. If you order from a good place they will put food/water in the box and maybe even a heat pack. Usually they send over the amount that you order, to provide for deaths in travel. Shipping seems pricey but figure it this way...I was buying 100 small crickets a week at Petco for $14 so $28 every two weeks. Online with shipping for 1000 1/2 inch crickets that last me 2 weeks, I pay the same price!

Look for a company that ships FedEx or UPS long distance. The first time I ordered online I ordered from someone off Amazon and didn't realize they were in California and they shipped USPS. Boy were my mail carriers MAD! The crickets had eaten through the box and they had to wrap the box in plastic to stop the rest from escaping!

[Heatheranne]

Thank you so much for all of the information, it was so helpful! I will tell my sisters to start dusting the flies every other day.

You're welcome .

[Shaymac620]

LOL! I used to buy 100 crickets at a time and there was one girl that would recount my bag and put back the extras!




I was afraid of ordering online too but it so worth it. If you order from a good place they will put food/water in the box and maybe even a heat pack. Usually they send over the amount that you order, to provide for deaths in travel. Shipping seems pricey but figure it this way...I was buying 100 small crickets a week at Petco for $14 so $28 every two weeks. Online with shipping for 1000 1/2 inch crickets that last me 2 weeks, I pay the same price!

Look for a company that ships FedEx or UPS long distance. The first time I ordered online I ordered from someone off Amazon and didn't realize they were in California and they shipped USPS. Boy were my mail carriers MAD! The crickets had eaten through the box and they had to wrap the box in plastic to stop the rest from escaping!

Well, I guess when you put it that way, ordering online doesn't seem so bad. I'll definately have to look into it, thanks! Also, that story about the crickets eating through the box is hilarious! I can only imagine how that encounter went.