I need help!

[djmosier]

Wacca is sick, I think. She seemed fine up until just a few days ago, when she refused to eat. I've been offering her food every day, to try to entice her, and yesterday I gave her a honey bath, then a regular bath, which caused her to poop. I thought sure she'd want to eat today, but she didn't. A little while ago, I took her out to clean the enclosure and change her substrate and she was all limp. She stuck her back legs out behind her and made the only sound I've ever heard her make in the 3 months I've had her. It was a very weak squeal, then she went completely limp and squishy in my hand. I put her in a large glass bowl lined with wet paper towels and put her half log over her to make her feel secure, and heartbroken, figured that she would probably die overnight. I kept checking on her and about 30 minutes after putting her in the bowl, she seems a little stronger, and her breathing seems more normal now. I have no idea what happened. I'm going to the next town where there's a Walmart to buy some Pedialyte, hoping that will help, because I've seen that suggested before on the forum. I don't remember what to do with it other than soak her in it, and beyond that, I have no idea what's wrong or how to help her. Please help me. Thank you.

[djmosier]

This was taken just 2 days ago. She had just shedded and seemed fine, except that she wouldn't eat, and seemed a little listless.

[GrifTheGreat]

Answer these questions and repost your answers here in your thread. http://www.frogforum.net/pacman-frog...enclosure.html

She may have been stressed from all the handling and you probably startled her when you dug her up. Try not to hover around her so much and handle her only when necessary. Stress will make a sick frog worse.

Answer the questions so we can figure this out.

[djmosier]

1) Size of the enclosure: 10 gallon tank
2) # of inhabitants: 1
3) Humidity: 70% - 75%
4) Temperature: 80 degrees F.
5) Water type for misting and soaking dish - distilled treated water
6) Material used for substrate: organic coconut fiber
7) Enclosure setup: 1 artificial plant, shallow water dish, half log
8) Main food source: gut-loaded crickets
9) Vitamins and calcium: dusted crickets - multivitamin once weekly, calcium twice weekly
10) Lighting: Natural lighting or supplemental red light (25 watt) I haven't been using the red light since I bought the heat mat
11) What is being used to maintain the temp: heat mat on the side of the enclosure when temp drops below 80
12) When is the last time she ate: 3 days ago, but ate less than normal
13) Have you found poop lately: yesterday after honey bath
14) Pic already shown
15) How old: unknown, but she was pretty small when I got her
16) How long have you owned her: 3 months
17) Caught or captive bred: Captive bred
18) Frog food - how often and what treats: gut-loaded crickets primarily, occasional minnows (but not lately), one pinky mouse so far; food offered daily to every other day
19) How often handled: I take her out to feed her because she won't eat in the substrate, even with tongs, twice had honey bath, and to clean the enclosure
20) High or low traffic area: Pretty low to medium traffic area, but I live alone
21) Enclosure maintenance: Water changes every 2-3 days (but she has never gotten into it); Cleaning monthly, with as-needed poop removal

[Heatheranne]

1) Size of the enclosure: 10 gallon tank
2) # of inhabitants: 1
3) Humidity: 70% - 75%
4) Temperature: 80 degrees F.
5) Water type for misting and soaking dish - distilled treated water
6) Material used for substrate: organic coconut fiber
7) Enclosure setup: 1 artificial plant, shallow water dish, half log
8) Main food source: gut-loaded crickets
9) Vitamins and calcium: dusted crickets - multivitamin once weekly, calcium twice weekly
10) Lighting: Natural lighting or supplemental red light (25 watt) I haven't been using the red light since I bought the heat mat
11) What is being used to maintain the temp: heat mat on the side of the enclosure when temp drops below 80
12) When is the last time she ate: 3 days ago, but ate less than normal
13) Have you found poop lately: yesterday after honey bath
14) Pic already shown
15) How old: unknown, but she was pretty small when I got her
16) How long have you owned her: 3 months
17) Caught or captive bred: Captive bred
18) Frog food - how often and what treats: gut-loaded crickets primarily, occasional minnows (but not lately), one pinky mouse so far; food offered daily to every other day
19) How often handled: I take her out to feed her because she won't eat in the substrate, even with tongs, twice had honey bath, and to clean the enclosure
20) High or low traffic area: Pretty low to medium traffic area, but I live alone
21) Enclosure maintenance: Water changes every 2-3 days (but she has never gotten into it); Cleaning monthly, with as-needed poop removal

I'll post to your answers first then I'll add the pedialyte ratio.

3. Humidity should be at 80%.

5. Change your soaking water and water to moisten substrate to either spring water without chlorine or dechlorinated tap water. You can use distilled water for misting only.

Distilled water has no electrolytes or minerals in it. Soaking your frog in it causes electrolytes to leach out of the frog thereby causing electrolyte imbalances and fluid imbalances.

21. Change water bowl water daily.

15-16. Being she is young, I would recommend keeping her daytime temp at 82'F and changing the water to dechlorinated tap water or spring water.



Pedialyte soak: mix 1 part clear, unflavored pedialyte to 10 parts dechlorinated tap water or spring water, soak frog for 15 minutes. This soak is used for dehydrated and non-eating frogs. The goal is to get the frog eating on her own and this is only a temporary solution. Reptaboost is a nutritional supplement for non-eating frogs which also provides vital electrolytes, and is a good thing to keep on hand.

The stretching of the legs followed by the squeak makes me wonder if she was having intestinal cramps. Did the stool seem constipated? The other thought is electrolyte imbalance such as calcium, sodium, magnesium, or potassium...though you are supplementing.

How did she do last night?

[djmosier]

I'll switch to dechlorinated tap and raise the temp and humidity, and increase the water changes to daily. Yes, the stool seemed constipated. Thank you for the specifics on the Pedialyte soak, and for the recommendations.

I'm concerned about her vitamin and calcium intake. (With not eating, she hasn't gotten any supplements.) My main question is regarding quantity. How many dusted crickets should she be eating - both for calcium and for multivitamin? The directions on the multi states that she should get 12 dusted crickets a week, but if I only give her the multi once a week, then she's only getting about half of the recommended amount, because she doesn't usually eat more than 6 crickets in a feeding.

[djmosier]

To answer the question: She did better last night, I think. I put her in a room that gets very little traffic and left her alone. I plan to do the pedialyte soak this evening and try to feed her.

[Lija]

you also need to change your substrate completely and expand your new one with treated tap. She seems bloated too, so as it stands now I suggest you go for smaller pedialyte ratio 1 part of water - 3-6 parts of pedialyte.

you say she ate 3 days ago and she pooped yesteday, so she can't be considered really non eating, sometimes they eat less sometimes more it is normal, i don't see a big problem here, but use of distilled water is a big big problem, you need to help her to restore normal electrolyte balance with daily pedialyte soaks and add reptiboost ( mixed with water and fed according to the instructions) every day for at least 3-4 days.
and make sure 3 sides of the enclosure are covered.

[djmosier]

I already changed the substrate and 3 sides are already covered. Will do the daily Pedialyte soaks, and have gotten rid of all the distilled water. Thank you.

[djmosier]

I still have the question about the dusted crickets re: amount. Anyone? (Thank you.)

[Lija]

don't worry about dusted crickets amount, it doesn't really matter how many she'll eat, just go with a schedule 2xweek ca/vit d3 and once/week multivitamins, as many as she eats is ok.