Chronic Constipation

[Mentat]

My albino strawberry pineapple C. cranwelli, Fresita, has suffered from constipation since I got her 2 months ago. She was then 1.5 in. SVL and has grown to around 3.5 in. during that time. On the average poops once a week, sometimes after pooping goes regular for a couple days, then back into the weekly schedule.

Normally I do not intervene and let her be; but today was almost 2 weeks without pooping and since it was close to clean the tank day, decided to give her a honey bath. Also, noted the last 2 days, she stayed unburied and puffed up. Did check for edema, but it was just air.

Got her new set-up done, a 10 gal. tank with 1/2 Saran covered screen top and a ZooMed light fixture on real half. Fixture is controlled by a ZooMed rheostat. Previous enclosure was a 12x12in. ExoTerra. All settings matched her last one, day temps of 84-85F with a 5 degree drop at night. Humidity is 80% after spraying and drops to around 70% before next spraying morning and night. Enclosure has 2 in. damp EcoEarth over a false bottom, a water dish, and a fake plant.

Did honey bath and first thing she did was let go of air and become smaller and wrinkled... poor Fresita. During whole time in a small ExoTerra breeding box she struggled to get out. Did poop during the rinse bath and made a big mess, so rinsed her again and released her in the enclosure water dish. After couple minutes Fresita jumped out and buried herself for the whole day.

So I'm wondering if anyone has recommendations on what is best food for a constipated frog? Currently a night crawler and Dubia mix (with CA/vitamin supplements) is not helping although frog is growing well and healthy. If none, imagine can offer weekly honey baths, but it's clear to me she hates it and don't want to stress her out too much. Appreciate any comments and sorry for long thread .

[GrifTheGreat]

My albino strawberry pineapple C. cranwelli, Fresita, has suffered from constipation since I got her 2 months ago. She was then 1.5 in. SVL and has grown to around 3.5 in. during that time. On the average poops once a week, sometimes after pooping goes regular for a couple days, then back into the weekly schedule.

Normally I do not intervene and let her be; but today was almost 2 weeks without pooping and since it was close to clean the tank day, decided to give her a honey bath. Also, noted the last 2 days, she stayed unburied and puffed up. Did check for edema, but it was just air.

Got her new set-up done, a 10 gal. tank with 1/2 Saran covered screen top and a ZooMed light fixture on real half. Fixture is controlled by a ZooMed rheostat. Previous enclosure was a 12x12in. ExoTerra. All settings matched her last one, day temps of 84-85F with a 5 degree drop at night. Humidity is 80% after spraying and drops to around 70% before next spraying morning and night. Enclosure has 2 in. damp EcoEarth over a false bottom, a water dish, and a fake plant.

Did honey bath and first thing she did was let go of air and become smaller and wrinkled... poor Fresita. During whole time in a small ExoTerra breeding box she struggled to get out. Did poop during the rinse bath and made a big mess, so rinsed her again and released her in the enclosure water dish. After couple minutes Fresita jumped out and buried herself for the whole day.

So I'm wondering if anyone has recommendations on what is best food for a constipated frog? Currently a night crawler and Dubia mix (with CA/vitamin supplements) is not helping although frog is growing well and healthy. If none, imagine can offer weekly honey baths, but it's clear to me she hates it and don't want to stress her out too much. Appreciate any comments and sorry for long thread .

If she becomes constipated easily stay with night crawlers and stop feeding the dubias. She may be having trouble passing the exoskeleton pieces. You could also dust her food once a week with Repta Boost it will help some.

Anogher scenario is that her body is growing faster than her insides which can cause some trouble. Feeding smaller amounts and using the Repta Boost will help keep things moving. Oh and sometimes you just run into a frog that will just hold it for to long and that causes them to become constipated. May try soaking her once a week with the Honey soak when she is due.

[Lija]

agree with Grif. also sometimes some frogs are just pooping less frequently, not really a constipation, they'd go once in a week or week in a half, but they eat less too.
I'd stop dubia for now, keep her on nightcrawlers only and see how it'll go, if she is feeling well, eating well, pooping less frequently but you don't see her having a problem with it, i wouldn't worry too much.

[DVirginiana]

My Trevor has been like that ever since she had a medical emergency that I believe caused neurological damage and affected her digestive system. If I don't do honey soaks she absolutely will NOT go. I feed only nightcrawlers w/supplements and do a weekly preventative honey soak. Weekly seems enough to keep problems from occurring.

[SCF]

Freshly molted dubia are a lot easier for your frog to digest as well. I'm just throwing that out there, since i'm sure you already know. If you feed off males from your colony regularly (since we often do not need them and they have no affect on production) this could be a contributing factor.

Edit: it's rare to find me on this side, it's daunting with all the true pacman experts! I'll go back to African bullfrogs now.

[Mentat]

Thanks to all for your help ! Will only feed night crawlers for couple weeks and see if there is an effect. Do have Repti Boost on Emergency Kit so will open bottle and start using it. Also, will wait a week and if no poop; honey bath is it. She goes crazy when I take her out of enclosure but afterwards was her old self and no more continuos puffing. Do have a funny anecdote for yesterday end.
After sunset she came to enclosure front, so I fed her 1/2 dozen night crawlers and on the 4th one, she got hold of my index finger... ouch ! Feeding from the top is different than from the front doors of ExoTerra; so I made a mistake while aproaching . Saw her coming for finger and started retracting hand; but too late. Got me sideways on top of nail and finger side. Frog was for a moment dangling in air latched to finger and as I started lowering her she let go and dropped from 2-3 in. height with no apparent damage to anyone other than a scratch on my finger tip but no blood drawn. She ate 2 more worms after that... quite an exciting day .

[Heatheranne]

Ha ha! Tough little stinkers . Glad she's okay.

Just wanted to mention that I too only feed freshly molted dubias. They are soft and squooshy.

Also wanted to add that they can definitely be different frog to frog. I know you already know this, as you are quite knowledgeable . But, just for example, my cranwelli eats well and never has trouble defecating, usually every week to week and a half. Both of my fantasy frogs are picky. My male defecates about every week and a half. My female fantasy always has delayed emptying and only goes about every 2 weeks. She never has symptoms of constipation or impaction. She needs honey baths about once a month though. The night crawlers tend to get them going. I also give them extra regular soaks when they don't go as often. I soak mine right in their tanks to minimize stress .