Toad Acting Strange - Not Responding or Eating

[Garbanzo66]

My fire-bellied toad recently has started acting oddly. Two Sundays ago, June 30, when I was cleaning the tank, he was pulling his front legs over his head as if rubbing at his eyes and using his back legs even as if to try to remove something from him. I noticed there was a strange, mucus-like slime, which I figured he was trying to get off. Since then, he has not responded to me or anything as much as he used to. It used to be that the slightest movement from me anywhere nearby would make him jump from his position to try to come closer, any noise I made and he would look up; now, I can wave my fingers in front of his face and he doesn't even blink. His eyes are not cloudy, though. Crickets have climbed on his face and he doesn't even squeeze his eyes shut to evade them. The only response I'm really getting is if I click my tongue, and only sometimes will s/he give me respond noises. Last week, from July 1 to July 7, I don't think he ate a single cricket, though I monitored him, and I even picked him up and moved him closer to where the crickets were, hoping maybe he would feel the antennae or something. He doesn't struggle as much when I pick him up now. Also, in deeper water I notice he walks on his front legs and doesn't use the back ones at all. S/He looks a little fatter than usual, though he's not eating. I read on another thread about impaction [?] and how maybe he ingested gravel, which I've always been afraid of, but I don't know if that would explain it. I've had him for three years, he's lived alone for one-and-a-half years, and he hasn't acted like this once before. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.

[kroberts009]

its sounds like the mucus like slime, he was trying to remove... could have been him shedding. are you sure there isnt any shed, stuck in the eye region making it hard for him to see things in front of him?

aquarium gravel, always runs a risk of being swallowed. if you have gravel, do you feel any hard lumps in the belly of your toad?

do you know how old your toad is?

[Garbanzo66]

Sad to inform that he passed last night. I did not notice anything in his eye, though, but maybe the terrarium water getting in could have caused a problem. I don't think there was any sign he ingested gravel. And he was older than three years, but I'm not sure how old. Thank you for all your help, though.

[Mentat]

Sorry for your FBT death ! If it was dragging it's rear leg, that is a sign of bone disease or a neurological issue. Please take a look at this Care Article and see if something was missing from it's requirements: Frog Forum - Fire-Bellied Toad Care and Breeding - Bombina orientalis and relatives .

Also, if you plan to replace it with another frog, it would be worth it to answer these questions to try and identify the cause of the problem. Might need (probably) to sterilize the whole enclosure, thank you !

“Trouble in the Frog Enclosure”
The following information will be very helpful if provided when requesting assistance with either your frog or enclosure. To help with your questions, please utilize the below list and post the information in the proper forum area to get advice from FF members that keep the same frog. This will allow for little confusion and a faster more informed response.

1. Size of enclosure
2. # of inhabitants - specifically other frogs and size differences
3. Humidity
4. Temperature
5. Water - type - for both misting and soaking dish
6. Materials used for substrate
7. Enclosure set up i.e. plants (live or artificial), wood, bark and other materials.
- How were things prepared prior to being put into the viv.
8. Main food source
9. Vitamins and calcium? (how often)
10. Lighting
11. What is being used to maintain the temperature of the enclosure
12. When is the last time he/she ate
13. Have you found poop lately
14. A pic would be helpful including frog and enclosure (any including cell phone pic is fine)
15. How old is the frog
16. How long have you owned him/her
17. Is the frog wild caught or captive bred
18. Frog food- how often and if it is diverse, what other feeders are used as treats
19. How often the frog is handled
20. Is the enclosure kept in a high or low traffic area
21. Describe enclosure maintenance (water changes, cleaning, etc)

by Lynn(Flybyferns) and GrifTheGreat.

[kroberts009]

im very sorry to hear about your loss!