Sick White's - not mine

[reptileszz]

Hi all, a friend of mine at work is bringing me his White's treefrog that has not eaten in a week and is "not acting right". Was sitting in the water a lot now is just sitting around letting crickets walk on him. They do not want to bring him to the vet (naturally) and he thinks I can help him. (I have numerous reptiles plus a whites, 2 pacmans and a clawed frog).

That said I am going to try and answer these questions best I can. I plan on putting him in a small critter keeper type cage with paper towels for substrate in my reptile room where the temps are 77 at night and 83 during the day. I could put him in a cooler room but am not sure how I would heat a small container like that without it getting too hot or staying too cool. Suggestions on that are appreciated. I fear I dont know everything about how he has been kept but will try...

1-size of enclosure - About 18" wide x 24 tall by 10" deep (custom glass cage with wooden back)
2-# on inhabitants - specifically ( if there is another frog ---size differences ?) Just the one
3-humidity - no idea but misted daily
4-temp - he says 70-80 - 85 under light when on.
5-water - type - for both misting and soaking dish - untreated well water (which we assume has no chlorine)
6-materials used for substrate - eco earth brick
7-enclosure set up i.e. plants( live or artificial) wood, bark etc -how were things prepared prior to being put into the viv I believe he purchased wood and fake plants from pet store. Not sure if he treated them at all. We talked about sticks from outside and either putting them in the microwave or the oven to kill bugs... not sure what he did tho.
8-main food source - crickets (the ones in the little plastic box at petco/petsmart)
9-vitamins and calcium ? ( how often ) not sure. Once again, we talked about it but not sure. Pretty sure he is doing calcium at the very least. I do wonder about vitamins...
10-lighting heat light not sure of wattage. Not on all the time. He is turning it on and off according to room temp.
11-what is, specifically, being used to maintain the temperature of the enclosure - the heat light
12-when is the last time he ate - I think a week ago. maybe more.
13-have you found poop lately - unsure
14-a pic would be great ( including the frog ) any little cell phone pic is fine - can provide later when I get the frog.
15- how old is the frog - less than a year. He got it when it was maybe 1.5 inches long and it seems like it might be 2.5-3 inches long now. This is just going by him showing me with his fingers. "He is about this big"...
16-how long have you owned him - I think he got him in like June?
17- is the frog wild caught or captive bred - Assumedly CB
18- frog food- how often and if its diverse what other feeders are used as treats - crickets only I believe
19- about how often the frog is handled - good question. I will ask. I did tell them to wet their hands if they handled. I am pretty sure not too often but will check
20-is the enclosure is kept in a high or low traffic area - another good question.

This frog was eating well and "Acting normal" until a few weeks ago when his wife thought the frog was dead because he was sitting down in the corner. Then he started sitting in the water dish a lot then he slowed down eating and then stopped eating.

I wonder about impaction and/or vitamin deficiency as possibilities? He says the frog has grabbed substrate going after crickets before. I need to see about supplementation. If the frog has not had any vitamins and has been fed crickets with no gutloading how do I get vitamins into him if he wont eat?

Also please advise on the well water. Should it be treated?

Please dont tell me to bring him to the vet. He is not mine. I told him I would see what I can do.

Thanks,
Carole

[Mentat]

Hi Carole! Although it's nice you are helping a friend with a sick frog, you are taking a risk by bringing it into your reptile room. Under no circumstances should you share anything with your animals and make sure hands are well washed before and after handling frog and it's enclosure.

There are too many guesses in your post to narrow down possible causes but will try. Well water is good if you have a current analysis that includes heavy metals which could cause TOS. Without that; need to treat with Seachem Prime or similar. If frog crickets were not gut loaded and neither were supplements used; have more possibilities to include malnourishment and or MBD.

Frog should go to a vet; barring that, then a hospital tank set-up is needed. Would give it a bath in 10% Pedyalite with 90% 80F distilled water for 20 minutes. Following that, offer gut loaded crickets dusted in Fluker's Repta Boost powder. If frog eats; then it's on the way to recovery. If it doesn't; then try again the next day. Please post a pic of frog to see how it looks; if too skinny and weak might need to force feed Repta Boost according to instructions. If you get a fecal sample would be great to have it analyzed and see if there are any pathogens in the frog. Good luck !

[reptileszz]

Hi Carole! Although it's nice you are helping a friend with a sick frog, you are taking a risk by bringing it into your reptile room. Under no circumstances should you share anything with your animals and make sure hands are well washed before and after handling frog and it's enclosure.

There are too many guesses in your post to narrow down possible causes but will try. Well water is good if you have a current analysis that includes heavy metals which could cause TOS. Without that; need to treat with Seachem Prime or similar. If frog crickets were not gut loaded and neither were supplements used; have more possibilities to include malnourishment and or MBD.

Frog should go to a vet; barring that, then a hospital tank set-up is needed. Would give it a bath in 10% Pedyalite with 90% 80F distilled water for 20 minutes. Following that, offer gut loaded crickets dusted in Fluker's Repta Boost powder. If frog eats; then it's on the way to recovery. If it doesn't; then try again the next day. Please post a pic of frog to see how it looks; if too skinny and weak might need to force feed Repta Boost according to instructions. If you get a fecal sample would be great to have it analyzed and see if there are any pathogens in the frog. Good luck !

Thank you. Real quick. Whee does anyone find unflavored pedialyte?

[Mentat]

I get a similar electrolyte product called Parent's Choice at Walmart; it's at the baby section for $3.50/1 liter bottle.

[reptileszz]

Hi all, I brought the frog home late last night and he is in a critter keeper on moist paper towels. He LOOKS fantastic. I had minor surgery yesterday myself so didn't do much with him when I got him here. His owner looked high and low for unflavored pedialyte packets to no avail yesterday. Does everyone buy the bottles and then throw away the bulk of it? We only need a little at a time but the stuff doesnt stay in the fridge long. Seems like a waste. Had been hoping for packets. I think we might just be dealing with an environmental problem here (temperature perhaps). I did mist him with dechlorinated water and of course the paper towels are soaked with treated water. Maybe a combo of bad temps and bad water are contributing. My guess is that he was fine in the summer when it was consistantly warm, now the house is much cooler and the light is going on and off and the temps are fluctuating wildly. A guess but... anyway, going to soak him in treated water with a little honey today cause it cant hurt. Then going to leave him alone and get some crickets on the way home. I only have mealworms and roaches here. Might offer him a roach right now.

OH he did poop at work in the travel container yesterday. I examined it there and it was mostly eco earth, one cricket leg and some mucous. I think first off he shouldnt be kept on eco earth if he is eating that much of it when going for crickets????

Thank you so much.
Carole

[Heatheranne]

I agree, I'd keep him on paper towels. Get him a hygrometer too. If the temps have been fluctuating, it's likely the humidity has been also.

[Mentat]

IRT open electrolyte bottle, think mentioned that before and was told by a member that once bottle is opened, could keep in refrigerator for longer time. The powder is only available in flavored versions.