Medical issue, need help

[morgan2341]

. Size of enclosure 20 gallon
2. # of inhabitants - specifically other frogs and size differences ,1 female pacman frog
3. Humidity 70%, drops at night
4. Temperature, 75-80 during the day, 70 at night
5. Water - type - for both misting and soaking dish, We buy spring water from the store
6. Materials used for substrate, coconut husk, soaked in spring water
7. Enclosure set up i.e. plants (live or artificial), wood, bark and other materials., Just one fake plant for her to conceal herself
- How were things prepared prior to being put into the viv.
8. Main food source dubia roaches
9. Vitamins and calcium? (how often), every time she eats roaches
10. Lighting, no lighting but a 50 watt heat lamp overhead on a 12 hour timer
11. What is being used to maintain the temperature of the enclosure, we have a zoomed hygrotherm, we also have a mister set on to this hygrotherm
12. When is the last time he/she ate, 2.5 weeks ago
13. Have you found poop lately yes
14. A pic would be helpful including frog and enclosure (any including cell phone pic is fine)
15. How old is the frog 2 years
16. How long have you owned him/her 1.5 years
17. Is the frog wild caught or captive bred captive bred
18. Frog food- how often and if it is diverse, what other feeders are used as treats, nothing else
19. How often the frog is handled, only once a month when we do a 100% cage clean
20. Is the enclosure kept in a high or low traffic area low
21. Describe enclosure maintenance (water changes, cleaning, etc), once a week poop and top layer cleaning, water bowl every other day

It has been 2.5 weeks since she has eaten, she is acting very weird, staying on the colder side and not burying herself. We have tried to feed her and she just hunkers down and won't eat. I took her to the vet on Friday and she thought it was a calcium deficiency. As to not stress her out she did some reading and saw that frogs can absorb calcium through the skin if put in the proper solution. I have been doing this everyday since and then today I cleaned the cage 100%v and gave her a nice warm bath. SHe seems perkier but it seems like the skin on her underside was coming off. We now know that we should give her a pinky mouse once a month. We will but we just need her to pull through. Does anybody have any idea on what could be going on? Any help would be appreciated, if the vet thought it wasn't time, then we aren't willing to give up yet either!!!

[Namio]

Hi Morgan,
1) if it were Calcium deficiency (aka Metabolic Bone Disease), you can see her jaw drops slightly, and according to your info, it seemed like you've vitamin/calcium dusted in every feeding (?). Calcium deficiency is due to the lack of Calcium (i.e. when you don't often calcium dust the food & feeding strictly invertebrates), but since you calcium dust her food regularly, it shouldn't be a problem. However, I'm gonna trust the vet in his/her professional opinion. Continue to calcium dust her food because she needs additional calcium intake.
2) A 2 year-old frog, if kept in optimal conditions, can be completely healthy without food consumption for 2-3 weeks.
3)You're saying she's staying on the colder side without burying herself. May I ask how cool (temperature) is the colder side?
4)The skin coming off on her belly-side may be completely normal. Frogs shed their skin about once a week. Especially after a nice warm soak her old dead skin may be more likely to come off.
5) I've also noticed you use a heat lamp exclusively. Heat lamps are fine, but they desiccate the substrate and reduce humidity quite fast, so keep an eye on it.

[DesertHeat]

The temps and humidity are a little low which could be the cause of her decreased appetite and activity. Try raising the humidity to 80%, the daytime temp to 80-85, and the nighttime temp to 75-80.

That's all I can see but I'm fairly new to frogs. The more experienced forum members might have some better advice.

Sent from my HTCONE using Tapatalk

[Lija]

all right.
first things first. DO NOT PANIC! i don't see anything serious based on your description, however let's get a few things clarified.
- frog has not eaten for 2,5 week and that is a main concern
- you took him to the vet and all she had to say after reading book is that is calcium deficiency. were there any tests, x rays done? what solution have you used as per recommendation and how did it look like?
- ca/vit, how often, what are you using exactly?

we really really need to see a frog and its enclosure.

now, the only thing that really screams is your temps - 70 at night is way way too low, you should have 76-78 night, 80-82 day, that might be a reason along with humidity for frog not eating, it might think it is winter time. so i would start with increasing humidity to 76 if you have hydrotherm and correct temps and after you clarify things we might suggest doing something more. also - you don't have to feed mice, but variety is very beneficial.

heat lamps are excellent, i use only them as a heating source for all my frogs, plugged into hydrotherm they always fine tune temps and fogger does the same for humidity.

edit- why are you using your heat lamp on a timer, and not plugged into hydrotherm?

[Warnher420]

I hope your little guy is doing ok ) I just thought I would share how I keep all my pacman frogs because mine are growing like weeds and eating me out of house and home. I don't use a heat source on my pac mans I just use the ambient room temperature that ranges from 74-80 during the winter and 80- 85 during the summer. I have my frogs in 20 gallon tanks with screen lids that I have covered and vented to keep the moisture up and I also give my frogs about an hour bath once a week and check the tanks for waist before I mix up all the eco earth and give them fresh water in their dishes. I also switch up their food and vary from super worms, hornworms, hornworm chrysalis, hornworm moths, small fish, pinky rats, crickets, butter worms ect ) they will pretty much eat anything but I also give them Fluckers Repta Boost now and again that you can find at pet smart. I would flip your frog over gently and look at its back legs and inner thighs and feet for any red spot or infection and treat them with peroxide and polysporin "black tube" I adopted a pineapple ornate that had such a bad case of red leg that I could squeeze infection out and I didn't think it would make it but keeping the bedding clean along with treating it daily worked wonders. Main thing with pac mans I find is don't let them sit in one spot to long or they will be in their own filth because they don't seem to care and that can cause them to have issues.

[Mentat]

Hello Morgan and sorry your frog is not well . You got advice already, so will add some things for you to check out. Here is a nice article for their care: Frog Forum - Pacman and Horned Frogs - Ceratophrys - Care and Breeding. Good luck .

1. Size of enclosure 20 gallon
How big is your frog from snout to vent (SVL)? Yes, need to see frog and enclosure as Lija stated. Enclosure back and sides should be covered in aquarium background or any paper you like to reduce stress.

3. Humidity 70%, drops at night
Should not drop below 70%.

4. Temperature, 75-80 during the day, 70 at night
Low temperatures over extended periods have been associated with kidney and lymph heart issues. Your heat bulb will be controlled better on the Hygrotherm as mentioned before. 82-84F day with drop to 75F at night is a better range.

5. Water - type - for both misting and soaking dish, We buy spring water from the store
Spring Water could be many things accoring to post processing after collection and existing city codes. Need to find out how is water processed since some add chemicals and others overfilter it. Many times its better to just use tap treated with Seachem Prime.

8. food source dubia roaches
Recommend use Canadian Night Crawlers as main food. The plain ones at bait shops are OK (stay away from dyed ones).

9. Vitamins and calcium? (how often), every time she eats roaches
What kind are you using and are them within expiration dates? If different products should not be mixed on same feeding.

10. Lighting, no lighting but a 50 watt heat lamp overhead on a 12 hour timer
See no. 4.

11. What is being used to maintain the temperature of the enclosure, we have a zoomed hygrotherm, we also have a mister set on to this hygrotherm
See no. 4.

13. Have you found poop lately yes
If frog poops again would take fresh sample to veterinary for a fecal analysis.

18. Frog food- how often and if it is diverse, what other feeders are used as treats, nothing else
See no. 8.

21. Describe enclosure maintenance (water changes, cleaning, etc), once a week poop and top layer cleaning, water bowl every other day
Substrate should be spot cleaned daily of any poop and the water in bowl replaced daily. All substrate should be replaced monthly.