Help!!

[laceface]

My Agalychnis calidryas is not eatting he wont sleep in his plant he has been staying close to the bottom of his tank.(i find this the oddest of all) hes super skinny and seems weak when he jumps. ive been feeding him crickets without calcium suppliment because he wasnt pooping with the calcium on them. and he would go without food for 2 weeks cuz he wasnt pooing. im so worried. is there something i can do. i keep the tank moist and the light on 12 hours a day. if anyone has any insight it would be greatly appriciated.

[Kurt]

Well he needs the calcium, this could be part of the problem. Then again it could be something else entirely. I can't say for sure. Are you 100% sure that it wasn't defecating? If you have a dark-colored substrate like coconut bedding it may be hard to see the frogs fecal matter.

I am in contact with a veterinarian from the ABG and he thinks frogs do need UVB lighting to absorb calcium. They have been studying it there, and apparently even nocturnal frogs like Gastrotheca cornuta, Anotheca spinosa, and various Eleutherodactylus species need UVB. I suspect it is the same for Agalychnis callidryas. Some frogs appear to be better at dealing with hypocalcemia than others, even within the same species. My red-eyes are not receiving UVB at the moment, but seem to be OK without it for now, I do plan on installing it soon. Another argument for frogs needing UVB can be what I saw today at Black Jungle. They have moved their waxy monkey frogs, Phyllomedusa sauvagii out to the green house and since they did, they have noticed a vast improvement in their appearance.

Now as far as your frog is concerned, it may be far too late to save him. I really can't say for sure, but the way you describe it makes me think that's the case. You can try taking him to a vet like Greg Mertz at the NEWC in South Weymouth, MA. He may or may not be able to do something.

On the plus side, a week from tomorrow (May 16, 2010) I will be selling red-eye froglets at the NEHS show, which will be, oddly enough, at the NEWC. I will be selling fruit fly cultures to feed them as well. So, if you little guy doesn't make it, I will have some you be able to buy.

Good luck.

[laceface]

He actually looks 100% better. he has been eatting i bought a calcium spray for the crickets and some gut loader ish for the crickets. and i bought smaller crickets and he has eattin 3 since saturday which is alot for him. but his color is much better and hes back to sticking to the walls im super relieved but thanks for the help.

[Kurt]

You're welcome.