Severely Ill Whites Tree Frog

[Neville]

So I bought my Whites tree frog from a PetCo nearby and he was just a teeny thing. He ate and grew normally for several months ( I got him in June)... Starting in late December I noticed that he no longer would sit at the top of his favorite leaf and didn't move much at all. This progressed over the next few months and he started to move less and less... He stopped eating about 2 months ago and has had one cricket in those months... He has gotten extremely thin and cannot move himself around, whenever he tries.... he ends up flipping over on his back and trying to get himself back up... He has not pooped in forever and we have to put him in his waterbowl and take him out....
So I called someone who knows about frogs, and it turns out that we weren't giving him enough Calcium and that it messed up his growth... I have been trying to feed him calcium laced crickets, but he wont eat, even when I hold it in front of him.. I have put him in a calcium bath, but that just caused his skin to grow moldy spots.... He is slowly starving and I can see him struggle to even move and it just breaks my heart... And I know that it is completely my fault because I didn't feed him properly...
What I want to know is if I should put him down humanely (I've read a few methods online--- mostly alcohol solutions) or if I should keep trying and just let him starve?

Other info:
Temperature -- 75 degrees to 80 degrees
Water----- de-chlorinated and changed regularly
Humidity---- about 80 percent
Substrate---- Coconut fiber
Food---- Gut loaded crickets (now laced with calcium)
He has a day and night heating lamp
I feel just horrible and I wish I could have caught this sooner before it was too late... my poor baby

[Mentat]

Hello and welcome to FF Neville! I'm very sorry your frog is not well and wish you had come to us months ago . Have you thought of taking the frog to a herp veterinary? This might help you locate one nearby: Arav and Herp Vet Connection.

Fluker's makes a product called Reptaboost that can be force fed to an emaciated frog. If you search forum can find information on how to force feed. Also, would prepare a bath to re-hydrate it. Get some unflavored Pedialyte or similar baby electrolyte product and prepare a solution with 90% 80F dechlorinated tap water and 10% Pedialyte. Bath frog for 20-30 minutes in a small critter keeper or plastic bowl with holed-up top filled to frog's chin level. Cover with towel to let frog relax and keep heat in. You can do that daily before trying to feed early evening.

Right now can see that there are other issues in it's care. Water should be changed daily even if clean. Humidity should be 50-65% and the frog needs a basking spot that reaches 85F. Here is more information on their proper care: Frog Forum - White's Tree Frog Care - Litoria caerulea.

I've pasted below some questions could help ID out the issue. IRT euthanasia, it's a decision you have to make by yourself. An application of Orajel Plus on the frogs belly works well when every possible solution to bring frog to health has failed. If you take frog to veterinary and they recommend ending it's life they should do it for you. Good luck !

“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. Describe frog's symptoms and/or recent physical changes; to include it's ventral/belly area.
16. How old is the frog
17. How long have you owned him/her
18. Is the frog wild caught or captive bred
19. Frog food- how often and if it is diverse, what other feeders are used as treats
20. How often the frog is handled
21. Is the enclosure kept in a high or low traffic area
22. Describe enclosure maintenance (water changes, cleaning, etc)

by Lynn(Flybyferns) and GrifTheGreat.