Bloated Amazon Milk Frog - Can anyone help?

[Mentat]

Hello and welcome to FF! You could move the "bloated frog" to a quarantine enclosure by itself to better monitor feeding and pooping. The unprinted paper towels as substrate are fine as long as you get them damp with dechlorinated tap water. Crickets should be sized same as distance between frog eyes or smaller.

If frogs are tiny; then it's not a gravid female. Could be impaction, one thing you can do, is very carefully palp the belly area. Does it feels hard (impaction); soft and squishy (gas); or jelly like (fluid)? Although you have no substrate, too large a cricket or a piece of paper towel could get frog impacted. Let us know what you find and we will go from there. Thank you !

[kipling]

Thanks Carlos! I wasn't able to palp the swollen area as the frog was very stressed, I've taken him out the water soak now and noticed that he has pooped but I'm not sure the poop looks normal. Instead of being the usual brown colour it was a bit brown but the rest lighter and cloudy. I can provide a picture if necessary! Is that a sign of anything? I have to say the frog looks like his belly is more squishy when he's moving around rather than hard. I can't quarantine him right now as I have to thoroughly clean another enclosure for him, but I will do soon.

[kipling]

The latest update is that the frog went back into the terrarium yesterday, and then last night when I checked on them he seemed to have completely deflated. Along with that his sides looked like they'd caved in a bit from being stretched so much and then shrinking again. He still seemed ok and was jumping around the glass and leaves as usual. But this morning when I checked on him he seemed to have puffed out again. I'm not sure whether to try and give him another soak for an hour or so in a separate water dish again? Can anyone help further having read this new information?

[flybyferns]

Hi,

I think I would quarantine him.
Separate everything for a few reasons:

1) you have to find his poop
- to make sure his is not or still not impacted.
2) I would save his poop and be ready to have a fecal study done as these symptoms could be from a parasite?
- so separating him will insure you get his fecal to be tested
3) if his fecal is positive you will have to treat both frogs
$) you can monitor his food intake.

Are you de-chlorinating their water?

Be sure the feeders are on the smaller side for him. ( 4-6 mm is ok--- no larger)
Maintain temp parameters

[samw]

Hi, this might be a silly respond so sorry if I'm patronising you at all.


Milk frogs puff up their sides when they feel threatened, is he definitely always inflated? If every time you approach the tank you are sticking your face up against the glass or opening the doors you might find that he’s already spotted you and he’s just freaked out. It might be a good idea to stand on the other side of the room and monitor if you can.


I also find mine turn lighter if they get chilly so it’s also a good idea to check he isn’t cold!!


Hope that helped rather than patronised!

[Mentat]

Based on your last inputs; think we can probably rule out impaction and renal failure. Agree with Lynn in that it should still be in quarantine and a fecal test be conducted in case gas retention is due to pathogens. If frog can puff up and vent out air voluntary; then it's as Samw stated due to stress.

Does frog remains puffed up while asleep? What was situation when you found it deflated? Can you try to repeat situation and see if frog relaxes again?

[flybyferns]

I hope we can - all - get to the bottom of this, and determine what might be going on

Thanks for all the ideas and input

samw, I think that you have mentioned something very possible

Hopefully, kipling will be able come on soon to give us an update