My first frog

[lraulston]

So, got home tonight and my frogs are both soaking in the water dish and seem to have some slimy shedded skin around them. Normal I assume? Should I still try to remove them for feeding or let them stay in?

[John]

Frogs do shed their skin. If they are open to feeding them feed them in or out - it's up to you.

[lraulston]

Well the one frog is not active tonight either. He is still just sitting in the water bowl, not really holding his head up out of the water and when a cricket fell into the water with him and touched him, he shook it off and backed up. The other frog is out about the cage hunting. He seemed fine this morning but I still had no proof that he ever ate last night.Should I be worried?

[John]

Well the one frog is not active tonight either. He is still just sitting in the water bowl, not really holding his head up out of the water and when a cricket fell into the water with him and touched him, he shook it off and backed up. The other frog is out about the cage hunting. He seemed fine this morning but I still had no proof that he ever ate last night.Should I be worried?

That's a worry. It's a pity you can't separate them and observe the water bowl guy on his own. Some frogs suffer stress more than others (just like people are different) so water bowl guy might need more time to settle in. Is he skinny or does he seem otherwise healthy?

[lraulston]

otherwise healthy to me, though he has darkened in color tonight. The first pic is of him yesterday, and the second pic is of him this morning. He has shedded skin around him as well, though the other frog did too and he is off hunting.

[lraulston]

I did not take him out to try to feed him as he had no interest in the crickets in the cage and I did not want to stress him any more by handling him. He has a light green patch on his leg. I am freaking out and to the point of tears just about. I have no other tank to put him in to keep him from getting the other frog sick if he is. I have a 10 gal, but no extra light and it is not cleaned out. Could not get it up until tomorrow at the earliest. What do I do?

[John]

Well there's no use in panicking - if he is just stressed then a day or two will help - many new frogs are reluctant feeders in the first few days. Really, don't panic and don't disturb him. Just keep an eye on him and give him time. Leaving the lights off for a day or two should help reduce the stress level because instinctually the frog will know it's less likely to be seen by a day time predator.

If he is sick then the other frog has already been exposed so that's less of a worry.

I would stop feeding them now for a few days just to remove that disturbance. Also, crickets crawling on him will stress him too.

It's a real pity you don't have the means to take better photos than those because it's hard to tell much from them. The frog doesn't look skinny and that's a good sign.

If things don't improve in a few days I would say take him to an amphibian-savvy vet.

[Kurt]

Well you don't need a light. What you need is an enclosure with a screen top, a water bowl and a paper towel substrate. Real basic. If he is eating you will know, white paper towels can't hide poop. And if he is sick, then both are most likely. If you really feel the need to calm your nerves take them to the vet for a check up. Chances are they are perfectly fine.