Feeding trouble

[elly]

My large WTF, Bonk was doing well, but recently I've had a lot of trouble getting him to eat. It's not that he won't eat at all, just that he's reluctant and slow and my small frog is always ready to try to snatch his food, from across the tank if necessary.

I tried to remove him to quarantine but he was wedged into the corner too tightly to grab. He won't tong feed any more, but he did grab an escaped cricket today after a week of not eating.

Right now the plan is to take the small frog out whenever the big one needs to eat, overnight if necessary. But I'm wondering if I absolutely need to quarantine the large one instead, just in case he's sick. I'm afraid quarantine would stress him out unnecessarily.

Also are there any tricks I haven't thought of for managing two frogs or getting a shy frog to eat?

(I'm also a little concerned that the small frog's going to explode from all the extra crickets he's grabbed.)

[Cliygh and Mia 2]

Have you tried putting wax-worms in a dish? even the most reluctant herps love wax-worms!

[LilyPad]

I have a bully grey tree frog who won't let any of the other frogs eat. I solved it by bowl feeding, she "guards" her bowl and bites at any other frogs that try to get to it. So I use 2 bowls, the other 2 share a bowl and she gets her own. It solved the issue completely. I used to take her out while the others ate, but it was really unnecessary stress.

[elly]

I considered wax worms, but I don't want him to start refusing other food. Maybe in the future if he stays this reluctant.

Two bowls is something I thought of, but the little frog isn't a territorial bully, just greedy. I could imagine him eating the crickets in one bowl then moving on to the next. But I'm going to try it anyway.

[LilyPad]

At least it will take up a bit of time to eat the crickets out of their bowl first lol. Let us know how it goes! You may need to change up feeding times too. If the one that isn't eating is just too sleepy to care while the other one is game for food at any time, you might want to feed later at night. I agree with holding off on the waxworms. That's more like a donut, high in fat, low in nutrition. Not a good staple to get them stuck on. You could also try dubia roaches though if he has trouble chasing down faster foods.

[irThumper]

I still have a bit of trouble with Honey, though he seems to have gotten his appetite back since his little fasting fit. He's trying to change the game rules on me or something, lol. For a while he refused the crickets in any way shape or form and would only hand eat waxworms, which was actually good for me since that was how I medicated them. Now he's taking crickets again but ONLY if I turn them loose in the cage AND do NOT take Shirley out, even though she gobbles everything in sight! He will just sit staring up at where I am holding her, or where she is sitting in a dish on Jelly's house. No one is going to convince me that it is impossible for frogs to develop attachments... it may be improbable, but I don't believe it is impossible. I've tried feeding her in a dish nut she just snarfs everything up then exits to go after the loose ones. Honey refuses to bowl feed anymore. The weirdo! He doesn't want to take crickets by hand or tong either,, though he will still take waxworms by hand. He also wakes up way later than Shirley, which is a pain in the butt, so I feel for what you are going through! The three finally have cleared fecal tests, so I know that's not the issue. Martha and Lucy still need to be treated for strongyloides, though, and are off their feed too; I hate waiting to treat them this long, but with the cold I have I am in no condition to force meds down a frogs gullet. They don't take waxworms, with or without tong feeding, so that's where I'm stuck in the medicating, bleh.

Have you fecal tested your guys lately?

[irThumper]

I still have a bit of trouble with Honey, though he seems to have gotten his appetite back since his little fasting fit. He's trying to change the game rules on me or something, lol. For a while he refused the crickets in any way shape or form and would only hand eat waxworms, which was actually good for me since that was how I medicated them. Now he's taking crickets again but ONLY if I turn them loose in the cage AND do NOT take Shirley out, even though she gobbles everything in sight! He will just sit staring up at where I am holding her, or where she is sitting in a dish on Jelly's house. No one is going to convince me that it is impossible for frogs to develop attachments... it may be improbable, but I don't believe it is impossible. I've tried feeding Shirl in a dish, but she just snarfs everything up then exits to go after the loose ones. Honey refuses to bowl feed anymore. The weirdo! He doesn't want to take crickets by hand or tong either, though he will still take waxworms by hand. He also wakes up way later than Shirley, which is a pain in the butt, so I feel for what you are going through! The three finally have cleared fecal tests, so I know that's not the issue. Martha and Lucy still need to be treated for strongyloides, though, and are off their feed too; I hate waiting to treat them this long, but with the cold I have I am in no condition to force meds down a frogs gullet. They don't take waxworms, with or without tong feeding, so that's where I'm stuck in the medicating, bleh.

Have you fecal tested your guys lately?

[elly]

I haven't fecal tested lately but all the poop is well formed.

Hmm, maybe Honey wants to mate? Not much, since he wasn't cold cycled but maybe the spring is getting to him a little.

Bonk's behavior is weird. Bonk's behavior has always been weird. For the last two days he's removed himself to the ledge and slept there. Lucky for me, since I could give him crickets where Julep couldn't see. (Usually. Julep spotted a dubia and snagged it in a single bound from across the tank.) Bonk will eat, but he stops at one or two bugs a day and he doesn't like to go after food if I'm watching him.

To make it worse I've been having to go away on weekends for 2-3 days. I have someone change the water, but I can't ask them to feed the frogs.