Feeding trouble

[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.

[LilyPad]

They can go a weekend without eating, no problem. You could also leave a couple of crickets in a bowl (so they can't wander to bite) right before you leave...if they're anything like my greys though, they won't wait until you're gone to eat them LOL.

[Frogman1031]

Has he been pooping lately? With two or more frogs in one tank its near impossible to tell who's poop it is. I would recommend getting a fecal done as well. My male sometimes refuses food in what I like to call "mood swings" but somehow manages to stay fatter than the female who eats everything. He's usually back to normal (by that I mean lazy but not lethargic) within a couple days. Although I think that your frog might just not want to move during the day. After all, if someone brought my dinner at 2 am I wouldn't want to get up. How is the temperature in the enclosure? Humidity?

[elly]

Our frogs may have the same thing going on. Bonk certainly doesn't look underweight.

He's stayed up there during the day and most of the night too. He did switch places with the little frog to soak though. (Thanks, insomnia.)

Temp is 80-75, humidity is 60%

[elly]

@Amy, yeah, I know they can survive three days, maybe a month at most, I'm just concerned that if Bonk doesn't eat well during the week or after he might have low energy and have trouble catching bugs.

I normally leave a cricket behind...which I'm sure the little frog gobbles down as soon as my back has turned. He's the greediest thing ever.

[irThumper]

I know this is a stretch but could you leave the little guy in a QT tank while you are gone? That way Bonk can have his bowl of bugs, and the little one can have his, and you know when you get back how many each has or hasn't eaten while you're gone?