Pacman frog eating and leg problems

[Jade]

I have a young pacman frog known as Nugget who was purchased from Underground Reptiles about three months ago. Humitidy in the tank is high but temps are not known due to broken thermometer. Housed on eco earth with shallow water dish, log hide and live plant. Pacman frog has eaten very little and has pooped very little, with the poop being extremely hard. Legs seem to be messed up. Can't use front legs and sits with them under him and can't be seen and back legs are stretched out. Can't burrow and I made a hole for them which they seem to like. Calcium has been a bit low due to very little eating. Not underweight, and is misted twice a day. Enclosure size is a medium critter keeper. Hope to upgrade later. Any help would be appreciated.

[monster]

Hello, it sounds as if he has a bad case of mbd. And by the sounds of it I'm sorry to say it may be to late, you need to find a herp vet asap. Your humidity should be around 75%, I know some 80 and some people say the 60's but in experiences 75% seems to be good. What are you using for heating.

[jasonm96]

Hi

They don't need overly high humidity and temps are more important, so I would get a digital thermometer right away. If too low (below 75F) then the frog refuses food, so doesn't get much calcium and other important vitamins through the supplemented food. Though even did eat, the supplements might not be utilised properly if temps are not right. The legs and not feeding could be from a calcium deficiency, so I would make sure the conditions are corrected (if necessary) and take it to a vet

[monster]

I just saw your other post stating that he was like this since you got him. It really sounds like mbd and if its been like this since you got him its probably progressed into the later stages, and if you got him when he was a baby these are the most crucial months for the proper vitamins. So if he wasn't eaten for them and not for you properly for the months I would say you really need to get to a vet, and again I hate to say it but from now knowing it has been like this from the day you got him I don't know if the vet will be able to help.

[Jade]

He has a under tank heater which isn't the best for plastic terrarium but isn't attached so there isn't melting. I am away on a summer vacation as of now so being able to take him to a vet may be hard as we are way out of town. I will try my best to get him to a vet but it may be hard to in my current state. Thanks for all the help, will post a update in a day or too if something happens, hope I can still save him.

[jasonm96]

The mat should not get hot enough to melt the plastic tank, if used with a thermostat like they should be.

Try get it to a vet as soon as you get back. Even if it's a normal vet they might be able to help or get in contact with a herp vet. If the frog has a calcium deficiency then treatment right away is essential, otherwise if MBD gets to the stages where it cannot be reversed the frog will probably have to get put down

[Jade]

Mine cant change temperature, but isnt super hoy so there is no problems, and I have a appointment with a exotic pets vet tommorow, thanks for the help everyone

[jasonm96]

I'm not aware of any that do, you have to plug it into a reptile thermostat or rheostat

Good luck

[monster]

Hey, glad to hear you got an apt with the vet. Hopefully it wont be to bad, all though he may have it if its not to advanced they are still able to live a somewhat normal life. And as Jason said about the heat matt they don't have a dial to change temps, you have to buy the thermostat and program that and it will keep the matt at certain temp. I wish they were controlled with something on the matt itself, it would save me a lot money buying thermostats for my tanks. I guess I could buy cheaper ones then I got but I love the zoomed hygrotherm, especaily if you have a fogger to go with it. let us know how the vet trip turns out.

[Jade]

Havnt had a pet in a while, didn't know they dodmt change, anyways thanks for all the support and help. Will post an update after the trip to the vet.

[Jade]

Got back after doing some things, so it went well and he did have it but it wasn't to advanced. I got some gutfeed with calcium, liquid calcium for a calcium bath and a prescription medicine to give to em. Thanks for the help without it I wouldn't have known and it could've gotten worse. I also got a new thermometer.

[monster]

Glad to hear everything went well. And no problem for the help, that's what the forum is here for.

[Jade]

One more thing to ask, my family and I are arguing over he need of a uvb light. He is getting calcium and uvb through the soaks and medicine now and his cage is not tall enough to use one with out hurting his eyes and skin. I am really confused about what to do.

[monster]

If hes albino its a no for sure but if he isn't that's up to you. It wont hurt him but if he is one to bury all day once the lights go on it may be waste. I don't use any due to this, they would only be exposed to it for about 5 mins in the morning.

[jasonm96]

They do not need UVB in captivity when provided D3 through supplements. They've been kept and bred this way for years.

D3 can be attained two ways: from exposure to UVB (injunction with proper heat) or through the diet. Horned frogs eat not only invertebrates but vertebrates as well, so their wild diet is calcium
and vitamin rich, so they probably don't need any UVB to make up for lack of D3. Whereas if you think of an animal like an iguana that only eats plants it will need to bask for this vitamin which plants do not contain.

This why supplements are very important for horned frogs as we rely mainly on insects.

[Jade]

Ok that's what I thought, but he hasn't been eating the much so he hasn't gotton too much D3 but he's been getting calcium via syringe which might have D3.