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Thread: Behavior changes (not eating)

  1. #1

    Default Behavior changes (not eating)

    We have had a pixie frog for a couple months now (named Chubbs) he was 2 weeks old when we got him and for the first month he ate ferociously. I had assumed he would be regularly eating for a while since he was so young and in the growing stages. However about 2 weeks ago he stopped eating completely. Everyday I spend about 10 the 15 minutes waving food in front of his face with tongs and he doesn't seem interested at all. I noticed the past 2 days if I put food in front of him he snaps at it but doesn't actually make contact with it. It's almost like hes playing with his food, he will turn towards the food and square up with it like hes getting ready to eat it and literally just sits there and snaps close to it but does not actually grab it. When I try to feed him with my tongs he loses all interest almost like he doesn't like the tongs Or perhaps my presence scares him. We have been reading the forums and thought a nice honey bath would help him. When we did that it looks like he either shredded his skin or had some kind of abnormal poop. Before we ran into any issues he would eat 5 or so crickets a day sometimes more. I would also have days where I fed him meal worms instead of crickets. (About once ot twice a week) which he would eat 4 or more of the medium sized ones.

    Since I know I will be asked and its vital information

    He is in a 10 inch by 20 inch glass aquarium since hes still small.

    Temps during day are 82° to 87°

    Night temps drop in mid to low 70s

    We have one light with a 60 watt bulb in it

    We have a temp gauge with a hygrometer and humidity stays at 60 or higher typically we keep it at 80 to 90

    The substrate where using is coconut husk. Which I have never seen him bury or dig in (despite what I see other pixies do online)

    We have a walk in water area for him Which he will stay in for days at a time. Sometimes we have to make him get out because his skin will start to change colors. We have only used distilled water for him since we bought him.

    He has a half log he can crawl under for cover.

    We have his lighting schedule on a timer from 9am to 8pm

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  3. #2

    Default Re: Behavior changes (not eating)

    Update, Chubbs has still not ate and we are going on 3 weeks. It worries me because he is in his main growth stages. He is around 3 months old. We have given him another honey bath. He seems to enjoy them but it hasn't helped him start eating again. I took out his substrate thinking it may be causing blockage issues and left the green pet turf carpet. Since he doesn't have anymore substrate I put 4 small dubia cockroaches in his cage (since they can't burrow and hide from him anymore) he hasn't ate any of them. I took time out today and funneled the roaches into the corner where he was sitting. Anytime they got close he would snap ferociously at them but wouldn't actually get close enough to eat them. I always assume maybe they are to fast for him so I tried tong feeding him and he lost all interest. I even got them to stand still right in front of them and he stopped reacting to them at all. My wife was thinking perhaps he snaps at them because he is trying to scare them away and it has nothing to do with him wanting to eat them.. either way I'm not sure and I would love to help my little buddy out. Any suggestions would be appreciated.

  4. #3

    Default Re: Behavior changes (not eating)

    Unfortunately Chubbs passed away today. Wish I was able to get some advice on him before he died.

  5. #4
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    Default Re: Behavior changes (not eating)

    i am more new to ABF i've only had mine as long as you had yours but i think what you were doing were most of the advice people could give except see a exotic vet and or ask even more questions about the tank and him with photos. what you gave and is is what i would do sometimes even the best help can't fix things i am sorry for your loss. if you have any questions ill try to answer more and next time if there is one ill pop on more to give you advice based on my knowledge I've learned from having my 3 AFB's

  6. #5
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    Default Re: Behavior changes (not eating)

    I'm not sure exactly, but.... some young ones never make it. Sometimes they get constipated and I guess that rots their innards if they can't get it out. To stop eating... well... that will end them one way or the other.
    But... some frogs never make it no matter what. I'm still hoping my Tinkerbell will make it but with a deformed lower jaw feeding is tricky, but for now she is eating every time.
    I have other frogs that has seemed OK and then just died anyway... and others have stopped eating and then died. It's not like you can do a lot when they stop eating, except try and try and try and give them baths.

  7. #6

    Default Re: Behavior changes (not eating)

    Me and my wife narrow down everything we had done with chubs. the only thing we can come up with is a a gastrointestinal blockage. we fed him mealworms two times a week which we didn't feel was a lot since he was eating every day. We found out later that mealworms can have shells that can cause blockage. That's literally the only thing we can link it to. We plan on getting another frog at the next reptile show and are leaning towards the South African bullfrog again. We have had time to set up an amazing aquarium for it. It's a 55 gallon tank with a full cabinet up underneath. I am a Glazier that works with glass so I am going to divide half of that tank into a gradual walkout aquatic area. And have the other area with the coconut husk substrate. It's going to look really nice. It's going to be a bit of an overkill for a pixie frog for sure.

  8. #7
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    Default Re: Behavior changes (not eating)

    I feed recently molted mealworms and super worms to my pixie, but I'm not that careful with some of my other frogs. Super worms have the hardest "skin".

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