Quote Originally Posted by Elphie View Post
My toads, when really small, if turned onto their backs would do the same thing. I called it "Playing dead toad". I always just chalked it up to a defense mechanism. Once they felt safe and realized there was no danger in their environment, they flipped back over. My assumption is that it an automatic response to a fall in nature. If they fall in nature, they have no idea what they are falling into so their best chance for survival is to play dead until they assess the situation. My toads are all wild caught and as they get older and more comfortable with me, they no longer do it.
I rescued a red eye (froglet) about 1 1/2 years ago. He was in really bad shape. My vet bill cost me ten times more than the forg did. He had injuries/ parasites/ and was severely malnourished having been kept w/ some kind of newt? He did something similar to this. He was in a quarantine tank for 6 months. He use to start to climb down to get a cricket, get about an inch from the bottom , and make a little leap only to flatten out spread-eagle. He use to stay that way for at least 5 minutes. The vet ( a good herp vet) was convinced it was due to a severe calcium deficiency and did not expect him to live.
She said it was probably painful?

I was never convinced of that? Plus he has developed normally. In retrospect, I think it was severe stress! Don't know.

WELL- he is alive and well. Very shy though! On the small side. I have to keep an eye on him.

I have had many,many pets in my life. I have never worked so hard to save a little creature as I did for him.

Lynn