Giant bullfrog rescue

[Buck Rogers]

We have had in the last week heavy rains, and in the last 2 days (from Wednesday till Thursday) over 90mm of rain. I have started to learn that after a few days of consecutive rain (minimum 50mm) the Giant Bullfrogs (Pyxicephalus adspersus) start emerging properly on the highveld. The first sign is usually the swifts and swallows catching all the flying insects before sunset.

So myself and a friend set out on a road cruise to some new spots where we heard there has been some bullfrogs spotted in the last year. We cruised the quite back roads where we heard there were sightings but besides some interesting calls of frogs I never thought even lived in the area we found nothing.

Upon cruising down a busy main road we see the noticeable back legs of a large Bullfrog lying on the road like a filleted chicken. This really upset me because not even 5 minutes earlier we were saying we haven't seen a HUGE bullfrog in almost 10 years and now we see one dead in the road!!!!

We pull off onto the side of the road with the hazard lights on as cars are screaming past us. I ask my buddy to use his grab stick to just pull it off the road, as he grabs its leg it starts squirming, so we put it in the bucket and head back home. Straight away we put it in a luke warm bath and reacted to treat it with shock (like a human). It honestly looked dead and after some time in the warm water he started moving around. We could see straight away that his left forearm was broken and on further inspection the jaw was split in half. We suspect that it was trying to cross the road and jumped head first into a car, it was clearly shocked and slightly concussed. We treated the wounds with Baytil and then set up a large tub with a moist towel and some heating cable under the tub. I set it up inside the tub then left it over night with a towel over it and hoped for the best. I spoke to John via email to see if there was anything else that I could do for it, but he assured me that is all I can do and the rest is up to nature now.

It was the worst nights sleep I ever had, not knowing what will happen in the night - will it over heat, will it be too cold, has the shock set in too much, are their internal injuries that are too severe?? All this running through my mind.

When I woke up this morning I was too scared to go down and look at it, I feared the worst. To my astonishment it was alive and alert!!!! I must have done something right!!! I honestly thought it would just die and I was just giving it a nice safe place to die over night, but it didn't!!!!

Now that I got through the night the real challenge starts, I will take it off to a vet today and see what can be done. The leg is not troubling me too much, because I have kept tripod frogs in the past that do really well. But the jaw is my big concern, I know with snakes you just have to eave the jaw to heal, but with a frog I have no idea what to do

I'm ganna be phoning around today and speaking to the vet and all, but is there any advice you guys can suggest?

Darryn

[Kevin1]

any chance you could get this frog to a vet? I think that'd be the best thing for it. Other than putting it down. Sorry to hear that. That's horrible news.

[Buck Rogers]

Other than putting it down.

This is not an option, I am too stubborn to lose it!

Trying to get hold of vets, but we had a public holiday yesterday and can't get hold of the only reliable reptile vet in the area. We ganna keep trying throughout the day!

[John]

I actually think the frog's chances are good to survive. The main issue will be if the jaw problem prevents it eating. Can you better describe how the jaw is "split"? Anyhow, do take it to the vet and let us know how it gets on.

[Buck Rogers]

The jaw is split completely down the middle, so if you can imagine on yourself if your lower jaw is cracked and separated in two halves. One half is sitting normally and the other half is bent in slightly but not hanging lose. I hope that makes sense...

I have seen worse injuries on monitor lizards and I don't think this is something that will kill the animal. I think with time it will fuse back but be skew, in the meantime it can be tube fed with a mixture of Hills AD, pro biotic yogurt and a glucose mixture - is this a bad idea. How would a vet treat something like this? The jaw can't be wired shut surely and a brace wouldn't be able to be mounted.

I know in the wild these guys get pretty raucous when fighting in pans and also when defending their tadpoles, they pretty hardy.

[Buck Rogers]

I just wanted to thank John again for his speedy response, it was 10:35pm when we treated this Bullfrog and there was nobody I could think of here in South Africa on a public holiday and straight away John was there replying to my emails.

THANK YOU SO MUCH JOHN!!!!

[Buck Rogers]

Just some quick feedback. Went to a local Wildlife Rehab centre close to my work, that we often work alongside with reptile catch and releases, they also have a large Bullfrog with a squashed leg that is going to the same vet I use. So the one I have is going to either go today or tomorrow morning to the vet to be treated. They say that they really tough frogs and pull through some of the most horrific injuries, and they said that if mine made it through the night its a good chance it has made it.

From here it will have a pin in the forearm and they use a specific plastic mould and super glue it to the Bullfrogs jaw on the outside. I am really skeptical of this, because I don't think superglue is the best thing to be using on an amphibian... But apparently they have had good results from this.

[onedge30]

Best of luck with the bullfrog.

[Buck Rogers]

Hi all

Unfortunatly the Bullfrog never made it. I took it in to a local vet and a week later it passed away under anesthetic. The Bullfrog's left front arm was completely shattered, jaw bone cracked at the back and multiple fractures to the spine. If a Bullfrogs jaw is split in the front they can work on it and it can easily survive, but they put it under to amputate the leg and it never came out from the anesthetic after that.

[willtilian]

well that is a horrible story but atleast you tried to help instead of leaving it on the side of the road.

[onedge30]

Sorry to hear that. You did what you could.

I had just looked at this thread last night. I was going to pm you today and ask for an update.

Did you see any other frogs or breeding activity during this period? pics?

[Kevin1]

Sorry to hear the frog did not make it.

[Jace]

Sorry to hear about the frog. Your dedication and committment never ceases to amaze and inspire me. Though not every adventure can have a positive ending, I wish you and everyone that you work with all the best in your efforts.

[Buck Rogers]

Sorry to hear that. You did what you could.

I had just looked at this thread last night. I was going to pm you today and ask for an update.

Did you see any other frogs or breeding activity during this period? pics?

None whats so ever, the same day I took the one in that I found there was another one in the same area that had its front legged squashed as well that was brought in, but nothing else.

We have had a week of rains now and I think if I go out tonight or tomorrow night I might find something. But to get to the breeding ponds is a little bit risky because they tend to fall in areas with high crime rates so walking around there can be hazardous to your health

But a friend of mine was up in an area near the Kruger Park where there are high volumes of African Bullfrog and various other species, and he said there was no activity there either... very odd.

[Beardo]

You did all you could, which is very noble. unfortunately you can't save them all.