Need advice, again.

[Kisa]

Hey guys. This time my problem isn't so serious, just a small concern.

Over the weekend I caught a cold that's been going around in my neck of the woods. I just wanted to ask what the protocol is when handling a frog when you're sick.

Tonight is feeding night for Bruce (WTF) and usually I take him out of his viv and place him into a smaller container for feeding since he seems to have trouble finding crickets if I just throw them into the viv with him. I have latex gloves (non powered) that I used to carry him around when he was sick a few weeks ago after he developed some pesky lesions on his leg (that have since gone away) and was planning to use those to transport him into his feeding box and then back into his viv. I have also thought about covering my mouth and nose with something to prevent my disease-riddled breath from getting onto him (I have terrible sinus congestion and a horrible cough, I feel like a bad of mucus ).

Is this ok to do tonight? If anyone has any better suggestions I would love to know, I wish I could just throw the crickets in his viv and be done with it but he won't eat if I do that.

Note: Also, I don't handle the crickets with my hands, I have a nifty little tool that my friend made me out of a paper towel roll that I can catch the crickets with and then shake them in with Bruce, so there's no chance of sickness spreading there.

Thanks so much for any suggestions you guys might have. If it's not safe to handle him at all I really need to know so I can have someone help me feed him tonight.

Thanks,
Kisa

[bshmerlie]

Sounds like Bruce is a little spoiled and if you want to add to you frog population he's going to have to learn to eat on his own. I don't think your breath is going to hurt him. Just don't kiss him.

[Kisa]

Sounds like Bruce is a little spoiled and if you want to add to you frog population he's going to have to learn to eat on his own. I don't think your breath is going to hurt him. Just don't kiss him.

Haha he is a bit spoiled. >>;

I tried feeding him inside his viv twice because I wanted him to get more exercise (luckily he's started climbing the sides of the cage and exploring on his own with out the incentive of food so I don't have to worry about that so much any more) but the crickets run off into the back of the viv and scurry up the styrofoam backing to into a space between it and the screen top where Bruce can't see them or get to them, even if he tried. I am planning on getting one more WTF, probably by the end of the this week or the beginning of next week (and hopefully a blue phase...>>) and was planning on adding him into Bruce's viv near the end of March, to make sure he's properly quarantined. If I continue to feed Bruce outside of his viv will it effect his ability to hunt? I'm just worried if I continue to put crickets in there I'll have a whole nest in the back behind the background, and THAT would be outrageous. >< And if I add another frog I'm worried about the fact that Bruce may not eat well and the other WTF might grab up all the food. Is this a concern I should keep in mind? D:

Do you have any suggestions for feeding to keep the crickets from escaping Bruce all the time? I tried to fix the background so there's no space between the top of it and the screen top but to no avail, it just kept sliding forward and creating a bigger space. D: I've heard about feeding dishes and such, but won't the crickets just hop out of it and run off...? Feeding became a concern as soon as I got Bruce's new viv, I just don't want him underfed, especially after having to nurse him back to health from the edge, I would die if I had to do that again. ><

And don't worry, no matter how tempting it is I promise I won't kiss him...>> At least until I'm all better...XD;

Thanks for the reply, I was really worried about breathing on him for some reason. I know you can pass sickness like that from human to human, I just wasn't sure if it was the same for frogs.

[clownonfire]

I just had to commend you Kisa for the Metric quote on your signature. Makes me proud to be a Montrealer (and after Arcade Fire yesterday at the Grammys...).

[Dog Shrink]

I really don't think what ever is ailing you will contaminate your frog. There are very few diseases that are zoonotic simply because what can live at our body temperature won't live in a frog's body temperature. I'm pretty sure that the majority of things that can be zoonotic are more like parasites, tapeworms, ringworm, stuff like that. Rhino virus and the like... not so much.

[DonLisk]

Put your crickets in a bowl inside his viv so they have little chance of getting enough traction to climb the sides or jump out of the bowl. The just remove the bowl after Bruce eats.

Its not fool proof and occasionally some escape but at lease he will have a place to go get them when hes ready.

[Kisa]

I really don't think what ever is ailing you will contaminate your frog. There are very few diseases that are zoonotic simply because what can live at our body temperature won't live in a frog's body temperature. I'm pretty sure that the majority of things that can be zoonotic are more like parasites, tapeworms, ringworm, stuff like that. Rhino virus and the like... not so much.

Thanks Kel, this is exactly why I posted this thread. I wasn't positive but I thought somehow that my cold could ail Bruce in someway, your reply has eased my mind on that matter.

Last night my boyfriend picked Bruce up and I lost it on him because he is still getting over the same cold, I told him he should never hold Bruce if he's sick/ Just an over reaction on my part, guess I have to go apologize now. >>

Quickly, I heard that staph can also transmit to frogs, is this true? Just curious.

[Kisa]

I just had to commend you Kisa for the Metric quote on your signature. Makes me proud to be a Montrealer (and after Arcade Fire yesterday at the Grammys...).

Thanks for the nod Eric, we always seem to have too similar a taste in music. XD Metric is wonderful, I have to give props to Emily Haines for having such a beautiful singing voice and deep, yet relatable lyrics. She is truly a goddess.

[Sugar]

I have latex gloves (non powered) that I used to carry him around when he was sick a few weeks ago after he developed some pesky lesions on his leg (that have since gone away)

Apologies if someone has already mentioned this, but handling amphibians with any type of glove is something that should be avoided.

Amphibians can have adverse reactions when exposed, regardless of the material (latex, nitrile, vinyl, etc.), or presence or absence of powder. These types of gloves can retain manufacturing residues and can perpetuate epidermal tears.

I've found that the best route is limited handling with clean hands (completely rinsed), dried, and then moistened.

~Aja

[Kisa]

Apologies if someone has already mentioned this, but handling amphibians with any type of glove is something that should be avoided.

Amphibians can have adverse reactions when exposed, regardless of the material (latex, nitrile, vinyl, etc.), or presence or absence of powder. These types of gloves can retain manufacturing residues and can perpetuate epidermal tears.

I've found that the best route is limited handling with clean hands (completely rinsed), dried, and then moistened.

~Aja

Oh I haven't used the latex gloves since he was sick, but thanks for saying that, I never would have known. My vet used gloves when handling Bruce the first time, but the subsequent times after that she just picked him right up with dry hands to examine him. I trusted her though and she only helped him for a few minutes to examine him before setting him back down again so I didn't pull out my spray bottle. XD

But every time I've handled Bruce since then I've just rinsed my hands thoroughly with soap and water, made sure all the soap was gone and the soap smell had left my hands, dried them to the bone, then moistened them again with frog safe water from his spray bottle. I even spray him down a little so his skin doesn't stick to my hands and pull.

I only take him out if I have too...well no that's a lie, sometimes I just can't help myself. But I don't handle him every day and certainly not for long periods of time. It's usually anywhere between 3-10 minutes of ACTUAL holding, and I limit myself as best I can. He was sick recently and I find taking him out and checking on him every few days eases my mind that he won't get sick again.

[Sugar]

My vet used gloves when handling Bruce the first time, but the subsequent times after that she just picked him right up with dry hands to examine him.

Yeah it seems like the right thing to do! I had the same idea but some others with whom I was doing field work stopped me and told me what the gloves can do to amphibians. So I like to pass on the word.

But every time I've handled Bruce since then I've just rinsed my hands thoroughly with soap and water, made sure all the soap was gone and the soap smell had left my hands, dried them to the bone, then moistened them again with frog safe water from his spray bottle. I even spray him down a little so his skin doesn't stick to my hands and pull.

That's what I do too : ]

[Kisa]

Yeah it seems like the right thing to do! I had the same idea but some others with whom I was doing field work stopped me and told me what the gloves can do to amphibians. So I like to pass on the word.



That's what I do too : ]

Oh alrighty. XD I wasn't planning on using the gloves anyway after I heard that he couldn't be harmed from my cold or any other illnesses I may have, I was just concerned with skin-to-skin contact since frogs use that organ to drink, I didn't want him "drinking in my illness", as it were. But now that I know he can't be harmed from that stuff I definitely won't be using the gloves unless I feel them completely necessary for a short period of time. I was a little worried about touching his open wounds with my bear skin when he had the lesions on this leg so I think if he did get something like that again I wouldn't feel safe unless I used gloves. D:

[Leefrogs]

oh dogshrik, dont take it went! Itsbeen 2 weeks since u joined and u r first post was like what frog to get. So no decision yet? I thaught kisa and had u sold on whites. What r u doing for a tank or whatever, no matter what yr getting, u should be setting up already. Just curious

[Leefrogs]

I must say Bruce is looking quite a normal weight now. Looking good. Dog shrink, have u gotten a frog yet!?!?!

[Kisa]

I must say Bruce is looking quite a normal weight now. Looking good. Dog shrink, have u gotten a frog yet!?!?!

Well thanks Ginger! Looks like my diet is actually working. ^ ^ He still has a little trouble climbing and will slide down the glass when he tries to explore but coming up soon I'm sure he'll be able to climb effortlessly like he's supposed to! I wish I had a little froggy scale like the kind they use at the vet's office. Oh well =shrug=

And that's a good question, DO you have any frogs Kel? O:

[Dog Shrink]

I must say Bruce is looking quite a normal weight now. Looking good. Dog shrink, have u gotten a frog yet!?!?!

Noooo not yet . My son is still debating between a whites and a barred tiger salamander, but that doesn't stop my research and education on them I'm like really OCD about making sure there are NO surprises when investing in a pet and want to know everything first. Even if he decided on the salamander I might still get a Whites for myself I love their chubby little selves.

I miss the fun we use to have with our Bufo Miss.Toad:

Eyeballing that worm

But the salamder is so intriguing... Sooo many choices so few aquariums

I certainly hope that my not having a frog/toad yet gives my responses any less validity tho.

FYI you can pick up a gram scale at wal mart or home depot/lowes for like $7-$12 bucks.

I have found in my line of work it is better to stay away from forums geared towards my expertise as it usually ends in fights, and head butting and chest puffing. I belong to several herp forums tho like this one, caudata.org, geckoforums.net, chameleonforums.com, thetegu.com, and soon bluetonguedskinks.net.

[Kisa]

Noooo not yet . My son is still debating between a whites and a barred tiger salamander, but that doesn't stop my research and education on them I'm like really OCD about making sure there are NO surprises when investing in a pet and want to know everything first. Even if he decided on the salamander I might still get a Whites for myself I love their chubby little selves.

I miss the fun we use to have with our Bufo Miss.Toad:

Eyeballing that worm

But the salamder is so intriguing... Sooo many choices so few aquariums

I certainly hope that my not having a frog/toad yet gives my responses any less validity tho.

FYI you can pick up a gram scale at wal mart or home depot/lowes for like $7-$12 bucks.

I have found in my line of work it is better to stay away from forums geared towards my expertise as it usually ends in fights, and head butting and chest puffing. I belong to several herp forums tho like this one, caudata.org, geckoforums.net, chameleonforums.com, thetegu.com, and soon bluetonguedskinks.net.

Oh thanks for the info I never would have guessed I could pick something up like that at a store. XD But why wouldn't I be able to? DUH.

I'm always an advocate for White's, they're the best tree frogs! Though I have to admit I have 0 experience in caring for other species, white's are the way to go. ^ ^