White's Tree Frog Won't Eat =/

[Hippie17]

Hello,
I'm having trouble getting my White's Tree Frog to eat. His name is Olive and I've had him for about 4 months. He normally eats mealworms, but since I got a new White's (Earnest) 2 months ago, Olive has gradually lost interest in any kind of food. I've even tried putting him in the box where I keep the crickets and he still won't eat. He's also become very reclusive. He stays in one corner of his tank for days without coming out. Which he didn't start doing until I got Earnest. Before Earnest, Olive would come out as soon as I switched off his daylight bulb. He doesn't seem lethargic, though, because when I put him back in his tank after trying to get him to eat, he'll stay up the rest of the night and is plenty active. He does seem to have lost a little weight, though, but it's hard to tell since he's always been very tiny. He's 10 months old and only 2 1/2 inches long. Also, he used to croak before I got Earnest, and he doesn't croak anymore either. =( I think maybe Earnest was sick with something when I got him and he might have given it to Olive. Could someone please give me some advice on what to do to help Olive? I'm new at this whole amphibian thing, and I'd really appreciate the help!

If it's any help I keep the tank is 80-85 degrees during the day and 70-75 at night. I keep the humidity around 40 - 50% during the day, but it gets up to about 60% (sometimes 70%) at night.

Thanks so much for your time!

[Rocko]

Humidity could definitely use a bump in general. Aside from that yes it's possible the new frog introduced something (typically we advocate a quarantine period before introduction). Do either of them spend most of their time soaking? That could suggest sickness. How big is Earnest? If Earnest is much larger than Olive, Olive could be very intimidated and stressed. This could be a long or short term problem until Olive is used to the new resident. Additionally meal worms aren't a great staple diet for frogs. Too many tends to lead to impaction which would also be a reason for not eating. Does Olive poop? If not that might suggest impaction as well as if Olive begins to swell up. In the future the main food ought to be crickets dusted with supplements to be nutritionally healthy. Finally how long has this been going on, an adjustment to new stressful stimuli might be the answer. Let us know a little bit more about the situation we'll probably be able to better help you.

[Hippie17]

First off, thank you very much for responding to my post! I will bump the humidity and yeah, the lady at the petstore just told me to throw Earnest in with Olive and "they'd be just fine." Obviously, I wasn't too bright in taking her advice. Anyway, Olive doesn't come out much, so no, he doesn't spend a lot of time soaking (when he's healthy he's about half and half) and Earnest spends on average a little less than half his time awake soaking. I don't know what's considered a normal amount of time soaking for White's, though. So a little guiding in that area would be much appreciated! Earnest isn't TOO much bigger than Olive. I think he's probably a rough inch bigger from head to tail, but they seem to get along. They always sleep next to each other or they squish in their water dish together. And good news! Olive does poop ane he's not swollen, so I think he's okay in that aspect of things. I will switch him over to crickets, though (if he'll eat), just to be on the safe side. And this has been going on for about 6 weeks. The first two weeks of having Earnest, Olive was his normal self, and it's graudally gone downhill since then.

Thanks again! I can't tell you how much I appreciate it. =)

[Leefrogs]

I would do a health check, look for red on belly, dry skin, incompete sheds. Just check them over once a week. Are u doing regular cleanings, u said 4 months, have u done your first clean? It could be a build up of toxins. Or could be agressive tank mate. 1 inch is alot to a frog. Mine are 1/2 inch in difference and the little one always gives the other first dibs on the favorite water dish, and of course, it's the small one. I hand feed to make sure lump(smaller1) gets full. I seperate them when I hand feed, kermit always bites lump, in the face!!! So change water, clean favorite resting spots 1x a week, and handfeed when nessisary. As far as deep cleaning, that could be issue, but each viv is different, plants cut down waste, but something to coinsider.

[Hippie17]

Thanks very much for you response! I've checked him over and made sure he's not red or anything. His skin isn't dry and he shed's regularly and completely. Yes, I clean the tank regularly. About once a month (depending on how dirty it is) I clean out everything. I replace the substrate, rinse everything off (real and fake plants included) in hot water (treated so it can't harm the frogs). And once a week I scrub down the their favorite corner with hot water. I'm not sure if it's an aggresion issue, because they seem to get along. Earnest has never bit Olive, that I've ever noticed. They ALWAYS sleep next to each other, so I would assume that's a sign they get along. They also share the only water dish quite well. Earnest moves over when Olive climbs in. I've tried feeding Olive seperately, but even when thrown in with a bunch of crickets, he takes little to no interest in them. They'll hop on his back and he couldn't care less.

Thanks so much for your advice! I'll make sure to keep an eye out for the physical symptoms you mentioned and any aggression between the frogs. =)

[Leefrogs]

hhmmm... Try the glass bowl cricket trick, and see if they both feed. Put a small glass bowl with enough crix for both, make sure no chips on edge and frogs can fit. Or maybe if no feeding, try tweezers and a wax worm, as they swing like crazy when gripped buy the head!!! Very apealing for frogs! And still no feeding, some eclectrolites, clear pedialte and water. Soak frog in warm water (80) and pedialite for 5 min a day.

Mine also sleep next to eachother, on the glass, but awake it's a different story. Lump has to sometimes wait till 4 am to get a soak. Poor guy, 2 bowls didn't resolve issue.

Good luck, keep us posted.

[Hippie17]

I don't know how the glass bowl trick will work since Olive won't eat, but I'll still give it a try. And I'm new at all this, so would you mind explaining what the electrolites and soaking Olive in water and pedialte would do?

And Lump is such a great name for a frog! I love it! Hopefully his tankmate starts being polite sooner or later. =)

Thanks for your help!

[Leefrogs]

well the warmth of water might make her poo if there's an impaction, pedialite mix will give energy, and increase appitite. I think it's 10water to 1. If her hungerstrike goes on real long, you'll need it. Ooohh honey in water de-stresses too. I put one drop per ounce.
Waxworms or anything else u can grab at bait shop, u live in a great place fir bait foods. Whites get board too. Especially with their favorite subject---- food!!!
Oh, and lump thanks u!! There's an American song named lump, and for some reason I always thaught of frogs!!!

[Hippie17]

I will try the warm water and the pedialite tomorrow if I can't get Olive to eat tonight. Tonight I'll try the glass bowl thing you suggested. How warm should the water be (I don't want to scald his skin or anything!) The honey sounds like a good idea, too! Is there a specific kind of honey? Like organic or non-organic? Anything like that? Also, do you know if it's common for White's to go through periods of not wanting to eat and do they get little colds on and off like people do?

Thanks for all your helpful suggestions! I'm feeling much less worried about my little frog knowing there are things I can do to help him feel better. =)

[Leefrogs]

any honey; most animals do not get colds, I know bees don't. That's why peep eat the comb and bee poo(brown parts in comb) when they're sick. Ive heard they have a slow seasin(winter) but i havent noticed a slow down. No, something up with yr frog, might be minor, we just want to cover all bases to make sure it's not going to get worse. Your cleaning us good, wanted to compliment u on that.

Water should be 75 to 80 realitive to your cage temps. I always go for the 80 cuz mine bask in 90 hot corner. Make sure to get them crix, as mine were board, with hand feeding, and relish the hunt, switch foods, do soaks, up hummidity, and maybe make a new hide, see if olive uses it.

I asked bout lighting, make sure they're on 12 hours. Some ones frogs kept dying cuz be had no lighting, and natural lighting was stressing frogs, like cycling for a breeding season.

[Kurt]

Frogs can indeed get respiratory infections, i.e., "colds". Put the frog to your ear in a quiet room and listen. What you don't want to hear is crackling in its breath, that would indicate an RI, which would require treatment from a vet.
Me, personally, I would take them both to the vet to have them checked out. Get fecals done and get them dewormed and medicated. I am not saying they have GI parasites or that would be the cause of the problem, although it could be. It's just part of what I do, especially, on a first visit to the vet for the frog.

[Hippie17]

Okay, so I gave Olive a bath in some warm water and a little bit of honey last night and he seemed to absolutely LOVE it. lol. I also put his crickets in a glass bowl like suggested and took Earnest out of the cage, and Olive ended up eating two of the four crickets in the bowl, which is better than none. He also seems a little greener and more upbeat today. I'm going to continue soaking him in warm water and putting his crickets in a glass bowl and see how he does. After seeing how positively he responded to just that little bit of change, I'm thinking he's probably just stressed.

He doesn't make any crackling noises when he breaths. I was concerned about a Resperatory Infection when he first started acting out of sorts, but both he and Earnest have perfectly clear breathing. Also, how much does it cost to take a frog to the vet and have all of that done?

Thank you for all of your help and guidence. =)

[bshmerlie]

Yeah it can get pretty expensive to take your frogs to the vet and get fecals done. I don't know how scientific you are but there is a wonderful article on the left that shows how to do a fecal exams at home.

[Leefrogs]

Im glad theres improvement. When he said cold I was taking it as to mean something contagous like, well , a cold. Animals get diseases with side effects like crusty eyes and respitory infection like pneumonia, is not with hummidity levels soo low.

[Hippie17]

I just wanted to thank everyone who replied to this thread for all your advice and help! Olive is doing SO much better. He's eating and he's getting up at night as soon as his daylight bulb goes off. He's also greener and croaking up a storm. (Trust me...it was almost hard to sleep with how load he was last night. lol) I'll make sure to take all of your advice into consideration and put your tips for keeping my frogs healthy into practice! You're all the best! Thanks for helping out this new frog owner. =)