Need Some Help, possibly sick White's :(

[Kisa]

Yeah, you heard it, ANOTHER one of my White's may be sick. I'm not sure, it could just be adjustment or some other type of behavioral problem, but here goes.

A few days ago I noticed one of my new baby White's, Bruce Willis (Orange with blue eyes) had stopped coming out at night to eat and soak. I made sure s/he was still in the cage by searching around an found him/her buried in the moss in one of the potted plants I have in the tank. I left him/her alone and went back to what I was doing, not wanting to bother him/her and make it worse. A few days later I noticed s/he was out in the day time, awake, and doing a strange kicking motion with her legs, like something was stuck to him/her. I looked all around and didn't see anything stuck to his/her body, moss, skin, etc. so I thought this movement could have been some sort of muscle spasm. S/he was having trouble climbing too because s/he kept kicking while attached to the wall and falling off and landing on the paper towel bottom of the tank.

Last night I reached my breaking point when again s/he didn't come out to eat and put her in a bath of honey water to see if that might perk her up. To my surprise she had a good amount of skin still attached to her body, as if she had had an incomplete shed or two. I realized then that the kicking motion she was doing might have been an attempt to get this skin off, and now that she was in the water it was coming off almost easily. I then decided to up the humidity in the tank and see if that helps him/her shed and maybe act more normal and come out to eat, it is currently at 75% (It was at 65%) but I may raise it to 80% if I see no change. That was last night and this morning I saw no improvement, but it's only been a night so we'll see.

This morning I saw him/her doing the kicking motion again and then lay his/her belly flat on the ground and stick her legs out to try and rub something off her tummy, so I grabbed him/her, flipped him/her over and found a huge piece of skin still attached to his/her belly. I pulled it off and put him/her back, it's been a few minutes and s/he's just sitting next to the water dish, I assume, trying to sleep.

I'm going to keep humidity high in the tank and see if that helps. At least the skin is off, as far as I know.

Any one have any thoughts about this? Maybe more suggestions on what I should do? S/he isn't interested in food and has lost a little weight since I got him/her, s/he is only a baby after all.

Oh, and this frog is in the same tank with a presumably healthy one (Paul Newman) and he has shown no signs of illness or behavioral differences.

Thanks guys, any ideas you have could really help so fire away!

[Leefrogs]

Ummm, you've had these guys 2&1/2 or 3 weeks. I don't think humidity is the problem. But maybe the paper towels. Paper products should be unbleached, as I've heard of fish getting a diease from using cotton in a biologic filter. I think people use the paper to make sure additions are eating(pooping) and to easier gather fecal samples. The dust that comes off white paper towels is much greater than what comes off of brown ones. I've also read red leg looking irritation can come from cardboard or paper towel.

Just my guess.

Try posting a picture of the temporary home

[Kisa]

Thanks for the reply Ginger. I have had all three of my baby White's on the same paper towels since I picked up the new ones and have seen no irritation or signs of illness in the other two. Bruce Wayne has been on white paper towels since I got him in February an hew has had no problems, except for a brief stint where he wouldn't eat, but that was adjustment.

I have had the heightened humidity for a day now and have seen no change, though I know it's early. I saw him/her exhibiting the exact same symptoms, trying to kick off some invisible irritant on his/her belly, and is completely ignoring the crickets I put in with him/her. S/he sat around on the ground for quite a while this afternoon, but s/he is now sleeping on the glass in one corner. I don't want to disturb him/her knowing it could cause more unneeded stress, but I am getting quite worried at this point.

If anyone has experience these same symptoms any information would be greatly appreciated. Or anything anyone thinks I should try...

I don't know if I mentioned, but s/he has lost some weight, though that's not my biggest concern. But it will be if s/he looses any more weight...

Thanks guys.

[clownonfire]

I'm following this thread simply to know how this turns out. I'm sure your White's will be just fine, Kisa. You are a great carer.

Eric

[DonLisk]

Hey Kisa, is he/she still having trouble shedding?

The raised humidity should help and something has to be drying the skin out just enough to not let it peel off. I the frog is spending much time on the paper towels, the paper towels could be pulling mositure away from the frog.

If your paper towels are kept damp, it may help with reducing the chance of the above issue (if thats what happening).

Not sure what else might help you and hopefully the condition corrects itself so Bruce sheds normal again.

[bshmerlie]

Kisa and I have texted about this problem and the fact that she found him buried in the moss tells me the humidity was possibly too low. My suggestion was to induce a rainy season for a few days and see if that perks her up. I fake heavy rains on my tree frogs every so often just to keep them on their toes. When she first got Paul he was sleeping deep at the base of the plant so it may have kept him at a little higher humidity so that maybe why he's acting normal. I agree with Ginger about maybe its time to ditch the paper towels. Soil and more plants would allow them to move from wetter to drier areas in the tank as they see fit.