Tree Frog Toxins = Painful Eyes

[LilyPad]

This morning, I noticed Leggy, my male gray tree frog, was way down in the substrate (normally they are at the tops of the branches). I was worried about him, and wanted to check him out and make sure that all was well. So I washed my hands, and pulled him out, and looked him over, and then fed him in the critter keeper where he ate 2 small crickets. I figured he's fine and I'll keep an eye on him.

I put him back and then had an urgent errand to run, so I forgot to wash my hands AFTER handling him. At one point, my eye was bothering me and I rubbed it. OUCH He had peed on me, and clearly left some kind of toxins on my hands, which I then rubbed into my eyes. The stinging only lasted about 10-15 minutes, but it was not pleasant.

So note to self, do NOT forget to wash your hands after handling the frogs!

[Katieasaur]

you should still rinse out ur eye just to be safe

[DonLisk]

Ouch! Glad I haven't the opportunity to know that feeling yet

[John]

You should be fine. If you swallowed a whole gray tree frog it would make you violently ill, but it's unlikely to kill you. So getting a little irritant in the eyes is pretty insignificant. Feel better though!

[LilyPad]

It was just really strange at first because I had no idea what was going on. I knew I touched my eye and it hurt...then it occurred to me that I never washed them after that. I wiped them on a towel and ran out the door. The stinging is long gone, but the lesson is learned!

[JeffX]

Just don't eat your frog. I'd definitely wash out your eyes and remember to always wash your hands after handling them. That's good advice for everyone.