Are there any Herpetologists on here that are experts on horned frogs?

[GrifTheGreat]

I was wondering if there are any Herpetologists on this forum who are experts on the Horned frogs? Specifically Pacmans Ceratophrys cranwelli. I'm looking for some reasons why my pacman Grif would just stop eating. I've been to the vet twice and he won't eat. He isn't impacted because he has pooped and I had the vet test the sample and its all normal. His humidity is kept at 70 to 85% his temp during the day is from 80 to 83.5. Since I got him 6 months ago he has only ate crickets. He wouldn't touch nightcrawlers or red worms or even meal worms. Now he won't eat at all. I give him a vitamin booster force fed by seringe along with a soft food I force feed by seringe. He has lost weight and I'm hoping he will start gaining again. He hasn't eaten on his own for 3 and a half weeks. He also is being wormed an given antibiotics. He has been given a baytril shot to boost his appetite twice but he still hasn't eaten. He snapped at a cricket once 2 days ago but didn't try again. He has no signs of chytrid or fungus. Also the night time temps are 72 to 75. I'm stumped as to why he stopped eating. He has been such a good eater til 3 weeks ago. Is there some kind of change they go through? Any help will be greatly appreciated.

[John]

72 is a little on the cool side, but I doubt that was the cause of your current problems. Generally when a frog goes off it's food for a long period of time it is in response to a septicemic infection (usually bacterial). It sounds like your vet doesn't have much amphibian experience or they would have picked up on a problem like this. The treatment is usually a course of antibiotics by injection. Now I must add that I am not a vet, nor can I give you an absolute diagnosis over the Internet, but what you're describing is a familiar scenario. Treating the disease is often not enough - the frog probably got sick because of some stress it suffers on an on-going basis. This could be almost anything, but a 15 degree temperature drop every day might be it (just guessing).

[demeteraurion]

A heat mat on the side during the night could raise the temp just a bit for him.

[GrifTheGreat]

See this is what annoys me. Any information I try to find about them is different. There are simularities, but for the temp for them I've read 68 to75 at night and 80 to 85 during the day. I am able to maintain 80 to 84 because I have a UTH and I use a 50 watt daylight blue full spectrum bulb. He was in a 10 gallon long tank when he stopped eating and the temp fluxuations weren't that far according to the analog gauges I had in there, but I believe they were junk and I baught a Flukers digital temp/hygrometer and it reads that the humidity is always at or higher than 70 and the temp seems more accurate since it doesn't drop all the way to 70 at night even with the UTH unplugged and it reads higher than just 80 during the day with the UTH and daylight bulb on. I don't know why he stopped. The temps weren't that much different when he stopped to now. He went from chasing down his crickets to ignoring them completely. I thought he had chytrid because he sheds every 2 to 3 days so I baught a Zoo Med 12x12x18 tank to use as a quarentine tank, but since he doesn't appear to have it I just left him in the Zoo Med and made it his new home. I can always move him back to the 10 gallon long when he's better. So I should not let the temp drop more than 5 degrees at night then? I can do that easily. I just don't know how to actually help him get better. The vet I take him to doesn't treat manny frogs he mostly does reptiles so he's I guess learning as I am. If no infection was found in the fecies does that mean he doesn't have one anymore and he just needs to recover?

[Lacibeth]

Wouldn't it be so much easier if they could just talk to you?

[GrifTheGreat]

Grif talks to me. I just can't understand him Lol! He makes little popping noises with his throat when I talk to him. He also likes to sit in my hands with one over him like a cave. I guess he likes the warmth or mabye he feels safe. I do wish there was a way he could tell me how he is feeling. I just feel like I can't do anything.

[demeteraurion]

A UVB bulb might help stimulate his appetite. Here's one: Zilla Tropical 25 UVB Fluorescent 13 Watt Coil Bulb at PETCO
Though the ones I usually see are 5 or 10 UVB. I've heard about frogs starting to eat after getting a UVB light, though everyone doesn't think they NEED one. I don't use one because my frog is albino but I may get one if I get another frog.

[GrifTheGreat]

I will probably buy it and replace the full spectrum light I have for him now. Florescent is probably better anyway.

[GrifTheGreat]

72 is a little on the cool side, but I doubt that was the cause of your current problems. Generally when a frog goes off it's food for a long period of time it is in response to a septicemic infection (usually bacterial). It sounds like your vet doesn't have much amphibian experience or they would have picked up on a problem like this. The treatment is usually a course of antibiotics by injection. Now I must add that I am not a vet, nor can I give you an absolute diagnosis over the Internet, but what you're describing is a familiar scenario. Treating the disease is often not enough - the frog probably got sick because of some stress it suffers on an on-going basis. This could be almost anything, but a 15 degree temperature drop every day might be it (just guessing).

I was just wondering. I've heard a lot of different things about lights and pacman frogs. Now a lot of people say not to use UVA and UVB lights because supposedly pacmans don't needc them but I've also read that they can benefit from them. I get so frustrated when trying to find any concrete info on the Horned Frogs. Peoples opinions an what ever. I have become more frustrated now that Grif doesn't eat on his own. I've heard from other members that the lights can damage their eye sight but if they feel they're being harmed by the light won't they bury themselves to escape harm? I'm currently using a repti glo 5.0 jungle fluorescent light and repti glo 2.0 full spectrum. Fluorescent hoping that the UVB and UVA rays will stimulate his appetite. I moved the UTH to the side so the soil doesn't dry fast. I guess what I'm asking is for your Thoughts John?

[demeteraurion]

I was just wondering. I've heard a lot of different things about lights and pacman frogs. Now a lot of people say not to use UVA and UVB lights because supposedly pacmans don't needc them but I've also read that they can benefit from them. I get so frustrated when trying to find any concrete info on the Horned Frogs. Peoples opinions an what ever. I have become more frustrated now that Grif doesn't eat on his own. I've heard from other members that the lights can damage their eye sight but if they feel they're being harmed by the light won't they bury themselves to escape harm? I'm currently using a repti glo 5.0 jungle fluorescent light and repti glo 2.0 full spectrum. Fluorescent hoping that the UVB and UVA rays will stimulate his appetite. I moved the UTH to the side so the soil doesn't dry fast. I guess what I'm asking is for your Thoughts John?

I've heard from one person not use fluorescent, another says no incandescent, and then someone else says UTH are bad for pacmans. It is hard to know what to use, I guess you just have to find what works for you and your frog. I find a low wattage incandescent to provide good heat, I'm using a 25w. I probably wouldn't go above 40w. I don't really like UTH because they are a hassle, can get too hot, and are hard to move around but I think it helps with both heat and humidity. I have mine on the side. I have no opinion on florescent lights as I can't use them for Rupert. Though I was told nocturnal reptiles don't require lights with UVB/UVA. But I think pacman frogs are diurnal, not sure.

[GrifTheGreat]

I've heard from one person not use fluorescent, another says no incandescent, and then someone else says UTH are bad for pacmans. It is hard to know what to use, I guess you just have to find what works for you and your frog. I find a low wattage incandescent to provide good heat, I'm using a 25w. I probably wouldn't go above 40w. I don't really like UTH because they are a hassle, can get too hot, and are hard to move around but I think it helps with both heat and humidity. I have mine on the side. I have no opinion on florescent lights as I can't use them for Rupert. Though I was told nocturnal reptiles don't require lights with UVB/UVA. But I think pacman frogs are diurnal, not sure.

I'm so mad because no one really seems to know I feel like I'm wasting tons of money buying things he doesn't need but I keep trying different things I just don't know what else to do. I placed plastic wrap on Grif's tank lid and with the jungle light on top the temp stays at 82.6 and the humidity has stayed well within the ranges it needs to be. If I did something to make him not eat id like to know what. I'm lost and it does no good to try and find info. Its all opinions and people getting lucky with whatever they're using. Everything was fine until about a month ago then something happened and I just can't figure it out. I don't want to be the reason he is suffering. He doesn't seem like anything is wrong. He just won't eat on his own. I was under a lot of stress at the time he stopped eating maybe he picked up on it and he became stressed as well animals as well as plants can react to emotions. I don't know.