dinner time

[GrifTheGreat]

So Grif just ate two wax worms and a pinkie! We had to force his mouth open with a card but as soon as they were in mouth he gobbled them down. It's the first pinkie he's ever eaten. We tried to feed him one before, but he bit it in half and spit it out. He seemed much more excited about this one. I would still feel better if he ate on his own, but I think the fact that he's showing more interest in his food is a sign that he is recovering. Unfortunately, right after he ate he urinated. Most of the time looks like he is gaining weight back, but then he pees and its like watching a balloon deflate. His skin hangs loose and you can see just how skinny he is. It makes me want to cry. He has definitely gained some weight back since being sick, but is still very emaciated. I hope he will put weight on more quickly now if we can get him to eat more pinkies and wax worms. I am optimistic thoguh. He has much more energy and he is showing more interest in his food. Hopefully he will start eating on his own again soon, or at least get back to a healthy body weight.

[BG]

You are definitely on the right path . As he gets stronger like mine is doing he should eat a variety of foods . But for now we have to bring them back to 100%! My little guy is still not his usual self but he's getting there. He's not responding to food quick enough like use to. But he is on the road to recovery.

[Sprout]

That's great that he had some food My frog decides to pee if I stress him out at all, especially when I had to force feed him laxatives.. makes me feel pretty guilty! Hope he continues to improve

[bruster]

I cant get mine to eat anything but crickets, Ive tried mealworms and worms but only had a few get eaten so i end up giving the rest to my fish. I was thinking of trying a pinky today. I have also thought of gettin dubia roaches but not sure if they will get eaten either

[GrifTheGreat]

Thanks everyone! Yeah, Grif has always been a picky eater even before he got sick. Previously, the only other thing he would eat was crickets. From what I hear, pacmans can be particular about their food. They each have their favorites foods and ones they refuse to eat.

[GrifTheGreat]

I just fed Grif another pinky mouse. I had to force feed it to him, but he gobbled it right up and then looked at me like (You got anymore?) Lol! He pooped about 2 minutes after he got it down. He is getting more regular on his pooping too. Every 4 to 5 days he goes. He was snapping at crickets tonight also which is a very good sign everytime he does. He is still skinny. I hope he starts putting on more weight faster. It breaks my heart to see him all skinny. Edpecially when he pees and loses his water weight. As long as he has energy and eats the food I force feed him without spitting it out and continues to try and eat on his own ill have high hopes and feel more at ease. Everyone on this forum is so supportive and cares about not just their own frogs but everyone elses too. These are the kind of places and people we need more of in the world.

[DVirginiana]

Try not to freak out too much over the way he looks when he pees. Mine looks morbidly obese, but when he pees you can see the little individual lumps of where his poo and what he's recently eaten are . Glad to hear he's eating; the high fat content in the pinkies should get his weight up really quickly!

[GrifTheGreat]

Its hard not to freak out his skin is all baggy after he pees and poops. I don't remember him ever looking like that before he got sick and stopped eating on his own. Like you said though DVirginiana since he's eating a diet with high fat hopefully hell start to regain his weight again. Thank you for your support.

[tikonides]

Just out of curiosity, how often do you guys feed your pinkies to your pacmans?

[demeteraurion]

I wouldn't feed a pinkie more than once a month, but in Grif's case he is pretty thin. Although I would be careful because too much fat can cause blindness.

I just force fed Rupert a dubia. He can barely eat, I don't know if he's weak or just "slow". We put the dubia's bottom in there and he'd go to take a chomp and it would crawl out of his mouth. He finally ate it and I'm about to try a small dubia this time. At least they are high in nutrition. Grif, are you feeding your pac every single day? I don't force feed Rupert a lot, I'm hoping he will eat a cricket on his own but its not happening.

[GrifTheGreat]

This is Grif's second one he's ever had his entire life. I was goin to feed him one or two a week to try and bulk him back up. I also feed him one or two wax worms everyday to every other day. Wax worms are high in fat too but are tiny and its hard to force feed them to him. He hates my forcepts so I use my fingers. He never bites me or my fiance. Doesn't even hiss or act threatened by us. If he gets grumpy hell puff uup with air and that's it.I know you're supposed to feed them rodents sparingly be cause of making them obese and causeing them health problems with it, but ifigure it won't hurt as long as I don't let him get that fat. He seems to like them.

[GrifTheGreat]

I wouldn't feed a pinkie more than once a month, but in Grif's case he is pretty thin. Although I would be careful because too much fat can cause blindness.

I just force fed Rupert a dubia. He can barely eat, I don't know if he's weak or just "slow". We put the dubia's bottom in there and he'd go to take a chomp and it would crawl out of his mouth. He finally ate it and I'm about to try a small dubia this time. At least they are high in nutrition. Grif, are you feeding your pac every single day? I don't force feed Rupert a lot, I'm hoping he will eat a cricket on his own but its not happening.

You may have to force feed Rupert everyday for alil while to buld his strength up. He could be weak from not eating. I would buy some high calorie cat or dog food in a can that can be sucked up in a seringe and force feed it to him. It will help out a lot. Its much easier to use a seringe and the soft past like dog or cat food. I used it on Grif for a while before he started getting more active. He is getting better it is just taking time. I ll force feed him for the rest of his life if it means hell stay alive. You can liquify the calcium dust with water mixed with Herptivite and inject it in his mouth too. It will help him get nutrients and vitamins that he needs to help restrengthen him. I'm not a vet or even close to an expert, but its been helping Grif and I think that Rupert may benifit from this treatment. I really hope that Rupert recovers. Feeding him earthworms and wax worms by means of force feeding may help too because they are soft and easy to digest like the soft cat/dog food.

[tikonides]

oh ok because a lot of people feed mice...especially on youtube I was just curious

[GrifTheGreat]

Grif had gotten sick and stopped eating about a month and a half ago. He lost a lot of weight in the first 10 days. I took him to the vet and received worm medicine and antibiotics incase he had an infection or parasites. Also a whole food vitamin supplement. When he still wouldn't eat I was given a high calorie cat/dog food in a can that is soft enough to be sucked up in a seringe and force fed to him. Its kept his strength up and now I'm trying to get him fully recovered. So I'm trying to bulk him back up. When he reaches a good weight and is back to eating regularly ill slowly cut back on the rodents so no damage is done. He's skinny. Hopefully hell start to bulk back up in a couple weeks.

[demeteraurion]

Hmm, I will try to get some canned food. I know Petco sells stuff for this purpose but its all so expensive. It's also hard to get the syringe in Rupert's mouth, its an eye dropper really but its not even bigger than a dime around. I guess I'll give it a try tomorrow.

[GrifTheGreat]

I don't know if you can buy empty tiny seringes. I got mine from my vet. I do know that there is one that comes in the reptile first aid supplement that you can buy. Maybe your pet store sells it. Its made by Flukers and its called Repta-Aid critical care formula. Insectavore/carnivore emergency aid. This supplement comes with a mixing/measuring cup small seinge and a spoon. It will also help Rupert since its made for sick and malnurished reptiles and frogs. It is like $10.00 for the little kit but its worth it to save your little guy. Plus you can use the seringe to administer his vitamins and canned food. I know the stuff isn't cheap, but you may only have to buy it once. Rupert won't go through the whole can of that food. If it brings him back I think its worth it. I hope everything works out. I wish it was easier.

[demeteraurion]

Yeah I think that is what I saw. I don't have the money for it now but I should within a week or two and I'll get it. Until then I will try using the eye dropper or dubias. Also, Ruperts throat seems very saggy/puffy. I've seen it not like that too but lately it's always swelled up.

[GrifTheGreat]

Do you mean he has lost weight around his throat and he puffs it up or does it look irritated? They can puff up their throat andthey can put on weight there too. Grifs changes. If he gets grumpy hell puff up his belly and neck. I hope he doesn't have an infection. Did you say the vet you were going to take him to doesn't treat frogs? I remember you were going to try and find out.

[demeteraurion]

Well I looked at some pictures of pacman frogs and it looks normal, It seems most of the albinos have a fuller throat or something. Here is the product you were talking about: Repta-Aid Critical Care Formula from Fluker's&reg - Supplements & Medications - Reptile - PetSmart This is what I saw also, I hope it will work

[GrifTheGreat]

Yes that's it. It couldn't hurt. If anything else you can also use the seringe it comes with to administer his calcium and vitamins. Plus the cat/dog food. He will need the cat/dog food to help put some weight on him and to allow the supplements to distribute into his body. Hell probably like the cat/dog food too.