Will hand feeding frogs make them more sociable?

[BlueisallIneed]

David, you can honestly find these at any big pet store in or around the Reptiles & Amphibians section.

Here is a picture from Petco's website.

Zoo Med Super Deluxe Stainless Steel Feeding Tongs at PETCO

I actually bought this exact ones and it scraped my whites snout the two times I tried with her. Not good at all.

[NatureLady]

I don't hand feed mine, I feed from a glass bowl. My little Pimby jumps straight to his bowl and eats his food while my hand is still near. I would not feed with the tongs that look like tweezers either. Like Blue said, to each their own. Just my thoughts

[arielgasca420]

I started using plastic tongs because my pacman is way too aggressive for hand feeding (even with gloves). I used the tongs to feed him superworms but he gets intimidated by the tongs and goes straight for my knuckles. Plus, the tongs got stuck in his mouth one time and it took 5 minutes for him to finally let go. I took a video of it too and he had such a strong hold on them. after that I just started throwing crickets in there and let him gobble them up.
tree frogs are different and gloves would work because their mouth is not as powerful as my pacmans. now, would it make them more sociable? I dont know, they seem to have a balanced temperament once they are in your hands. wear gloves though because if you dont than every time you stick your fingers in there he may think it is feeding time.
I still use plastic tongs to toss the superworms in the cage for my pixie frog. every time my pixie sees them he gets very excited because he knows its time to eat

[DC101]

Stainless steel tongs are the worst for a Whites. They lung when they eat. Your bound to hurt the snont. Just my experience with them and other friends of mine. To each there own I guess.

I have to agree with blue on this one, those do look nasty and I've seen plenty of videos of whites eating and when you say lunge, they lunge!

Amanda, i would love to use a glass bowl but i am getting 3 so it may not work for them

arielgasca420, i can just imagine your pixie getting excited! It would be so cute!!! Thanks for the advice!

Ill do some more research and check out some more pet stores and see what they got.
Just one question, would these tweezers be ok?:

http://www.exo-terra.com/en/products/tongs.php

Thanks!!!

[B1GFROG]

I actually bought this exact ones and it scraped my whites snout the two times I tried with her. Not good at all.

The tong ends shouldn't be anywhere near the frog's mouth/snout. You should grab the food in a way that if the frog does indeed lung, it would grab more insect than tong. That's what I do, and it's what I've always done.

Could you explain how this exactly happened? In all of my years of frogkeeping, I've never seen this. The whole concept of hand feeding is basically to get close to the frog and feed it, why would you keep it far away enough for her to lung at it? You should simply put the food right by the frog's mouth.


Again, the obvious answer is to never hand feed. I agree with that, but for someone who wants too, tongs are the best choice compared to anything else. IMO that is. I've never had any problems, ever. It doesn't have to be the tongs I posted, David's link looks pretty good as well. Just keep anything involving a needle out of this!!! lolol

[DC101]

I forgot to thank you Bigfrog for your post before. So...Thanks!

I do understand your point about the tweezers and i may mod them by putting something soft on the ends
When i said pine needle, it isn't actually a needle, its part of a plant Although, thanks for looking out for me.

Anyway, any others that use different methods?

[arielgasca420]

I wouldnt put anything at the end just use plastic tongs. They are rounded on the tips and make sure the food is not above the frogs head. Make sure it is at mouth level and hold the tongs perpendicular to his head. This may help with the lunge response. On the other hand all frogs are different and it takes some time to figure out what thy like. My pacman lunges no matter what and sometimes the tongs will get a little stuck because of his teeth (i dont know the correct term) i just gently wiggle them out when that happens. Tongs have never damaged him but it is easier for the both of us to throw crickets in there. No matter if you feed your frog from tongs from a baby he will still think your finger are food. While approaching him to pick up always come from behind and pick him up from the sides

[BlueisallIneed]

The tong ends shouldn't be anywhere near the frog's mouth/snout. You should grab the food in a way that if the frog does indeed lung, it would grab more insect than tong. That's what I do, and it's what I've always done.

Could you explain how this exactly happened? In all of my years of frogkeeping, I've never seen this. The whole concept of hand feeding is basically to get close to the frog and feed it, why would you keep it far away enough for her to lung at it? You should simply put the food right by the frog's mouth.


Again, the obvious answer is to never hand feed. I agree with that, but for someone who wants too, tongs are the best choice compared to anything else. IMO that is. I've never had any problems, ever. It doesn't have to be the tongs I posted, David's link looks pretty good as well. Just keep anything involving a needle out of this!!! lolol

Well in my 15+ years of feeding my frogs, one I can just put them in a little 10 gal tank and put in a few crickets and she ate on her own. When she was sick with an ear infection she would just lunge and miss, I would have to feed her myself. The tongs would be above, below where ever she lunges with her mouth wide open each time wanting the whole thing in her mouth (wherever the cricket is placed) . My other frog I didn't have this problem. As I stated before. To each there own. Some tongs are fine and some are not. My Vet even said skip the tongs on my frog Lucy because of what a nut case eater she is. If you can use them with no issues, wonderful. If you can't then don’t. SIMPLE personally tongs are not good for my frog Lucy. With Hetfield I didn’t chance it. I could hand feed him no problems without tongs and did so for 15 + years. And by hand feed means gloved not bare hands. Good luck I am done talking about this LOL

[B1GFROG]

No, I do not want to start a fight with you, Blue. I truly did not understand what you meant.

I'm with you on this. Hand feeding (as in you personally putting the food in it's mouth) should only be done if it needs to be done. Otherwise, do not do it and just put the food in the tank. I totally agree. Like you said it had an ear infection so surely it would need some help.

David, you should just mess around with a few things and see what works best for you. It really does depend on the frog.

[Frog writer]

** I hand feed my treefrog and he is very used to me and so cute. *I use a small chopstick. One only. I put the small or medium sized crickets in his terrarium and then put in the chopstick so the cricket crawls up on it. *Then I place the cricket on his rock and the cricket goes on the rock. I tap the cricket over toward my frog's face. He likes the cricket to run right at him or on the rock past his eyes. He pushes forward and the cricket goes in his mouth. Sometimes I have to tap it over to him several times if it gets away. *I keep tapping the cricket over and he eats it. He is very cute and developed a birth defect over time. I raised him with other cute frogs as polywogs and they were all fine with no issues and he needed extra help. I fed him then to rescue him and make him strong and now 2 years later he is looking so great and his coloring is vibrant. He is adorable.

[DC101]

Thanks so much everyone for your help. Its been a while since ive been on frog forum so a lot has changed. I took the glass bowl idea into action and since then, most of them know how to use it. I sometimes find them waiting on the rim for their food.
Anyway, thanks again for all your ideas, i will take them into account too.