Thin frog?

[emandkel]

Red Wigglers release a noxious secretion when they feel threatened or are cut and this secretion smells bad. I can assume that it probably tastes bad too. This probably deters predators from eating them. Get some earthworms or night crawlers and just cut off appropriately sized pieces and offer them to your frogs.

I was somehow thinking red wrigglers were the same as earthworms. I will get some earthworms and/or night crawlers.

The fantasy frog ate a total of 2 small, 1/4" crickets and about an inch piece of a red wriggler. The brown cranwelli ate similarly but I put a few small crickets in it's container yesterday evening and I think it ate more crickets. Neither would touch a waxworm nor a phoenix worm. I'm really worried about the little fantasy frog. Should I try to force feed it if it doesn't eat much this evening?

A few more pictures -- the bowl is 3" outside diameter. 1st two are of the brown cranwelli; the other is the fantasy frog.

[GrifTheGreat]

I was somehow thinking red wrigglers were the same as earthworms. I will get some earthworms and/or night crawlers.

The fantasy frog ate a total of 2 small, 1/4" crickets and about an inch piece of a red wriggler. The brown cranwelli ate similarly but I put a few small crickets in it's container yesterday evening and I think it ate more crickets. Neither would touch a waxworm nor a phoenix worm. I'm really worried about the little fantasy frog. Should I try to force feed it if it doesn't eat much this evening?

A few more pictures -- the bowl is 3" outside diameter. 1st two are of the brown cranwelli; the other is the fantasy frog.

No. If the frog is attempting to eat on its own then force feeding may make it stop eating due to how stressful force feeding can be. Just keep offering food and he will be fine.

[Arie]

Although he does look thin, he should pull through. I agree with Grif. Don't force feed unless absolutely necessary. If he is eating, he should put on weight soon. It won't happen overnight, but keep at it! I'm sure he will thrive with such a caring owner

You mentioned butterworms and that you haven't fed them yet. They are a treat food for sure. My pacman frogs adore butterworms! One of my frogs went through a phase where he wasn't eating for a while and I offered a butterworm - it seemed to have awoken his feeding response again (horned worms seem to evoke the same response). He got really excited and actually chased it down (not much of a chase, they're pretty slow!!). He readily started eating again after that. He is fed a staple diet of earthworms and crickets, with the occasional treat. Good luck with your frogs and I hope your fantasy starts putting on some weight soon!

[emandkel]

Updates: the fantasy frog ate well for about 2 days, then maybe has eaten 3 to 4 small crickets in the past 3 days. I have it in a small Kritter Keeper as I thought the size would be better as it was thin.

My newest cranwelli has maybe eaten maybe 3 to 4 crickets since I got it. It was nice and chubby when I got it but now is getting thin <sigh> -- think it's time to try to force feed it. Humidity is at 80%, temperature near 80 in the day and gets down to 75 at night. It is in a medium Kritter Keeper with coco-fiber bedding-- would it be best at this point to move it to small Kritter Keeper and put it on wet paper towels?

My little green cranwelli is next to the fantasy frog container, and there is nothing in between them. My green cranwelli tries to go after the fantasy frog's crickets -- it's kind of funny to see it do that.

I ordered some night crawlers and they should be here tomorrow. The only earthworms I've been able to find end up to be red wrigglers.

[GrifTheGreat]

Updates: the fantasy frog ate well for about 2 days, then maybe has eaten 3 to 4 small crickets in the past 3 days. I have it in a small Kritter Keeper as I thought the size would be better as it was thin.

My newest cranwelli has maybe eaten maybe 3 to 4 crickets since I got it. It was nice and chubby when I got it but now is getting thin <sigh> -- think it's time to try to force feed it. Humidity is at 80%, temperature near 80 in the day and gets down to 75 at night. It is in a medium Kritter Keeper with coco-fiber bedding-- would it be best at this point to move it to small Kritter Keeper and put it on wet paper towels?

My little green cranwelli is next to the fantasy frog container, and there is nothing in between them. My green cranwelli tries to go after the fantasy frog's crickets -- it's kind of funny to see it do that.

I ordered some night crawlers and they should be here tomorrow. The only earthworms I've been able to find end up to be red wrigglers.

As cute as that may seem for your Cranwelli to go after the Fantasy's crickets that is part of your problem. Its wasting energy and becoming stressed by chasing ghosts. They should NOT be able to see in each other's home or see one another at all.

Do you have 3 sides of each enclosure covered with some sort of background?

They should be left on Coco fiber. Force feeding is only when you've done everything you can and have no other options so don't attempt to force feed at this Time. moving will cause more stress. You need a more consistant climate. Try and keep them around 82° during the day and no lower than 78° at night. Keep offering food.

Have you tried tong feeding yet? If not give that a go and if they won't take from the tongs just remove the hind legs from the crickets so they can't jump. This makes them much easier to catch.

Keep us posted.

[emandkel]

I've tried tong feeding and there is no interest shown in the crickets, or other food, offered to the two "problem" frogs. A cricket can walk right in view of the frog and the frog shows no interest.

The containers are beside each other lengthwise (the longer sides) and the heating pads are on one side of the long side as they won't fit on the back. So due to the heat concerns there is no background on each long "side". The containers back up to a mostly solid surface but it wouldn't hurt to put a darker background on the back. The bottom half of the front is covered. I hate to move any of them but will move one or both of the ones I've had the longest so I can put a dark background on the opposite side of the heat pad.

My green cranwelli eats fine (I now have 3 Cranwellis, the "oldest" being the green one), but I didn't realize it could cause stress. I will make sure that they can't see each other. Plus I will work on a more consistant climate as well.

Thank you for all the advice I've been given.

[GrifTheGreat]

I've tried tong feeding and there is no interest shown in the crickets, or other food, offered to the two "problem" frogs. A cricket can walk right in view of the frog and the frog shows no interest.

The containers are beside each other lengthwise (the longer sides) and the heating pads are on one side of the long side as they won't fit on the back. So due to the heat concerns there is no background on each long "side". The containers back up to a mostly solid surface but it wouldn't hurt to put a darker background on the back. The bottom half of the front is covered. I hate to move any of them but will move one or both of the ones I've had the longest so I can put a dark background on the opposite side of the heat pad.

My green cranwelli eats fine (I now have 3 Cranwellis, the "oldest" being the green one), but I didn't realize it could cause stress. I will make sure that they can't see each other. Plus I will work on a more consistant climate as well.

Thank you for all the advice I've been given.

You're welcome.