The Error of my Ways

[Joe9252]

well he seems to be doing much better he just ate 3 night crawlers tonight 1st time hes has eaten to almost 2 weeks so im very happy with that thanks for your help guys idk if im outta the danger zone with him yet but he is clearly doing much better

[Beardo]

Man, I don't know how to say this without sounding like I am insulting your intelligence, but how did you not realize that regular tap water is bad for frogs? lol....I tend to file that one under common sense, especially for someone who keeps animals.

My grandma (71 years old) heard I had frogs again the other day and I was rinsing out their tubs and she yelled at me to make sure I treated their water. And she has never owned a frog or reptile in her life. She thinks they are gross and ugly. Even not being an enthusiast, she recognized that untreated tap water = bad for frogs. Theres no excuse for that kind of negligence in this day & age. There just isn't.

[DVirginiana]

Glad to hear he's eating again. That's the biggest thing; also good you didn't have to force feed. That can stress them out like crazy. Like Grif said, only water labeled spring water is good. Another issue with distilled water is that it has no minerals in it. I've heard that can screw around with the osmotic pressure and cause some serious problems for frogs. I think you mentioned using Poland Springs in an earlier post? That's what I use, and it works fine.

Man, I don't know how to say this without sounding like I am insulting your intelligence, but how did you not realize that regular tap water is bad for frogs? lol....I tend to file that one under common sense, especially for someone who keeps animals.

My grandma (71 years old) heard I had frogs again the other day and I was rinsing out their tubs and she yelled at me to make sure I treated their water. And she has never owned a frog or reptile in her life. She thinks they are gross and ugly. Even not being an enthusiast, she recognized that untreated tap water = bad for frogs. Theres no excuse for that kind of negligence in this day & age. There just isn't.

Try not to listen to this. It was rather rude without being informative at all. What you did is a fairly common mistake; in fact I've encountered quite a few people who have done far worse (I once knew someone who thought it was okay to clean their frog's aquarium with Windex...). I understand the dilemma of running out of spring water and wondering whether it would be worse to use tap water for a bit or allow the frog to become dehydrated. Frogs are some of the most sensitive pets you can own, and something that would be okay in small amounts or for a short period of time for other herps (like snakes) can cause one to crash or die in no time. You made a mistake, but now you know better, and luckily your frog seems to have survived.

[Beardo]

If I were unsure whether untreated tap water was bad, I would still go buy a $3 bottle of dechlorinator just in case. Its available at any and every pet shop. Or I would simply use Google and find out for sure......but thats just me. Like I said earlier, with as many resources are we have out there for information, I find negligence when it comes to keeping animals inexcusable.

[DVirginiana]

If I were unsure whether untreated tap water was bad, I would still go buy a $3 bottle of dechlorinator just in case. Its available at any and every pet shop. Or I would simply use Google and find out for sure......but thats just me. Like I said earlier, with as many resources are we have out there for information, I find negligence when it comes to keeping animals inexcusable.

Understandable, but blasting someone for an honest mistake that they are trying to fix and will not be making again really has no purpose.

Thinking that using tap water once or twice would be okay really isn't a glaring example of negligence in my opinion. With most herps, one day of untreated water usually won't cause any harm. If someone hasn't kept frogs a lot, I can see how that could be a legit mistake. Almost everyone who keeps reptiles/amphibians makes some sort of beginner mistake, whether it's not keeping the correct humidity, trying an incorrect food item, or misting with the wrong type of water. I still cringe when I think about some of the idiotic stuff I did back when I first started keeping snakes.

[GrifTheGreat]

If I were unsure whether untreated tap water was bad, I would still go buy a $3 bottle of dechlorinator just in case. Its available at any and every pet shop. Or I would simply use Google and find out for sure......but thats just me. Like I said earlier, with as many resources are we have out there for information, I find negligence when it comes to keeping animals inexcusable.

David please try not to offend members and people do make mistakes. Everyone does. You recently made one about a post I made. Although not life or death it was still a mistake. Did I insult you? No. I pointed out the mistake as a misunderstanding and didn't bash you for it. People don't take kindly to being scolded repeatedly for a mistake they are trying to fix. Try and be more constructive rather than harsh ok.

It only takes one person to say someone is wrong. An army doesn't have to fallow behind that person and repeat what has already been stated.

[GrifTheGreat]

Joe, looking back through this post, I noticed that your gauges are right above the heating pad. This can throw off your readings. Ideally, they should be on the center of the back wall about 1-2 inches above the substrate. This should give the best readings. Sorry I didn't catch it before.

[Mentat]

well he seems to be doing much better he just ate 3 night crawlers tonight 1st time hes has eaten to almost 2 weeks so im very happy with that thanks for your help guys I dont know if im outta the danger zone with him yet but he is clearly doing much better

I'm glad your frog is better! Just for your info; not all bottled water is safe. Distilled; de-ionized, etc. are not good for your frog and filtered water might still hold chloramines on it and will require a water conditioner. Spring water (if really from spring) is normally safe.