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kay
Pondweed
2 Posts |
 Posted - 18/08/2009 : 16:28:41
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Hi,
My dad has been keeping Horned Frogs since 1991, and currently has Cranwells, Ornates, Fantasies and Albinos. He recently purchased a CB09 Brown Surinam/Amazonian Horned frog from South Coast Exotics, and after 2 weeks in captivity has died suddenly. He was aware when he bought the frog that they are slightly harder to keep, especially as a baby, than the above frogs, and this was his first Surinam.
He is at a loss as to why this has happened and would like any feedback from anyone who keeps them.
The frog was about the size of a 10 pence piece. Kept in the following conditions -
Exo Terra 30x30x30cm
Heat Mat
Plantation soil and spagnum moss base.
Hides/plants
Water bowl, changed daily.
Environment sprayed twice daily.
Daylight for about 12 hours a day, 15w bulb.
Temps - Thermogradient between 82 - 88F
Humidity - Between 70 - 90%
Feeding routine -
Half a pinkie once a week.
Approx 2 small locusts every other day.
Feeders were gutloaded and dusted.
Dusted with calcium once a week and D3 once every 2 weeks.
Over the years he has always purchased baby horned frogs and this is the first fatality and first not to make it to adulthood and have a long life.
He is looking for answers/opinions of why this could possibly have happened, was it inevitable or is it something that could have been avoided??
Please help!
Many thanks Kay.
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lewy
The Amphibian Administrator
United Kingdom
1356 Posts |
Posted - 18/08/2009 : 16:59:48
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Hi Kay welcome to the forum!
It could have been impaction, caused by the spagnum moss... It's not recommended to keep horned frogs on spagnum moss, because they are agressive feeders they run a risk of ingesting the moss. dried moss like spagnum moss causes the digestive tract to get blocked if ingested making it impossible to pass other food. It may well have eaten the moss before your dad got him.
I'd recommend getting rid of any moss in the other setups and have just ecoearth/plantation soil on it's own, have a few non poisonous plants or dried leaves for the frogs to hide under.
Could also be stress if recently shipped some distance. All amphibians are prone to bacterial infections if stressed their immune system doesn't work as well.
Sorry for the loss! I'm wanting one of these for my own collection, they are gorgeous frogs! I would really be gutted as they are well over £100  |
Lewy
THE AMPHIBIAN.co.uk Team
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Kazerella
The Amphibian Administrator
United Kingdom
969 Posts |
Posted - 19/08/2009 : 13:24:47
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I would say that stress could have done it. Was it a wild caught specimen?
Most wild caught frogs are unhealthy because the stress of being shipped from South America takes a lot out of them. Hardy frogs are usually just weakened, but a sensitive frogs could easily die from the journey. |
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kay
Pondweed
2 Posts |
Posted - 19/08/2009 : 17:03:02
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It was an 09, captive bred. He didnt use dechlorinated water - how does this affect phibs?
Thanks Kay. |
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lewy
The Amphibian Administrator
United Kingdom
1356 Posts |
Posted - 19/08/2009 : 17:16:43
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| While chlorinated water is bad for amphibians on a long term basis (and it will eventually kill them) I'm not sure two weeks worth or chlorinated water would kill a pacman frog. I'm still thinking stress or some other underlying problems with the frog before hand. with a frog that expensive and after such little time, I would have taken it to a vet to find out what the problem was, especially if I had other frogs in the house (just to make sure the other frogs won't get anything) The vet could have done a post-mortem to check for impaction also. |
Lewy
THE AMPHIBIAN.co.uk Team
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StephenLS
Pondweed
United Kingdom
21 Posts |
Posted - 20/08/2009 : 12:17:10
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We sometimes forget that mortality amongst most young animals is really quite high.
Sometimes they can die for the most obscure and random reasons! I've had 5 out of 6 newly bought animals perish for no reason I can discern before!
Is it possible the specimen you refer to was captive farmed rather than captive bred! Captive farmed animals are often reared in outdoor enclosures in their country of origin before exporting and would be succeptible to many of the same issues as wild caught!
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ANSWERS DESPERATELY NEEDED!!
