Hello Everyone - I am new to this site today and I thank you ahead of time for any help you might be able to give me...and just so you know after realizing my ADF has dropsy and doing extensive research I found out that most people do not do what I do in regards to the care and keeping of their frogs...I feel bad now, but I did not know any better and frankly, my froggies - Hip and Hop - always appeared to be well adjusted and happy and they are now about 6-7 years old - so with that being said, let me begin by telling you how I care for my frogs as I am AFRAID to change anything up that much at this moment, nor can I at this moment, and I know that something drastic that they are not used to could be more detrimental at this time. If I can get my little guy cleared up I plan on changing their environment.
So - Hip and Hop were a gift to me after seeing my girlfriend's frogs and liking them. Yes, they are the Hallmark Store Frogs that do not sell them anymore. They were purchased from these stores with all the necessities to set them up including food. The instructions were to only use live gravel (with bacteria), which you could mix with colored regular and SPRING WATER ONLY in their cube. Everything was to be rinsed and cleaned with spring water only. Their cube is approx. 5x7 and 6 inches deep - they came in an even smaller one. I purchased the slightly larger cube from the website that sells their stuff.
I have never had a filter or a heater. Usually the cube has live bamboo, but then I have to pitch it and order more as it rots easily. At this time - I am waiting on another in the mail. I always kept a small towel wrapped around the cube and at night to keep it warmer and darker. I never expose them to a lot of light, as I read that they dont like it.
So every couple months I would take everything out of the tank and use only spring water to clean everything and lightly rinse the gravel to keep it with bacteria. Then pour only spring water back in and they have thrived in this environment always active and mating, and eating, and looking at us, etc. They are cool little creatures. I also did not know that their diet should be varied and have only fed them the little pellets that I order. I tried some shrimp pellets, but they never seemed interested. They are fed 2 x a week - 2-3 pellets each - even though there ends up being more in the tank.
Sorry to be so winded,but I felt that it best you know what they are used to so whatever I do will not be a drastic change for them, as that might kill them for sure.
I noticed about alittle over a week ago that my one froggie was severely bloated. Just to look at her you knew something was wrong. It took me minutes on the internet to find out what she most likely has..I have no doubt. There are no lesions, bumps, paleness, no redness, or anything else at this time besides the bloat. I have not been able to separate her but will probably do this weekend as I got another cube from friend (I threw my other out). The problem is I am waiting for the live gravel in the mail that I ordered, as you cannot find small live gravel anywhere around here - not even at the big pet stores. Im afraid not to have bacteria in the water if I move her, as that is what she has always had. I know others use tap water and dechlorinate it, etc. - I have never went that route - they have never been exposed to tap water.
The other frog appears fine - However - Is not eating like he used to. He does not seem interested at all, but will still move swiftly around the cube is it is turned, etc. Now the bloated frog always comes up to the surface to eat and is eager, but seems to spit it back out after she eats it, which I heard can happen. I have seen them do this before, but not with every pellet. By the way, I have not fed her for days, as that is what I read I should do, but today, I tried to give her a couple pellets. I dont think she ate anything, unless she ate from the bottom where many fell. She was always the bigger eater, but this is not a weight problem..even her head looks some bloated.
What I have done so far - When I noticed she was bloated - almost overnight - I immediately changed the water and cleaned everything. They appeared happy but I still notice a little lethargy in the other one, but the bloated one will lay on top the other one alot. I went to large pet store. I dont feel as if they knew much, buy they suggested MELAFIX. So it says use one teas per 10 gallons of water, so the employee told me to use about 5 drops - so that is what I did. She said to use every couple of days - Do not feed her anything else other than the pellets and not to do that very often and not to change the water and if I did- to just go down to above the gravel and replace water.
Well that was Tuesday and she has not gotten any better. She is not pale and for the most part - not lethargic, but not getting any smaller.
I have called a few pet stores - one exotic, but they really did not give me much information. I called exotic vet office just to get some info and see if they would just sell me some antibiotics. Well they want $70.00 just to walk in the door, and wouldnt tell me anything, obviously... I dont have the money. I have read that aspirating her belly would help immensely, but I am afraid to do this. I have read that Epsom Salt bath would also help, and I have Epsom Salts, but I have not done it because I have also read where people tell you NOT TO DO THAT., However at this point if I am going to lose her anyway - maybe I should try?? I have read that Meracin I and II should be used, but I havent found it. I dont think this Melafix is doing anything! I also read that giving the frog a pea could help, but I only have canned peas. Will one of those help her if cut up?
So that brings me to you guys. This is killing me. I feel like I am watching her die and one day she is going to be floating at the top. I read that eventually they will not be able to stay down on floor of cube because of the balloon type bloat, however, she has not had this problem yet and I have a plastic plant in the cube that she can hold on to. I am very sorry for the length of this post, however, I thought the more information I give you the more you will understand the situation and what type of care she is used to. I dont want to lose my frog. I dont know how to use this forum to find out who responds? Hopefully when I sign in there will be a note for it.
So basically so I get all the info that I need: Should she be separated and if she is, is it okay to use the spring water with no bacteria gravel? Do I keep the water very shallow-like 4inches to make it easier for her or is that not enough? Do I feed her? Can I used canned peas? Should I continue to use Melafix and how much for small cube and how often? When I get the new live gravel should I change the water out then or should I do this every day? And lastly - How to do the Epsom salt bath if I should do that, even though I am very worried about using salt. And what to do about the other frog that appears okay but not interested in eating and seems to be getting alittle bit skinnier now.
Thank you very much for your extensive time in reading this...LOL
So - Hip and Hop were a gift to me after seeing my girlfriend's frogs and liking them. Yes, they are the Hallmark Store Frogs that do not sell them anymore. They were purchased from these stores with all the necessities to set them up including food. The instructions were to only use live gravel (with bacteria), which you could mix with colored regular and SPRING WATER ONLY in their cube. Everything was to be rinsed and cleaned with spring water only. Their cube is approx. 5x7 and 6 inches deep - they came in an even smaller one. I purchased the slightly larger cube from the website that sells their stuff.
I have never had a filter or a heater. Usually the cube has live bamboo, but then I have to pitch it and order more as it rots easily. At this time - I am waiting on another in the mail. I always kept a small towel wrapped around the cube and at night to keep it warmer and darker. I never expose them to a lot of light, as I read that they dont like it.
So every couple months I would take everything out of the tank and use only spring water to clean everything and lightly rinse the gravel to keep it with bacteria. Then pour only spring water back in and they have thrived in this environment always active and mating, and eating, and looking at us, etc. They are cool little creatures. I also did not know that their diet should be varied and have only fed them the little pellets that I order. I tried some shrimp pellets, but they never seemed interested. They are fed 2 x a week - 2-3 pellets each - even though there ends up being more in the tank.
Sorry to be so winded,but I felt that it best you know what they are used to so whatever I do will not be a drastic change for them, as that might kill them for sure.
I noticed about alittle over a week ago that my one froggie was severely bloated. Just to look at her you knew something was wrong. It took me minutes on the internet to find out what she most likely has..I have no doubt. There are no lesions, bumps, paleness, no redness, or anything else at this time besides the bloat. I have not been able to separate her but will probably do this weekend as I got another cube from friend (I threw my other out). The problem is I am waiting for the live gravel in the mail that I ordered, as you cannot find small live gravel anywhere around here - not even at the big pet stores. Im afraid not to have bacteria in the water if I move her, as that is what she has always had. I know others use tap water and dechlorinate it, etc. - I have never went that route - they have never been exposed to tap water.
The other frog appears fine - However - Is not eating like he used to. He does not seem interested at all, but will still move swiftly around the cube is it is turned, etc. Now the bloated frog always comes up to the surface to eat and is eager, but seems to spit it back out after she eats it, which I heard can happen. I have seen them do this before, but not with every pellet. By the way, I have not fed her for days, as that is what I read I should do, but today, I tried to give her a couple pellets. I dont think she ate anything, unless she ate from the bottom where many fell. She was always the bigger eater, but this is not a weight problem..even her head looks some bloated.
What I have done so far - When I noticed she was bloated - almost overnight - I immediately changed the water and cleaned everything. They appeared happy but I still notice a little lethargy in the other one, but the bloated one will lay on top the other one alot. I went to large pet store. I dont feel as if they knew much, buy they suggested MELAFIX. So it says use one teas per 10 gallons of water, so the employee told me to use about 5 drops - so that is what I did. She said to use every couple of days - Do not feed her anything else other than the pellets and not to do that very often and not to change the water and if I did- to just go down to above the gravel and replace water.
Well that was Tuesday and she has not gotten any better. She is not pale and for the most part - not lethargic, but not getting any smaller.
I have called a few pet stores - one exotic, but they really did not give me much information. I called exotic vet office just to get some info and see if they would just sell me some antibiotics. Well they want $70.00 just to walk in the door, and wouldnt tell me anything, obviously... I dont have the money. I have read that aspirating her belly would help immensely, but I am afraid to do this. I have read that Epsom Salt bath would also help, and I have Epsom Salts, but I have not done it because I have also read where people tell you NOT TO DO THAT., However at this point if I am going to lose her anyway - maybe I should try?? I have read that Meracin I and II should be used, but I havent found it. I dont think this Melafix is doing anything! I also read that giving the frog a pea could help, but I only have canned peas. Will one of those help her if cut up?
So that brings me to you guys. This is killing me. I feel like I am watching her die and one day she is going to be floating at the top. I read that eventually they will not be able to stay down on floor of cube because of the balloon type bloat, however, she has not had this problem yet and I have a plastic plant in the cube that she can hold on to. I am very sorry for the length of this post, however, I thought the more information I give you the more you will understand the situation and what type of care she is used to. I dont want to lose my frog. I dont know how to use this forum to find out who responds? Hopefully when I sign in there will be a note for it.
So basically so I get all the info that I need: Should she be separated and if she is, is it okay to use the spring water with no bacteria gravel? Do I keep the water very shallow-like 4inches to make it easier for her or is that not enough? Do I feed her? Can I used canned peas? Should I continue to use Melafix and how much for small cube and how often? When I get the new live gravel should I change the water out then or should I do this every day? And lastly - How to do the Epsom salt bath if I should do that, even though I am very worried about using salt. And what to do about the other frog that appears okay but not interested in eating and seems to be getting alittle bit skinnier now.
Thank you very much for your extensive time in reading this...LOL
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