Sick Frog Babies :(

[menagerie]

Hi everyone. Long time reader, first time poster

I have a small terrarium set up that is home to a few adult whistling tree frogs and some Southern and Golden Bell frog babies. In the last few weeks i have had two of my three whistlers die and three of the other die. I noticed a couple of them went off their food and had trouble moving shortly before they died. I have had the tank set up for about 6 months now without any previous problems. Could there be an infection/fungus spreading through the tank and is there anything I can do about it?

[bdspider]

Hi, do be aware that whistlers stay small & the green species get a lot bigger. If you keep them together the whistlers will be eaten alive at some point. Also they have different habitat preferences.

I'm not sure about the mysterious deaths though. Ummm, possible to post a photo of your terrarium?

[menagerie]

Thanks bdspider

Yes I am aware of the size differences but at the moment the green frogs are only babies and are smaller that the 1 remaining whistler. They have another much larger home to move into when they size up a bit more I will take some photos tomorrow and get them on here for you

[bdspider]

Cool, figured you'd probably be onto it since you've been lurking, but thought I'd check 'cos you never know.

I had the same problem a few years ago, one of the whistlers stopped eating. It seemed like he was too weak almost? I'd even hold flies in front of him & he wouldn't take them after a while. But I hadn't introduced anything new, so I have no idea why either

[herperjosh]

it happend with my whistkers to they became slugish didnt eat found it hard to move and they both died same with my golden bells (little)

[alanmin4304]

The weather is getting cooler. Are you sure they are not starting to brumate?

[Carlos & Siran]

I think ours are brumating, haven't seen them much lately, but we lost a tadpole the other day.

[Insect Direct]

Welcome aboard menagerie

Whistlers dont brumate in winter as far as i know. More so go dormant in the peak of summer.

Best not to have more than one species in the same tank, chance of disease increases.

Possible chytrid fungus knocked them off, as they often get weak before dieing with that. Sometimes found on their backs and are so weak they cant even right them selves. Chytrid also seems to do better at lower temps....think ive read over 22C its less likely to take hold. Keep in mind whistlers seem to like the cold so best below 24/25C, and thats probably pushing it.

More likely lack of food, to cold for the bells to eat or maybe just stress thats killed them. But the above is a possibility. I dont heat whistlers here, but try keep bells above 20C. 22-24C is a good temp i find.

I dont brumate mine indoors as very hard to replicate mother nature. Risk them dieing if not done correctly and who wants a tank with dormant frogs in anyway?

[alanmin4304]

Me. Green and golds don't survive outside down here in the real world.

[Insect Direct]

Im sure you do :lol: . But there is no need to brumate them in captivity.

[alanmin4304]

Most reptiles are more fertile when they come out of brumation.

[Insect Direct]

Yes apparently, but it doesnt seem to be a must for frogs in my experience. I see brumation more as a survival mechanism (survive winters) not so much a behavioural enrichment. Thats just me though.

Most people who keep frogs arnt interested in breeding them anyway. You have to be mad to do that :lol:

[alanmin4304]

You are right. It obviously helps. I thought you might have bought the leucistic by now---waiting for the reserve to come down to something more sensible?

[Insect Direct]

Ive been very tempted. But I cant really justify spending what theyre asking for it atm.

[alanmin4304]

It helps to be mad but not that mad.

[Insect Direct]

:lol: Especially considering there is now another on tm and could well be the same person 8)

[alanmin4304]

This is the third or forth time it has been up. Reserve has come down from $600 to $400 I think but they are still in lala land. Albinos look better and are a lot cheaper than that.

[Insect Direct]

Started at 60 no reserve... until i made an offer :roll: .....then went to 500 reserve. Not a bad price as they are rare, but it hasnt sold so maybe not.

"Alot cheaper" from who?....I havent been able to find any myself for the past year or 2. Buy cheap get cheap (sterile?). Going on what has been sold in the past anyway.

Albinos are nice, my favorite. Sold my first batch for $250each....cheap for fertile. Any cheaper and it would hardly be worth it, nor would anyone be interested in breeding them?.

[alanmin4304]

I bought mine as tadpoles for a lot less than that. A dozen tads for that price.

[Insect Direct]

thats great, if they were fertile. tortoises use to be a few hundred not so long ago. the past is the past.

[alanmin4304]

You get what you can for them. The market is the market.

[menagerie]

Thanks for the replies.

@ Insect Direct

They are all getting weak and are hardley able to move before they die and their little white tummies are turning pink so its sounding like it might be chytrid fungus perhaps...

Is there any thing I can do to prevent this happening again. Ive now lost all my whistlers (the were my favourites ) and nearly all of the babies ive raised from tadpoles this year. At least I still have my adult frogs.

Anyways I was going to post a piccie of the offending tank last week and I forgot - here it is:

(apologies for the poor photography)

[Insect Direct]

I would try keep temp at 22-24C and just keep them well fed. They should be alrite, someone else may have another idea. Sorry cant be of more help.

Nice tank by the way

[alanmin4304]

Chytrid can be cured with chloromycetin (cloramphenacol) but I am not sure how or at what rate it is used. It is also a difficult antibiotic to get hold of because it is the antibiotic of choice in the treatment of cholera so is restricted in use to avoid resistence.

[herperjosh]

um it could be gravel irrataing the stomach and if they swallow it and dont pass it game over