ADF Trauma Dis F

FAQs About African Dwarf Frog Health: Traumas

FAQs on African Dwarf Frog Disease: ADF Health/Disease 1, ADF Health 2, ADF Health 3, ADF Health 4,
FAQs on African Dwarf Frog Disease by Category: Diagnosis, Environmental, Nutritional, Social, Infectious (Virus, Bacterial, Fungal), Parasitic, Treatments,

Related Articles: Keeping African Clawed Frogs and African Dwarf Frogs by Neale Monks, African Dwarf Frogs, Amphibians, Turtles,

Help my frog! 4/8/20
I have a young dwarf frog that has trauma to his leg! I have separated him from the tank. Will he be ok!?!? It look worse today! Ashley
<Ashley, going to direct you to some reading:
http://www.xenopus.com/disease.htm
Look at the entry for Red Leg. While you may not be dealing with this specific bacterium just yet, the treatment is the same. A good reliable antibiotic like Maracyn II (i.e., Minocycline) or Maracyn Plus (i.e., Trimethoprim and Sulfonamide) are recommended. Don't waste your time with general cures like Melafix, salt, etc., as these won't help here. Yes, these frogs can recover from these injuries, but no, they don't recover without medical intervention, because once the bacteria get into the bloodstream, septicaemia kicks in, and the frog dies (presumably in significant pain) some days later. Cheers, Neale.>

Re: Help my frog! 4/8/20
Where do I get these medications from? Vet or just personal medication?
<In the US, some aquarium shops, as well as Amazon, etc., will sell them.
Outside the US, antibiotics are usually veterinarian only. Some alternatives exist, such as eSHa 2000 in Europe, which isn't an antibiotic but is quite effective.>
How do I give it to them?
<Will be explained on the leaflet with the fish medicine.>
Put it in their water or on their leg directly? How often?
<Likewise. Remember to remove carbon from the filter, if used. Cheers, Neale.>

African dwarf frogs, systems, trauma 3/9/19
To who it may concern,
<That'd be me!>
My name is Erica and my I have had three African dwarf frogs now for three weeks and all are doing great except last Sunday, one of my little guys got his leg stuck in our filter intake.
<Oh dear. Avoid internal canister filters, and instead use air-powered sponge filters if possible.>
We removed him and it definitely appeared he broke his leg.
<Certainly seems plausible.>
I isolated him for almost two days until he jumped out and went back into general population. Now today there is some huge white gross thing growing out of his leg and I have no clue what to do! Please help!!
<Going to direct you to some reading. First here, and if you look at the 'Red Leg' section at top, the antibiotics recommended are probably your best bet:
http://www.xenopus.com/disease.htm
More generally, do read here for care:
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/FWSubWebIndex/FrogsArtNeale.htm
While these frogs are adaptable and easy to keep, they do have a few non-negotiable needs.
Cheers, Neale.>

Re: African dwarf frogs 3/10/19
Hello Neale!!
<Erica,>
Thank you for helping me!
<Most welcome.>
Can these antibiotics be used on the frog that shares a tank with two other frogs And fish?
<Yes and yes! Do be careful about mixing fish and frogs -- often ends up bad for the frogs.
Cheers, Neale.>

African Dwarf Frog? Bacterial and/or fungal leg infection? Injury? 7/25/18
Good evening,
my daughter has 9 ADF. One died a few weeks ago (bloated?).
Attached some photos from another sick frog leg - lies on back… then not moving just below surface… Toes on left leg red, rest of upper and lower leg covered in white stuff (skin? fungus? bacteria?). I would be grateful for advice, please (am a pediatrician with zero training in frogs)
Kind regards from Minneapolis,
Stefan
<Hello Stefan. African Dwarf Frogs, Hymenochirus spp., are relatively easy to keep, but they do have some non-negotiable requirements. Miss these, and they can become sick very quickly. So let me first direct you to some reading:
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/fwsubwebindex/FrogsArtNeale.htm
To some degree they're really rather tough, and like most fish and amphibians, they exhibit a remarkable resilience against bacterial infections given they're basically swimming about in an aqueous solution of decomposing organic materials, nitrogenous compounds, and ambient populations of opportunistic bacteria such as Pseudomonas and Aeromonas! But once their defences are breached, bacterial infections can turn nasty. The most notorious is something called Red Leg, likely an Aeromonas infection. A suitable antibiotic is the best approach here. If you look at the webpage below, aimed at scientific researchers rather than hobbyists, you'll find out a fair deal about this infection and how to treat it: http://www.xenopus.com/disease.htm
Tetracycline is commonly recommended, but there's a bit of debate over whether this is as good as Trimethoprim for this particular infection. However you treat the Red Leg, do try and figure out why it happened at all. It rarely comes out of nowhere, and it's more likely physical damage (e.g., by rough gravel, careless handling, or even nippy fish) started the process, and an overall lack of cleanliness in the take fostered the development of the disease even further. A monotonous diet lacking in appropriate minerals and vitamins may also be a factor. Hope this helps, Neale.>

Re: African Dwarf Frog? Bacterial and/or fungal leg infection? Injury? 7/26/18
Thank you so very much for your prompt response. Have a great day, Stefan
<Most welcome and good luck! Neale.>

African dwarf frog help please 5/26/17
Hello,
<Hello!>
I've spent quite a few hours reading over your information and questions regarding African dwarf frogs, but nothing seems to be quite the answer I needed. I have three ADFs living in a 5.5 gallon aquarium with one Betta.
It is filtered and heated to 80 degrees.
<Sounds good.>
Recently I caught my male "hugging" one of my females about 36 hour s ago.
<Amplexus.>
He held on for about 3 hours, and she laid 4 eggs (which were apparently not fertilized).
<Quite possibly.>
Ever since then, she has not eaten, and has a bump on her back, which is right above her tailbone, and is pointy in shape rather then round and soft.
<The bump may well be a result of Amplexus. Post-mating, female frogs can/do become relatively inactive.>
Until this morning her vulva appeared very swollen. For several hour after he let her go she would go upside down at the surface and hip thrust at the air, like she did when he was attached, but that behavior has stopped. The other two frogs and Betta seem to be doing fine, with ph at 7.6, no ammonia or nitrites. I feed a variety of frozen thawed bloodworms, Mysis, and brine shrimp, and I've no doubt they occasionally steal some Betta pellets.
She is also hanging around the heater at the top of the aquarium much more then usual. I'm very worried about her. Since the issues I've done 3 50% water changes, and I use Prime each time. Any help would be greatly appreciated.
<This is one of those times where "wait and see" is the best advice, in the short term anyways. Separating the female, for example in a floating breeding trap, isn't a bad idea, but keep the trap not-too-close to the heater or light otherwise there's a risk she'll overheat and suffocate. If she isn't perking up within the next day or two, write back and we'll think some more. Cheers, Neale.>

Re: African dwarf frog help please 5/27/17
Thank you so much for your fast response! It's reassuring to know they can be inactive after Amplexus, and that I've got someone knowledgeable to give advice. I'll wait and see and hope she gets better soon. The male grabbed
the other female right as I am writing this, but he let go quickly. I'd love to have some tadpoles, but not at the risk of my females lives.
<Understood. Adding fluffy plants (whether real or fake) such as Java Moss can go a long way towards creating safe spaces for eggs and tadpoles.
Surprisingly, people do sometimes find a few survive long enough to be removed (for example with a turkey baster) into a floating breeding trap, and raised in there. Breeding dwarf African frogs is done, and many reports are online for your perusal.>
Thanks again!
<Welcome. Neale.>
Re: African dwarf frog help please 5/27/17
Thank you so much for your fast response! It's reassuring to know they can be inactive after Amplexus, and that I've got someone knowledgeable to give advice. I'll wait and see and hope she gets better soon. The male grabbed
the other female right as I am writing this, but he let go quickly. I'd love to have some tadpoles, but not at the risk of my females lives.
<Understood. Adding fluffy plants (whether real or fake) such as Java Moss can go a long way towards creating safe spaces for eggs and tadpoles.
Surprisingly, people do sometimes find a few survive long enough to be removed (for example with a turkey baster) into a floating breeding trap, and raised in there. Breeding dwarf African frogs is done, and many reports are online for your perusal.>
Thanks again!
<Welcome. Neale.>

re: African dwarf frog help please 5/30/17
Hello,
Thank you again for the advice and information. She finally started eating again, although her appetite isn't quite what it used to be, it seems to be improving daily. I am very grateful for what you guys do, good information is such a valuable resource and you offer it for free, saving countless lives.
<Good to hear things are on the up, and thanks for the kind words. Cheers, Neale.>

African clawed frog bruised? 11/24/15
Hello, I have a very small, young African clawed frog,
<Mmm; not Xenopus but Hymenochirus... Dwarf. Have you read on WWM re?>
not exactly sure how old or the gender
<... can be discerned>
as I got him from my grandma who had him since being a tadpole. He has developed what looks like a red bruise on his back leg. I have looked up possible answers and came across red leg syndrome.
<Ahh, no; this looks to be a physical trauma>
It doesn't seem to look the same as some photos posted and he is still very active and eating regularly. He is cleaned every two weeks and likes in a 5 gallon filtered tank. The tank has some large rocks that he may have injured himself on?
<A good guess>
It has only been a few days since I've noticed it. Please look at my attached photo maybe to help diagnose the issue.
Thank you
Tessa
<Please read here: http://wetwebmedia.com/ADFTraumaF.htm
and the linked files above; as you lead yourself. Bob Fenner>

Re: Inherited African Dwarf Frogs 10/20/15
Hi Bob,
<Hey Sue!>
I have some sad news. First an update since we last corresponded. I purchased a ten gallon tank, with filter, heater, live plants, and some neat aquatic contraptions that are conducive for the needs of dwarf frogs (hiding spots, perches, etc).
<Good>
We adopted two more baby dwarf frogs into our family that seem happy, healthy and thriving. Cannot sex them at this time, as they are still too young. My male and female mated regularly and everyone seemed to be doing great. Yesterday I was crouched near the tank as I always do before going to bed, to say my goodnights to the frogs. And as usual, they made their
way over to the glass nearest me (I hand feed them, so they associate me with food). I noticed my male dwarf frog's right eye had the teeniest speck of red in it. I had to really look as it wasn't obviously noticeable and I wondered if it was just the light coming from the tank lid. Indeed there was a tiny bit of red in ADF's one eye. I made a mental note to myself to keep an eye on him and ask some questions about it today. He otherwise was fine, swimming all around, eating, etc. Just the day before he was happily mating my adult female as per usual. Upon waking up today, to my horror, my male dwarf was pressed up against the filter, with what looked like his little hands inside the filter slots. Right away I took him out and saw he was dead. How very sad. I don't know what he died from and I don't know how it happened so quickly.
<Don't know>
I know the filter's current draws waste into it and is why the little frog once likely dead was carried into it... but how did he die and how did he die so suddenly?
<Perhaps... resultant from a concussion.... ADFs do dive head long into things on their return from periodic trips to the surface for air>
Kind regards,
Sue
<Cheers, Bob Fenner>

Red Injury, Growth? 3/18/13
I discovered one of my ADFs has a little bump, indent and grove a couple of days ago and it looked like an injury.
<Agreed>
I searched far and wide and I can't seem to find anything about this or how to treat it even on WWM. My LFS told me to use a little bit of aquarium salt
<Nah... Amphibians don't "like" salts... try applying such solutions to your eyes to discern why>
to hopefully see if it gets better to no avail. I'm really concerned and am wondering what's going on.
Please let me know, I've attached a few pics to depict it.
<Likely nothing to do, treatment-wise... but can spiff up nutrition and environment: Help indirectly. For background, read here:
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/FWSubWebIndex/ADFDisF3.htm
and the linked files above. Bob Fenner>

Re: Red Injury, Growth? ADF hlth, reading 4/18/13
I heard MelaFix is good for wounds.
<Worse than worthless. Please... search before writing. See WWM re. B>
Should I try? and will it be detrimental?

(Possibly Sick) Female ADF Questions - Eyes & Behaviour – 4/19/12
Hi Neale (& Crew),
<Hello,>
I have two ADF questions, which I’ll separate here:
1) I have a female ADF, and have had her for about a month now. Lives in a 15Gal tank with 4 other ADFs (2 female, 2 male). Nitrites, Nitrates, and Ammonia are all at 0, tested with an API Master Kit. Regular water changes done. Diet consisting of frog pellets and frozen brine shrimp, one or two days of fasting a week. The two males do not mate with this particular ADF (that I've seen) but do with the other two females on a regular basis. One did help pull her skin off and ate it as she was shedding, it was quite bizarre and interesting to watch.
This frog has eyes that are not cloudy, it's more like white dots that "pop out", but the whole eye isn't bulged. Both of her eyes have been like this since I got her. Is she blind? She eats and swims and plays normally, and I saw her shed yesterday, it's just her eyes that are strange. It almost looks like oversized Ich like you'd see on fish, but I'm pretty sure that ADFs can't get Ich, and the medication is actually poisonous to them (correct me if I'm wrong).
So both of her eyes have these white dots, and you can't really see the rest of her eye beneath the white dot (one on each eye, about the size and shape of a large grain of salt). I have attached 2 pictures (they’re not very good, she doesn’t like to sit still, haha) for reference.
I've been “Melafix”ing for 5 days with no improvement (stopped last night), though awhile back it cleared up cloudy eyes in another one of my female ADFs, so it's certainly not useless - but she's been like this since the start... I'm apprehensive to use Maracyn II, even though it has been recommended, because we don't know exactly what (if anything) is wrong. If she remains acting healthy and still has the white dots, and as long as it doesn't spread to any of the other ADFs (which it hasn't so far), then maybe she really IS blind? Or just some weird deformity that's otherwise harmless? I know some deformities can cause fish to be unable to reproduce (we have a male guppy in a different tank who’s like that), and as I mentioned, this ADF hasn't been copulating with the males, so…deformity kind of fits?
What could this be, and if it's an illness, how should I help her?
<Have seen this before, and do suspect two factors: physical damage and malnutrition. Physical damage may heal in time, and there's not much that will speed that up beyond ensuring good water quality and removing any sharp objects that might cause damage. As for diet, do think vitamins (or rather, the lack of them) is the issue. This is fairly often the case with reptiles and amphibians in captivity because we often give them rather monotonous diets, e.g., just bloodworms in the case of small aquatic frogs. A vitamin supplement to the diet can help (you can get these for both fish and reptiles, and either would be useful here).>
2) The eldest of my female ADFs (living in the same tank and conditions as described above) has been behaving what I believe to be “abnormally”, lately. I should add that we have had her since September 2011 and she is 3” fully stretched out (yes, we actually measured when she was …well we call it “Matrixing” on top of the thermometer, stretched out as tall as she could be). She participates in amplexus regularly with the two males in the tank, but have never seen them reach the point where they go up to the surface together and flip over to lay/fertilize the eggs. I have, however, seen eggs sticking to the floating plants shortly after I had put them in there. I haven’t seen any recently, but I also haven’t looked that hard. I believe they came from Mama (that’s what we call her, as she’s the oldest female and soooo big [but not fat!]), but I honestly can’t be sure.
As I briefly described, I recently added soft, fake floating plants to my tank (they already have a little house thing that’s spacious and has three large entrances/exits, and a large fake log with fake, soft leaves attached – bare bottom tank, by the way), and she’s starting hanging out up there, usually flat on her belly if she can. She holds her head above water and does what I can only describe as “shudder”, lasting a second or two, and occurring approximately every 15-30 seconds. I tried to film it but you can’t make it out in the video, so I won’t attach. I opened the lid the other day while she was up there and gently blew on her face (out of the water of course), and it caused her to shudder more often (pretty well each time I puffed some air at her). I only did this a couple of times, as I didn’t want to stress her out.
Is this normal mating behavior or could something be wrong?
<Hard to say. Mating (amplexus) in frogs is pretty consistent: males clamber over females, almost as if trying to drown her. They float near the surface, the male holding on with the special horny pads he develops on his arms. Mating can take hours. After mating, the two disengage, and that's that.>
She does this several times a day, that I’ve been able to see. The other ADFs have all “chilled out” in the new floating plants, but I’ve only seen Mama behave this way. She eats fine and swims fine and otherwise appears perfectly healthy. I just don’t want anything to happen to her, I’m quite attached to all of my froggies, but she’s been with me the longest.
Any help would be greatly appreciated, as I haven't been able to find exactly what I'm seeing online. My success with these wonderful froggies so far has been 5 out of 8, and I’m pretty sure two of the three that passed away were ill from the store. In these two cases I’m trying to be proactive, instead of treating (and eventually losing the battle) when it’s noticeably too late.
Thanks in advance, your site has been SO helpful with all of our fish and frog questions and care information!
Take care, from Canada,
<Welcome.>
Erin
<Cheers, Neale.>

Questions concerning care of an injured African Dwarf Frog 2/10/12
Greetings all,
<Hello,>
It is with a heavy heart that I write today, and am hoping for a quick answer and much-needed advice. I've searched through your FAQ's and other letters, but am having trouble finding things that apply to my situation (this may or may not be due to my current frazzled state of mind).
<I see.>
I have a 29 gallon high tank with an African Dwarf Frog (ADF) and 2 mollies,
<Not a good combination of species. These both have much different requirements. Can't see this working indefinitely. Do research the needs of EACH species prior to purchase, and bear in mind not all retailers are honest up-front about what they're selling (oh, who would have believed that!).>
he has been in this 29g for nearly 4 weeks now. Water is cycled and stable, creatures are all doing very well. (Frog was to have been moved to a 5 gallon dedicated tank within the next week, as the cycle in THAT tank becomes established) They were fed this morning as usual, and then I got buy with the morning (family) rush and didn't have a chance to check in on my tank for several hours. During this time the bottom section of the filter intake (45g whisper filter, intake covered with fine mesh to prevent frog's legs from getting stuck) FELL OFF (with the mesh) and onto the aquarium floor. When I got a moment to enjoy my creatures, I began a search for the frog, which ended when I found him INSIDE of the filter box. He must have been sucked in through the filter tube and into the box at the top of the tank. He was found on the wall, above the water, still very wet and obviously unhappy, about 2 hours ago.
<Provided kept damp, not in any immediate danger.>
He was put immediately out of the filter basket and into the water, and observed for a time. Obviously showing signs of stress, color very pale. He seems to have developed white bumps on his body (probably also a stress reaction), has no interest in food, etc. I am unsure if any of his limbs are broken, but after much observation, I think that they are okay, however the skin on his back flipper between two of his 'toes' is torn.
<Likely so.>
He is having trouble swimming, he can still get up for air, but swims in a floppy, floaty sort of way, and seems to have trouble swimming in a straight line. I'm not sure if this is solely due to his obvious foot injury, or if there is some darker internal damage behind it. He is also being very affected by the current in the water. While not very strong, he is having trouble keeping his place while swimming, and gets sucked back toward the filter. If he gets too close to the filter, he is unable to free himself without assistance. I have since added to his stress by moving him into my much shallower (fully cycled, same water parameters, same temperature) 10 gallon 'hospital' tank, which is inhabited by 4 female guppies. I moved him hoping that the smaller filter, shallower water, and quieter/calmer/darker place in the house would help him feel more comfortable, though I wasn't sure that moving him was a good idea at all.
The filter in the smaller tank has been blocked with some mesh, and I planted hornwort densely around the intake to prevent him from having so much difficulty with this filter (though it is smaller). I also have tuned the lights off in the aquarium to help him feel more at ease, and have been keeping a steady eye on him.
<Good.>
Now... my questions to you are;
Is there anything I can do to help him feel better / ease his stress?
<Nothing "medical". But dark, warmth and quiet will help, as will easy access to the right food.>
Is there something that I should apply to his foot wound to prevent infection, or the tank as a whole to help him heal?
<Methylene Blue is about the safest medication to use with sensitive animals like these frogs.>
Are there any signs/symptoms that I can watch for and attribute to stress, and are there signs and symptoms that I should be looking for regarding to something else - sickness, injury, internal damage, etc Seeking ANY additional advice you can think of that might aid me in helping my frog pull through this horrible accident. . .
<So long as he feeds, he's likely okay.>
I'm still new to ADF care, and it can be difficult to find solid information on these guys. Any advise you can offer will be very much appreciated and acted upon.
<Do read: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/fwsubwebindex/FrogsArtNeale.htm
And follow the links at the top of that page to areas of
concern/interest.>
Sincerely,
- Jes
<Cheers, Neale.>

Injured African Dwarf Frog question 7/17/11
<Sorry for the late response Sarah. The folk who generally respond to amphibian (and reptile) queries appear to be "out">
I have an African Dwarf Frog I have had him for about 6 months and within the last week he was injured and has quickly gotten worse. Originally the foot of the frog was a little red. Next it seemed to spread up his leg.
Then it changed from red to almost fuzzy looking. I feel horrible be cause it has gotten so bad so fast and I don't know what to do. His leg looks like all the flesh is falling off, his foot looks like there are only bones left and it almost looks like his knee joint is exposed. I don't know a lot about them so I consulted someone from a local pet store. The sales associate at the pet store said that an anti fungus medication for fish might help but I really don't know. I did put him into a smaller tank with water from the large tank and gave him the medicine (API Liquid Fungus) as directed. My questions are as follows:
Is it likely that the anti fungus medicine will help?
<Yes; I would use it/this here>
Is that the best course of action? If not what is?
Will his leg fall off? If it does what will happen to him? (Someone told me today it is possible for it to grow back.)
<Mmm, won't grow back, but I know of quite a few frogs that have lived quite well as amputees>
I would greatly appreciate if you could help me out I really feel so bad for how this frog is hurting and that I don't know how to help him.
I know you post responses to your site however it would help me to help my frog faster if you could also e-mail it to me also. (My daytime location does not allow access to most sites but I can relay directions from e-mail to my family at home.)
Thank you so much for your time and help?
Sarah
<Please read here: http://wetwebmedia.com/FWSubWebIndex/ADFDisF3.htm
and the linked files above re Hymenochirus for background, solace. Bob Fenner>

African Dwarf <Frog> Injury Care 3/9/10
Hello,
<Hi,>
First some background... My daughter was recently and unexpectedly "gifted" with 4 ADF's from her 4th grade classroom "zoo."
<I really wish people would stop handing out live animals as pets. It almost always ends up with the animal dying in one miserable manner or another. At the very least, I hope that you write to the school and express your concern that they are using animals in a careless manner, and in doing so teaching children the worst possible approach to how animals should be handled.>
The critters were apparently kept with bare accommodations, and were delivered home in near freezing weather in a 6 oz plastic drink cup with a couple of sprigs of duckweed and a bit of gravel.
<I'm depressed already.>
All were in various states of illness or injury -- an abscess here, broken toes, what appears to be broken jaw, with ripped skin, and a rampant fungal/bacterial infection (some kind of pinkish fuzz at various locations).
I'm sure all of the issues were from ignorance and a bit of unintentional rough handling.
<Indeed.>
Needless to say, we were not prepared, and "Thank You!!!" for your website.
I've kept tropical fish before, but never amphibs, and would have been lost without the info you have on the site.
<I'm glad to hear it. Do start reading here:
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/FWSubWebIndex/FrogsArtNeale.htm
Hymenochirus aren't difficult to keep well, but they do require some basic things, including heat, filtration, and adequate space.>
I've done some scrambling and managed to first transfer the remaining first to a 1 gal bare container (a big mason jar) with plain, room temp spring water, and have rushed a 10 gal tank with proper filtration, water prep, and heat into service (probably too fast, but think I can deal with NH3 and NO3 as needed). I've been treating for bacterial infections with tetracycline and the fungi with "Fungus Cure", doing 50% water changes with meds refreshes every 24hrs, and have raised the water temp at a stable 82F.
<Very good.>
And it seems to be working... Four days on, and the three surviving froggies are more active, eating well (with one exception, below), the fungal fuzz is all but gone, and the visible abscesses are noticeably smaller or gone. One of the frogs did lose a couple of toes, but I'm pretty sure they'll grow back in time.
<Hopefully.>
So far, we've only lost one of the beasties, and he died within hours, before I could even get water in a 1 gal jar up to room temp. Probably injury plus stress. Poor fellow.
<Indeed.>
Now the problem... One of the frogs has a severe mouth injury. It appears that the lower jaw is broken, and a significant portion of the skin from the lower jaw is simply gone. When I first got the animal, the injury was masked by fuzz from what I now think was a bacterial infection around the wound. The tetracycline seems to have dealt with the infection, but I'm at a loss on what I should do with the injury. I know frogs and other amphibs have really robust healing mechanisms, but I'm concerned that the frog may not be able to ingest enough food to prevent starvation before the wound heals.
<I agree. I'm not an expert on amphibians, but my guess would be that if the jawbones are damaged, healing is unlikely, and starvation probable.>
So, is there anything I can do to either speed up the healing, or any way of preparing food that will make it easier for the frog to eat?
<Not really. Frogs don't chew, they swallow whole, so either the frog can open its mouth and ingest a suitable morsel, or it can't. There's not really anything you can do in terms of force feeding, since that would likely cause even more damage to such a tiny animal.>
I've been feeding wet frozen brine shrimp, and the frog is active and interested in the food, but seems to give up after a few minutes. I've tried mashing the shrimp into paste, and have been using a drop tube/pipette to put the food on a smooth feeding cup I have in the tank. So far though, the frog is slowly losing body mass.
<If he can't catch and eat even tiny things like Daphnia, then he probably can't feed himself at all.>
Or, should I euthanize the animal and spare it a slow death from starvation?
<Does sound like the most humane step forward. If the frog gets thinner daily, then it isn't likely he's going to get better.>
Thanks for your time,
Jaimie L.
<Sorry can't offer much more positive advice. Cheers, Neale.>

African dwarf frogs... care/sys. -- 09/14/07 Hello, My friend works at a fish store and has an ADF and he said that he takes his frog out of the water for a less than ten minutes every now and then. I have one too but I don't want to hurt him in anyway. But at the same time I wouldn't mind hanging out with him outside the water. Is that okay? or should I not take him out at all and put the thought out of my mind? thanks, Claire <Claire, your friend is completely wrong to remove his frog from the water. No amphibian should ever be handled except where absolutely essential because their skins are very sensitive and easily damaged. This goes double for aquatic amphibians because they have thinner skins than terrestrial amphibians as well as less robust skeletons. So tell your friend to stop handling his frog! If he wants something to cuddle, he should go buy a cat. Cheers, Neale>
African dwarf frogs -- 09/19/07 I have a feeling you are going to tell me to get a dog... however can I touch the frog at all? <No.> maybe gently rub his/her belly or the top? <No. For an amphibian, the skin is sort of like the lungs, because they breathe through them. So, imagine how much fun it would be I decided to stick my fingers up your nose and down your throat just to show I cared. Yuk. There is a very real chance you petting a frog will damage its skin, partly through friction, and partly through using too much force.> Or should I just leave them alone and let them do their thing? <Yes. Animals become *your* friend when you treat them well. Animals love routine, so habituate your pets to seeing you at the same time, being fed at the same time, being given food in the same corner of the tank. Eventually they will learn that you are A Good Thing and will respond accordingly. Trying to force things we like, such as being touched, onto animals that aren't tactile, like frogs, is counter-productive. As far as the frog is concerned, you're a huge predator that grabs hold of it.> I'm asking because I think mine are so cute I always want to play with them. <Resist the urge! There are some amphibians that learn to be hand fed (ideally with tweezers or else wet fingers), and those you might consider getting. Tiger Salamanders are a good example. But for the most part, amphibians are "look but don't touch" pets. This largely holds for reptiles, too, though I've known tortoises that liked sitting on people's feet to keep warm!> Sorry for asking so many questions. And thanks for your help. Claire <Good luck with your pets, and keep asking questions! People go wrong when they think they know it all -- there's plenty for everyone to learn about keeping pets. Read, learn, and enjoy. Cheers, Neale>
Re: African dwarf frogs -- 09/19/07 Thanks for replying!!! I'll tell him. I've decided to have a solely only frog tank so I will probably be contacting you in the future. Have a wonderful day Claire <Cool. Good luck with your pet(s). Cheers, Neale>

Dwarf African Frog-Broken wrist? 4/30/08 Hi there <Hello> We have recently moved our DAF to a new tank. Before we moved I noticed that his wrist was bent back on itself. It has been suggested that I will need to take him to a vet and get it removed in case it goes gangrenous but I just don't know of a vet that could/would do something that delicate. Do you have any other potential diagnoses or cures? <Mmm, no need to remove the limb... will either "cure" of its own accord, or be of use as is. Bob Fenner>

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