Starving Leuc!!

1643 Views 19 Replies 13 Participants Last post by Allyn Loring, May 12, 2011

mingeace

Discussion Starter · May 7, 2011

OK I have three leuca's that are about 3-4 month old, these were my first frogs and two of them are in a 20L tank and are fat and happy. The thing is that one of the three was very active and always trying to escape the 20L tank and never really seemed interested in eating. On April 21 I posted on here about how he wasnt eating and was told to take him out and place him in a containment Rubbermaid thing, I did this. A week after that I talked to the guy I bought the frogs from and he said he would have recommended the same thing but said to put duct tap around the outside of the shoe box size container to make him feel more secure, this I did. But its now been two weeks and the little guy looks worse than ever. I have SEEN him eat 2-3 time in the last two week (although I dont really hover for fear of further stress). A few days ago I did see him poop but still he looks very thin now and doesnt move much.

So what do I do? I thought leucs were hardy but should I get more specific with the temp, humidity, light, substrate, et cetera? I want to make sure there is food in there but dont want to stress him out. Should I not feed if I see ff in there? And if I see 1-5 ff in there should I not feed or are we talking like 10 ff? I trust the guy who sold them to me and the others seem fine but should I run a fecal to see if he's got parasites? I just dont know and would like any advice at all to get him in better shape.

I keep him in a shoe box size Rubbermaid, tapped up and dark, filled with substrate (zoo med/pete/sphang moss) with large leaf litter. Its humid, last I checked around 80-90%, although the temp is a bit lower (68-75 day time) because there is no light. There is proper ventilation cause the damn ff keep escaping. Ask if you need any more info and thanks for bothering to help my little leuca.

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PantMan

· #2 · May 7, 2011

I think I remember your earlier post. It sounds like your situation may be unique. Have you collected any fecals?

Also, don't know if i like the idea of using duct tape to seal anything frog related. Tape, and duct tape in particular, use toluene to keep the adhesive in tape from curing.

mingeace

Discussion Starter · #3 · May 7, 2011

PantMan said:
I think I remember your earlier post. It sounds like your situation may be unique. Have you collected any fecals?

Also, don't know if i like the idea of using duct tape to seal anything frog related. Tape, and duct tape in particular, use toluene to keep the adhesive in tape from curing.

Yes I do have a fecal sample and I am not sealing anything with the duct tape its simply placed on the outside of the plastic container so as to protect from over stimulation. The tape would never some in contact with the frog unless it somehow diffused through the plastic container.

ktwilliams_28

· #4 · May 7, 2011

as far as the tape goes, if it is being used to keep light out my understanding is that frogs hunt by light. They are diurnal. I would let light in during the day so that he can feed normally.

bshmerlie

· #5 · May 7, 2011

I agree I would have a light on in the daytime. My Leucs are out hunting when the lights are on. As soon as the lights go off they retreat to their hiding spots.

SamsonsFrogs

· #6 · May 7, 2011

Not sure how well you QT tub is planted, but I use pothos and alot of magnolia leaf litter in mine. The pothos and leaf litter help them feel more secure and safe.i would feed only 10 ff a feeding until I notice any weight change. A fecal also may be a good option.

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mingeace

Discussion Starter · #7 · May 7, 2011

bshmerlie said:
I agree I would have a light on in the daytime. My Leucs are out hunting when the lights are on. As soon as the lights go off they retreat to their hiding spots.

Thanks for the help.

I will take off the tape and just place him in a room that has no traffic and is very calm.

SamsonsFrogs said:
Not sure how well you QT tub is planted, but I use pothos and alot of magnolia leaf litter in mine. The pothos and leaf litter help them feel more secure and safe.i would feed only 10 ff a feeding until I notice any weight change. A fecal also may be a good option.

Also his little rubbermade has plenty of magnolia leaf litter as well as a little potting plant cut in half to act as a hut for him but I dont have any live plants in there so I will take a few clipping from my pothos and place them in there as well. And thanks for a number on how many ff I should add, I will do that as well.

Thanks for the help, my leuc will be grateful.

Vivexx

· #8 · May 7, 2011

ya I would turn the light on him in the day almost everything needs light to process vitamins so I would turn it on for sure and try getting some tweezers and holding the fruit fly by the wings in front of the frog and see if he takes it and make sure he has enough calcium that’s a big problem for some not getting enough will give them seizures

Dragonfly

· #9 · May 7, 2011

If the flies keep escaping then that is also a problem.

frogfreak

· #10 · May 8, 2011

I'd like to suggest feeding the frog springtails.

Some times frogs that aren't doing all that well prefer smaller prey imo.

RarePlantBroker

· #11 · May 8, 2011

Another recommendation: set up a "feeding station" in the quarantine enclosure. For something simple, place a slice of banana in either a petri dish (or you can even use the lid from a gallon drinking water container), and drop your fruit flies on/near the banana. The flies will stay in this area (instead of escaping or hiding in the leaf litter)--and your Leuc will not need to expend as much energy hunting for food. Additionally, the flies will lay eggs on the banana, and the frog will make a nice snack of the maggots as they eat the banana.

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mingeace

Discussion Starter · #12 · May 9, 2011

RarePlantBroker said:
Another recommendation: set up a "feeding station" in the quarantine enclosure. For something simple, place a slice of banana in either a petri dish (or you can even use the lid from a gallon drinking water container), and drop your fruit flies on/near the banana. The flies will stay in this area (instead of escaping or hiding in the leaf litter)--and your Leuc will not need to expend as much energy hunting for food. Additionally, the flies will lay eggs on the banana, and the frog will make a nice snack of the maggots as they eat the banana.

Wow I totally forgot about that!! Thanks for the reminder; I will totally set up a feeding station. He actually is looking better as well. I saw him eat at least one ff a few days ago and he is much more active now. Although he is smaller than the other two and just looks different he is more active which gives me hope. Perhaps he's a male and the others are big fat females. Well thanks for all the help you guys, I attribute his success to your help.

frogparty

· #13 · May 9, 2011

Just make sure it gets its dusted ff's and springtails and hopefully it will make a full recovery. Leucs ARE like little tanks, very resilient!!! If it never recovers as well as you'd like, take some more fecals, and go from there. There is DEFINITE stress on individual leucs from group members of the same sex. Intimidation, and outright aggression would explain why this individual was always trying to escape the viv, and was never interested in eating. Female on female aggression in leucs can get very nasty, and thats why a lot of people are switching over to keeping them in pairs, like tincs. If it went a long time without proper nutrition, it could well have nutrient deficiencies, so make sure you keep up with the proper supplementation

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saruchan

· #14 · May 9, 2011

If you could get a hold of some termites you should feed him some of those. They're like candy for frogs. It should put some weight on him too.

frogparty

· #15 · May 9, 2011

YUP, termites are like walking bacon double cheeseburgers for frogs

mingeace

Discussion Starter · #16 · May 10, 2011

Termites huh? So where can I get some of those? Pet stores? plant stores? the great out doors?

Up date though, I do dust the ff with the rapashi and just this morning when I fed him he ate 3 ff right in front of me and is much more "normal" acting. The thing is, when can I reintroduce him to the others? Or should I at all. I plan on moving the two from the 20L to a 40 Tall that I just set up and was hoping to add him in there as well. There would be a lot of space for 3 little frogs so would it be ok? Or should I just set up a nice little 10g for him until I can sex them and pair them? Just wondering how to help him in the long run.

Thanks again for all the help and advice, its great to have this forum and all the caring free help from others in the hobby.

RarePlantBroker

· #17 · May 10, 2011

mingeace said:
Termites huh? So where can I get some of those? Pet stores? plant stores? the great out doors?

Up date though, I do dust the ff with the rapashi and just this morning when I fed him he ate 3 ff right in front of me and is much more "normal" acting. The thing is, when can I reintroduce him to the others? Or should I at all. I plan on moving the two from the 20L to a 40 Tall that I just set up and was hoping to add him in there as well. There would be a lot of space for 3 little frogs so would it be ok? Or should I just set up a nice little 10g for him until I can sex them and pair them? Just wondering how to help him in the long run.

Thanks again for all the help and advice, its great to have this forum and all the caring free help from others in the hobby.

If you haven't done so, you should run fecals on your small Leuc--just to be certain you don't have a parasite issue. Once you have determined that your frog is healthy, then you can consider re-introducing him to the others. First, you will want to put some size on this frog.

The best thing to do for all the frogs would be to introduce all the frogs into the 40T at one time. It is far easier for the frogs to determine their own "territory" in the new vivarium at one time, than to introduce a new frog into an existing territory.

The other option is to place your other frogs in the new vivarium, and when your third is ready to join them, do some "tank maintenance" by trimming the plants and maybe adding a new plant or two. This minor disruption in the "normal" activity of the tank will make it easier for your third to establish its own space. You will want to watch them closely for the first couple weeks to determine that a stress issue is not recurring in the new enclosure.

Good luck, and glad to hear that the little guy/girl is doing better!

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srrrio

· #18 · May 11, 2011

Mingpeace,

I just have to say you got some really great advice on this thread.

Best of luck
Sally

mingeace

Discussion Starter · #19 · May 12, 2011

srrrio said:
Mingpeace,

I just have to say you got some really great advice on this thread.

Best of luck
Sally

I know right!! This board is truly great as well as all the members willing to help and keep my leuc healthy.

It should be said that he/she is acting totally normal now after about 3 weeks of being in QT and is on the up and up. He is still a bit thin and now that he has some energy is ALWAYS trying to escape! I dont get it. Why would this little thing always be climbing walls and mad dashing it to the top when I goto feed? Is it just in some frogs to explore or should I be concerned still?

Please for all those who have previously helped, dont feel obligated to continue answering all my mind numbing questions. My leuc is MUCH more healthy all to the great help of the people willing to share their advice and knowledge and his health is what really mattered.

Thanks again to all that shared and for all the great advice.

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Allyn Loring

· #20 · May 12, 2011

I've never had to quarantine an individual to another tank ,but I do have quite a number of mantids for there enclosures I drill a hole just big enough for a cork stopper and with the aid of a funnel I'll drop whatever food (prey item)down the funnel into the enclosure that way I don't have to open the lid and disturb the inhabitants.Good luck with that little guy!
Allyn

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