# Pacific tree frog loss of movement in legs!



## dchamber1234 (May 9, 2020)

About two days, my wife and I found our pacific tree frog struggling to move his back legs in the morning. By the evening time he could not move them at all. Up until about a month ago, we had been feeding him crickets dusted with calcium (but without vitamin D). It has been about two days since he has completely lost the use of his back legs. We have been trying to figure out what is the cause, because he seems healthy otherwise. We did a little research and found that he needed a UVB light and calcium with vitamin D. So we got those two things, and have been mixing calcium powder in spring water, and letting him soak in it for about an hour, twice a day. He is not interested in eating crickets right now, so we thought soaking him in it might help him absorb some of it. After he soaks in the calcium we make sure to rinse him off in the spring water really well. So hopefully it won’t clog his skin/pores. Also, we drizzled sugar water on him because we heard that could help when he’s not eating. I have been waking up throughout the night to turn him right side up because he climbs out of the bowl and falls on his back and can’t get back up because his legs aren’t working. Yesterday morning, it looked like he was blowing a bubble out of his butt, but then it went away in an hour. We think it might have been from straining to get up when he was stuck on his back. We are not sure if this treatment is working or will work. We are wondering if he has a viral or bacterial infection, and if antibiotics will work. We heard that if it’s rickets, that it could be reversible. Are we on the right track? Any help is greatly appreciated because we don’t have a vet near us that is knowledgeable about tree frogs.


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## macg (Apr 19, 2018)

I'm sorry I can't be of more help, but you should also consider using repashy calcium plus for a complete set of vitamins.


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## Socratic Monologue (Apr 7, 2018)

Just guessing here, but I would suspect MBD. Plain calcium isn't metabolically available without D3 (you mention you learned that), so the frog has had little/no calcium for as long as it has been improperly supplemented. Insectivores need a full-spectrum supplement (not just Ca/D3), like @macg said. Probably the legs have failed because they lack the necessary rigidity or they have broken. 

Calcium carbonate doesn't dissolve in water much at all, so using calcium gluconate or some other soluble formulation would be a better way to go for soaks.

Given the history and symptoms, the supplementation issue is much, much more likely than any pathogen. But really, only a vet could determine that.

You can find the nearest exotics vet here:

https://arav.site-ym.com/search/custom.asp?id=3661


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## Kmc (Jul 26, 2019)

Your issue requires multiple approaches. 

Frogs as described are prone to further self injure. Spontaneous fracture can also occur without trauma or impact.. If it is a deficiency caused bone disease, fractures to the spine may mean the permanent loss of adequate function. 

I rely on gavage feeding with very specific implements, a dietary slurry, and uvb lighting, timed, with animals of impaired mobility.

It should be acknowledged that loss of mobility is speculated as being fear-provoking and should be weighed as an item of welfare consideration to continuing treatment or choosing to end suffering per proper euthanasia.

It doesnt take an ARAV vet to euthanize a frog or other herp, if they are willing.


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## Kmc (Jul 26, 2019)

Ive been thinking about your frog and Im sorry this happened and there is always a chance of a bipass of factor that, put together with other lucky breaks of resource, willingness, ability, a quiet soar of resolving + Well Animal happens and its the best. 

Pacific Treefrogs are an unheralded Western Treasure. They are robust masters of a variety of terrains, and do everything well.


The most I offer is that the truth is, usually if a person doesnt really get how to keep something; or leaves things out that result in problems, its really unlikely for them to be able to correct it themselves, and should be reminded that First Do No Harm is above Cure or Kill.

The way someone familiar with these issues would work with your frog, could never be adequately explained in important ways. the details, the monitor, the adjustments. 
look up calcium gluconate as I know because of your calcium-in-the-water thing, links have been provided about that. 

If there is no improvement it could help you decide things.


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