# Was stupid, exposed new frogs to parasites



## Hatmehit (Jul 9, 2012)

Hi
I recently got my first dart frogs and I was careless. I put them in a terrarium which was planted with some plants and moss from around my backyard pond. I forgot about the fact that the pond has a couple of bullfrogs living in it. I did thoroughly wash the plants and moss with vinegar and removed any bugs I found. Is there anything I can treat them or the tank with to reduce the likelyhood of parasites or diseases? I know it was stupid but I completely forgot about those damn bullfrogs. Will the vinegar wash help? I soaked it for about six to ten minutes in a strong solution.


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## Rusty_Shackleford (Sep 2, 2010)

Vinegar won't do anything. You should have soaked the plants in a dilute bleach solution. The only thing you can do now is have your frogs tested for parasites. In fact I would have them tested a few times a few weeks apart. Since it's possible they have been exposed to parasites but they have not built up in their system to show a positive test at first. Perhaps the second test may be positive where the first one was negative. 
If they do come up positive you're gonna have to tear down the whole viv and start over.


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## Azurel (Aug 5, 2010)

I can only tell you what I would do.... I would pull the frogs put them in a holding tank/QT with leaf litter sphag type substrate or even paper towel(all white kind) and have them tested as subscribed in the quarantine thread. Have them tested till you get 3 consecutive negative test....

Toss the moss and plants that were collected around a pond with amphibians. Then disinfect the tank and start over. There are many sponsors and members that can sell you frog free plants and moss...
There are ways of disinfecting plants and moss( 10% bleach solution) as well which should be done no matter who you get them from but why risk it with stuff that is collected around wild animals.


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## Hatmehit (Jul 9, 2012)

Ok, so for the moment I have them in a holding container with damp paper towel and some clean magnolia leaves. I microwaved the leaves. 

I don't have bleach but I could pick some up tomorrow. At the moment I'm thinking I should:
1. Take apart the tank, bleach and clean it.
2. Make new substrate and put that in.
3. Take all the plants from the tank and wash them with a bleach solution
4. Put the tank all back together and then keep the frogs out of it until I've had a fecal test done?

I really don't want to ditch the plants I collected but if I have to I will. Does anyone have a thought about this plan?


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## Pumilo (Sep 4, 2010)

You might want to consider a swabbing for chytrid, too.


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## Hatmehit (Jul 9, 2012)

Noted. Is that a specialist thing or should my reptile vet be able to do it?


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## mcaiger53 (Jan 3, 2011)

I used to use wild collected plants/vines etc in my tanks a lot. I have never had anything bad happen, but have learned that it isn't really a gamble worth taking. I do have a tank w some large dead/baked grape vine that randomly produces some nasty predatory beetles. I built the tank about 2 yrs ago for some grey tree frogs. I baked and bleeched the vine, didn't seem to kill the beetle eggs/larvae that are still occasionally hatching. 
Mike


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## Hatmehit (Jul 9, 2012)

Wow, that almost sounds like a miniature horror movie. Something wakes within the grape wood... It comes forth seeking flesh. I like grape vine. I used to have a couple really nice pieces for my beardie. I wonder if I still have them somewhere.

I think I'll still use wild collected things but I promise to be much more careful in the future. Going to get bleach in a few minutes so I can clean everything.


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## jacobi (Dec 15, 2010)

Bleach doesn't disinfect wood. Unless you use enough to make it unusable in a vivarium.


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## Rusty_Shackleford (Sep 2, 2010)

Hatmehit said:


> Noted. Is that a specialist thing or should my reptile vet be able to do it?


I'm not sure if your local vet can do that test. Probably not. I use Research Associates Laboratory in Dallas, TX. I've used them for both Chytrid and Ranavirus tests. Ranavirus is another test you probably want to do. Both test cost $20 each. You can order the swabs and download the submission forms from their website. 
Research Associates Laboratory, Inc. at vetdna.com


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## jacobi (Dec 15, 2010)

Rusty_Shackleford said:


> I'm not sure if your local vet can do that test. Probably not. I use Research Associates Laboratory in Dallas, TX. I've used them for both Chytrid and Ranavirus tests. Ranavirus is another test you probably want to do. Both test cost $20 each. You can order the swabs and download the submission forms from their website.
> Research Associates Laboratory, Inc. at vetdna.com


Rusty is that link working for you? I'm not even getting the webpage through google.


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## Hatmehit (Jul 9, 2012)

So I didn't see the post about bleach not working for wood. I already put my wood piece through the same process as the plants. Can it be redeemed at this point? I soaked it for longer than the plants because I assumed it would have more crannies for bad things to linger. I rinsed it very thoroughly and put dechlorinator in the soak water but it still smells a little bleachy. I've been drying it since then. 

I was thinking I would soak it for a longer time with more dechlorinator and then dry it in the sun and see if that fixed it. Do you think that would work? I could boil or bake it as well to make sure it doesn't have anything nasty hiding in it anymore.


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## Hatmehit (Jul 9, 2012)

Oh, and the bleach seems to have killed my moss. I thought moss would take it better than the rest of the plants but of all of it, the moss is the only one that didn't seem ok afterward. It was a mix of java moss from my fish tank and moss from the pond. 
All the color has gone out of it. Do you think it will recover or should I give it up for dead?


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## Rusty_Shackleford (Sep 2, 2010)

jacobi said:


> Rusty is that link working for you? I'm not even getting the webpage through google.


Sorry Jake, didn't see your post till now.
I just clicked on the link and it worked for me just now.


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## jacobi (Dec 15, 2010)

Rusty_Shackleford said:


> Sorry Jake, didn't see your post till now.
> I just clicked on the link and it worked for me just now.


Thanks. Its working for me now. I think my computer may be dying....


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## jacobi (Dec 15, 2010)

Hatmehit said:


> So I didn't see the post about bleach not working for wood. I already put my wood piece through the same process as the plants. Can it be redeemed at this point? I soaked it for longer than the plants because I assumed it would have more crannies for bad things to linger. I rinsed it very thoroughly and put dechlorinator in the soak water but it still smells a little bleachy. I've been drying it since then.
> 
> I was thinking I would soak it for a longer time with more dechlorinator and then dry it in the sun and see if that fixed it. Do you think that would work? I could boil or bake it as well to make sure it doesn't have anything nasty hiding in it anymore.


Try soaking it in a bucket of water for a few days. Maybe replacing the water a few times. That should help with the bleach. 
As for baking it, I see people's recomending baking times and it makes no sense. Think of a roast. It can take several hours at 350°F for the interior temperature to get high enough to cook properly. If I bake wood, its at 300°F for 2-3 hours AFTER I soak it for a day so it doesn't burn.


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## Ed (Sep 19, 2004)

jacobi said:


> Rusty is that link working for you? I'm not even getting the webpage through google.


 
It works for me. 

Ed


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## Brotherly Monkey (Jul 20, 2010)

jacobi said:


> Rusty is that link working for you? I'm not even getting the webpage through google.



Are you running any programs like a script blocker, by chance? Because I recall you having a similar issue in another thread


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## Hatmehit (Jul 9, 2012)

Ok, I see the error of my ways and the frogs are going into a clean, plain tub with magnolia leaves and paper towel. Can anyone tell me what in the world these are, and why they appear to have come out of the body of a dead earthworm in my tank?

I poked around and found that lots of people just toss wild stuff into their tanks and thought I could do the same, but perhaps not if that means constant anxiety about weird parasite looking worms.

The frogs have been in a holding container since that original screw-up because I'm too paranoid to expose them to my tank but too stubborn to break it down because it looks pretty. I might just keep bugs and salamanders in it or something. Seems a shame to waste it, but the frogs are not going in.


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## Ed (Sep 19, 2004)

Hatmehit said:


> Ok, I see the error of my ways and the frogs are going into a clean, plain tub with magnolia leaves and paper towel. Can anyone tell me what in the world these are, and why they appear to have come out of the body of a dead earthworm in my tank?
> 
> I poked around and found that lots of people just toss wild stuff into their tanks and thought I could do the same, but perhaps not if that means constant anxiety about weird parasite looking worms.
> 
> The frogs have been in a holding container since that original screw-up because I'm too paranoid to expose them to my tank but too stubborn to break it down because it looks pretty. I might just keep bugs and salamanders in it or something. Seems a shame to waste it, but the frogs are not going in.


Have you considered that they could be free living nematodes and virtually nothing you can do will keep them out of the tank? 

Ed


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## Hatmehit (Jul 9, 2012)

I was actually just looking up nematodes, but I don't know if they're good or bad. They seem to predate on earth dwelling bugs. Couldn't that mean they're a risk to the frogs or the springtails I was planning to add?


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## Ed (Sep 19, 2004)

Hatmehit said:


> I was actually just looking up nematodes, but I don't know if they're good or bad. They seem to predate on earth dwelling bugs. Couldn't that mean they're a risk to the frogs or the springtails I was planning to add?


There are tons of nematodes and many are free living organisms living on decaying organic matter. 

Ed


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