# Sick Cobalt



## bricespice (Jan 4, 2010)

I recently purchased a (about) 7 month old Cobalt from the NARBC in Arlington this past weekend. I had a 5 hour drive back home. It was kept in a deli container (with air holes)with a moist paper towel.
I moved it to a quantine container immediately when I got home.
The container has a small water bowl, many plants and a coco hut. However, since bringing it home on Saturday, it has not ate (that I can see). Today I moved it to an empty 10 gallon to see if size of container caused stress. No change. I have tried springtails, hydei and melanogaster. I noticed the frog grab 2 melanogasters and immediately spit them out. Since then, no interest in flies at all.
I have noticed the frog slightly slimming down. 
Humidity is 95% and temp is 73 F.

Any suggestions?


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## puckplaya32 (Jan 6, 2008)

can you take a picture or two of both containers?


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## qwertkb2d (Aug 14, 2007)

Moving repeats does not help stress.

How much food are you putting in?
Maybe add some curled cork for cover or something else to add more 'seclusion'

Just be patient and feed sparingly. Hopefully the frog will start eating. If not you move to the next problem...fungal/parasitic issues. 

--my two cents--


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## bricespice (Jan 4, 2010)

I only moved to the 10 gallon because I feared the plastic quantine container was too small. It's the one joshs frogs sells.
I fed 5 hydei again this morning right in front of the frog. there was interst, but no attempts to grab them. i also stood about 8 feet away while watching. the room the frog is in has little outside movement, as i work 10 hours a day.
i will keep watching and post pictures this evening when i get home.
thanks


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## bricespice (Jan 4, 2010)




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## Ed (Sep 19, 2004)

Eight feet away is probably not sufficient to be out of stress range for the frogs as they have good vision as well as probably being able to feel the impact of your footfall on the floor... 

If you are checking on the frog multiple times a day or it is in a place where you (or others) are constantly walking in and out of the room, then it may not eat due to stress. 
If you are actually moving things around in the enclosure to see how it is doing, then you are going to really impact it's ability to adjust... 

If the enclosure is pretty fruit fly proof add a small feeding station to keep the flies down where they are more easily reached by the frog and leave it alone for at least a few hours if not for the entire day. 

I would reduce interactions with the frog to a maximal of once maybe twice a day.


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## puckplaya32 (Jan 6, 2008)

is the log the only cover available for the cobalt?


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## bricespice (Jan 4, 2010)

I check on the frog only 2x per day. Once when i turn the lights on and during feeding. i dont stick my hands in to move vegetation or to check on him. i just look from outside the tank.
i stand around the corner during feeding behind a side wall to watch, its not directly in front of the tank. and as i mentioned im not even in the room for about 10 hours during the entire day.
In the tank is 2 medium broms, 1 driftwood that he can get under and 1 cocohut, as well as some tropical plants from home depot. trust me, there is plenty of hiding, when i turn the lights on, i couldnt even find him (visually).


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## JJhuang (Feb 5, 2010)

As stated above, I would try using a feeding station. This might catch his attention. I usually use a small slice of banana on a water cap.


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## frogfreak (Mar 4, 2009)

In addition to the feeding station, I would recommend a smaller fly like Melanogaster.


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## Philsuma (Jul 18, 2006)

frogfreak said:


> I would recommend a smaller fly like Melanogaster.


 
Chances are, that's what the breeder was feeding it and the frog is probably used to a smaller wingless FF and may be scared of a larger black, winged Hydei.

You have only had the frog for 3 or so days now.....stress is still high. Some frogs go several days without feeding when they are moved to a new enclosure. Not uncommon. Your frog has decent body size so you got that going for you.

I'm sure it will feed when you aren't looking, especially early morning or evening - dusk.


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## bricespice (Jan 4, 2010)

I will try the feeding station today.
I have tried melanogasters, he eats them and spits them out.

However, today he was more active, climbing and clinging on to the top of the glass portion.


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## bricespice (Jan 4, 2010)

I purchased a culture of the flies from the breeder, so I am feeding the exact same flies.


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## bricespice (Jan 4, 2010)

Her belly is starting to cave in. She has shown interest in the flies but is spitting them out, I have tried calcium powders on them (Rep-Cal, Repti Call, and SunFire Dust) and I have also tried no calcium powder. Same results.

I have tried contacting the breeder, but he will not respond via phone or via email.

Any suggestions?

Feeding station did not work.


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## Philsuma (Jul 18, 2006)

I looked for an Oklahoma group in the social group section and didn't see one and I'm not familiar with anyone out there but hopefuly someone on the board here will see this and respond.

You should try to get with someone local who has frog experience and see if they can either take possession of the frog or directly assist you. This is better than even taking it to a vet, as most vets don't have experience with dart frogs and are costly.

A good title for another thread posting would be " Help needed in Tulsa OK" and then ask for someone local to talk to or take a close look at the frog. 

In the meantime, try scooping FF larvae off the sides of a culture and into a little shallow dish.

Heat - STEADY 75F
Humidity - steady 90% or so

Good luck and act quickly. Time is not on your side...


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## Bananaslug (Feb 18, 2010)

When I recieved my frogs they did no show much interest in food for several days. I started putting a price of orange peel in the tank near their favorite hiding spots to attract the fruit flies and it has really seemed to work well! The flies literally flock to it and the frogs don't have to go far to hunt their food... Their bellies are always full now. Hope this helps, it's all the advice I have


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## RedEyeTroyFrog (Jan 25, 2008)

from looking at the pictures the frog looks completely healthy to me, I hope that ur not putting too many flies in there... I would drop like 3-4 at a time close to the frog...maybe 3 inches in front of its nose. just give it time, it should warm up to eating soon...I have had frogs do this in the past. If there Leaf litter in the tank, sometimes leaf litter makes the frog seem much more comfortable...just my 2 cents

another thing, If ur putting flies in the container and its not eating them.... are u just putting more flies in the next day?? If this is what ur doing I recommend either killing the flies, or letting the flies out of the container, otherwise having an over load of undusted flies in the tank would also put added stress on the frog


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## bricespice (Jan 4, 2010)

Good news!
Per advise from the breeder, I did the medicated bath in metronidazole yesterday. Today, she ate 15+ melanogasters!!!
This is great! Thanks everyone for you assistance, I was starting to hit Week 3 with little to not eating and I was sure I was going to lose her.

Thanks again! This is why DendroBoard is great!


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## frogfreak (Mar 4, 2009)

Good news.

Congrats


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