# Body condition score



## jtherr (Nov 2, 2017)

I have had dart frogs for about a year and mostly been a lurker on the forum. During that time I have heard many people talk about how obesity is an issue in dart frogs, and quite frankly, most captive animals. 

I am a veterinary student, and I am rather familiar with overweight animals. Most commonly seen veterinary species, like dogs and cats, have a certified body condition scoring that allows for assessment of body weight and it is repeatable and easily interpreted between veterinarians. The scoring system is out of 9 with a 1/9 indicating emaciation and a 9/9 being obese. Ideal body weight is 5/9. The difference between numbers is roughly 10% body fat. 

I was wondering what are specific indicators that should be used to assess body condition score in dart frogs? (other than it looks fat). 

Mostly I was thinking about what anatomical or physiological assessments could be done seeing as obtaining a routine, accurate weight is generally not realistic and stressful for most dart frogs. 

Thanks,

Jake


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## Pubfiction (Feb 3, 2013)

I don't see why you cannot weigh dart frogs. You can catch them safely and easily in a glass tube. Tare the scale with the tube and weigh them then just drop the tube back in the tank and you can even let the frog find its way out on its own. You can go to amazon or ebay to find scales of almost any range for reasonable prices. 

Another way to do it would be to take a picture and do some measurements of ratios. Say belly width to head width. But believe it or not that might be harder then mass. I have tried to take reproducible pictures and frogs don't cooperate no matter how I try to bribe them.


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## jtherr (Nov 2, 2017)

Pubfiction said:


> I don't see why you cannot weigh dart frogs. You can catch them safely and easily in a glass tube.
> 
> I understand that it is possible to weigh them and for some frogs that is not an overly stressful event. However, that is by no means easy and stress-free for all frogs.
> 
> In addition, a weight without actual anatomical markers to assess body condition score is not overly helpful. It will just tell you whether the frog is gaining or losing weight.


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