# Treating WC Waxy Monkey Tree Frogs for Parasites



## Redhead87xc (Jan 27, 2010)

I will be receiving a WC Waxy Monkey Tree Frog either this week or next and I am concerned about parasites that the frog may have. I have never treated tree frogs for parasites or other diseases. If anyone has any advice, info, tips, tricks, experience, etc., please let me know. The frogs that came in on the shipment are supposed to be healthy, however, WC specimens are guranteed to have some form of parasite. What should I do treatment wise for this type of frog? Thanks.


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## Blue_Pumilio (Feb 22, 2009)

I never treat unless there is a problem. I do treat (or at least test) for chytrid after a few weeks in captivity. A lot of new research shows quite a few benefits of parasite in animals, when kept under natural numbers. Some parasites should be treated for if found, generally flukes and other nasties. Without a proper smear, float, etc. then you really won't know what you are up against. 

No mater what you do, try not to treat for at least a few weeks unless it seems necessary (some protozoans can kill quickly). 



Redhead87xc said:


> I will be receiving a WC Waxy Monkey Tree Frog either this week or next and I am concerned about parasites that the frog may have. I have never treated tree frogs for parasites or other diseases. If anyone has any advice, info, tips, tricks, experience, etc., please let me know. The frogs that came in on the shipment are supposed to be healthy, however, WC specimens are guranteed to have some form of parasite. What should I do treatment wise for this type of frog? Thanks.


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## Redhead87xc (Jan 27, 2010)

Ok good to know. I won't be treating for a few weeks unless absolutely necessary. What should I be looking for as far as signs and symptoms of a frog with a problem, other than obvious skinny figure over time?


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## aspidites73 (Oct 2, 2012)

Keep an eye on their feces. It should be a well formed stool that is not runny or oddly colored. Observation goes a long way, if the animal isn't reclusive. Is it as active as expected? Does it move as expected? I've never kept the genus, let alone species, so I'm not sure what "normal" should be. Maybe someone who has kept them can chime in. 



Redhead87xc said:


> Ok good to know. I won't be treating for a few weeks unless absolutely necessary. What should I be looking for as far as signs and symptoms of a frog with a problem, other than obvious skinny figure over time?


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## EricIvins (Jan 4, 2010)

Redhead87xc said:


> I will be receiving a WC Waxy Monkey Tree Frog either this week or next and I am concerned about parasites that the frog may have. I have never treated tree frogs for parasites or other diseases. If anyone has any advice, info, tips, tricks, experience, etc., please let me know. The frogs that came in on the shipment are supposed to be healthy, however, WC specimens are guranteed to have some form of parasite. What should I do treatment wise for this type of frog? Thanks.


Which species? Savaugii? That makes a world of difference right there......


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## Redhead87xc (Jan 27, 2010)

aspidites73 said:


> Keep an eye on their feces. It should be a well formed stool that is not runny or oddly colored. Observation goes a long way, if the animal isn't reclusive. Is it as active as expected? Does it move as expected? I've never kept the genus, let alone species, so I'm not sure what "normal" should be. Maybe someone who has kept them can chime in.


She seems to be doing okay now. She didn't seem to eat for the first two weeks but she eventually ate a pinky mouse and few crickets. She has bulked up a little and is adjusting well. The only think she has is a little nose rub which does not seem to be getting worse. I used neoasporin for a couple of days on it and it hasn't gotten worse. 



EricIvins said:


> Which species? Savaugii? That makes a world of difference right there......


It is a Phyllomedusa Bicolor.


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## mantisdragon91 (Jun 2, 2010)

Does she have a spotlight to bask under if she chooses? Bicolor are canopy dwellers and have a lot of exposure to sun and UV. In fact there are many who claim that much like uromastyx and other sun loving animals, they will chose areas of greater heat when unwell as a way to burn off excess parasites.


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## Redhead87xc (Jan 27, 2010)

mantisdragon91 said:


> Does she have a spotlight to bask under if she chooses? Bicolor are canopy dwellers and have a lot of exposure to sun and UV. In fact there are many who claim that much like uromastyx and other sun loving animals, they will chose areas of greater heat when unwell as a way to burn off excess parasites.


Yes she does. I use a red 15 watt bulb that is right over the tank. It raises the temp to the mid to high 80s in that spot. I also have a UVB bulb over the entire top of the tank as well. She usually choses two spots to sit in almost every day. I keep the red heat bulb in the same place every day though. What has helped the most with her adjusting is just leaving her alone. Aside from the first 5 days where I placed her in the water ever night to make sure she was hydrated, I have left her alone. I also covered the sides of her tank to give her more of a psychological sense of security.


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## tachikoma (Apr 16, 2009)

Redhead87xc said:


> She seems to be doing okay now. She didn't seem to eat for the first two weeks but she eventually ate a pinky mouse and few crickets. She has bulked up a little and is adjusting well. The only think she has is a little nose rub which does not seem to be getting worse. I used neoasporin for a couple of days on it and it hasn't gotten worse.
> 
> 
> 
> It is a Phyllomedusa Bicolor.



I can give you a bit of Silversulfadiazene for the nose rub if you want. I have plenty of extra from when my Bicolor had a skin lesion.


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## Redhead87xc (Jan 27, 2010)

tachikoma said:


> I can give you a bit of Silversulfadiazene for the nose rub if you want. I have plenty of extra from when my Bicolor had a skin lesion.


That would be awesome. Thanks a bunch. I'll PM you.


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## mantisdragon91 (Jun 2, 2010)

Redhead87xc said:


> Yes she does. I use a red 15 watt bulb that is right over the tank. It raises the temp to the mid to high 80s in that spot. I also have a UVB bulb over the entire top of the tank as well. She usually choses two spots to sit in almost every day. I keep the red heat bulb in the same place every day though. What has helped the most with her adjusting is just leaving her alone. Aside from the first 5 days where I placed her in the water ever night to make sure she was hydrated, I have left her alone. I also covered the sides of her tank to give her more of a psychological sense of security.


I'd go higher. Use a 20 watt halogen/xenon puck light of the type sold at most home improvement stores. It generates very high heat in a very small area and has the added benefit of providing UV radiation if you remove the glass shield. That way your frog can move to and from the hot/uv zone as desired.


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## Judy S (Aug 29, 2010)

HUH???? To quote: ate a pinky mouse.....THAT would totally freak me out...


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## EricIvins (Jan 4, 2010)

Redhead87xc said:


> It is a Phyllomedusa Bicolor.


Then its a Bicolor Monkey Frog, not a Waxy.......

The biggest obstacle you are going to face is giving the animal enough space. This is what kills 95% of Bicolors in captivity. I keep mine at 60% ambient humidity with ALOT of fresh airflow. This is CRITICAL, otherwise they will develop blisters/bacterial infections that will kill the animal. With proper husbandry, any parasite load will be under control quicker and more efficiently than anything man made. These animals are fairly hardy if the space and airflow is provided. Everything else should fall into place once those two needs are met........


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## Redhead87xc (Jan 27, 2010)

EricIvins said:


> Then its a Bicolor Monkey Frog, not a Waxy.......
> 
> The biggest obstacle you are going to face is giving the animal enough space. This is what kills 95% of Bicolors in captivity. I keep mine at 60% ambient humidity with ALOT of fresh airflow. This is CRITICAL, otherwise they will develop blisters/bacterial infections that will kill the animal. With proper husbandry, any parasite load will be under control quicker and more efficiently than anything man made. These animals are fairly hardy if the space and airflow is provided. Everything else should fall into place once those two needs are met........


I thought they were considered Waxy Monkey Tree Frogs? Guess I was wrong. I figured it was their common name. As far as space, right now I have her in a quaratine container that is approximately 15g. Why is space such a critical issue? I have heard that they need lots of it, but I have also heard of others keeping them successfully in smaller tanks. I would love to know what you think is suitable for just a single adult frog. Thanks for the info.


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## EricIvins (Jan 4, 2010)

Redhead87xc said:


> I thought they were considered Waxy Monkey Tree Frogs? Guess I was wrong. I figured it was their common name. As far as space, right now I have her in a quaratine container that is approximately 15g. Why is space such a critical issue? I have heard that they need lots of it, but I have also heard of others keeping them successfully in smaller tanks. I would love to know what you think is suitable for just a single adult frog. Thanks for the info.


Space is such an issue because these are high canopy Frogs. They may descend/ascend 300ft in a night, so they aren't going to understand the glass cube your keeping it in. I would say the minimum would be 4x2 for a single animal. Otherwise you run the risk ( read - high risk ) of the animal rubbing its face off. Once that process starts, the odds are high that you will lose the animal. These Frogs are very susceptable to bacterial infections from the smallest nick or rub...


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## Firawen (Jan 29, 2012)

EricIvins said:


> Space is such an issue because these are high canopy Frogs. They may descend/ascend 300ft in a night, so they aren't going to understand the glass cube your keeping it in. I would say the minimum would be 4x2 for a single animal. Otherwise you run the risk ( read - high risk ) of the animal rubbing its face off. Once that process starts, the odds are high that you will lose the animal. These Frogs are very susceptable to bacterial infections from the smallest nick or rub...


I'm not saying you're wrong, but when I went behind the scenes at the zoo atlanta reptile house they had a female that they kept in a small tank and it seemed fine. I don't know the dimensions of the tank but it was shorter than and maybe 1.5 times as wide as a 20 vert. I realize that a tank this size probably isn't very good for them, but I think for a temporary tank it would be ok as long as you monitor it.


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