# Sick tinc



## rosablivion (Nov 1, 2014)

Hi all. I have a D. tinctorius that morphed out in June. I believe it is a female, although I’m not certain. In the past month, I have twice found her lying in the terrarium, completely unresponsive. The first time (10/7), she was lying on her stomach with her legs stretched out behind her, and didn’t move when I misted her, or even when I touched her. However, after a few minutes, she began to move around again, and when I fed her some flies, she ate a couple. After this incident, she seemed to be back to normal. Last weekend, I was away for the weekend. I fed her and misted before I left, and I have done this before with no problem. When I got back on Sunday afternoon (10/19), she was lying on her back in the terrarium. Again, she didn’t respond at all when I misted her or touched her leg. I was pretty sure she was dead. However, after a few minutes, I could see that her throat was moving. Several minutes after that, she began to move her legs. At that point, I used a leaf to flip her over, and she began to jump around, but seemed very uncoordinated and managed to fall on her back a second time. I flipped her over again, and she began to move a little more normally. In all, I would say it was close to an hour before she seemed to be moving normally. At that point I fed her, and she did eat a couple of flies. 

I supplement with calcium (Repashy Cal Plus) at each feeding and with vitamin A (also Repashy) about every 3 weeks. (The last time was on 10/8, after the first incident.) The supplements are both ~4 months old, and not out of date. She doesn’t appear to be having any trouble catching flies. There are also springtails and isopods in the leaf litter. She is housed in a 10 gallon aquarium (see attached pictures). 

I made a number of changes since the second incident. I switched from DI water (which I read could be too pure) to dechlorinated tap water. I started monitoring the temperature and humidity in the tank, and it has stayed between 74 F and 69 F and above 90% humidity. Are temps in the high 60s too cold? I switched from feeding every other day to feeding every day. I was feeding her after I got home from work, which is often pretty late at night, so I switched to feeding in the morning in case she wasn’t eating enough because she was less active at that time. I also got some phoenix worms to try, since you aren’t supposed to have to supplement them, and she has eaten those twice now. Since then, she has seemed very healthy and active, and has been hunting aggressively. I feed her around a dozen flies a day, and she has been eating all of them within a few minutes of feeding. (Phoenix worms were additional.) 

This morning, though, I again found her unresponsive in a corner of the tank, although she was sitting in a normal position. When I fed her, she didn’t show any interest in the flies. I have had a few mushrooms coming up in the terrarium from time to time, and I am wondering if you think they might be the problem. I haven’t noticed a temporal correlation between the mushrooms and an incident before, but there were a few just starting to grow this morning, which you can see in the pictures. I pulled them out. You can also see that there are a few growing in the substrate below the surface at the side of the tank, which I left there. Any thoughts on what could be causing this? I haven't read anything that addresses this sort of apparently sporadic illness. I’d appreciate any suggestions. Thanks.


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## jdooley195 (Oct 19, 2009)

Hi, I don't usually respond to these because I can offer no science based facts for you...just my opinions based on my experience...but here's what I think....aside from something possibly being medically wrong with your frog...

It does not look underweight, so that's a good thing.

Your substrate seems dry. If it were me, I'd soak a bunch of leaks and or sphagnum moss and make a nice, moist, flat (condensed) top layer in your tank...no dry springy moss sticking up or dry coco stuff to stick on 'em. Maybe add another coco hut or some large leaves to hide under.

I think I see a soaking dish...a dish/bowl/salsa cup with a half inch of spring water may be found enjoyable by your frog, if its not available.

A frog of that size should/can eat a hell of a lot more than 12 fruit flies. Try a feeding station (little chunk of banana) and feed enough that the frog will still eat the flies vs the flies crawling on your frog and freaking it out. Excess flies should gather at the feeding station and will be easy prey if and when the frog feels like eating again.

Your temps seem fine.

Don't over expose your frog to the lights either, I try to not exceed 12 hrs.

Good luck 

I'm sure someone will chime in with some 'smart' sciencey stuff for you shortly.


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## rosablivion (Nov 1, 2014)

Thanks very much! I will try making these changes. I tried a feeding station this morning and the frog seemed a little wary of something new in the tank, but hopefully she will get used to it. Do you typically cover your terrarium at night, or how do you monitor light exposure? Thanks!


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## dendrobates (May 11, 2009)

I just recently started supplementing every day with Rep-Cal because that is what it says on the container. A couple days ago I found a frog in the same position as yours and unresponsive. I now believe it may have been too much calcium. Thoughts?


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## rosablivion (Nov 1, 2014)

I did wonder about that, although I read that it is essentially impossible to overdose on calcium. I would be interested to know whether others have had this experience. It certainly looks a lot like tetany, and at this point I'm pretty sure it can't be too little calcium. I will try only supplementing every other day. Thanks!


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