# Help! Super skinny Ancon Hill Auratus!



## Neodoxa (Oct 12, 2006)

Hello,

Well I got my first dart frog yesterday, I believe its an ancon hill auratus (i think it's a male)... I got him for $15 at a local pet store. He is severely skinny... very emaciated. I was very worried about him after seeing him in the store, so I bought him to try and take him on individually and get him back to health. I know doing that as a dart frog beginner was probably not the best move, but the pet store obviously wasn't helping either (surprise).

Anyways, I put him in my new vivarium last night, and after an hour or two of him looking around, I figured I'd offer him some fruit flies... I put in about 6 at first... He ate them all pretty quick, so I put in a few more, and he ate most of those too. He probably ate about 10, which surprised me because I figured he'd be stressed from the move. 

Today I tried offering fruit flies again, and he only ate about 2-3 (that I saw).

Do you think he has a chance? Perhaps he doesn't have a parasite or anything, but was just not offered enough food? There were 4 of them in an 11 gallon exo-terra, and the other three were significantly older and fatter. 

I'm very concerned, but I knew I would be when I got into this whole situation. 

Any help is greatly appreciated. I will post pictures tomorrow. Like I said, he is extremely emaciated, DOES eat, but doesn't move around too much.

-Neodoxa


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## Dancing frogs (Feb 20, 2004)

Having fecal tests wouldn't hurt, but I would be willing to bet this is a tankmate stress issue.
Try feeding something more substantial than fruit flies if you can, some fruit fly larvae, rice flour beetle larvae, or pinhead crickets.
If you don't have those available, just keep feeding as many flies as it will eat, and don't forget the vitamin and calcium supplements.
Also, try to minimize stress as much as you can. 
I've heard of darts shrivling up entirely due to stress, and they plumped right back up after the stress was removed.
Good luck!


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## Neodoxa (Oct 12, 2006)

Thanks for the reply. When I bought him, I was home for spring break, so I just got back to school and got done transporting him here (his final move)... I feel bad that I've had to transport him so much... It causes stress I'd imagine, no doubt. 

How can I minimize stress with him? Also, last night after I posted, I was watching him close and he didn't eat any more flies. They were crawling right in front of him and he wouldn't take them. I'm getting more worried by the minute. He's just so cool I really really don't want to lose him. But then again, who WOULD want to lose a frog. 

He doesn't move much, he just sits in the same spot almost all day. My parameters in the tank are 70 at night, approx. 76 in the day, humidity is constantly at about 88-90%.

How many flies should he be eating? What is a normal amount for a frog to eat? 

Thanks in advance, and sorry for asking so many questions. Just need the best advice possible. He isn't lethargic at least, I mean, I've seen him actively slurp up like 8 flies in a sitting. But it seems his appetite has gone down since I've had him.


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## Neodoxa (Oct 12, 2006)

This is him... So skinny.


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## Neodoxa (Oct 12, 2006)

Ok well, he hasn't taken any flies today or late last night that I could see. Could it be I am offering too much food? or?


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## Curt61 (Jan 16, 2007)

Hey, sad to say it could be to late, I know that after a frog gets to a point you can't really bring them back. But keep trying, he could also be eating them when you weren't looking. He could still get better. Good luck, Curt.


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## Neodoxa (Oct 12, 2006)

Well I just saw him eat two flies about a minute ago... Perhaps he has been eating them when I'm not watching... I put some flies in and watch for a couple of minutes and then go about my business, maybe he eats them when I'm not around. Perhaps my movement outside of the viv stresses him. I dont know. The viv is by my computer and I peeked over and watched him eat 2! Maybe there is still a chance for him! That is about 12-15 flies since I got him two days ago. 

Anyone else have any input for me about him? His stomach and midsection does seem a smidge bigger than when I got him. As of right now he has a tiny bit of a pot belly. Heh. 

-Neodoxa


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## Curt61 (Jan 16, 2007)

Hey, if you saw him eat he is alot more likely to live. It is great to hear that he is gaining a little bit of weight. Good luck, Curt.


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## tyler (Feb 23, 2006)

If you can, I would try collecting termites. They're very fatty in content. I wish you luck.


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## bpetty13 (Mar 17, 2007)

yea i was gonna say termites to. also if it were me i would have springtails in there as well.


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## NCSUdart (Oct 1, 2004)

its pretty skinny, but the positive part is that his hind legs still look fairly robust. usually as long as their hind legs still look nice and healthy i've found they'll gain back the weight as long as they aren't stressed and are given plenty of food. when the back legs start looking like twigs, thats when its usually too late


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## Neodoxa (Oct 12, 2006)

Where could I get termites? I am extremely bent on trying to save this little guy and will do anything I can for him. 

Also, is it an ancon hill auratus? Or what? I got him as just a "Green and Black Dart Frog"... Heh... He looked significantly different from the other three normal green and black auratus' in the tank with him.


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## Neodoxa (Oct 12, 2006)

UPDATE:

Well today he seems a lot more lively... He's moving around A LOT more and exploring more. I think he was just stressed from the move and didn't have much energy (since hes so skinny) before. But yeah, today I put in some more flies, and I watched him snatch up like 5. 

Given the history since I got him four days ago, any new insights as to whether or not he'll make it? He's been eating steadily now and definitely has a will to survive. 

-Neodoxa


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## Curt61 (Jan 16, 2007)

Hey, I would say that he is almost forsure going to survive  
He is an Ancon Hill Auratus. Was he in the tank with other type of Auratus? I don't know much about mixing morphs causing stress, but it could be because the other 3 were stressing out your ancon hill auratus.

Curtis.


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## Neodoxa (Oct 12, 2006)

Yes, his tankmates at the pet store were just conventional green and black auratus'... So he was definately a different morph from the other 3 which were of the same morph. 

Does anyone else think that since the morphs were mixed it caused stress for him?


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