# Picky frogs?



## Kevin1234 (Oct 12, 2008)

I have a very skinny pumilio that has a bacteria issue that I am treating. The other 2 eat like pigs and have no problems. This particular one eats melanogaster flies but I rarely see it eat and it never puts on weight. There are springs to but not in abundance. Tonight I decided to try baby mealworms because the babies are finally showing up. I put 4 in front of him and it ate them all instantly. Now I find this interesting because It will eat a fly here and there but generally wont eat them. 

Now my question is.... Do I have a picky frog that refuses to eat fruit flies??? 

Anyone else have a picky frog that refuses certain foods??? is this normal??

Thanks
Kevin


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## Kevin1234 (Oct 12, 2008)

hmm anyone?


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## JL-Exotics (Nov 10, 2005)

Tough one Kevin... I've never met a frog who didn't enjoy a good fruit fly! 

I will say that in my opinion frogs definitely have a programmed vision in their minds of what food looks like. Sure, movement will attract them and even get them to strike. But anything new and unusual in terms of size, shape, taste, texture will often result in a good deal of fussing and spitting out and retrying and spitting out. At some point the frog will either decide that #1 "hey, this is food!" or #2 "Nope, that's not for me..." It can take a while for them to switch gears and accept something new, but they usually will if the food is indeed edible.

You may just have a picky guy that is locked onto the small worms. I would continue with the worms as long as he will continue eating them and keep introducing flies in the hopes that he develops a taste for them. 

Good luck with him!


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## Kevin1234 (Oct 12, 2008)

hmm yeah it really doesnt make much sense because I have had him for a like a month now and I have seen him eat the flies. He only eats a few and thus stays alive but never enough to gain weight. I thought it was the bacteria problem he has that is making him skinny but now I think its just the eating thing. I decided to try it again tonight flies in front him and he doesnt go for them. Tried termites and he doesn't go for them. I put 12 baby mealworms in front of him and he sucked them all up like a vacuum. I just find it unusual because he has eaten flies but he wont fill up on them. 

Luckily I decided to raise mealworms and superworms as backup food cultures and the babies are the perfect size right now. 

I haven't tried feeding him my pill and sow bugs yet though but that will be next. 

For now I will just feed him the worms everyday and fatten him and hopefully when hes fat he will start eating the flies some more.


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## Ed (Sep 19, 2004)

People often overlook that amphibians are also known to zero in on specific food items based on thier potential nutritional content.. Its possible that the frog was so aggressive towards the mealworms as they are high in fat. 

Ed


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## Kevin1234 (Oct 12, 2008)

well he is taking termites and the mealworms everyday now. I alternate between the two several times a day. He will get to almost a normal weight but still remains skinny. Im hoping it will just take time for him to gain weight since he was so skinny. otherwise....I just dont know where he is putting it lol. 


Kevin


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