# Briefly deflating frog?



## serial hobbiest (Mar 5, 2017)

So yesterday I go crashing into my bedroom with a loud thud, and thought, "Well that probably scared the daylights out of my frogs," so I glanced over at the vivarium, and sure enough, Dr. Gonzo was spastically freaking out, and he hopped over to the front of the vivarium & stopped. I looked straight down on him, and he looked like someone had just sucked all the air out of him with a syringe or something. He looked completely skeletal. After staring at him with astonishment for 2 or 3 seconds, he took a took a deep breath and returned to normal.

So this raises questions:

1. Did I actually scare the wind right out of him when I went crashing into the room, or was this freaky episode an unrelated co-incidence?

2. What are some other reasons a frog might briefly deflate like that, and should I be concerned? Could he have been choking on a chunk of substrate, perhaps?

3. Could he have some sort of a breathing condition?

To provide some context for (3) I have noticed Dr. Gonzo just stop breathing before, not like this episode of crazy deflation, but just casually, when he's just sitting and chilling. One minute, his neck would be moving with his breathing, and then it just stops. I've always just wrote it off as a response to my presence there. Like he's just holding his breath for a second to have a better listen or something, much in the same way you can catch the attention of a panting dog, and he'll stop panting while his ears perk up at you. Well now I'm second guessing my assessment.

What's going on with Dr. Gonzo? He's a tinctorius azureus, in case that's relevant.

Thanks.


----------



## Encyclia (Aug 23, 2013)

That is super scary! I have never seen anything like that, but the first thing that came to mind is a seizure. Any chance that's what you were seeing? If so, maybe look at supplementation? I know calcium deficiencies can cause seizures. 

As for the not-breathing thing, most of my frogs have quickening and pauses in their throat pouches moving. I never attributed that to actual breathing, but maybe it is? I always thought it was a bit more like panting or something in dogs except for my frogs it always seems to be a stress response. When it stops, I didn't think they were stopping breathing, just that they maybe were calming down a little bit. Regardless, I hope Dr. Gonzo feels better soon!

Mark


----------



## serial hobbiest (Mar 5, 2017)

Encyclia said:


> That is super scary! I have never seen anything like that, but the first thing that came to mind is a seizure. Any chance that's what you were seeing? If so, maybe look at supplementation? I know calcium deficiencies can cause seizures.
> 
> As for the not-breathing thing, most of my frogs have quickening and pauses in their throat pouches moving. I never attributed that to actual breathing, but maybe it is? I always thought it was a bit more like panting or something in dogs except for my frogs it always seems to be a stress response. When it stops, I didn't think they were stopping breathing, just that they maybe were calming down a little bit. Regardless, I hope Dr. Gonzo feels better soon!
> 
> Mark


I suppose it could be a seizure- one where all the air leaves his body that is. I can't see it being a nutrient deficiency though; I dust every feeding. I recently switched from Dendrocare to Repashy calcium plus, however. Not to mention my flies are raised on Superfly.

Hopefully it was just a severe panic attack. He's always been a bit dramatic whenever I invade the enclosure.


----------



## Xirxes23 (May 8, 2018)

Make sure vitamin A is being supplemented separately and at least monthly. I have read that the most common source of seizure is vitamin deficiency.


----------

