# possible STS in dart frog



## miguel_dendrobatero (Jul 14, 2009)

hi again.
now, is not me, a friend has tinctorius azureus. when he bought the frog she was healthy but since two weeks she tryes to cath fruit flies but she cant. she shot about 15 times to hunt a springtail/flie, this is the only symptom he has and that she´s thinning. 
my friend uses dendrocare and the tinc is an sub adult. tomorrow he´s going to buy ringer and calcium gluconate to treat the frog ¿does he need to know anything else to treat the frog ? ¿it is possible to rescue the frog?

thanks to averyone


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## Julio (Oct 8, 2007)

What is STS? was the frog eating when she got it? what kind of setup is the frog in? temp? what supplements is she using?


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## Adven2er (Aug 17, 2008)

Julio said:


> What is STS? QUOTE]
> 
> I think he means short tongue syndrome.


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## miguel_dendrobatero (Jul 14, 2009)

exactly, short tongue syndrome. the temp is abou 80º durig the day and 24 at the night. the humidity is alwayas higher than 80%. the complement my friend use is dendrocare.

the tinc, is going thin she is not anorexic but she is thin comparing with the last two weeks...

ringer solution and calcium gluconate is enough ? i have to know or wait somethig before treat the frog ?

thanks


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## stingfrog (Apr 1, 2007)

Temps 80 during the day and 24 at night. That doesn't make sense to me. Temps should be in the lower to mid 70s F during the day and about 5 degrees F or so lower at night if at all. What you are saying is that your friend is over heating the frog during the day and freezing it at night.


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## miguel_dendrobatero (Jul 14, 2009)

stingfrog said:


> Temps 80 during the day and 24 at night. That doesn't make sense to me. Temps should be in the lower to mid 70s F during the day and about 5 degrees F or so lower at night if at all. What you are saying is that your friend is over heating the frog during the day and freezing it at night.



oh sorry, im from spain and we dont use farenheit. i wanted to say that in the night the terrarium has 72º F (24-23ºC in spain) and during the day 80º F (27º C in spain)

the conduct of the frog is normal, she responds well at stimulus

PD: sorry with my english but im not very good with english hehe


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## stingfrog (Apr 1, 2007)

I understand and figured it was something like that. I would still lower the daytime temps. about 5 degrees F. Are there any other frogs in with it that may be stressing it?


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## miguel_dendrobatero (Jul 14, 2009)

there is one more green auratus some bigger than the other. but they are toguether since two months and there wasnt problems... it started two weeks ago and its very extrange, is heartbreaking to see how the frog is trying to hunt but she cant...


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## Philsuma (Jul 18, 2006)

Miguel,

I've had that same problem and only with Tincs....never my other frogs.

I've even had some adult size frogs transfered to me that had that problem too - a short tounge, but they were over a year old and have decent body weight. I did not treat them. It seems that they actually "grew out of the problem" and became effective hunters again.

Try feeding FF larvae in a petri dish. That would enable the frog to catch prey items more easily and put on weight.

and by all means, seperate it so stress, feeding competition and possible disease doesn't add to the problem.


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## miguel_dendrobatero (Jul 14, 2009)

ok, thanks philsuma, i mixed the auratus with the tinc because auratus are always hidden while tincs are more shameless. im going to try with the larvaes and i will tell what have done the frog...

thanks again


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## miguel_dendrobatero (Jul 14, 2009)

hi!
she doesnt get better... yesterdat my friend separated her in a nursery terrarium with lots of springtails and drosophilla she ate a few (4-5 flies) but now she continues in the same position hours ago... we dont know more things to do because in this moment the flies walk in front of her and she continues equal...


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## Rain_Frog (Apr 27, 2004)

One thing to try is a UVB mercury vapor bulb given for fifteen minutes once a month.


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## Ed (Sep 19, 2004)

STS is caused by insufficient vitamin A as retinol/retinyl palmitate in the diet.. The insufficient levels of retinol/retinyl palmitate cause a change in the "stickyness" of the tongue as the mucous secreting cells (actually squamous metaplasia) are unable to continue producing the mucous needed. 

If this is actually STS then the frog needs a better supply of vitamin A as retinol/retinyl palmitate in the diet.. as animals that are deficient in A may have problems assimilating carotenoids that can be converted to vitamin A.. 

I am not sure why exposure to 15 minutes of UVB lighting is supposed to do with a potential hypovitaminosis of A. 

Ed


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## miguel_dendrobatero (Jul 14, 2009)

thanks ed i have read some of your posts talking about it and youre a great help so thanks again. she continues equal but now she moves less, i am thinking about bath her with vitamins dilute in water but i dont know how can affect it to the frog...

-miguel


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## miguel_dendrobatero (Jul 14, 2009)

nobody ???


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## Jeffey_Kasparek (Jan 21, 2005)

I recently addressed hypovitaminosis with Dr. K. Wright, he recommended lancing a vitamin A capsule that you find in health food stores/pharmacies (I believe the one I had was 8,000 I.U./capsule of retinol palmitate) and to dilute that into 3 mL of pure corn oil. Mix it and apply a drop on the frog's back topically. A daily application should be fine until the frog resumes normal behavior.


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