# Frogs playing dead or actually dead?



## Theend882

I purchased two Bumblebee Dart frogs from the Repticon expo today in Houston. When I left the expo, they were fine and jumping around their containers; however, roughly 15 minutes into the ride home, I noticed the frogs had stopped moving/breathing. Now I've heard that they can play dead at times. Could this be what is going on?


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## jubjub47

Since it's so hot outside my guess is that they've overheated and died. I've seen it happen when leaving a show.


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## Yobosayo

So it's like 105 here in DFW, can only imagine what Houston is like today. 

Coolers.


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## Baltimore Bryan

Dart frogs don't "play dead" as far as I'm aware. They probably had a seizure and may be dead by now. You should bring coolers and cool pack if it will be hot. Once I had this happen on the way home but I got some cool packs next to them and they were fine 3 hours later. Hopefully it's not to late.


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## petie4555

i bought from the same guy at repticon bc i only saw one guy selling.

but my 2 auratus are doing fine so far, i had a critter keeper w/ cling wrap on the top waiting for them and just dumped them in as soon as i got them.

i hope your leucs are ok


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## goku

Actually they can "play dead" if you want to tell it like that, but they do it when they are manipulated and overstressed. it happened to me a pair of times when I moved frogs from one tank to another. They don't move, keep amrms and legs very thight and you can turn them upside down with no reaction. Anyway, when you leave them, they escape and move like normal. From what you are telling us, your frogs are probabilly dead. Sorry for that, fairs and trips can be easilly dangerous! 

bye!


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## Dendro Dave

It is my advice to never assume a frog is dead till 48 hours after it appears dead, or you can see/smell the decay. I have had frogs and geckos come back from heat stress that appeared to be dead for that long only to survive and thrive for a long time after that. Basically put them in the viv or some where else with high humidity and a cool but comfortable temperature for that species and preferably out of direct light, perhaps complete darkness. Perhaps a very light misting once or twice a day with cool but not overly cold water, and make sure they are orientated so that their nostrils aren't in water or buried in the substrate. 

After that just leave them alone as much as possible. The larger the animal the more likely it will survive as it takes longer for them to heat up...but it also takes longer for them to cool down. Avoid extremes of temperature though, the shock of cooling the animal to rapidly can kill it. If you believe the viv is to warm try a cold pack or ice in the vacinity but not so close that it will rapidly cool the animal.

Judging from the few times I've had this happen it is my guess that a lot of people end up flushing animals that would have survived had they been more patient and took steps like I described. I would recommend the same basic approach for a cold stressed animal except reverse some steps where common sense would dictate but still avoid rapid temp changes.


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## Dendro Dave

goku said:


> Actually they can "play dead" if you want to tell it like that, but they do it when they are manipulated and overstressed. it happened to me a pair of times when I moved frogs from one tank to another. They don't move, keep amrms and legs very thight and you can turn them upside down with no reaction. Anyway, when you leave them, they escape and move like normal. From what you are telling us, your frogs are probabilly dead. Sorry for that, fairs and trips can be easilly dangerous!
> 
> bye!


I have also seen frogs do this...basically while putting a new animal in a viv or messing with a viv with a brand new animal I put my hand close or just barely brushed it and the frog spazed and went into a temporary coma like state. Just make sure they are in a safe position, environmental needs are met and leave them alone as much as possible.


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## Enlightened Rogue

Well done Dave.
I flushed a Yellow Galact. about a year ago that I thought ( hoped) was dead.
I don`t think a day goes by where I thought I couldn`t have done more.

John


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## Theend882

Thank you all for the advice...sadly they did die...
However i am just going to look at this as a learning experience, and i will be more prepared when the next expo comes along


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## Jadenkisses

John- I hope you don't flush frogs down the toilet anymore! Doing this can cause harm by potientially releasing foreign pathogens into our enviornment. (Not to be the "green" police, lol)

Poor little frogs though... 
That really sucks they had to die like that.
Yes- please, in the future, be well prepared for whatever it is you're planning to buy.
Sorry that you had to learn this lesson the hard way, and I don't want to seem harsh, but those frogs wouldn't have died if you were more prepared to get them home safely. It makes me sad when animals die, especially from something 100% preventable.


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## WVFROGGER23

When they straighten out all limbs and go stiff with shallow breathing, it is a seizure. They aren't playing. I have seen it happen after shipping of young froglets, and froglets with lack of proper nutrition due to competition for food or improper supplementation. I have found that they are best left alone to recover with as little stress as possible. I know we all have an urge to check on them and see if they are breathing, heart beat, etc. Froglets also seem to be more prone to stress from higher temps. IMO they should never see temps over 78 just to be on the safe side. Sorry for your loss, it always sucks to lose a frog!!!


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## Bcs TX

If you do not want to wait a year for the next show.
Tim and I have plenty of frogs for sale, Tim is in Addison and I am in Plano.
I have Mancreeks, s/s and banded leucs and 5 b/b auratus that are a year old now. Tim has vents, Costa Rican auratus and azureus.

-Beth


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## BlueRidge

Jadenkisses said:


> John- I hope you don't flush frogs down the toilet anymore! Doing this can cause harm by potientially releasing foreign pathogens into our enviornment. (Not to be the "green" police, lol)
> 
> Poor little frogs though...
> That really sucks they had to die like that.
> Yes- please, in the future, be well prepared for whatever it is you're planning to buy.
> Sorry that you had to learn this lesson the hard way, and I don't want to seem harsh, but those frogs wouldn't have died if you were more prepared to get them home safely. It makes me sad when animals die, especially from something 100% preventable.


What kind of pathogens are you thinking of? I thought CB dart frogs weren't poisonous, or are you thinking more of parasites?


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## Jadenkisses

JaredJ said:


> What kind of pathogens are you thinking of? I thought CB dart frogs weren't poisonous, or are you thinking more of parasites?


Dart frogs that were born in captivity, or have been kept in captivity are indeed, not poisonous. That is not the concern here,
I'm not talking about parasites either. I'm worried about things like Chytrid, a frog- killing fungus that's been spreading through the Americas.


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## BlueRidge

Ahh.... I remember watching a show about that. They found that the fungus was making it's way upriver and was killing frogs. The fungus was suffocating the frogs by blocing their skin or something like that. Didn't they find that it came from people dumping African Clawed frogs in local waters?


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