# Froglet missing a foot



## Reptar (Jul 7, 2015)

Hi!
I bought my first frogs a coupple of weeks ago. They are froglets. 6 leucomelas. After some days, I see that one is missing its foot on the back leg. Not the leg,just the foot and toes. Also it is not gorwing in the same rate as the otherones (If growing anything at all...). 
I dont know how to best take care of it. For now, Ive put it in a box for itself (Plastic, big shoebox-like with lid) with some fruitflies (small and normal) and some springtails. Wet toiletpaper, watherdish, plasticplants and some few hidingplaces is also in there. It has been in there for two days now.
I still did not yet see a full belly on it, so I dont know how much it is eating.
Im conserned cause it usually just sits in the wet paper, and is not by far as active as the other. Im not shure if its painfull.

If anybody can give me some advice how to best deal with this, we would be very greatfull


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## m_grieco (Nov 7, 2013)

Had a similar situation occur about months about with a purchase I made of imitator intermedius froglets. I purchased 3, and when observing them explore their vivarium, I saw that one was noticeably less agile from the others, kept falling while climbing. I contacted the seller, and they sent me a new frog (fearing this one would die), and upon closer inspection, I observed it was missing one of it's front left toes. Due to bloating (appeared frog was infected) I isolated the frog, fed it springtails and fruit flies, and also soaked it spring water with a drop of silver sulfadiazine topical ointment I had. Well, I watched the frog struggle around for weeks. Infection came down but the frog still was not very mobile. Fearing it would die (as it was not growing nearly as quickly as the other three frogs) but no longer worried the frog would affect the others infection wise, I re-introduced it to the general population. Weeks would go by and I wouldn't see it. There were points I felt it probably died in there, but it would occasionally make an appearance, so I knew it was still alive. Fast forward about 5 months, and to my utter amazement, I observed it climb up the background of the vivarium and go to sleep inside a bromeliad (this guy almost exclusively chose to live in the leaf litter prior to this observation). Today, if you saw it, you would have no idea it has any "handicap" whatsoever, it climbs, jumps, eats just as aggressively as the others. The frog has appeared to learn how to not only survive, but thrive in spite of it's missing toe. I am by no means an expert, but I did experience a favorable result in this particular instance.


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## Pumilo (Sep 4, 2010)

I second using the some silver sulfadiazine ointment. I have also saved a froglet that lost toes once. I didn't know as much back then, so I used Neosporin, but silver sulfadiazine is a better choice.
I would continue raising him alone until you see him feeding well and putting on weight. As he may require being raised alone for some time, a nice temporary tank may be in order. http://www.dendroboard.com/forum/parts-construction/63743-temporary-frog-storage-home.html


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## Reptar (Jul 7, 2015)

Thank you both for your uplifting posts and good tips. I feel a little better about this situation.
When sitting in its usual place, it looks fine. Its only (except for the missing foot offcourse) by comparing with others and knowing its eating-habbits, I can tell it is fallen behind in growing / development.


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## Reptar (Jul 7, 2015)

Update:
The frog is doing fine. Still small, but eating well. It has good reactions, and have not lost any more bodyparts.


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## Encyclia (Aug 23, 2013)

Good news!


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## tardis101 (Apr 11, 2012)

I've had three cobalt froglets come up missing appendages (they had them all when they came out of the water). So far it's always been a foot (has been front or back). Occasionally I have metamorphs that come out of the water with only three limbs. Most of the time those don't make it. 

Whether they are missing feet or limbs, I will separate from the other froglets and feed separately, and usually more often. The ones missing limbs don't usually make it (but I have one that is almost a year old, but maybe half the size it should be). The ones missing feet have all made it and do just fine.


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## Reptar (Jul 7, 2015)

Thanks, its looking good. Ill try to post a picture of it. Some days ago it moved from its plastic box in to a new tank. Is seems like its liking it better. Its more active in there. The soil contains a springtail-culture, and the froglet is limping around eating well. I have fed him ff several times a day, and I have some fruit media in there to summon them, and hopefully it will become a good feedingspot to.
My plan further is to introduse the the siblings (one at first) and monitor the eating habbits of the little one. But for now, it must eat and grow.


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## srrrio (May 12, 2007)

Congrats ^^^ that little guy looks good! 



tardis101 said:


> I've had three cobalt froglets come up missing appendages (they had them all when they came out of the water). So far it's always been a foot (has been front or back). Occasionally I have metamorphs that come out of the water with only three limbs. Most of the time those don't make it.


You may want to look at raising the tinctorius in a different manor. A common way for froglets to loose limbs is the tadpole stage. Predation or cannibalism can cause damage, even with just a little nip here and there.


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## Dane (Aug 19, 2004)

tardis101 said:


> I've had three cobalt froglets come up missing appendages (they had them all when they came out of the water). So far it's always been a foot (has been front or back). Occasionally I have metamorphs that come out of the water with only three limbs. Most of the time those don't make it.
> 
> Whether they are missing feet or limbs, I will separate from the other froglets and feed separately, and usually more often. The ones missing limbs don't usually make it (but I have one that is almost a year old, but maybe half the size it should be). The ones missing feet have all made it and do just fine.


I was going to suggest the same thing as Sally. If the tads are being raised communally, without appropriate protein intake, or in containers that are not adequately sized, they may be cannibalizing each other.
Losing digits can also be due to disease, such as Ranavirus, so some swabs may be in order if other symptoms are observed.


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## tardis101 (Apr 11, 2012)

Hey your Leuc looks good! I think he'll make it (or she).

Regarding my frogs. The cobalts come out of the water with all their appendages. The three that have had missing feet have all lost them after being put into the grow out tank. Could still have been from over crowding, but there were only 6 new froglets in a 20 gallon tank. They were all the same clutch and within a few days of one another morphing.

The couple of frogs that I've had missing entire limbs (both times were the front legs) were all p. terribilis. This was at the same time I had some froglets with SLS (I had five of those). So I got new supplements and haven't had the issues since.

Sorry didn't mean to hijack.


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## Reptar (Jul 7, 2015)

Today, I put it in with the rest of the leucs. It has been eating, and seems to be ok. Ill be watching it, but I think the missing foot itself is not too much of a problem for it. 
I think it wil be ok


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## tardis101 (Apr 11, 2012)

Yay! Congrats. One of my cobalts look just like that and he's (or she) is doing fine also. I moved it back in with the others a couple weeks ago and it's doing fine. 

Yay again glad he made it!!


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