# General Care opinion (lost a frog)?



## danandbecca (Jul 12, 2008)

Hi,
We started out 3 years ago with three azureus and three Auratus. After a year, one auratus died, a year later, one azureus died. They both seemed to be the smallest all along. Now, we are losing another azureus to short tongue syndrome. We feed and mist daily, 50/50 dusting on FF and ocaisional springtails. We have 10 gallon false bottom vivs with cocohuts, and very high humidity. I just feel terrible that after three (almosst four years) half our frogs have passed. The remaining azureus looks VERY healthy, and both of the auratus look healthy. We both take the frogs very seriously and losing them is crushing. Are we just bad parents? We live in Ohio and keep the temperature in the house at a 67 degree temperature minimum in the winter. We also are very strict on our light cycles and do all we can to keep the stress levels to zero. I really want to keep dartfrogs, but am becoming disheartened by the loss of the little guys. I know this is a pointless post, but aside from making sure our vitamins are fresh, FF media is fresh, and moisture levels are correct, is there much more we can/should be doing?
Thank you all in advance,
Dan and Becca


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## JL-Exotics (Nov 10, 2005)

What are the day time temps in the tank now? Were they all in the 10 gallon tank?


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## Pumilo (Sep 4, 2010)

Short tongue syndrome is caused by a vitamin A deficiency. It is actually not a shortened tongue, but rather, losing it's stickyness. Do you get new suppliments every 6 months? Here's a thread or two to check out.
http://www.dendroboard.com/forum/general-health-disease-treatment/61173-vitamin-deficiency.html
http://www.dendroboard.com/forum/ge...phyllobates-terribilis-not-able-aim-well.html
http://www.dendroboard.com/forum/general-health-disease-treatment/51099-tongue-stickiness-cures.html
Hope it helps!
Doug


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## danandbecca (Jul 12, 2008)

Yep,
Yes, we get the fresh supplements regularly and stored them well. After all the checking we did on STS, we looked into the vitamin A problem, but at this point our little azureus is falling over and losing balance after a week of STS. I think it may be too late, but should we try force feeding the FF/water/vitamin paste? We have our auratus and azureus in separate tanks. Daytime temps are above 69 (prob. 74-76) and nightime temps are around 68-69 degrees.
Thanks,
Dan and Becca


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## Pumilo (Sep 4, 2010)

Dan and Becca, I'm afraid I have never dealt with the issue myself. I would have to say that if he is falling over and you've written him off anyway, extreme measures like force feeding FF/water/vitamin paste couldn't hurt and at least you would know you did everything you could.
Doug


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## Freeradical53 (Jan 25, 2008)

3 years is a long time to keep a frog. How old were they when you got them? I know that some last longer but not all of them. Did something change in their environment? After 3 years, in the same environment with no changes, the only introduced agent would be feeders or maybe a fungus.


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## randommind (Sep 14, 2010)

Freeradical53 said:


> 3 years is a long time to keep a frog. ....I know that some last longer but not all of them.
> 
> 
> > Is this true? I was under the impression that with the proper husbandry skills we should be able to "keep" our frogs for much much longer. (sorry for hi-jack on this one)


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## HunterB (Apr 28, 2009)

randommind said:


> Freeradical53 said:
> 
> 
> > 3 years is a long time to keep a frog. ....I know that some last longer but not all of them.
> ...


I believe he ment a long time to have a frog for it to suddenly die, but yes by all means we should all be keeping frogs (if correctly) far beyond 3 years


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## danandbecca (Jul 12, 2008)

Well,
we are putting him in a separate feeding enclosure for food time now, and he is still getting some flies. Nothing has changed at all for the past three years with the frogs' environment. If we aren't keeping them "correctly" then what are we doing wrong?
Thanks all


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## zBrinks (Jul 16, 2006)

How does the "condition" of the vivariums look? Is there any chance that waste is building up after several years?


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## salix (Mar 28, 2008)

Are the tanks planted with lots of hiding places? It's possible the frogs are sexually mature and the "odd man out" is being bullied and stressed to death.

I do have ten gallon tanks with more than a single pair of auratus or azureus (tincs), but my tanks are so heavily planted there is always something to block the line of sight between frogs. It's not ideal, but these are tanks with extra adults that were raised together.

Your frogs are now two per tank. Assuming they are now pairs, they may have thinned their ranks through intimidation.

Deb


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## danandbecca (Jul 12, 2008)

zBrinks said:


> How does the "condition" of the vivariums look? Is there any chance that waste is building up after several years?


Nope! We completely redid both vivariums this past July. We keep everything in perfect conditions for our little guys.


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