Things Harmful to Frogs

Frogs are really delicate little creatures, and there are several things that can harm them, even in captivity. Many of the things that are harmful to frogs you do without ever realizing it. Below is a list of things harmful to frogs and how to prevent them.

Dirty Water:One of the most damaging and harmful things to frogs is dirty water. A frog's water can become dirty by the frog tracking things such as insects and substrate into the water. Frogs' waste can also build up in the water. So, the bottom line is: frogs need fresh water every day. Frogs have breathable skin, and it absorbs water (and anything in the water) like a sponge.
Frogs can become very sick from dirty water. And the water doesn't necessarily have to be dirty. If the frog's water has chemicals, chlorines, etc. in it, those will definitely get into your frog's system and can be fatal. To prevent many long-term illnesses and countless other problems, give your frog dechlorinated, fresh water every day.

To dechlorinate your water, you can purchase some water dechlorinater at any petstore that carries fish supplies. You should always have dechlorinated water on hand. If you are unable to purchase dechlorinater, leave the water out and let it sit before giving it to your frog for at least 2 days (48 hours). Remember: stale water is always better than fresh water (for a frog, at least).

Rough Handling:As I mentioned above, frogs are very delicate little creatures. Meaning, you can hurt them without even realizing it. Even if you are trying your hardest to be gentle while holding your frog, you should still read my article: Handling Frogs.

Dirty terrarium:Frogs can get several bacterial infections from: 1) Dirty water and 2) Dirty habitats. You need to clean out your frog's terrarium every week (two weeks at most) by rinsing out water dishes and plastic plants. Every 3 (4 weeks at most) weeks, change the frog's bedding and any wooden bark or logs in the habitat. To find out more, read my: Cleaning your Frog's Terrarium article.

Sharp objects:Sharp objects are mostly self-explanatory. Frogs can get scratched and cut, even to the point of bleeding on sharp objects. Sharp objects can be found on plastic plant leaves, wooden logs, or even on the substrate. Good substrates for frogs include: moss, terrarium liners, eco-earth dirt, or coconut fibers. Pebbles are not a good substrate, as they can fatally harm the frog if swallowed. Before allowing your frog into the terrarium, make sure there are no sharp edges that could harm it.

Calcium Deficiency:Calcium is an extremely important part of a frog's diet. Mealworms carry very little except all that exoskeleton (very little meat) and are nearly nutritionless. But they are a nice break from crickets once in a while. However, calcium is useless (from what I've heard) without vitamin D3. In the wild, frogs get vitamin D3 from the sunlight. Frogs need to be provided with: 1) 1 hour a day in full sunlight or 2) a vitamin D3 supplement powder. It is possible to "overdust" with calcium and D3. You need to balance all your frog's meals with each of these. The D3 is no good without the calcium, and the calcium is no good without the D3.

Overheating:As is obvious by the title, overheating is a harmful thing to frogs and can cause death, if not permanent damage. Overheating can be caused by a number of reasons.

1. Without a temperature and humidity guage, it's very hard to tell exactly what the temperature/humidity is inside the frog's habitat, and frogs can be too hot without you knowing it.


2. Too much heat being emitted from the lamp is a huge reason for frogs' overheating. On my frog's habitat, I have a lamp with a dimmer; you can adjust the light and heat being emitted. Also, if the lamp is too close to the frog's habitat, he could burn or overheat next to it.


3. Not having enough humidity in the frog's habitat, especially tree frogs' habitats, also adds to overheating in frogs. The lamp or heat evaporates the mist and water from the habitat, making it dry and hot. If you don't have a humidity guage for your frog's habitat, you should purchase on at the local petstore. Frogs need the humidity to be between 70% and 80%.


4. No water in water bowl. I know this sounds like a completely irrelevant reason, but like I mentioned before, the heat evaporates water, and quickly lowers the level of water in the frog's water bowl.

Disease:
Obviously! Disease is the largest factor for frog's death and is extremely harmful to frogs. Disease can be caused by dirty water, dirty terrarium, or other sick reptiles and amphibians. Fresh water for frogs every day is a MUST. Read above to find out more about dirty terrariums and water.

Reptiles and other amphibians can carry disease and pass it on to other reptiles/amphibians. If you do have a sick frog, immediately isolate it to a different tank, unless it is in the habitat by itself. Don't move it if it is in the habitat by itself, because transportation is most harmful and stressful to frogs when they're sick.

Cleaning Chemicals:
As I've stated before in many other articles, soap and other chemicals are VERY toxic to frogs! Never ever use soap in your frog's terrarium, and when you're handling frogs, always be sure to rinse your hands to get rid of soap and oils found on your hands.

Wild Insects

Any insect found in your yard or house should never be fed to your frog. These insects are very harmful, and can, in fact, kill your frog. They may carry disease or pesticides that can fatally harm your frog. Also, these insects are much tougher to digest than regular, store-bought insects, since they have been forced to survive outdoors.


Frogs are great little pets to have, and they're rather easy to care for when you get the hang of it. Be sure to do lots of research on the frog you're getting.

Taking your Frog to the Vet

When your frog is clearly sick with an illness, most diseases are incurable from home. You can treat some diseases with special chemicals, but they're not all that cheap and take professional care. The best answer is always to take your frog to the veterinarian.

If you know your frog is truly sick (believe me, it's pricy to take your frog to the vet), you will want to give your vet a call. See if the technician over the phone recognizes any of your frog's symptoms after listing them all. Follow their advice, and set up an appointment as soon as possible. If you cannot get your frog to the animal hospital that very day, make your frog as comfortable as possible. My frog is a tree frog, so I doubled the heat and lighting, kept him moist, and checked on him every few hours.

To take your frog to the veterinarian, you will need to be able to transport them in a way that's most comfortable for your frog. Unless you have a small animal keeper, you will need to use a plastic cup with Seran wrap over the top. Secure the wrap with a rubber band and punch plenty of holes in the top of the cup using a toothpick or pencil. Always keep a moistened (not soaking wet) paper towl in the bottom of the cup for a refreshing retreat for your frog.

When choosing the best veterinarian for your frog, you will need to go in the phonebook or online and find out which animal hospital is nearest to you, and which animals they serve. If they don't serve small animals, don't call, because they probably won't be able to help you with your frog.

When handling sick frogs, make sure you read my Handling Frogs article.

Also see my Frog Health and Diseases article. This will give very basic information on frogs' diseases.

Another thing to do to get top-quality amphibian veterinary services is to call the pet store you bought your frog from. Just ask them what they think and if they have any recommendations for a local vet, because pet stores have to take their animals to the vet once in a while, too. I did this and found the most wonderful animal hospital.

Remember, your veterinarian only has so many supplies and resources. Your frog may be incorrectly diagnosed, or may not get diagnosed at all. Do what you can for your frog that will make him more comfortable, including administering faithfully any medications or treatments the vet prescribes. Don't lose heart if your frog does not make it through his illness. My first frog did not, even though I took him to a vet and did all I could for him (read my In Memory of Jungle article).

Signs of a Healthy Frog

Some frog illnesses' symptoms are easy to see; others are very difficult. You should probably check your frog everyday to make sure all is well.

Signs of a healthy frog:

• Eats like a little piggy. Frog should be very enthusiastic about "feeding time", and should eat as much as he can in 3-5 minutes. Some resources suggest feeding your frog as much as he can eat in fifteen minutes. I don't recommend this. Your frog can eat much more than what's good for him in 15 minutes.
• Frog's skin should be clean and bright, without scratches, lumps, irritations, or dryness. If your frog's skin is dry, you probably need to mist him with lukewarm water.
• The skin on your frog's belly and thighs should not be bright red and/or irritated. This is most definitely a symptom of Red Leg, a common disease found in many frogs. However, do not confuse Red Leg symptoms with the natural colors of some frogs!
• Frog's eyes should be clear, not hazy or cloudy. Hazy and cloudy eyes can indicate an illness.
• Frog's waste shouldn't be runny or have red streaks.
• Frog should be active. Nocturnal frogs (such as the Blue Bumpy Frog) are mostly active during the night.
• Frog should shed at least once a week. Some frogs are known to shed every day.

Signs of an unhealthy frog:

• Frog is lethargic, bloated, uncomfortable or lazy. Lethargy and bloating are symptoms of Dropsy, a frog disease. If you notice that your frog is uncomfortable, he is probably shedding, which is natural. But if your frog is overly uncomfrotable, something might be wrong. And, if your frog is just plain lazy, he could be stressed, depressed, full of food or tired, especially if he is a nocturnal frog.
• Lack of appetite. Cut back on the feedings. If your frog is new, he is probably stressed from being transported and having new surroundings. You might want to try a variety in his diet. He may be tired of eating the same old thing.
• Frog has hazy eyes. This is usually a sign of infection.
• Frog's skin is lumpy, dried, irritated, etc. Frog is probably thirsty. Squirt him down with lukewarm water. However, if your frog's skin is irritated, he is probably indicating an illness.