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Help with ill frog please!: |
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tadpole Member Joined: 05 Feb 2004 No. of posts: 2  View other posts by tadpole |
Posted: 05 Feb 2004 Hello everyone, I'm new here but have joined in the hope that you may be able to help me. Yesterday when inspecting our pond and freshly laid frog spawn I found a common frog strangled in the pond weed  . She appeared to be dead and was completely lifeless  , I freed her from the weed and placed her under a shrub near the edge of the pond were I left her. Later that day on returning she had some how fallen back into the pond, was lying on her back and kicked her back legs as I approached!  Very strange I thought and lifted her back out, her front legs moved slightly but she didn't appear to be breathing and still looked and felt dead  . Well to cut a long story short she ended up in a tank in the house over night and this morning has made an amazing recovery  . She is now sitting upright under a large cabbage leaf and visibly breathing! but still very weak and ill looking  ......whites of eyes showing, mishaped under mouth and a foot injury that has bled slightly as she warmed up over night. My question is what do I do now? as this frog obviously deserves a chance and I'd very much like to save her if I can. I've read that frogs heal slowly and she'd never survive the mad mating frenzy of the pond at present. Would the injury need any medication? It is slightly puffy and involes a couple of toes. Any help appreciated. Also can anyone explain how a frog that appeared so dead is now alive!!!
Thank you. |
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GemmaJF Admin Group Joined: 25 Jan 2003 No. of posts: 2090  View other posts by GemmaJF |
Posted: 05 Feb 2004 Hi Tadpole, It sounds like your frog may have been exhausted, often females get the attention of lots of males and simply get tired out by it all. Those injuries sound nasty, though often the stress of keeping a wild frog in captivity is worse than trying to help them, common frogs in particular are very nervous animals and are likely to injure themselves more in captivity. If you do opt for keeping the frog a little longer, keep it somewhere dark and cool to lower the stress levels, and help recovery, but release it as soon as you think it is able to cope on its own. My thoughts are you have already done the right thing, and hopefully soon you will be able to release the frog.
Gemma Fairchild, Independent Ecological Consultant |
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tadpole Member Joined: 05 Feb 2004 No. of posts: 2 View other posts by tadpole |
Posted: 05 Feb 2004 Thank you for your reply Gemma and how pleased I am that I found someone in the know. I have always adored frogs and raised spawn releasing many froglets very successfully as a child. As a teenager I rescued an adult common frog with a terrible leg injury (flattened by a car) I cared for him for many weeks feeding him hand collected bugs (very hard work!!!)and daily cleaning his tank and adding some medication a caring vet supplied (can't remember what it was) but he made an amazing recovery and I was chuffed the day I was able to release him. His incredible recovery made me think it's always worth trying. As an adult I was delighted to move into a property with an already resident population of frogs,toads,newts and sloworms!  wow was I pleased . But there was no pond, until late spring 2003 when we built one It instantly attracted wildlife. We witnessed a dragonfly laying eggs in the summer, right in front of us! To our delight in it's first spring 2004, we have frog spawn!!!!! so far about 5 clumps in two days, more than enough (it's only about 4'x6') I'm such a kid over it.
Well back to my frog, I'll keep you updated as to how she is and thanks again! |
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dave n dogs Member Joined: 17 Jan 2004 No. of posts: 13 View other posts by dave n dogs |
Posted: 07 Feb 2004 Hiya Tadpole, Administrators words are very good. A bit of r&r, then release. As soon as possible. This time of year they are getting over hibernation, need to find food. Then the spawning orgy, give the wee frog what you can, a damp place in your garden afterwards. |
- Help with ill frog please! |