snip "but remeber you can get red leg if it is to hot under neth your pacman"endsnip

Do you mean the bacterial infection called "red leg" or are you calling anything that causes a blushing of the ventral surface of the frog "red leg". (I think that from your statement, that there were thermal issues that were mistaken for a disease (see below)).

"Red leg" is more properly a symptom than a disease although it has been referred to as a disease for a number of years. The most common usage of the name red leg refers to a bacterial infection that can be caused by more than ten different types of bacteria but maybe most commonly caused by an Aeromonas hydrophilia. Some forms (however not all amphibians develop this symptom even when infected with the same bacterial strain) of this septicemia end up with red patchs on the ventral surface of the frog due to hemorraging of the capillaries and the collection of blood in the tissues however this can also naturally occur after death or due to trauma, viral and/or fungal infections.

Septicemias in amphibians are primarily due to keeping the amphibians overcrowded, insufficient removal of wastes or decomposing food products and/or excessive stress.
It has been shown that amphibians and reptiles infected with these types of bacteria will either warm themselves to develop behavorial fevers to help combat the infection or if there is insufficient heat to seek a cooler spot to slow the growth of the bacteria.

As the animals will seek a warmer spot to create behavioral fevers I find it hard to believe that exposure to a heating pad will cause an amphibian to develop red leg.


Ed

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