Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I have had an albino, male horned frog for over a year now and he is doing fine. In the summer I cleaned his tank once a month, but now that it's winter and I'm snowed in a lot I haven't felt in the mood to go outside and dump the old substrate in 10 degrees. I have the bed-a-beast ready but I haven't changed substrate since... Sept. or Oct. I know it sounds awful of me but I take real good care of the cage and his diet is very strict. I do take out his "waste" once I see it, but now I am seeing some white mold in one corner. I need to change the substrate now and do a full cleaning of his tank. The only problem is that he is the most aggressive animal I have ever seen and everytime I reach around his head to carry him into a pale with damp towels, he turns around and lunges at my hand before I can blink and realize he's almost taken a finger. He even holds his mouth open showing his little teeth when I reach in the tank at all. I would like advice on how I can transfer him to the bucket and then back into his tank after it's clean without getting munched on. I was thinking about putting on leather or rubber gloves, but they seem like they wouldn't do much good. Plz help, thnx. here's a pic

Thx for the Pictures, sounds like you got a really cool pac-man. "Be smarter than the frog"

i don't know how to help you with this... frogs are only able to jump forward not backward. so how about approaching from the back and just scoop it up from its behind...

i'm glad my pacman is just 3 inches good luck with it

This is what happens when you listen to people that suggest one should not handle a frog very often! Horned frogs CAN tolerate handling if it is done from the time they are very young, and they become quite tame. Unfortunately, your frog has not had this experience, so it will be difficult for him to associate your hand with something other than a meal. Always feed him with tongs, not your hand. It is important that you always approach from the rear when using your bare hand. To change his cage, purchase some PVC pipe or a clay flowerpot wide enough to accomodate your frog. Then present the pipe to the "business end" of the frog when you want to move him. Ease him into the pipe from the rear with a paint stirrer or other soft wooden object that he won't hurt himself on if he bites it. Then lift him out of the tank.

Thanks a lot, I'm gonna have to try the 'push frog into pot' plan because he is just so aggressive, but this is why I bought him. I always thought that the oils on the human hand is very bad for frog skin and so I never touch him unless needed. Thanks a bunch.