Reptile & Amphibian Forums

My Gulf Coast Toad's legs, front & back, are just splayed loosely around him, like he can't control their movement. Although when I did pick him up, he was able to stretch the back ones out very very stiffly, but then it took a few seconds to relax them. He seems alert & bright-eyed otherwise. I thought I just hadn't seen him visiting the water dish for a couple days, because the newly-added coco fiber substrate was keeping him comfortably moist in his hide

The thing is, since July 1st we have moved to a new house, switched over in the move to well water. Last weekend I redid his tank again, switching it over from paper towels to a more permanent coco fiber, with plants from blackjungle.com (& so, safe for amphibs). Also there are various shops around from which we get crix, so I can't put my finger on a sudden change there. I always dust the crix, because I usually release ~6 in the tank at once, & he eats them over a week (they have moist crix food & plenty of stuff to hide in, they don't gnaw on him or walk on him)

I'm going to call Dr. Innis in Westboro, MA & hope for the best. Edmond is in a sterilite shoebox on my desk right now, with wet paper towel draped over him; he looked a little dry & couldn't soak in his dish. But if this condition sounds familiar to anyone, I'd sure like to hear from ya...

Thanks
-Kim
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~kimhotep

....Dr. Innis is away.

updates when we get back.
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~kimhotep

Hey, I adopted an american toad about a year ago with similar symptoms. I learned that he had never been given vitamin powder in his several-monthlong captivity. I figured it may have been a mild form of metabolic bone disease. He is doing good now, though his rear legs are sort of limp.
Do you use vitamin/calcium supplements every few feedings? If you do, then I am not sure what is wrong. You should ask the Frog Forum about this, maybe Colchicine can help..
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*~Ginevive~*

Dr. Constant examined him & felt many hard masses scattered through his abdomen. There was no pain reaction or muscle tone in his hind legs or the latter part of his body. H surmised that these tumors have started in on his spinal cord as well, hence the paralyzation.

Edmond is the toad, I posted in the past, who had developed only one parotoid gland. So perhaps he came from an area with a lot of pollution, which would explain both of these conditions.

I didn't want Edmond to go hungry, get dehydrated, or suffer any other discomfort or pain, so the Dr. gave him an injection. My husband & I just came in from burying him beside the walkway to our front door. We planted a miniature rosebush over him; it's the first thing planted since we moved here, & we've been planning to have a large garden, so I guess that's a memorable way to start.

Still pretty blue, but glad to have kingsnake.com & apparently a wealth of herp vets in MA. Thanks,
-Kim
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~kimhotep

It stinks losing a little friend. I've been there. I suggest a little stone marker or something. I did that for my russian tortoise.
Heck, if you want I'll make you one, as a fellow toad owner. Just email me.

Did you just move in state or just to the area?
Dr. Innis is my vet as well. EXCELLENT vet...especially with tortoises.

How did you make the stone marker?

Thanks so much for your offer to make one - but
it was very much Edmond's nature to be subtle,
humble, & secret (anthropomorphize much?? Absolutely -
it's why I'm doing cute little animal illustrations
instead of being a herpetologist

Russian torts are much more social creatures from
what I understand! Sorry to hear you lost one.
Familiar with MA Turtle Rescue?
http://www.maturtlerescue.org/

Glad to hear another good review of Dr. Innis!
In regards to living in MA - I'm from Buffalo,
NY & my husband is from here (Princeton), &
we've just moved back east after 6 years in
SoCal. Spent the last 10 months in Rutland, MA
til we worked out job/house locations. Now we're
west of the Quabbin. Was worth the wait!

Thanks again
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~kimhotep

I made Yevgeni's stone from a nice quartzite gneiss I found. I just painted it, but I just recently bought a diamond tip engraver. Works pretty well on stone.

Rutland and Princeton eh? I've been in Barre for some time now. I'm glad I'm not the only herp nut around here.

Is there one? I've heard there's a store in Barre, likely with reptile stuff, but it's not anywhere in the center & I didn't find it. Sure would be convenient if they have crix, waxworms, & rats.

In other news, I have other news....separate post above
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~kimhotep

Terri's Pet Stop.
Its not in the center. Its on rt 32. From the center of barre, head south on 122 and bear left onto 32 at the flashing light. Theres a large plaza right there on the right with an IGA, Aubuchon hardware, United gas station, etc.
Just follow 32 for a bit and you'll see it on the left. Big green stop sign...

Its not huge.
She's had too many problems with people trying to return pets, so her animal stock is minimal. She even has a trio of sweet young bearded dragons.
However, she does have crickets, frozen pinkies/fuzzies, waxworms, live mice, etc at a reasonable price. She can pretty much order special foods and stuff too if needed.

I think she has a small number of rats, but doesn't like selling them for food...she likes them too much for that I guess
I'm sure she could get frozen rats though.

Talked to her on the fone just now. She's cool
Gonna get some waxies for Henry on Saturday! It's
been HARD to find waxworms around here. She was
tickled to hear that she was being discussed on
Kingsnake

Thanks so much
-Kim
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~kimhotep

Glad I was helpful.

Kind of a side topic: get your vet to check into MS-222. The frog could have been euthanized without an injection. This is pretty standard stuff when working with amphibians.
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*Humans aren't the only species on earth... we just act like it.

".the oldest task in human history: to live on a piece of land without
spoiling it."
Aldo Leopold (1938)

....I make an ass of Uma Thurman.

I didn't see him make an injection; it might well have been gas or other method. He took Edmond in back, then brought him back to me in his travel box (carefully tucked inside new, clean paper towels, no less - hey, details count).

Thanks for the info, though. Next time I'm there (which would hopefully only be to get someone new given the New Critter Tune-Up) I'll ask about it.

Thanks again,
-Kim
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~kimhotep

Wow, I am sorry to hear that. You did the right thing in the situation. At least you know that you did all that you could.
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*~Ginevive~*