Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Here is the situation: (Firstly this is the first dart I have lost in two years.) I found my juvenile Cobalt lying on its back dead, under a limb in the tank where there is about a 24in column of open air (no leaves, braches, etc…). I have seen my other, larger frogs jump/fall from this same spot and be fine. The Cobalt ate fine yesterday, was neither blotted nor emaciated, and was active and seeming fine when I left this mourning. So do you suppose the fall could have got him? I didn’t see him fall but I can’t think of any other explanation.

Has this ever happened to anyone?

Whatever the cause, I'm sorry for your loss. I suppose if it fell wrong it could have died from a fall, but I've had two different frogs fall about 3 feet from their tank to the hardwood floor and hop away with no apparent injuries.

I have had them jump out to and hop away just fine too. But this Cobalt was young and only about a half inch in size.

huh, thats weird. Iv accidently dropped a FBT (well it jumped) from my hand to the hardwood floor 5 feet below and he is just fine. (it was a firebelly toad, i was moving him to a temp cage while i cleaned their cage).

Maybe he landed just right and it did him in???

aj
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kungfu28181: My god. You are insane. -Mon Jun 30 21:41:05

I'm sorry to hear of your dart's accident. I have read on this forum one other person who had an imitator fall from the top of the tank to the floor of the house and internal injuries caused death. My own Colbalt Tinc. died from microscopic scratches that turned into an internal infection. He had looked well as any other day, then one day he looked inactive, lost balance refused to eat and was dead in one week. Their delicateness is a frustrating aspect about dart keeping but also a contribution to how special they are to us. Good luck with the rest of your group. Perhaps a stool sample sent to Dr. Frye would eliminate anything else suspicious. He can also do a necropsy if you really want to investigate it.

Maggie

Sorry to hear that. My imitators often drom from the top of their 15gal high to the bottom, I think about 18 inches, and are fine. When I was treating my Azureus, the one would jump like crazy to the top of the tank and back down and was fine. Not that I'm saying it could not be a fall, but I guess its always possible. If you have it checked by a vet let us all know the outcome. Again, sorry for your loss.
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Kyle
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