Reptile & Amphibian Forums

My Bullfrog ate a couple of goldfish-oops!! Didn't intend him to, and wonder if he'll get a bellyache or catch any parasites from them? I guess I'm worried, being unsure what parasites will do or signs and symptoms of when they arise.

My frog's diet is scarce, however, so I don't know what to do. I've remonstrated why(I'm in Asia, and reptiles in this part are smugly scorned, if not eaten.) Same with bugs, and worms, and any other creeping, crawling thing. You guys are lucky.

Therefore, I'm on a binge trying any and everything and slipped some feeder goldfish in the tank last night, about six of them, and woke up with only four left. Then this afternoon, three. It could be a strange river fish I have in there that's eating them too, but I think the frog got a couple.

This is just to say, I have to turn fish. No other choice. Someone in another forum told me if the fish is frozen over 60 days the parasites should be eliminated. I've got fish galore in the freezer, and more elsewhere being in Asia. Anyway, does anyone have any advice on a fish-toting, bullfrog buddy like myself?

Was it a bullfrog intended to be for human consumption? It's pretty cool that you rescued him if so; I would rather live in an aquarium than have my legs lopped off for some guy to eat.

I would still want to avoid using live fish, because the thought of parasites makes me shudder. I am by no means an expert on them, but feeding live fish should be avoided to prevent them. This might mean putting your frog in a different tank than the fish. If it will eat the frozen fish, then that's great. It might take patience, but I eventually did get my male bullfrog to eat crickets out of my hand, so it is possible.
But, a diet of fish-only can be bad in itself. This does not provide the variety of food items in the wild, and could lead to vitamin deficiencies and other problems. I'd maybe ask the people who sell frogs to be used as food, what they feed them. (that is, if they do.)
Or try to get a few crickets or hissing roaches mailed to you. I am not sure at all about international shipping methods or requirements on this, but I'd look into it.
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*~Ginevive~*
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No, Gin, it wasn't a bullfrog intended for consumption although to tell you the truth, they are used in South Korea to prevent bedwetting in children. Ancient Chinese secret. They cut the legs off just the same.

But this fella I found as a taddy in a dirty river here, so I thought I'd raise it as a pet. Of course bullfrogs are not native here in Korea and are now a nuisance. Some are exterminated as a result.

My problem with diet is finding live food, so I have to switch to fish, or whatever I can find. The following is my diet so far: worms, flies, pill bugs, and a little fish. Is this enough variety to offer nutrition to its diet? I can find a kind of freshwater eel here that it may eat, but I'm not sure of parasites. Again, I will only feed it frozen fish, in order to kill all the parasites.

Ordering crickets and such is a far cry.

I'm not recommending this, but just throwing out the idea in hopes of someone knowing more about it, but...

I don't think freezing for two months will do very much. I'm still traumatized about frozen bloodworms I used to use turning into larvae and then mosquitoes (or whatever the heck they are). So, MAYBE it's a workable idea to keep fish as well as frogs (and I hear guppies are much healthier than goldfish) and raise them... treat them for parasites when you get them and wait a few weeks before using them as frog meals. And isn't beef heart a decent food for herps? I think it has low calcium, but if supplemented, would that work?
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Got hips like Cinderella / Must be having a good shame / Talking sweet about nothing / Cookie I think you're Tame

If live fish are all you can find, then of course feed them. Despite all the people totally creeped out by feeding BAIT fish ( we have fed our four for five yrs almost exclusively on minnows) they work well for some. Could be my froggies are infested with parasites, in the wild most of them are and the body adjusts to the parasites or they die. We have been lucky. Our frogs were adults when we got them and we have had them five yrs. this spring. Please, no more posts with how nasty and irresponsible feeding them parasite infested minnows is, it has worked for me. This person's bullfrogs need food and if fish is all there is, then so be it. Some frogs will eat frozen (thawed) dead fish, some only eat live. Sign me
Renegade Frogwoman

There's a big difference in feeding something like bait fish to your captive frogs or to wild frogs, though, IMO. First off, if you're going to hold something captive, the least you should do for it is provide it with good health and healthy food if it's going to be encaged in a small, glass box. Second, captive frogs might not have immunity or even the same nutrients to help fight off disease. Diurnal animals, for example, fare much better in the sun than they do through artificial lighting and it can be a huge impact on how sensitive they are to parasites. Also, wild frogs have access to other foods and captives won't, and you certainly don't feed a frog strictly fish unless the frog is fully aquatic. There are a lot of variables involved, but for the sake of the frog, parasites should be avoided in all, especially captive, conditions.
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Got hips like Cinderella / Must be having a good shame / Talking sweet about nothing / Cookie I think you're Tame

Parasites can have pretty ill effects on bullfrogs especially if they are stressed. The frogs can undergo major losses in weight or can even die. I would probably get the frog to a vet anyway every once in a while to get a fecal sample taken. Always a good idea to make sure your frog doesn't have a good load of parasites in its gut. Andy
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Andy Maddox
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