Reptile & Amphibian Forums

My Budgetts frog stopped eating so I cooled his tank and put some bed-a-beast in. He burrowed into the substrate. The question is: How long should I let him brumate?

Although some people would disagree with me, I do not brumate my frogs. During winter it is normal for the appetite to either decrease (most of my frogs) or stop eating for a few months (like my pacman frog), so I keep the frog comfortable during the winter with near spring conditions. (aquarium about 75-80 degrees). they won't brumate, but still somehow they know it's winter and appetite will considerably slow down or cease. This may be a good thing especially if the frog is overweight...or he may keep on eating but cut down on the food.

I NEVER allow a frog to dry out, for example. It may be done in the wild, but from my years of keeping frogs I never found it necessary and they are very healthy.

JadeFox

I remember andy saying something about if budgetts frogs do not brumate they will die, so just let it brumate as it would in nature.
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http://joshmilliken.tripod.com/

I do not own Budgett's frogs, but if it is essential for their survival to brumate them, then by all means do so. However, i would get authoritative information from the local library before doing this. Horned Frogs are members of the family Leptodactylidae--which includes both pacman frogs and Budgetts frogs. I read in several pet books you raise a Budgetts like a pacman, and not a single one mentioned the necessity of hibernating them for their survival. Unless you plan to breed them. But like I said I never owned Budgett's frogs.

Brumating frogs carries some risk.

I know from personal experience it is NOT necessary to brumate pacman frogs, and I've been keeing them for decades.

I DID lose a pacman frog allowing it to hibernate. That's why I do not allow any of my frogs to brumate. I do allow them to go into a "semi" hibernation, which during the winter their appetite is much decreased. However, they still are quite awake, soak daily, but not as active. But not a full hibernation where they dry up and go into a deep sleep during winter which has killed one of my pacmans before.

Madame JadeFox