Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Well, I'm housesitting for a friend and they have a bullfrog. I was supposed to feed it every ten days with large crickets. I accidentally waited an extra 4 days to check/feed him and he appears to be quite dead. He has one bright blue eye and little black worm-like htings all over him. Was this the result of an infection from these worms? Or was it because I waited too long to feed him? Sorry to post this rather morbid question, but I've been really fretting over whether this was completely my fault or not. Thanks to anyone who responds and helps me out.

I also forgot to mention this was a bullfrog caught in FL a while ago and has been regularly fed 36 crickets every ten days and has a tank that is kept at about 80*F with half land half water. Still trying to figure out what went wrong. Thanks

What a strange way to feed an animal! Although I think that captive reptiles and amphibians are usually overfed, waiting 10 days between meals is excessive. And I completely disagree with the volume of food provided at that time. It is not healthy for an animal to eat one large meal instead of several small meals.

If the animal was healthy and had normal fat storages, it should have survived 14 days with no problem. Since the animal was wild caught, it probably was not treated for parasites. The stress of captivity, and frequent and unnatural meals, and the presence of parasites probably is what did this frog in. I suspect that the owners are not very knowledgeable on the husbandry of reptiles and amphibians. And I have to wonder because of the odd feeding schedule, what else about the animal's habitat was incorrect (what size tank is the frog in and what kind of filtration does it have?). I ask you to strongly urged the owners to visit this forum and do proper research on these animals. And any wild caught animal should be dewormed.
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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)

You MUST be joking--withholding for for TEN DAYS?? THAT is purely insane unless they were hibernating. My bullfrogs eat EVERY SINGLE DAY and a few crickets is just fine. As soon as my bullfrogs see me they beg to be fed, and my male enjoys being handfed whilst my female likes to wait until im gone.

Sudden death of bullfrogs may have been due to
(1) infection due to previous owner not changing water/substrate
adequately (water needs to be changed *daily*)
(2) may have been parasitized
(3) or starved from the lack of food. I cant imagine not feeding my darlings daily.

JadeFox

I don't feed my frogs daily but I do feed them at least 3 times a week, I go to the pet shop twice a week and get 4 dozen crickets and throw them in as needed, or until gone. Except my horned frogs who each 1-2 times a week. And my Clawed and Dwarf Frogs get fed every other day.

fact...reptiles and frogs can go up to 3 months without food. its not recomended as normal feeding schedule depending on the age and size 10 days or even 14 wouldn't do harm. bullfrogs are opertunist feeder, basicly they sit and wait for food...they dont have a daily requirements it wasn't your fault