Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Does anyone have experience with darts exhibiting behavior that appears to be "playing dead?" I was moving a table mountain tinc and as i gently nudged him into a transport container he appeared to go limp and die. Ten minutes later he was fine!

They do indeed apparently "play dead" on occasion, when handled or stressed, although I've only experienced this once, personally. This is when one of the leucs sort of got its head temporarily stuck in a shallow waterway where it was after an elusive bug between a couple of rocks, and turned upside down, so I goosed it upright again. I wasn't sure it was still alive, but it eventually recovered and hopped off none the worse for the experience. There are some photos in JEWELS OF THE RAINFOREST of the undersides of frogs that are "playing dead." (Or at least that's what the captions claim they are doing.) Whether this is just a shock reaction that temporarily immobilizes them, or if it is a built in defense mechanism, I couldn't say, but it can happen.
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Patty
Pahsimeroi, Idaho

4 D. auratus blue
5 D. galactonotus pumpkin orange splash back
5 D. imitator
6 D. leucomelas
4 D. pumilio Bastimentos
4 D. fantasticus
4 P. terribilis
4 D. reticulatus
4 D. castaneoticus

This can also be indicative of stress induced calcium deficiency. What are you using to dust the feeder insects and how often?
This is often evidenced when the frogs are stressed and the results in a frog that is rigid with the hindlimbs extended. After a variable period of time the frog resumes normal activity.

Ed

Can you give me more info on this, how does stress induce calcium deficancy? I've recently began dusting with Reptivite. Should i use a calcium supplemnt in addition? How often should I dust?
thanks

yes, you should definitely use a calcium supplement. i dust with calcium every third day. otherwise your frog may go from playing to really dead, i've had this happen.

Ed,

I've seen this happen once before with an escapee that had been given consistent calcium supplementation (everyday). The escapee is now a healthy adult with no apparent problems, and the froglet actually became a much more thriving individual after this occurrence (8 months ago).
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Purveyor of Trivialities and Fine Nonsense