Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I currently own two tree frogs, Jabba (pictured below) and Dumpy. Jabba is older, larger, and much fatter than Dumpy, though they seem to get along just fine. Both have compleatly different feeding habits. Jabba takes the scuicide approch, leaping head first from the top of his cage onto the cricket. Its quite ammuseing to watch, and he almost always catches them. In fact, it is so effecant, Dumpy almost never gets any. He/she prefers to wait, and once the cricket is close, lunge on it. But his method takes time, and he makes an effective catch a small precentage of the time. Lately, I have been putting him in the cricket container overnight. This way, he catches his fill. He dosent seem to eat many, however. Usually anywhere from 2-4. Jabba would eat dozens, given the chance. So I have two questions.
1) Should I be worried about how much Dumpy is chooseing to eat?
2) Is there a more efficiant way to make sure Dumpy gets its food? Is putting it in the cricket cage too stressful? If it comes down to force feding/handfeeding (last choice) how do I do it?

I know its a horrible picture, and it is outdated, But here is Jabba. I dont have any pictures of Dumpy yet.

Thanks in advance.

I forgot to put in the picture. Stupid me. Well, here it is.

you should never put the whites in the cricket container, the crickets can bite and cause harm. try hand feeding, the method i prefer. take the cricket by the back legs with your fingers the gently dangle/rub it around the frogs mouth. works like a charm for me everytime.

thanks, I'll try that tonight.

Well, last night was interesting to say the least. First, I tried to hand feed my large frog, Jabba. He took the cricket form my fingers within a few seconds. Knowing I had done it right, I moved in to the smaller one, Dumpy. As soon as my fingers were anywhere close to its mouth, it leaped away. After chaseing it around its cage for five minutes, I broke the goldfish rule. I did put on gloves, but I took him out of his terrium. Even when I could position him and the cricket, he still refused it. It was mayhen trying to feed him. I had crickets crawling up my leg (good thing I've got used to them) and a little frog trying to climb up my walls. Exasperated, I put the froggie back, and hand fed that cricket to Jabba. I never realized hand feed ing could be so much fun! lol. I put about 6 crickets in, hopeing Jabba would only eat a few. After turning the lights out, I got a flashlight to watch them, and to my suprise, Dumpy was hunting. Not too sucessfully, but he got one. Except Jabba had allready got two, leaveing two left. So the maximum he could of had last night was 3. I would like him to eat more, because he is a bit underweight. Do you have any more hand feeding tips? I REALLY dont want to be pinching off the butt of meal worms. Thanks in advance.

When i first started hand feeding two of mine took crickets the first time, no problem, my third wasn't interested. So i didn;t feed him that night. I tried again the next night, nothing, the the third might he took one then went and hid. Just don't stress him out trying to make him eat from your fingers. Eventually he will get used to it and take it. Did you try sort of rubbing the cricket along the ones mouth? Sometimes they will open their mouth in agitation and then you can sort of "pop" a cricket in. Good luck, but i'd say as long as dumpy is eating, no matter what the method, then don't be worried.

He did open his mouth in ajitation once, but he hissed at me. It freaked me out, so I missed that chance. I will soon post a picture of him, and if possible, could you tell me if I really should be concerned. The two bones on his back are visable, not all the way through, just the tips. There is not fat behind his ears, ether. I may be able to get a picture tommorrow, the digital camera is out of batteries.

If you want you can try a pinkie mouse, they fatten them up. You can also try feeding him more often then you feed the other one. I look forward to your pic