Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I have had 2 green tree frogs for going on 3 years now. A couple days ago one of them started moving around funny: dragging his back legs, contorting his body and scratching at his head. I've quarantined him in case it's contagious and to keep any eye on his eating habits and as of yet haven't seen a significant change. I've never seen either of them shed but I know some spiecies do so I've been watching for that. Does anyone have any other explanations of what could be going on? Thanks for any help you can give my little guy!!

Kala

sounds like shedding to me but I would have to see it to know for sure. if you are worried, contact a vet in the area. definitely keep them separated until you know what the problem is. what is the substrate? maybe the frog swallowed something (bark chip, stick) and is trying to spit it out.

Thanks for the reply!! I hope it is just shedding. You don't happen to know how long that usually takes do you? I don't know if that explains the whole dragging of the back legs though. It seems like he has no use of them at all.

leg dragging doesn't sound good to me which is why I mentioned finding a vet. arav.org is good for that. this may be stupid but does the frog has a water bowl to sit in and do you mist the tank? if the tank is not humid enough then the frog will have problems shedding. does the frog stay on the ground? does the frog have some good hiding places? is he acting normal except for the leg drag? it could be redleg which is not good.

Yeah, he's got a sweet set up! Water bowl, mossy areas, hiding spots...the works! He used to climb all over on sticks and to the corner of the tank but now he's got to use his front legs to get around and has just been on the ground. I do mist it at least once every day but maybe it wasn't enough. The other frog seems fine though. I'll look more into the red leg but I didn't think it was that since he doesn't have sores or redness. I guess that could develop later. Thanks again for your help!!

I didn't read through your previous posts but is the other frog separated from the 'sick' one. I hope that you find a vet (ARAV.com, not org) or at least find some books for research. There are alot of those. I will look through my stuff at some point. FYI-red leg doesn't mean that the frog will have sores or red legs even. if the frog still eats fine then it probably isn't redleg though, but that is not definite either. Redleg is just a name for a bacterial disease.

Yep, the quarantine was the first thing I did! He's still just dragging himself around by his front legs. I haven't witnessed him eating in the last few days but he looks healthy otherwise. Anything you can find out in your research I would greatly appreciate. Thanks for your post!!!

http://www.klsnet.com/sickamph.html. check this website out. redleg is mentioned. also high temp causes paralysis. good info anyway.

Thank You!!!

Maybe there was some spinal or nerve damage, that led to paralysis of the back legs? That's all I could really come up with, unless the frog had MBD for awhile and this is just the final outcome of that.
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4.1 Ball pythons
1.0 Boa Constrictor Imperator
0.1 albino Cranwell's horned frog
1.1 breeding Clawed frogs
1.0 black kittycat
3.1 Oscar cichlids
Also have fancy goldfish, african cichlids, and rats. And 1 Paint horse mare

Fractures or breaks do not always indicate MBD. Frogs can misjump or fall and damage bones. Paralysis due to high temps is unlikely to be restricted to only part of the frog as excessive temps tend to cause hyperactivity, followed by total body rigidity then death and it is unlikely that both frogs would not be affected.

Red leg is a name for a variety of different bacterial whose infections present the same general symptoms and usually result in a rapid death of the affected amphibian if prompt medical attention has not been met. Paralysis is usually only seen in the end stage of the infection and should not present with only part of the body being paralyzed.

You need to seek the aid of a vet.

Ed

Thank you for that wealth of information!

Thanks for your reply! Nerve damage seems most likely. My other frog has shown no signs of illness so it doesn't look like it's contagious.