Reptile Forum, Reptile Classifieds - CaptiveBred

[reptilefans]

Hi, can anyone help. I've got a couple of Argentinian Horned frogs. Started feeding them on pinkies, but was advised against doing this as it may cause future health problems. Was told to feed on crickets and Locusts, but now been told that this is not best practice either as they can not be totally digested, told to feed pinkies and day old chicks. Can anyone advise what is best to feed these creatures as I am now totally confused as what best to feed them.

[Rickeezee]

I have heard the same about pinkies due to the high protein content. Not heard about the crickets being hard to digest so not sure about that. I still feed mine pinkies as a couple of them will not eat anything else. The other horned frogs take all sorts.

Crickets and locusts do not digest their own food properly if not kept hot enough and produce nasty stomach gases as the food rots undigested in their guts. So it seems logical to keep the feeder insects at the correct temps else whatever you feed them to is getting a substandard meal.

At the end of the day a good variety is best if possible, cultivated slugs and worms, crickets, the odd pinkie, the occasional waxie, locusts, fruit beetle grubs, in fact anything of the appropriate size for the frog that is insect like!

When growing plenty of calcium and as adults they only need feeding two - three times per week max.
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www.rickslivefood.co.uk

[reptilefans]

Thanks for the advice, sounds like variety, plus calcium dusting plus the occasional pinkie from now on. Must admit the larger of the two has now started taking small mice.

Also seems to very temperamental. moved to a larger tank, went right off it's food and sulked for four weeks. Put it back into it's old tank. really cramped, started eating and calling out within a day.

[Rickeezee]

Odd creatures but superb! Not exactly athletic either They only seem to move when they want to cool off in the water bowl, eat, or have poohed in their dig out!
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www.rickslivefood.co.uk

[stubeanz]

when i first got mine she fed on crickets and mealworms, then as it grew she took pinkies and now is on fuzzies/locusts/cockroaches but all frogs are different so as you said variety is probably the best.
sorry to steal the post lol but has anyones frog gone off food as mine hasnt eaten for 2 months!? ive tried loadz but she isnt feeding any advice?
cheers stu
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if you cant afford the vet, dont get the pet!

[Rickeezee]

Are her temps a tad lower due to winter time?
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www.rickslivefood.co.uk

[stubeanz]

yer they are i was thinking she might be in brumation? shes on a heat mat is that sufficent heat?
cheers
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if you cant afford the vet, dont get the pet!

[Rickeezee]

Heat mat should provide enough heat, as a rule of thumb roughly one third of the side of the tank could be covered in heat mat thus providing a warm and a cool end. All depends what the warm end temps are and the cool end temps. if your frog looks healthy and there are no obvious signs of ill health then all is probably well and she is as you say just slowing down for the winter. I doubt if it will do her any harm to have a cooling of period.

My adult horned frogs have slowed right down but my young ones are still feeding like mad things

I would be more worried by overheating they dont do well if it gets to hot and can suffer from heat stress / exhaustion quite quickly.
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www.rickslivefood.co.uk

[stubeanz]

k thanx for that hope she starts feeding soon
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if you cant afford the vet, dont get the pet!