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Written by Richard
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Sunday, 16 March 2008 10:15 |
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As yet, very little is known about diseases in amphibians in general. Thus there is very little specific knowledge available that pertains to mantellas. I have seen a few worrying things while I have been keeping mantellas, and have made notes on these phenomena. I will upload these notes to the site, and if any one can help me identify what the ailments might be, I would be very appreciative of their help!  The most worrying thing I have seen is a condition where seemingly fit mantellas spasm upon being picked up. Typically, their hind legs are held out straight and tremble violently. The poor frog is rendered incapable of controlled movement during this spasming attack, which lasts for 2-3 minutes. I have seen this in viridis, pulchra, and madagascariensis. The affected viridis all died, one pulchra seems to have this condition chronically, and the madagascariensis made a full recovery. I have even seen something like this in pulchra froglets, and (once) in an almost metamorphosed pulchra tadpole. Check out the picture of a male viridis suffering from this ailment.
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Last Updated on Sunday, 23 March 2008 20:42 |
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Diseases of Tadpoles and Froglets |
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Written by Richard
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Sunday, 16 March 2008 10:40 |
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I have seen several aurantiaca tadpoles exhibit classical signs of spindly leg syndrome. Also, a single pulchra tadpole showed this in the 2002 season. I lost a lot of aurantiaca tadpoles in 2001 to what I thought was a ‘wasting’ disease. Now I recognise this as purely overcrowding, coupled with warm temperatures, leading to malnutrition. I won’t make that mistake again! I know that we learn by our mistakes, but it’s distressing when that means that fewer froglets are raised successfully! Froglet leg development seems to be a tricky area. In the 2002 season all the pulchra froglets seem OK , but some of the viridis froglets have slightly ‘bowed’ hind legs. In 2000 I raised some aurantiaca froglets that had difficulty jumping properly. It may well be the case that supplemental calcium is required. Hence I am now dusting the food I give my froglets. This is easily accomplished by tapping a piece of egg-carton covered in micros into a pcb (plastic cricket box – what the crickets arrive in from the live-food company), and then spooning in a tiny amount of powder on top of them. A quick shake (drop the powder at one end), and the micros are covered. I like to dust them so they are appreciably grey (white means they’ve been over dusted and might be rejected by the frogs). |
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Last Updated on Sunday, 16 March 2008 10:51 |
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Diseases of Adult Mantellas |
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Written by Richard
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Sunday, 16 March 2008 10:51 |
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I have seen heat-related muscle spasm syndrome, and also another spasming disease that I have lost some frogs too. Others, with the same symptoms, have made complete recoveries. A male madagascariensis damaged his nose by jumping against the sides of the tank he was in. The wound subsequently became bacterially infected. I treated the infection with the antibiotic Pangram, and a full recovery was made. Phew! Full details of this treatment will be uploaded soon. |
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