Question:
I have become enamored of African dwarf frogs (or clawed frogs), which are aquatic frogs sold in pet stores for the aquarium. I have had several and they are just adorable. But I have lost some to sudden death. They seem to get to a certain size, then become unable to anchor to the bottom of the aquarium and are blown around at the top of the water, where they are subject to the currents from the filtration system. They do not seem to have the diseases mentioned in the sources I have found.I have researched the animal at the library and online, and have questioned pet-store employees. There is very little information on the care of aquatic frogs, and the information you find may contradict other information that I have found. No one I have spoken with knows of any local exotic animal veterinarian that I could ask.I would be grateful for any reliable reference or information on the husbandry of these frogs. I do not wish to lose any more due to my inability to care for them correctly.
N.B., Manassas, Va Oct 30, 2005
Answer:
Keeping any "exotic," wild-caught or captive-bred species can be a challenge. There is also the risk of uncommon diseases being spread to indigenous species and human caretakers, and of exotics escaping or being deliberately released into the wild, which could possibly cause ecological havoc.No matter how enamored you are of these frogs, I wish that you and everyone would totally boycott the sale and continuing exploitation of them and other exotic species. Expert veterinary care is rarely available when needed.A recent epidemic of exploding frogs in Europe is under investigation, with a gas-producing bacteria being suspected. This may be the case with your poor frogs, but without clinical research the cause and cure will never be determined.So, again, I ask you: Why keep any species that is likely to never receive adequate veterinary treatment when needed because so little is known about them? As defeatist as this may seem, we must surely think first about what is best for the animals -- those who are wild
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