My kids love their pet dragon that they got as a baby for Christmas. Today, they caught a frog from outside & were just playing with it and our bearded dragon charged and ate the frog. That was about 3pm today. We just got back from a couple of errands and immediately went to check on him & he had crawled into his log house, the bottom of his neck & 1/2 his tail are black, he had pooped and was just laying in it & he's not moving. Please advise what we should do? The kids are very upset right now. Help!!!!
The frog being poisonous was my first thought. I asked people I know and was told that most poisonous frogs are colorful. This was a basic brown (small) frog. My larger concern was that our 9 month old dragon would not be able to digest the frog since it was MUCH larger than the normal food we feed (which is vegetable pieces & small meal worms). I think after reading some other posts I will stop feeding meal worms if he pulls through this. He has been pushing out small amounts of soft stool over the past couple of hours. At least something is coming out. We live out in the country and have no reptile vets in the area. My kids have been crying on & off as he opens his eyes and then closes them again. He is such a fun addition to our family and we will be so upset if he doesn't make it through the night. Thank you for the replies. We will keep checking this site for additional feedback. Sincerely, Willie's family
I'm sorry Willie is not well. How is he acting now? Has his color improved?
Can you please compare the frog to the size of Willie's head?
I would give him a few drops of olive oil, veg. oil, or mineral oil in some applesauce, canned plain pumpkin, or baby food (pureed) squash. Drop it on his nose with an eyedropper or syringe. Give him water, also, flavored with unsweetened juice if necessary. Put him up on his basking spot. He has to try to digest the frog. I don't know if these things will help much, but it is what I would do. Praying for Willie and your family.
Sounds like a common toad, and if it's what I am thinking it is, they secret stuff from their skin when threatened. It's supposed to make them taste bad so predetors spit them out. I don't think they are poisonous but I would definately keep an eye on your poor little guy/gal. I agree with the olive oil to see if she will pass more than what she is. These toads have a very boney cartilage for a backbone and dont know how easy that would be to digest. Hope he is ok and all is well with him tomorrow.
It is now 1:24am central time/our time. One of my daughters fell asleep with Willie on her chest (my daughter had a beat red, swollen face from crying-she is the one that is his primary care taker). We read the first replies earlier and knew we had no way to get to a vet tonight. We read other stories about blackend beards & black tails that did not end well. He is not making any attempt to move, is pretty stiff but still breathing & didn't open his eyes when I gently moved him back to his tank (which sits inches from my daughters bed). His coloring is still the same, black beard & 1/2 black tail. I unfortunately moved him back to his tank before reading to see if there were any new posts. I'm debating trying to get him out to try the suggestions but am in fear of waking my destrot child. I put him on his basking log I will do all suggested come this morning if not deciding to attempt getting him out right now. I am afraid by trying to handle him while he's in this state, I will cause him more distress. Again, thank you for your help, prayers & concern. Willies, Family
Sorry I forgot to add the frog was just slightly smaller than Willie's head. It is why I'm so concerned he won't be able to pass it. All four of my daughters gave a special tear jerking prayer at bedtime for Willie. We thank all of you for the time, support and care to reply to our urgent message. We really appreciate it.
Willie's Family
I'm sorry to say but Willie passed somewhere between 3am (which is when I finally went to bed after trying the things suggested, olive oil, apple sauce, water, warmth) & 7:30am when my daughter woke up. It's been a rough morning. I am sorry for taking so long to reply. The four girls are planning a burial for this evening. We again thank everyone who responded. This was a huge/painful lesson for the kids & myself. However, there will be another bearded dragon in our future. I've always been a dog person but we have not been able to get one for many reasons. The dragon was a trade for the kids. I wasn't thrilled at first but I can't believe how much I actually liked him. He gave us many laughs, worries, comfort, entertainment and most of all love. Sincerely, The Late Willie's Family
I'm so sorry he didn't make it. I didn't want to say anything on here, but the same thing happened to someone else we know, and the dragon died. They just can't handle frogs. I'm sure Willie was very proud that he caught and ate that frog! At least his last meal was something he enjoyed. Too bad it wasn't something he could safely eat.
I am so sorry to hear about Willie. Just as I was reviewing what I was about to post I saw your post pop in. I was going to say he likely could not pass the frog because of the size and it would need surgical removal. Much love to you and your family in this time of sorrow.
I am so sorry to hear that little Willie didn't make it. I can only imagine how sad your girls must be. I, too, was surprised at how quickly a little dragon can wrap himself around one's heart. My thoughts and prayers will be with you all as you lay Willie to rest this evening.
I'm so sorry to hear about your loss. The description of a small frog, and it being brown--sounds like a toad, rather than a frog. The substance toads secrete is not just distasteful, it's toxic. Bufotoxins can certainly kill, so that may have been the cause. In Australia, native predators are in serious trouble due to the introduction of the highly toxic cane toad. They don't have the instincts to avoid eating the toads.
I don't think a dragon would die of an obstructed bowel from something it ate in one day, so it seems more likely that it was the toxin.
There is no antidote for bufotoxin. A vet might have been able to induce vomiting, but it would all depend on how much toxin was absorbed prior to that. It may not have been possible to save him, even then.