My western hognose finally ate but...

[anatess]

It has been MONTHS since my western hognose ate. He used to eat a just-weaned ASF weekly and then in late January he stopped eating. He would go a few weeks and then he would eat one rat. Last time he ate was in April. He started losing weight so we took him to the vet. The vet gave him something to "improve his appetite" and it didn't work. He still didn't eat. The vet did say he is in perfect health still so we didn't worry much. Just kept offering rats weekly.

Well, my husband decided he has gone on too long without a feed, so he went outside and got a small frog. Zeke chomped on that frog in no-time flat we didn't realize he already ate the thing! It was a smallish frog. So, my husband went out and got a bigger frog - about the same size as the rat. And Zeke chomped on that too!

Now, I'm getting worried that might not have been a good thing for us to do. I mean, a wild frog may be full of diseases/parasites/what-have-you. I mean, it is easy enough to find a frog outside for him to eat but I don't know of any frog feeders being sold in our reptile store.

Any advice?

[DutchHerp]

What do you think wild hoggies eat?

Frogs are very sensitive to any nasties and chemicals and die quick. I'd say they're relatively safe to feed, just not preferred. Try scenting.

[kitsunex]

when i was researching hoggies before purchasing one, i ran across a youtube series of videos on how to take care of a hognose. in the feeding one, the guy recomended keeping a dead toad in the freazer with your f/t mice, thaw them both out, and before feeding just rub the toad on the mouse before offering it as food. he said he's kept the same toad for quite a while, since all you are using it for is to rub its scent on the food. it seems to work pretty well, maybe you might consider trying that?

[.:LRG:.VinTaGe1947]

I have found that mine will only eat in a small box with the lid closed so i set her and the ft mouse in and she will eat it in seconds....But before i found that out she would go months without eating and just eat every so often

[Lucas339]

i did the same thing and now all mine will eat is sented rodents. i had frogs on hand for feeding my SIBs so i offered one and the same thing happened. with in seconds the frog was gone. i have a couple of frogs in a little cup in the freezer with water in them and i just thaw it all together.

i wouldn't worry about it too much. just grab another frog and throw it in the freezer and put some water with it after its dead and thaw everything together and it will eat with no problems!