What did I tell you about Tank Dwelling Creatures? They will break your heart every time and yet it's never any easier.
On Tuesday morning, I turned on the light for David's* tank (my tree frog) and he hopped off the rock to the glass, as usual. Tuesday night when I came home he was laying on the rock with his legs stretched behind him. I called Ryan to look, because he looked funny, like he was sunning himself or something. Then when he saw us both looking, he turned to move away and we realized... his legs weren't moving. He dragged them behind him and headed back for the plants. I was shocked - what could have happened?
I freaked out and searched the internet, to no avail. I got one piece of email advice from a Frog Doc who suggested giving him vitamins. So yesterday I went and bought the vitamin powder and dusted all of his crickets, which he couldn't hunt (seeing as how he couldn't jump), so I ended up feeding him the crickets, by holding them with tweezers in front of him. He ate 2 that way, and I was starting to feel hopeful -- if he was eating, he couldn't be that bad off, right? Even if his legs never worked again, he'd still have a life and we could adapt his tank for a paraplegic frog.
Then, about 11pm last night, he gave up the ghost. Poor David was dead on the bottom of the tank. I don't know if he was too injured to eat and now I have killed him, by feeding him, or what exactly. I did shine bright lights through his body and could see that there was no heart beat. I was so sad... how could this happen? Nothing seems to explain it. Poor froggie.
*originally there were 3 : Michael, Michael, & David. Michael 1 died as soon as he grew legs, Michael 2 escaped.
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