# impacted pacman



## LeilaNami (May 3, 2008)

I work at a Petco and currently have an impacted pacman.  I have to force feed him as well by just opening his mouth and popping in a rosy minnow or a cricket.  He usually takes it but sometimes just spits it out.  I've tried a luke warm bath but seemed to have done nothing.  I also checked to see if anything external was clogging him but nothing there either.  Is there anything else I can do?


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## Mushroom Spore (May 3, 2008)

LeilaNami said:


> I have to force feed him as well by just opening his mouth and popping in a rosy minnow or a cricket.


If he's impacted, stop force-feeding him!  His guts are clogged, so anything being added to that is probably just making it worse since he can't pass any of it. I don't know any methods besides baths and luck to "cure" an impacted pacman, though - most of them seem to either eventually have a massive bowel movement or die.

Are you positive he's impacted and not sick with something else, or maybe parasites? No offense, but Petco isn't exactly known for carrying super-healthy specimens.


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## ragnew (May 3, 2008)

What was the Pac being kept on substrate wise? I've always used Eco-Earth (coco-fiber) and it's never caused any problems whatsoever. It's actually promptly spat back out if it's even brought in on my Pacs tongue.

Sometimes the frogs can actually vomit the stomach to rid itself of any foreign objects that have been ingested. Hopefully that'll happen if it is an impaction. That or somehow passing whatever it is that's cause the obstruction.

Hope all goes well with the Pac.


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## magikscorps (May 3, 2008)

I'm not a pet store employee nor do I play one on T.V  But I would try a SMALL amount of mineral oil from a dropper and for sure stop feeding him.............


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## kupo969 (May 3, 2008)

What symptoms is it giving you other than not eating? Sometimes they fast randomly for no apparent reason. If it is impacted it will probably lay its rear legs. Chytrid fungus is always a possibility.


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## ragnew (May 3, 2008)

I agree, Chytrid is a serious possibility, especially where the Horned frogs are concerned...

Check out this thread, it has an exceptional treatment, and precautionary treatment for the fungus if that's what's going on.

http://fatfrogs.7.forumer.com/viewtopic.php?t=4368


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## JeffX (May 3, 2008)

You know as a Petco employee you are supposed to take sick animals to a vet?  Talk to your manager as soon as possible.

And please stop feeding it!  

Also keep up with the warm bath as well.


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## mitchrobot (May 3, 2008)

whats makes you think its impacted?
how long has it  been since it ate by itself?

they fast. dont worry about it not eating if it still looks plump. i had a female go 6 months without food and when she came back out she looked a little thinner but fine and was eating like a horse. 

i wouldnt really be feeding it if its impacted, as said, its not helping fix the problem. force feeding also stresses the animal more than it already might be. 
take it to a vet. impaction is pretty hit or miss, i havnt heard many success stories with dealing with it. 

a little off topic....its not really good to feed herps rosey minnows or feeder goldfish. most feeder fish are treated with copper based chemicals and other nasty stuff that can and will hurt your frogs organs. stick with crickets, roaches and worms (meal, earth, wax etc...) until its bigger. good luck with your frog.


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## LeilaNami (May 3, 2008)

I was doing what I was told by the vet.  I just thought he was impacted because he hasn't defecated in a couple of weeks, the same time he stopped eating.  He's alert and all and doesn't seem lethargic.  My assumption was just impaction.  My concern was that when he tries to hop, he ends up lying on his back.

Edit:  I didn't realize that they fast.  I'm still learning and trying to research all my animals.  That might be all it is save for the tipping over on its back.


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## Jer (May 4, 2008)

If you suspect an animal is impacted, what would motivate you to force feed it?


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## LeilaNami (May 5, 2008)

The vet told me to as I've already stated


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## Mushroom Spore (May 5, 2008)

LeilaNami said:


> The vet told me to as I've already stated


That's an amazingly stupid vet.


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## arachnocat (May 5, 2008)

They can fast for a really long time. If he has eaten a lot he might not eat again for quite a while. My big brown pacman stays buried for weeks without eating. I know he's ready to eat again when I see his head sticking out of the dirt. After he eats, he usually buries himself again for a while.

I would just leave him alone for a few weeks then try another warm bath and check for poops in the tank. You can't miss em, they will be almost the same size as your frog. lol.


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## Jer (May 5, 2008)

If it is flopping over on its back, to me, that would suggest that either it is still a very young frog, it is suffering from MBD, or both.

I doubt your frog is impacted, unless you think it is impacted for some particular reason which you haven't shared with us. If it hasn't eaten anything, then it won't poop anything. If it is a young frog, your best bet would probably be to stick with force feeding very heavily calcium dusted food. Honestly, if it is a young frog, I would be much more worried about MBD than impaction.


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## Archnophil (May 6, 2008)

Chytrid. Check the link that ragnew posted and treat the frog immediatly....Unfortunaetly Chytrid ussually rears its ugly head late in its developement....id say the frogs a gonner.

Asa side note....gte a new vet....Or get this one of the roofies.


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## Jer (May 6, 2008)

She hasn't listed any symptoms of chytrid.


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