Pyxie WILL NOT touch prekilled food!

[Goomba]

Hey everyone,

I've been having this "issue" for some time now. My pyxie frog has been extremely stubborn/clever with his choice of food lately. Now, he's anything but picky, but he will not touch something that's dead! When he was younger he ate a few dead rat pups, and a chick once, but for some time now, it's as if he's just too godamn clever.
I think it may be partially my fault, and I simply got him used to live prey. Does anyone elses pyxie do this? He hasnt eaten in a week, and he passed his last meal just fine and is seemingly active and hungry...and I'm willing to bet when I get a few feeder roaches and fuzzy's tomorrow he'll polish them off in a minute or two.

So, are these guys really that good at telling the difference between live food and dead food? I even tried hannging/wiggling/dragging, the chick by a string, just so he couldnt see me...nope, still nothing. I think he simply likes them raw and wiggling.

 

[GailC]

Wouldn't it be easier to just feed him big roaches? He will still get live food and its much healthier then feeding vertebrates to him.

 

[Goomba]

Vertabrates are a healthy and essential part of a pyxies diet, it's just a matter of not overdoing it. I alternate between roaches and a few small mice usually. I may go ahead and get him a few dozen crickets, but he may be getting too big to want to dive at such little insects. Also, birds have an assortment of other great nutrients, it's just good to mix it up. But I suppose a few molted hissers and a fuzzy or two will have to do.

 

[Penna]

I have a pixie frog and it will eat anything that moves in front of it. (Including Fingers)

You might want to try starting him off with a couple crickets to get a feeding response then dangle the mouse in front of it. They are awesome frogs. Goodluck!

 

[Goomba]

I have a pixie frog and it will eat anything that moves in front of it. (Including Fingers)

You might want to try starting him off with a couple crickets to get a feeding response then dangle the mouse in front of it. They are awesome frogs. Goodluck!

Considered it, but whatever, I was trimming some palms and stumbled upon a big baby dove today, hehehe. My predictions were correct.

 

[bugmankeith]

I dont think feeding a dove is wise, their larger than mice, and from outside, who knows what it may harbor.

 

[Mushroom Spore]

Yeah, wild birds are parasite/mite central.

 

[Goomba]

I dont think feeding a dove is wise, their larger than mice, and from outside, who knows what it may harbor.

I've been keeping an eye out on it, it's only a few days old. I doubt it's harboring many, if any parasites considering how young it is. Anyways, this was only a circumstantial feeding, definately not a regular part of his diet. But I sware to god, he looks bigger just hours after every meal. I think I'll snag him 4 or 5 dozen large crickets next week.

 

[nickbachman]

lol a dove

 

[Goomba]

lol a dove

Peace has no place in the jowels of Goomba the fats.

 

[Gsc]

How are you offering the dead food? They like movement so if you are not already doing it, shake the prey item in front of it with a pair of long tweezers or foreceps... sometimes gently tapping them on the nose or side with the prey item pisses them off enough for them to grab the food.

What are your temps?

How is he set up?

 

[Goomba]

How are you offering the dead food? They like movement so if you are not already doing it, shake the prey item in front of it with a pair of long tweezers or foreceps... sometimes gently tapping them on the nose or side with the prey item pisses them off enough for them to grab the food.

What are your temps?

How is he set up?

Yes, I wiggled the shit out of the food, rubbed it by his mouth, and he didnt even lick his chops. The temps are in the 80's and he's in a 20 long, with 3 sides painted black, a 25w bulb over his 11 inch bucket of water, ecoearth everywhere else.
The conditions are great, my point is the fat bastard is picky and as I predicted he pounced on the live bird in seconds.

 

[Gsc]

Sounds good. I've kept herps my whole life and have had pixies in the past. My best words of advice for a stubborn feeder is to just wait him out... starvation does alot... let him get nice and hungry...then offer him food. Just so he doesn't loose any body weight he'll be fine. Captive animals tend to eb overfed anyways and can go alot longer without food than people think. Ball Pythons give alot of people problems with going off feed...my motto with ball pythons is: Feed them when they are eating and don't worry about them when they quit! Sooner or later and healthy animal should be hungry and accept food. Maybe I have more of a Darwinist approach (If they are dumb enough to not eat and starve themselves to death- then they don't deserve to live-lol). Seriously, I wouldn't worry about him... just give him a few weeks... and then offer again... I doubt that helped! Good luck.

 

[Goomba]

Yea, it's amazing what a few days can do for these guys' appetite. I dont know though, I guess I'll just stick to live food for him, he just seems to like it more. No big deal. Thanks for the input though man.

 

[Tleilaxu]

Dude just get a pair of tongs and dangle the food infront of him. He will take it for sure.

 

[nickbachman]

Dude just get a pair of tongs and dangle the food infront of him. He will take it for sure.

Yes, I wiggled the shit out of the food, rubbed it by his mouth, and he didnt even lick his chops.

 

[Tleilaxu]

Than that frog must be gay... it worked EVERY time for my horned frog. Try heating it up in hot water than dangle it in his face. Oh and starve him for a month or two... that can be helpful as well.

 

[Goomba]

Than that frog must be gay... it worked EVERY time for my horned frog. Try heating it up in hot water than dangle it in his face. Oh and starve him for a month or two... that can be helpful as well.

My frog would analy violate your pussy pacman, then eat it. In a non-gay prison type of dominance display.

 

[ragnew]

My frog would analy violate your pussy pacman, then eat it. In a non-gay prison type of dominance display.

Ah man, that's is just wrong on so many levels

...Damn, what nasty visual! Shake it off, shake it off.

 

[nickbachman]

My frog would analy violate your pussy pacman, then eat it. In a non-gay prison type of dominance display.

I'll vouch for Goomba on that one.