Tree Frog Symptoms

Question
We have 6 tree frogs and today when we were cleaning out
their cage, when we went to pick up 2 out of the 6 they
would stretch their back legs straight out and twitch
uncontrollably. It looks painful for them but after they are
done twitching which lasts about 5 seconds they hop around
like normal. We are worried what could be wrong.

Answer
Hi Joe

It sounds like it may be tetany. I've seen this a couple times with young, rescued lizards. They would go rigid with straight legs and arched back for a few seconds before recovering. It is caused by low blood calcium levels (which plays a role in nerve impulse transmission) and can manifest as tremors, trembling legs, feet, toes and seizures.  The seizures are often triggered by handling and they can be fatal so avoid handling as much as you can for the next while. Your frogs will need to be supplemented with  calcium and vitamin D3 by dusting their insects prior to feeding. Once a week is usually sufficient for adult animals but in your case you might want to supplement more often for the first two or three weeks to correct this potential deficiency. RepCal (phosphorous free and with D3) is one of the more reputable brands to look for.  The vitamin D3 is required for the effective absorption of the calium from the gut.

This link discusses tetany in reptiles:

http://www.veterinarypartner.com/Content.plx?P=A&A=1603&S=4&SourceID=56