Dead frog pics

[Digifrog]

Hello there

I have a few pictures of a dead frog I sadly pulled from my pond today. Unfortunately I don't know how to attach thumbnails and I would like to present one or two pictures in the hope that someone might tell me what happened to my poor little frog. The pictures are also going to be submitted to Froglife.



The whole thing is saddening. It is the first dead frog in my pond.

[Dogghound]

Any thing that looks odd about the frog? have they bred in your pond this year? any predators around? do you use garden chemicals or your neighbours? any really bleak cold spells?

[Digifrog]

Originally Posted by Dogghound

Any thing that looks odd about the frog? have they bred in your pond this year? any predators around? do you use garden chemicals or your neighbours? any really bleak cold spells?

Thanks Dogg

The only thing that is different about the frog is its' colour. It's different from the others yes but not uncommon? It's always been orangy brown (saw it when it was younger in the grass last year)

I don't use chemicals (not sure about my neighbours (I don't think they do)), only predators are cats but there was no obvious signs of injury. Frogs have bred in my pond this year.

Some cold spells yea (0 - -1 degrees, but no freezing).

I'm baffled and saddened that this frog has died in the care of my garden.

Scott

[Lance Morgan]

Sorry to hear that and if no obvious injury it is unlikely to be a predator. It could be Ranavirus.

[nightshade]

If they have been spawning it could be that it has drowned during the melee
when males lock onto anything, females ,males, fish.
The same could happen if the pond was iced up.

[Digifrog]

Originally Posted by nightshade

If they have been spawning it could be that it has drowned during the melee
when males lock onto anything, females ,males, fish.
The same could happen if the pond was iced up.

The frog was still alive after the spawn was laid (in the shallow) I haven't seen any new spawn since.

I'm hoping it isn't ranavirus. I have sent some pics to Froglife to see if I can get a diagnosis.


If it is ranavirus, then my pond is doomed?? What would I do?

[Kayleigh]

I have never seen a frog that colour before..
It could have just run out of steam (some do) after mating..Unless you get an post-mortem I doubt you will ever know the real cause of death..And cross your fingers that it isn't contagious..Good luck.

If you want help posting pics on here PM me I will do what I can..

[Digifrog]

Thanks Kayleigh.

According to Froglifes ranavirus factfile.

1. Deaths usually occur in the summer. If a frog has died in the winter/springtime it is likely to be another cause.

2. Deaths usually occur out of the pond (i.e. in the grass, in the garden). If a frog is found dead in the pond it is likely another cause.

3. Some healthy frogs naturally have red skin; during the breeding season females will sometimes develop a red, pink or orange colouring.

Three positive signs that my froggy didn't die from ranavirus. It sads me that if that is the case I have lost a female I don't want to take anything for granted until I hear back from Froglife. I remember her from last spring (if its the same one). She was of course smaller & the same colour even then.

I cannot tell at present if any other frogs show signs of this disease, and as yet no others have died (at least that I know of) But they could be anywhere unoticed in my garden.

I will seriously suspect ranavirus if I find any more dead frogs or the ones that are still alive die. I will keep my eye on them.

Looks like either my frog died of exhaustion/age or stress due to me clearing the pond. As I mentioned to Froglife I saw her in the pond happy as a bee a week ago, I partly cleaned the pond out bank hol. monday, then I found her belly up at the bottom early on tuesday morning. I;m just hoping it's not ranavirus. What will I do if all my frogs die?

Fingers crossed.

[Lance Morgan]

That's a positive few facts about virus. Hope all is OK Digifrog

[Adam Cheeseman]

Probably just over-exertions of the season.

Cheers,

Adam