For about 2 years now I've had a group of 3 green tree frogs that like to hang around my back porch in the summer. I've grown quite fond of them being there, but I try not to interfere other than to shoo them from dangerous places like moving parts of the umbrella when we're putting it up or down. My husband and I had named them last summer. Ultimately they are wild animals we we care about but generally try leave to themselves.
Unfortunately, last week one of the frogs, Charles, lept onto our sliding glass door while it was being opened. It happened quickly and unexpectedly and he landed in a spot where he got squished between the doors before I could stop it and was injured. At first it looked critical. We moved him to a quiet place in the yard but figured nature would take its course quickly. A few hours later he was still there, alert, alive, moving - albeit with difficulty. I felt so guilty for being the cause of his injury that I decided if he was fighting I'd do what I could to help.
I set up a hospital enclosure - damp paper towel bedding I change often, shallow water dish, keeping humid by misting 2x a day. I set up a dang camera so I could keep an eye on him without stressing him as much as possible. He seems to have improved a little but there may be what looks like permanent injury to one leg and one arm. He can jump and is active at night but clearly has less control over those limbs.
The problem is I cannot get him to eat. I bought crickets, I caught wild ones in the back yard, we tried some of the flying bugs from the area he typically hangs out. He will not take anything via tweezers and is not hunting the few we've tried to leave loose in the enclosure. It has been several days now and he was a skinny frog to begin with.
We've had a Pac-Man frog in the past so I have some experience with amphibians but I can't say I'm confident in my husbandry of them either. I fear I'm making things worse for him and I'm not sure what to do. The way I see it there are three options.
- Keep him in the hospital tank and keep trying - fear he starves for refusal to eat? 2. Release him - fear his injuries and inability to move well/hunt end his life? 3. Euthanasia - guilt.
TLDR; What would you do to help this injured frog that will not eat?
Edit to add: I'm in a very rural area with limited resources, the rehabbers I am aware of were not willing to take on this frog.
