Chytrid
conf 2004
How can
I spot chytrid?
êChytrid can affect the skin’s
hydrology so look for frogs spending a lot more time in the
water bowl; even after a long soak, the skin
surface might still look dry or slightly taught
êFrogs normally slough but it is
white-ish in colour and usually stringy; with chytrid, the
sloughing is yellowish or brownish on the ventral
surface, very broken up and easily smears onto your
hand/glove
êIf
cases seen by CFH so far are typical, then chytrid
suppresses the nervous system - so frogs start
to slow down in their breathing and become dull
and withdrawn in their disposition
êFrogs stop eating and show no interest
in food
êIn Litoria caerulea, the entire
ventral surface can turn orange-red (as opposed to
Aeromonas (Red Leg) which is pinky red and just on the
inside of the thighs and lower abdominal area)