Why Is Our Frog Formula Yellow Hued Now?
You may have noticed our Frog Formula has a funny yellow glow these days and maybe even spotted bee pollen on the ingredient list. So… what’s the deal?
TL;DR: It’s all about carotenoids = Vitamin A goodness!
In the wild, frogs munch on bugs like beetles, bees, and crickets; which either pollinate or eat lots of leafy greens. That means they’re naturally getting a solid dose of carotenoids (the pigments that give plants their yellow/orange color). But in captivity? Frog eating snakes often miss out and that’s where supplementation becomes super important – even for pet frogs! So much so, reptile companies make Vitamin A supplements for pet frogs.
Let’s Dive Into the Nerdy Stuff
Meet Ptyas nigromarginatus — a gorgeous snake species that’s famous for… mysteriously turning blue in captivity. I’ve worked with several, and others have noticed this strange color shift too. What’s even weirder? These blue snakes often go downhill health-wise soon after. Poor appetite, dull eyes, fading away.
The one big thing missing in their diet? Frogs.
Most of these snakes are fed rodents or quail in captivity. But one breeder in China has kept to nature — he feeds frogs, and his snakes stay green and healthy. No weird blue hues. No decline. Just thriving snakes.
So What’s Actually Happening?
Here’s my theory: Frogs are rich in xanthophyll carotenoids (a specific type of carotenoid), which help produce yellow pigments in animals. No yellow pigments = green snakes turn blue (it’s basic color theory!). So when these snakes aren’t getting those carotenoids, their scales shift blue and their health follows.
I had an AHA! moment. So…time for an experiment: We had a group of keepers feed these snakes different sources of carotenoids. European keepers added bee pollen to rodents, while I used my own Frog Formula Repti-Bites. Guess what? All of the snakes started turning green again! Even better — their eyes cleared up, and they looked healthier overall.
So… What’s the Buzz About Bee Pollen?
Bee pollen (and other yellow/orange plant bits) are packed with xanthophylls — those magical yellow pigments. They’re not just for color, either. They’re also a powerful source of Vitamin A, which is crazy important for frogs.
Why Animals Need Vitamin A:
- Eye Health – Prevents vision problems. Helps repair and prevent de-generation.
- Skin Health – Improves and strengthens your skin cells and collagen.
- Immune Health – Boosts white blood cells function and even your gut lining.
Vitamin A is VITAL for overall body growth, and combating infections; especially in neonatal stages. So imagine lacking Vitamin A for a baby of a species that seemingly already requires higher than normal Vitamin A intake? Asking for failure in that case sadly. The baby nigromarginatus that failed to thrive often began with skin weakening (wrinkles, tearing, etc) despite getting fed (non-frog diet).
Why Not Use Frog Skin?
Fair question! Our formula uses all of the frog, but lacks about 90% of the skin. Not because we don’t want to, but because the skin clogs up the machines during processing. (Turns out frog skin isn’t appliance-friendly. Who knew?)
But since frog skin is likely rich in xanthophores (the yellow pigment cells that help make frogs green), we had to find another source. Enter: bee pollen. It’s the perfect, natural stand-in to keep the formula balanced and packed with the nutrients frogs (and frog-eaters) need.
Final Thoughts
So yeah that yellow tint in our Frog Formula? It’s not just for looks. It’s part of a carefully crafted nutritional solution based on real-world experience, scientific theory, and lots of trial and error.
Hope you enjoyed geeking out with me on this! If you’ve got frog-chomping reptiles, they’ll thank you for the extra Vitamin A boost .
DISCLAIMER: Vitamin A toxicity is a VERY REAL THING. Most reptiles should NOT be supplemented with Vitamin A! This can cause irreversible damage.
Photos below:
Left image shows one Ptyas nigromarginatus with dull eyes, yellow pigment looking grey-ish and blue scales.
Right image is approximately 2 months later with brightened eyes, brighter yellow and more green starting to come in. The process will take a lot of time, but the change is obvious!
