Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hello everyone!

I recently just purchased two Dumpy Frogs in Daytona! I talked to the breeder and he said to put them onto paper towels for substrate, but others told me that the coconut substrate is just fine. I just wanted to make sure that they were setup properly, so I can take good care of the little guys. Also, if any of you can upload pictures of your cage to help me out, that'd be great!

Another question was how many crickets do they eat a day (roughly)? Some sites say 2-8 every two days while others say more. I dont want to overfeed them. Also, I read that they eat non-acidic fruit as well. Is this true?? OH! I also got cricket dust for the crickets as well. Is this ok? Or do they not need it?

Thanks so much for your time everyone!
Jonathan

Well feeding depends on age, babies need to be fed every day, while adults can go every other. Depending on size they would probably eat about 3-6 a feeding. I've never heard of them eating any kind of fruit or vegetable for that matter. Most whites owners feed in a separate tank so as to reduce the chance of impaction. This will also make them more tame and willing to be held since they get fed when you handle them.

With two you will need a 30 gal tank by the time they're adults (a year old.) They can be kept on a variety of substrates, I think breeders use the paper towels because it's cheap and easy, yet not so pleasing to look at. They will need a soaking dish or area which they can submerge most of their body. Should have a warm side and cool side, hides and lots of plants, sturdy leafed ones (like pothos) that will hold them.

They are really cool little (well they do get big) frogs. There are alot of people with them on the other board I frequent, repticzone, under the tree frog page. Maybe we'll see you there.

Wow, thanks for getting back to me so quickly!

I'll keep the feeding tank in mind when giving them crickets. I also read that if they eat the coconut substrate, that since its so fine and non-toxic that they can pass it easily.

I just found the frog forum and then hopped on over to the tree frog forums (no pun intended) . The breeder said they were adults, but they still look a little small to me. They're both in a ten gallon right now, but I'm hoping on getting a bigger cage for both of them soon (probably tomorrow at the expo!).

Also, theyre both males. They should be ok together right? They've been raised together, so I figured there shouldn't be any problems. (I hope I was right!).

Thanks again!
Jonathan

If they're adults they would be around 3-5 inches, snout to vent (butt). Also alot of the substrates say they can be passed but people have had issues with impaction which can kill them. Not worth it to me, plus then they will look forward to seeing you!

If they are adults, the sex isn't a problem that I am aware. But that said, they need their own space, for hunting and just territory so that 10 gallon isn't going to cut it at all. They say for whites 20 gal first frog plus 10 each additional, that's a minimum, which would mean you'd need at least a 30 gal.

Just an FYI, from a poster on the other board, Petco is having a sale starting today for tanks (aquarium style, not combos or exoterras), $1/gal including the hex shaped ones! I'm thinking of going to get a hex to just put up till I am able to move my 2 red-eyes that are in a 29 gal.

Hex tanks usually run more than regular ones and would be great for yours as well. They give enough floor space but more importantly they have greater height than regular ones which give you the opportunity to make nice high climbing areas which they really like.

So if you have a petco around you it may be worth it to check it out, just make sure you call to make sure it's at yours as well, but I was told it was a chainwide thing.

Yeah. I was a little worried there wouldnt be enough room for them. I'm going to head out to petco right now!Thanks for the heads up! I love the hexagon tanks!

I guess they are full grown! Cool! So far they keep sleeping together. A friend of mine freaked me out because he said that one frog will eat the other if there isn't enough room for both of them!

My sister helped me set up a temporary cage for them. Hopefully the coconut substrate isn't going to impact them. It said on the back of the thing that it's safe for all frogs. I keep hearing so many different things to put them on I don't know who to believe anymore. Do you really think they'll get impacted on this stuff? Here's a link to what I ended up getting.

http://www.reptilia.org/images/Products/ecoearth.jpg

Thanks again for writing back. I'll post pictures of their cage once I'm done setting it up today!

Michelle

Hi, the coconut substrate is what I use for my pair, and it works just fine, since they don't spend a whole lot of time on the ground anyways. Just make sure you have plenty of places to climb and hide out in!

I would not recommend handling your frogs very often, there are many things on our hands that we do not want to get on the frogs. Especially since they absorb everything through their skin! Even if you washed your hands thouroughly, they could still absorb soap or what not. I feed mine directly in the tank they live in, and they have done well, I have had Dude for two years now! No problems with impaction or nothing.

They are easy to keep frogs, but the more you handle them, the more stressed they will be. There is also the fact that they eat at night and not all frogs keep to the same schedule, I have one frog that eats right away and the other likes to take his sweet time hunting. I like to leave them to their own territory.

Here is a photo of my frog hanging out in his plant, the other one is there too, but she is hiding beneath one of the other leaves and I couldn't get a pic of her.

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I think my frog owns a megaphone....

Here is a pic of my terrarium, its huge! My bro made it for me, but I did all the decorating. Aside from a couple plastic plants hanging from the window, its all real.

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I think my frog owns a megaphone....

haha forgot to mention that the cardboard is falling off on the back and I can't reach it since I placed the tank too near the wall. WIll get it fixed one of these days!
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I think my frog owns a megaphone....

Do you have both male and female Whites? I've had my 4 Whites for over 4 yrs.... 1- male (photo), 1- I'm note sure of and 2- females. The male is forever "romancing" the 2 females in the Spring of the year. Last year one of the females laid eggs. I didn't keep them because I had no setup to incubate the eggs. Also, I'm afraid I would have felt the need to keep all the froglets should the eggs have hatched. I could never have given them to a pet shop.
It's no longer Spring, but Wyatt was at it again last night. The female was slightly annoyed by him, making low croaking sounds and then literally bucked him off her back.
Yes, they are an interesting lot.

Hey there everyone!

Thanks so much for the posts. The cage is all set up. I ended up getting a 30 gallon tank for my guys. They have a huge log and lots of coverage. It's good to hear that the coconut substrate is fine for them.

I'm kind of worried about one of the froggers though. He's been in the same spot for two days. Is this normal? At night the other one is all over the place croaking and having a blast, but the other one just hangs out. I'm pretty sure he's eatting though because he's still as big as the day I got him. Anyone know why he might not be moving around?? I thought that the temp might have been too cool, but the other frog is fine. I've got the cage at about 75-80 all day then at night it's cooler.

If anyone has any suggestions let me know. I've gotten reptiles from this show before and the first time I got one, my poor leopard gecko was sick the day I got her. She ended up dying.

I've got to run for now! Thanks again everyone.

if they just got in the tank, give him time to adjust. Some frogs are more bold then others. Remember to mist regularily too. Also, I have one frog that only gets up once its pitch black and one that doesn't care if there is a bit of light. I once used a red light to try and heat the tank at night and it kept him in his sleep place for two days. Bad idea anyways! Silly me. So he may be getting up, you just may not be awake to see it!
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I think my frog owns a megaphone....

White's tree frogs : 1:1:0
Mantella viridis : 1:1:2

Well so far I think I have a male and a female. If the she is a he he-she doesn't croak much. I have yet to catch her in a croak, so until then, its a girl. I don't see any of that romancing though, maybe its because they stay up way later than me! But she is nice and fat, but not obese. No eggs either. WOuldn't want any, since they can really produce alot! They are great frogs. My male will pipe up to prove my points to my bf all the time! Like he's yelling she's right, your wrong, now leave! hahaha
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I think my frog owns a megaphone....

White's tree frogs : 1:1:0
Mantella viridis : 1:1:2

Help!!

I came home today to find my WTF in the corner of his tank looking all..deflated.. I think he's dead. I took him out, put him in a tupperware with some moist paper towels. The other one is out of the main tank and quarantined until I get a chance to go in and clean the main cage out. I dont know what happend! I wonder if the dealer sold me sick frogs? I feel so bad. I hope he's not dead for sure. Maybe he's just dehydrated?? I misted his cage everyday and gave them fresh water everyday too. Not from the faucet though, but bottled water.

I think this one was actually the active one too. How on earth did this happen? Everything in that cage was cleaned to death. There was nothing in there that could have killed him.

Any suggestions?..Anyone?

I don't know exactly what you mean by deflated? Do you have a water dish in your tank? I think it was already discussed but I'm not sure. DO you mist? Your frog could have been sick in the first place yes. I would call the pet shop and see if they can do anything, like replace if the frog dies or suggest a vet. I wouldn't take any advice they could have on treating your frog yourself though. Make sure he's warm, wet and left alone. Try getting ahold of silkworms or butterworms to feed him, as they are less stressful in a small environment than crickets (my frogs, when we were moving, needed to stay in a small tank while we got everything together. I placed some crickets in there and it freaked them out.. and they are both healthy!)I suggested those worms as they are still healthy for your frog, mealworms are not that great an idea. If you could post a pic of your frog it would maybe help a little, oh and maybe start a new topic next time you have a question, that way it won't go unoticed.
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I think my frog owns a megaphone....

White's tree frogs : 1:1:0
Mantella viridis : 1:1:2

Good evening
Thought I'd jump in here because you all seem so pleasant.
I've had 4 Whites for over 4 yrs. The one pictured is Morgan. At first it was rather difficult to get him to wear the hat, but after promising him a special treat, he not only let me put the hat on him, but also the mustach and blanket.
Kidding aside...I love these 4 characters. I bought them as babies and each one has it's own unique personality. Wyatt, is a male with a very loud voice..which he chooses to use at will.
Whether it's 2 in the afternoon or 2 in the morning, he can really bellow! I think Morgan is also a male, but I've never been sure. He does some soft croaking at times. My other two are females..no doubt. In the Spring of the year, Wyatt is constantly "romancing" them.
For the past 3 years, I've given a frog presentation at an Elementary school to show children how their concern.. or lack of concern.. for the environment impacts frogs. I Always take my Whites with me and the kids love them.

2 Pacman frogs
3 RETF
2 Emerald Green Tree Frogs
3 Mantellas
2 Green Tree Frogs
1 Tiger-legged Monket Frog
4 Whites

Hey, that's cool that you do presentations for children! I work in a daycare and have seen and stopped children from doing some pretty stupid things with the surrounding wildlife. (including trying to burry a toad under sand) Don't you find that its really the adults in the children's lives that are harder to influence on this matter and not the children themselves?
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I think my frog owns a megaphone....

Great pic!

I just have to ask since you have some many different types, which is your favorite? I only have Red eyes but I keep seeing so many whites that if I ever got another kind I think it would be those.

Check my posting on tanks from Petco, unbelievable deal.

It's really hard to chooses a favorite. They are all so unique. Ivan the Terrible, a Golden Mantella is a blast to watch as he is extremely active during the day. This is a nice change from his nocturnal roommates. With most of my guys waking around 10 in the evening, I don't get to observe much activity. Unless, of course, I want to sit in the dark, straining to see some movement under the black lites. Other than hand feeding the Whites, Emeralds and Pacman frogs, there isn't too much interaction.
The Mantellas' tank stays the cleanest in appearance. They can't mess up the glass as they are ground dwellers. This is a big advantage over the Green Tree frogs, which are very messy. They have no qualms about soiling the glass with their waste and shed skin. The Whites and Emeralds, on the other hand, are very tidy. They use their water dishes for waste and shedding.
I trained them well.
The Tiger-legged Monkey is a very vocal character. His calls are a series of loud clicks and low "growls" throughout the night. He is currently residing in the RETF tank. I never mix breeds of frogs, but this guy lost his buddie a couple of years ago and looked badly streesed afterwards. I thought the RETFs were the most compatible as my other frogs would have eaten him. He has been eating and doing well ever since the move so I will continue with this arrangement. He is a very neat little frog as he doesn't climb on the glass.
The RETFs have a bad habit. Most mornings I awaken to a milky spray on the glass of their 40-gal enclosure. I spot clean all my tanks daily and change the water dishes. I completely clean all the tanks monthly..except for the Pacman frogs..those I do every 2 weeks.
Because they are voracious eaters (mice, live-bearing fish, goliath worms and anything else they can swallow) Vern (6-inch Pac)leaves me a "prize" every so often that amazes me as to its size. It looks as if a small dog took a (please pardon my expression) dump in the tank. If you're squimish at all, this would not be the frog of choice.
So there you have it...I love all my frogs.

Now I only have the Red eyes and have only had them since about May. How do you clean the glass in your tanks?

Mine seem to get water spots that are very unattractive and the tank is a 29 gal bowfront which is set on a very tall wooden dresser.

It is up so high that I need a step stool to put the crickets in and need the step ladder to actually get in and get to the bottom and mess with the filter. I guess luckily most of the front bottom is water and that way if poo gets knocked off it goes into the water and is filtered or done away with by the snail. They seem to poo quite a bit, the leaves have to be wiped down and also one of them likes to use the glass.

I just got a 42 gal Hex (I posted it above) that I'm hoping I can do up with the Great Stuff foam etc to create something nice enough to display in my living room. Only thing is keeping it clean.

Now you said that the Whites go (poo) in the water? Is that their normal behavior? I would have a filtered system in the new tank as well, maybe I should just switch over to Whites for the new tank? I've been admiring everyones over on the repticzone site.

Do you take yours out to feed? I'd rather just put the crickets in the tank with them. I was thinking of just using the smooth river rock as most of the substrate, it looks nice in my RETF tank.

I have my Whites and RETFs in 40-gal Lizard Lounges. These tanks have screen doors on either end, so it provides easy access.
Here are some pics of the tanks. The first is the Whites' tank, the next, RETF tank and the last one will be the Whites tank from an angle. I tried to show the side of the tank so you can see the screen doors. There's some glare, and I'm not professional enough to avoid that apparently.

Wow those look great! Sometimes people show their pics and you're kind of disappointed to see a stick, a fake plant and a dish!

The pictures didn't show that big, maybe you sized them down to fit on here? If possible, if you have bigger pictures you could email me so I could see them a little better. That's kind of the look I'm going for, plus adding some kind of water feature.

Also, do those tanks have screens on both sides? How do you keep the humidity up for them, especially the red-eyes? Also where would I buy one of those and around how much? I had been asking for something like that but the only suggestion I've gotten is Exoterras, which are nice but with the front opening ruin the view.

I don't know how to post multiple pics either but here's my current red-eye tank, there's only 2 in there, it's a 29 gal bowfront, came with a log waterfall already molded into it, I then added pothos and an ivy-type plant, and all the driftwood, rocks and vines. The picture is a little old, the Pothos is now everywhere in there and I also added some more wood on the right side.

Oh and my email is rrrragdoll@yahoo.com.

Here's the second...I don't know as yet how to send more than one picture as a time.

Here's the last...it's the angle view of the Whites' tank

Hi:
I just read your post about feeding your frogs. I am also new in the forum, so welcome to you too.
About feeding your frogs, I would liked to give you an advice: instead of using "cricket powder", I would suggest that you use "gut load" to feed the crickets prior to giving them to your frog. Sprinkling the power on top of the crickets do not do much for the frogs, since the powder can fell off, etc. Besides that, the frog gets its nutrition from what is inside the cricket, not outside of it.
Try getting two or three dozens of crickets at a time and get some "gut load" and also "gut load cricket drink with calcium" and feed the crickets with both BEFORE feeding them to the frog. These products provide all the protein and nutritients that the frogs need in the right amounts, especially calcium. In no time you will see the difference in your frogs and how healthy and active they get.
About substrate, all our frogs have compress coconut as substrate and it works wonderfully. Not only it is clean, but it also helps to keep the right levels of humidity, plus there is no problems if the frogs accidentally eat it. The one that we prefer is from Eco Earth.
By keeping and observing our frogs, we have learned that they only eat when they are hungry. So, do not stress too much over the "over feeding" fact. If you feed them properly and keep them in a tank big enough to keep them active and have them "jumping around" hunting their crickets, they should be fine.
Hope this message is of some help to you.
Good luck with your frogs! Enjoy them: they are wonderful!

Hello everyone.

Just another quick question. The coconut substrate seems to make my frogs kinda dirty all the time. Will this cause them any problems?

Thanks again everyone for your help!