Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I have a jewlery case that is hexagon shape, each side being 23" apart and is 46" high. I'm thinking about creating a habitat for a group of WTFs with vines going up the middle with moss and plants and a small waterfall/stream at the bottom. I'm thinking about rigging a fogging/misting system to come on 2-3 times a day to keep the tank moist. I do have a couple questions on the keeping of frogs.

1. In a big enclosure, how do you ensure all of the frogs are properly getting fed. Do people just let a number of crickets into the cage and let the frogs naturally hunt them down?

2. The tank already has three light bulbs installed on the top. Can i put two heat/light bulbs at the top and put a night bulb to view my critters during the night? Will this suffice for heat parameters?

I am new to the frog world, being interested in them because i'm into the aquatic world plus i'm planning on opening a pet shop after college. Any help on keeping the creatures and tips on creating the habitat will be appreciated. thanks

What your describing is an enclosure with a volume of 274 gals.
(glass sides 23in each). What a great opportunity for a display!
1) a misting system would certainly aid live plant growth, however, the humidity would have to be monitored and you may have to add circulation fans to achieve proper conditions for WTF.
2) a water feature if large enough can help buffer the humidity and temperature, if the water mass is heated

3)lighting could be an issue if you plan on live plants, the hieght of the tank would require more intense lighting with a relatively small area on top to place them , some compact flourecents may foot the bill here. this would also provide a heat gadient, which would benefit the WTF.

4) As far as knowing if all the frogs eat enough, each frogs appearance should give you some clues. I feed mine crickets using a small paper cup placing the crickets close to the frog, I can see them eat several first hand, sometimes they dive right into the cup after the food.

If you have been into aquatics,(I have for 25+ years switched to WTF ~6 months ago) you may know of the Aquatic Gardener Associan (AGA) they have a website and an annual photo contest , one of the categories are Paladariums there are a few showing a central "island" of plantings this type of arrangement might be a good fit for your case.
Best of luck

I don't think I'd recommend doing the mister. White's do not enjoy high humidity conditions, which the mister would most likely create.
With the eating, Croakys is right, the frog's appearance will give you an indication of how they eat. When you first get them, you might want to take them out & put them in a 10-gallon or something at feeding time (one at a time) so that you know they eat. But after a while, you should be able to tell if your frog is skinny or fat.
Here's a link to my website about White's. I used like 5 books, web info, & 2 years of personal experience to put the information together. But also, you should be able to find enough info on the Web to keep you reading for hours since this is such a popular species.
Good luck
My White's Page

Well, i'll be having a water source at the bottom of the tank, and i live in southern louisiana so the humidity is high enough! I think the lighting is my toughest issue. The case came with three 50watt metal halide bulbs at the top. Unfortunately the system was so old i had to chunk it, but should i put the metal halide bulbs back in? I know for sure they'll create enough heat, but i don't want fried frogs. The case has three already cut holes for the halide bulbs, and a mirror that attaches to the top, so if the halide would be good for the tank (will help with flourishing plants and won't harm the frogs) i'll go ahead and replace the system. thanks

I would set up the tank 2 weeks or more before you get the frogs. Make sure you buy a hygrometer (monitors humidity) & a thermometer to stick in the set-up. Once you get everything set up, turn on the lights and see what happens. Watch it for a few days & see if the temperature is too hot or not. If it is, try only using one or two of the lights, or use less wattage. I'm not firmiliar with the particular lights you are talking about, so you might want another opinion.

Here are some concerns of mine...
make sure that everything inside the tank that is not glass that the frog could come into contact with, or can get wet, is completely sealed and inert. I can only assume that since it is not designed to hold sensitive animals they could have wood that is not completely sealed or other components that are not amphibian compatible.

As far as feeding, I highly recommend hand feeding, meaning that you hold the food item on the end of a pair of hemostats for example, and the frog eats it straight from the instrument. Any changes in feeding should be your first indicator of problems, therefore it is very important for you to keep track of their feeding behaviors.

From my limited experience with metal halide bulbs, they probably are going to be way too hot for an amphibian. Make sure you give the tank a test run before you put any live animals in it. Also, please consider starting off with a simple enclosure and working your way of two more complex (such as the misting system). People too often get big ideas, which increases the chances of screwing up, and try to do it all at once.

Also, if you actually care for animals, you should not open up a pet store. If you actually want to help animals and make a difference, volunteer at a zoo, museum or aquarium, and open up your own rescue for unwanted herps.
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...the oldest task in human history: to live on a piece of land without spoiling it."
Aldo Leopold (1938)

"Sometimes I think the surest sign that intelligent life exists elsewhere in the universe is that none of it has tried to contact us."
Calvin and Hobbes (Scientific Progress Goes 'Boink', 1991)

Besides the fact that running a decent petstore is a job for a masochist.
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Eryx - All the fun of a boa in a convenient pocket size!

Here is a link that discusses some lighting options .
maybe this will help.

.... Sometimes making a business out of your hobbie squishes all the fun out of it...
If you got time follow your dreams , it may not always be easy , but the journey is amazing.
Link