Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hey,
Now I'm am going to post the care I personally use for this species of frog, some people may disagree but this is what I have had sucess with. I got both my budgetts as froglets, or juvinles, and since day one have kept them in a rubbermaid (I am a firm rubbermaid user~ The set up was 1/2 inch approx. of water filling the entire bottom of the rubbermaid. I provided a hiding spot with a plastic container and water is changed when ever it needs to be usually once a week, (when shed skin is in the water and they shed ALOT). Adults are fed ONCE a week, and juvi's 2-3 times, the food is occasionally dusted with calcium powder. I feed a staple diet of crickets, providing variety in the diet with meal worms and silkworm. I do not like feeding mealworms to amphibians very often but if I do I rip of the head, and VERY OCCASIONALLY I'm talking once every 6-8 months for adults I feed a pinky (dead or alive) and then I wont feed the frog for 2-2.5 weeks. Some people may think it is crule to only feed every 2.5 week, but a pinky is such a big meal with so much protein that they need time to digest it. These frogs are always hungry and its up to you to control how much they eat. I keep them at a temp of around 75-80 F and provide this with heat tape on the one side of the container (NEVER ON THE BOTTOM). My oldest frog is a male (he calls constantly) and I have had him for about a year and a half, I have not brumated him yet. I'm not sure how to go about brumating these frogs, there is no info on this and I dont want to do the wrong thing and kill them. When I got my frist budgetts there was no information on them on line, so I bascially had to ask people that I knew if they knew anything about these frogs. Infact the frog I bought was the only one that lived out of all the CB babies at the store, because the people who took them home did not know how to care for them. I basically am learning their care as I go along, and will continue to do so, I think breeding these guys will be the biggest challenge. Mine are both CB so there are ppl producing them, and I would like to get into contact with some one that has bred them so I can get some advice. But I have not found anyone who has bred or kept these frogs for a long period of time. I can't even tell you what species I have because I dont know the difference between the species. Anyways GOOD LUCK keeping them, they are a great frog, very funny, and loud when they call.
Kristen
Pic: My male adult
-If anyone can identify this species of budgetts or have sucessfully brumated this frog, any info would be appriciated.

Pic of my juvi, sorry bout the flash!

Brumating is rather easy. First off, I would personally suggest switching the frogs to a half land/half water set up. It would make for easier brumation too. Basically give the frogs about a week or two to work the food out of their systems. When the frogs have defecated, cool them down about 10 or 15 degrees. Turn off the heating sources, and stop misting the tank. Let the substrate dry out a bit. The frogs should burrow into the substrate and form a mucous cocoon. You can just leave them, checking the bottom layer of the substrate every few days to make sure it is not totally dry. Keep the substrate dry enough to that top layers are fairly dry, but the bottom layers are still a bit moist. I normally brumated my budgetts for around a month or 2. At the end of the brumation period, mist the substrate heavily and turn the temps back up. Within a week, the frog should be up on the surface, shedding, and ready to eat.
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Andy Maddox
AIM: SurfAndSkimTx04
MSN: Poloboy32486@hotmail.com
Yahoo:surfandskimtx04
Houston Herp Key
The Reptizone

Burgundy baby, With your blue eyed soul, You play the hits and I'm on that roll, Capricorn sister, Freddie Mercury, Jupiter Child cry

I want to say that they look like my laevis, though the green throws me. The laevis I have seen have been the uniform greyish with the orange spots. They could possibly be asper, though last I heard asper were not common in the pet trade. Give me a day or two to check some resources.
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Andy Maddox
AIM: SurfAndSkimTx04
MSN: Poloboy32486@hotmail.com
Yahoo:surfandskimtx04
Houston Herp Key
The Reptizone

Burgundy baby, With your blue eyed soul, You play the hits and I'm on that roll, Capricorn sister, Freddie Mercury, Jupiter Child cry

I think its laevis also and have thought that just going by pictures I have seen. The green seems to only stay when they are juvis then it fades to the orange spots. Thanks for the brumation tips I will try brumating him soon. I'm guessing you have only brumated adults? or have you had sucess with juvis also?

Thanks Kristen

Oh yeah and what dry substrate do you use, I'm thinking I may try that coconut substrate.

Kristen

I have brumated both. As for the substrate, I use bed a beast, which is the exact same substrate you are talking about (the expandable coconut husk).
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Andy Maddox
AIM: SurfAndSkimTx04
MSN: Poloboy32486@hotmail.com
Yahoo:surfandskimtx04
Houston Herp Key
The Reptizone

Burgundy baby, With your blue eyed soul, You play the hits and I'm on that roll, Capricorn sister, Freddie Mercury, Jupiter Child cry

Thank you guys so much for the info and pics. I am sorry I did not get back to you sooner I was away.
I do have one question about this brumation. Is this something absolutely necessary? What is the advantage of doing this? B/c it sounds similar to hibernating my turtle which I don't do.
Thanks
Christina
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1 Russian Tortoise (Willy)
1 Ornate Box Turtle (Lily)
1 Red Eared Slider (Chester)
2 White's Tree Frog (Kermit & Phil)
1 Red eyed Tree Frog (Justin)
2 Big Eyed Tree Frog
2 Bubbling Frog
2 Tiger Leg Tree Frogs (Akari & Shiro)
1 Pacman Frog
3 Amazonian Milky Tree Frogs
1 Dwarf Megophrys
1 Rainbow Burrowing Frog??
1 Praire Dog (Timmy)
2 Chinchillas (Layla & Snickers)
4 mice (Gabby and friends)
1 dog (Holly)
2 Cats (Champ & Bear)

Oh and a husband