Reptile & Amphibian Forums

just got a retf. its a 6 month old juvenile. was the largest of its tank-mates.

this is the setup:

i put it in a 10 gal with some 3 plants and 6 tufts of "grass" (irish moss waiting to grow and spread). the substrate is organic soil mixed with bat guano. i have pinhead crickets in the tank, water in shallow shells. i mist it down twice a day, and keep a light (book lamp actually w/a 40 watt bulb) bent right over the top for 12 hours of the day.

here are my question:

i can not tell if the frog is eating. given the substrate is soil, the crickets are either dying off slowly or being eaten. but, i have not found any waste, so its hard to verify if its eating. how can i know for sure?

the frog is no longer bright green--at night its very brown, and even through the day it stays fairly brown. i live in southern california...so, it should be warm enough with primarily ambient temps. and i keep the lamp on the tank, so temps inside have to be in the70s in the day. about 60s at night. this should be fine, as in Oaxaca, MX, the northern part of their range, the daily temps range from 77-88 in the day and 47-60 at night. amphibians are also thermoconformers, so they function well at cooler temps than, say, reptiles. anyhow, what is making it not be vibrant green? also, prior to my getting this frog, it was NEVER handled. and it was in a tank with others from its cohort. could the stress of new place solo and being handled be causing it?

thanks!!

My first recommendation would be the substrate. Fumes from the fertilizer may be having a negative affect. You have a tree frog which is used to crawling around in trees in a 10 gallon tank with close access to the ground. This would rarely happen in it's natural environment. I use submersed gravel with sheet moss on top and plants like pothos that can grow well with poor soil conditions. Believe it or not, when it comes to decor, the more elaborate it is will probably be more for your own pleasure than it is for your frog's. There are always variations to how a cage can be set up and no one is THE only way. But amphibians have very delicate skin that absorb chemicals easily. Always go for neutral conditions. High acids, pesticides and biological pollution and decay can ruin the health of an amphibian fast. Temps should get to the low 80's in the day and cool off at night as well as a rise in humidity. Try spraying in the evening only. It's not so much the exact temp that matters as the gradient. Where you are might be keeping the temp constant 24 hours...check this one. Always use smooth glass food bowls to feed your frogs. You do not want vermin having run of your pet's house. Besides, you can monitor how much your frog is eating that way. One cool thing about treefrogs and crickets: treefrogs can climb glass....crickets can't. It's a match made in heaven. Always add a little herp vitamin dust on top of the food just for peace of mind. Good luck!

First let me state that I'm NOT a RETF expert, but it sounds like you Do know what your doing.

1) Where did you get the bat guano??? I've never heard of this before but it sounds intriguing! tell me more

2) Honestly the only way you are going to know if your frog isnt eating is if it gets really skinny. I would suggest getting a red light and feeding when its active, thats your best chance of actually seeing him eat.

3) Good luck!
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Bat guano was in the soil. So, the answer is Home Depot. Their "patio plus" line, which is lacking chemical fertilizers (instead uses a variety off animal [bleep]s, including bat).

Anyhow, the frog has started to leave me some presents on the leaves of the plants. So, it is eating now.

And to the person who suggested a glass bowl...i got one today, so we will see how it goes. it will be better if i get to see how much it eats rather than just hoping its eating.

thanks!