Reptile & Amphibian Forums

All,
These are some pictures of my horned frog's enclosure. There is a piece of plexiglass siliconed in the middle which keeps them separate. It is a 20L, those bowls in the corners are about 3 inches across. I have had the best luck with the coconut husk bedding, though I mix play sand and rinsed orchid bark in with it to make it a little more natural. The plants came from a thrift store. I modified them for "reptile use." They spend almost all their time buried beneath the slabs of cork. Creatures of habit if I ever saw any Hope you all like them, let me know what you think.

Evan

Sorry that they're a little blurry.

One problem. I can't see your frogs!

nice setup.. so you wouldnt recommend a watt light as a heat source.. just an under the tank heater. how do u reculate temp? bc i was saying i use a 60 watt day and it is still just under 80degrees. any more tips? i dont know if an under the tank heater alone would work unless your room temp is in the 70s or so.

I wouldn't say don't use a watt heater, it's fine to use one. I was just saying that 60 watts might be a little over kill, but, if your temps are 80 or close, then it must be fine. The substrate temps are really not critical to their health. As I said, if the air temps are good, then they will be fine. I'm just uncomfortable using heating mats myself because of the burn factor, that is not to say that they will surely scorch your frog, just that I'm not so comfortable using them. They would certainly raise the ground temps, but not so much the air temps, the light will do that. As far as calculating the temp, I use a round ZooMed reptile thermometer. I use these because the tape-like fish ones are good for measuring the temp of the glass it's stuck to, not the air temperature around it, thus the round ones work better in my opinion. In case this is what you were thinking, my tank isn't "finished" in that pic. There are no lights on top because it is outside and has just been cleaned. I don't use any supplemental heating for them as they are in my reptile room where is is always warm. I think I answered all your questions, but if I forgot one, let me know. Let me know if you have any other questions.

Evan

use a heat mat, your frog will move where he is comfortable it wont burn him as long as you keep a deep substrate like you should to start with. your substrate being heated helps the digestive process of your frog, using heat lights is a nono, you will just dry him out. you can also get a thermostat for the heat mat if your that concerned, but i dont use one on anyt of my tanks, choice is yours but if you keep a glass top on the tank with the heat mat you will achieve good humidity and good heating.

krowleey,
First, and for all involved in this debate to know, I do not use any heating for my frogs at all. I haven't for well over a year and have had no ill effects. Granted, they are in a warm room, but I don't use heating pads or lights, just a tube light to illuminate the tank. Now, for the heating pads, these frogs are burrowers by nature, there in lies MY discomfort with using them. I never said "absolutely don't use these, they will pan fry your frogs," I am just uncomfortable using them, that is me, myself! If others wish to use them, go ahead. I'm not saying that it will surely end in tragedy. Do what you will with your own animals. The newb remark was somewhat uncalled for I thought, are you a traveling heat pad salesman perhaps? That would explain quite a bit. Take care.

Evan

OK before anyone else tries to kill people here. i will continue to use my light but i will try a lower wattage it isnt goin to keep the temps great at all, living in NJ is tricky with humidity and temps.. maybe i should try both then? light and heat mats to keep everyone happy here. haha i just want to achieve decent temps at a safe way may room isnt too warm to me like maybe 70. i am making a big deal out of this b/c i have my box turtles in for the winter and i cant get the temp i want either so i use 2 lights still no luck. here is where the heat mats come in should i add it or not. or i can alway work more or rob a bank to heat up my room more but this is my concern

underdog,
I liked the bank robbing idea. You probably know what I'm going to say here on this matter, and what will be said about what I say. So, to avoid using generalities, I will speak from experience. I have never had a problem with heat lights, I have used them for dozens and dozens of frogs. I think the heat lamps are fine, assuming that it is on one side of the tank, and it is within the ideal temperature range, you should be fine. Unless of course there is an earthquake, volcanic eruption, tsunami, tornado, or any other of a dozen natural disasters, at which time your frogs may not be your highest priority. Assuming that you will not have to endure any of those, I think the heat light is fine, and the heat pad is dangerous. It's like I'm trying to start some kind of mass revolt isn't it.

Evan

SO a 60 watt only is good for day and a less watt at night is ok.. i havent had any problems at all either. a friend of mine used a heat mat method and i wasnt comfortable about them either it seemed to hot for the skin and it was never near it at all. my theory of the heat light is it heats the tank and if the frog gets to hot A. will move to other end or B. burrow down. i used bed a beast and this has been working great for me ... now i need to pimp my tank out like WHITE did as everyone prob. seen so yes im am for Heat lights all the way !!!!!!!!!!!!

before doing anything do some reading http://www.geocities.com/tozgood/home.html
http://www.geocities.com/rafarndell/husbandry.html

then decide, dont take one or two peoples opinion, research it out, its kinda funny about pan frying your frog, thats why they move to another location they just dont jump in the fire. good luck pacman are easy to care for, need no light and undertank pads are ideal for one side of your tank. and like stated you can buy the thermostat to dial it in what you like. i dont use one, and i live in arizona. heating in the substrate helps your frogs digestive needs, also helps with humidity.....

Underdog,
I'm glad we were able to get you some advice you felt worked for ya. I think the heat lamps will be best for the animal in the long run. This is not to say that heat pads are bad, I use heat pads for a plethora of lizards and tortoises, so they do have their uses. Thanks for the comment about my tank, I'm glad you liked it. I don't think anyone has ever used the phrase "pimped out" to describe my tanks. I quite liked it, maybe I'll start requesting people use it when they compliment me. Thanks again, and the best of luck to your frog and you!

Evan

underdog,
One more thing I just noticed, Krowleey is right. Don't just take one persons word for anything herp related, there are so many differing opinions out there. You just have to read around, ask good questions, and consider the facts and opinions of others. Then choose for yourself what you think is the right thing to do. Here I would say you did what was best. Well, enough preaching from me for now, happy Thanksgiving!

Evan

my setup is bed a beast for now and a small hiding hut log for looks and some live growing plants and moss .i need to get a small water dish my other one was getting old so i threw it away. then i use a 60 watt daylight and a 40 night. sometimes with the winter coming around (i might i add) i live in NJ so its getting pretty cold .so i turn on the 40 watt also , it get about 86 the most my room temp is prob in the high 60s to low 70s so i only use a 40 watt at night.. I have been doing this for years now and all my pacman are loving the SPA treatment i give them. so a 15 watt will not do anything i will speak for everyone here the heat rays are not strong enough to reach the bottom of a 10 gallon. it wouldnt even work for a fish bowl

You are thinking of the wrong 15 watt lights. You are thinking of the ones that go over those crappy plastic aquariums that do not get hot at all! I am using Sun-Glo 15 watt bulbs, read it, Sun-Glo, they get hot. Definately not as hot as a 60 watt. I am curious as to what brand your 60 watt bulbs are?

Daylight Blue Reptile Bulb

Both of you,
I'm sorry I posted anything. No really, if what each of you has is working, what does it matter? Let it go, deep breaths. There you go, calm down, go to your happy places. Just to throw a wrench in your gears, I would think that the 60 watt is the one closer to being right, the smaller ones I have had mixed luck with. Sometimes they get hot, sometimes they don't. I'm not trying to pick sides here, I'm just speaking form experience. By the by, the bulbs used for the plastic kritter keepers, are like 3-5 watts depending.

Evan

The bulbs for the Critter Keepers are 1.5 Watt. I have many of them that I store spiders and scorpions in. I wasn't arguing, I was just saying that my 15 watt bulbs get hot enough to burn my hand if I touch it, and that they provide sufficient heat for my setup.

I rest my case ...lol and i would hope a bulb would burn you if you touch it you knob... im saying your frog isnt 2 seconds under it. a 10 gallon is about a foot high so the heat rays wouldnt even be strong enough to heat anything ok

Hmm, I have 10 gallon long terrariums for use with hornded frogs, which are a few inches less in height compared to a 10 gallon regular. I have three thermomenters in there, one at the top which reads 36C, one in the middle which reads 32C, and one at the bottom which reads 29.5C. This is with 2 15 Watt bulbs. I use 60 Watt reptile bulbs for lizards, if I were to use them on my horned frog enclosures, it would be way too hot.

Quote from underdog125 "I rest my case ...lol and i would hope a bulb would burn you if you touch it you knob... im saying your frog isnt 2 seconds under it. a 10 gallon is about a foot high so the heat rays wouldnt even be strong enough to heat anything ok

I didn't call you a knob, so I don't respect that in return.

What do you mean by "2 seconds under a light"? 2 seconds of what? 2 inches or 2 centimeters under a light would make sense, but 2 seconds under a light doesn't make any sense at all.

personally using lights for heat for frogs is not the way to go, now under tank heat mats are nice. they also help with humidity, digestion and overall health. you can mount them anyway just dont mount them under the water bowl. and you can get a thermostat to ajust it right were you feel it needs to be.

All, (since there are three of you now)
The bulbs for the small, domed topped, kritter keepers are NOT a 15 watt bulb, there is absolutely no way to fit one into it. Not to mention that the bulb, if hot enough to burn your hand, is almost assuredly hot enough to melt that small, weak, amount of plastic. I'm sorry to blatantly disagree, but I have used them in the past, and had to buy replacement bulbs, all of which were recommended for a night light. I might have, however, misunderstood you, (Canadian frog), so please let me know if I did. If that was the case, I'm sorry to cause difficulty. And for goodness sakes, is this debate really going to accomplish anything? Please, lets just all be friends. (No more put downs!)

Evan

P.S. Has anyone noticed that I started this 23 odd posts ago, and spelled frog wrong?

TO CanadianFrog!!!!!
a few points on being right

Both of you,
I'm sorry I posted anything. No really, if what each of you has is working, what does it matter? Let it go, deep breaths. There you go, calm down, go to your happy places. Just to throw a wrench in your gears, I would think that the 60 watt is the one closer to being right, the smaller ones I have had mixed luck with. Sometimes they get hot, sometimes they don't. I'm not trying to pick sides here, I'm just speaking form experience. By the by, the bulbs used for the plastic kritter keepers, are like 3-5 watts depending.

also i just wanted to point out that you must be from canada if you are using Celsius in refering to temperature instead of Fahrenheit. b/c USA is the only country in the world that refers to Fahrenheit. and you must be going crazy in your mind if you think they make a 1-10 watt heat bulb for reptiles?? it must be the weird canada thing again but you are 100% wrong.

This is sort of getting amusing, but in a real cheesy way. I think both of you misread my post. I said that I use 15 watt (fifteen watt) bulbs for my frogs. And then someone mentioned critter keepers, and I said that I do have critter keepers TOHOUSE SPIDERS AND SCORPIONS and that they use 1.5 Watt (one POINT five). I never said that critter keepers use 15 watt bulbs, I said 1.5 (there is a decimal there just as there is in my original post. Obviously a 15 watt bulb would completely melt a critter keeper. Hopefully that cleared some stuff up.

Quote from underdog125
"also i just wanted to point out that you must be from canada if you are using Celsius in refering to temperature instead of Fahrenheit. b/c USA is the only country in the world that refers to Fahrenheit. and you must be going crazy in your mind if you think they make a 1-10 watt heat bulb for reptiles?? it must be the weird canada thing again but you are 100% wrong."

Did the fact that my username was CanadianFrog give it away? What are you afraid of Canadians or something? We only bite if you ask.

LOL

Evan

like it takes a genious to know that the usa is the only non metric country. anyways god i love my frogs lol

In Canada we have to learn both systems of measurement. I am comfortable with both. We also have to learn about the United States in social studies classes, not to mention geography. I wonder if kids in the USA are being taught about Canada these days? It seems like the average American doesn't know jack about Canada, yet the average Canadian probaly knows more about the states than they do Canada.

my guess would be if canada was the united states security blanket, we may be tought of canada's history. history shows americans giving thier lifes to win wars including 2 at one time for our way of life. and you can bet your bottom dollar canada's too. i have nothing against canada, beautiful country, with alot of different cultures, but history wise sorry they keep it to world changing events to include superpowers. sorry bro...peace

in lame mans terms canada blows

Wow, I live in CA, probably the most "Americanish" state down here. And even I thought that was uncalled for. Is this forum about horned frogs, or did I bookmark the wrong one?

Evan

very uncalled for, i love canada. just history wise there isn't anything to put in our books, but yeah this is supposed to be about our beautiful frogs we care for.