Hi from New Zealand

[FroggyMadCatherinesMum]

Hi all, I've been lurking around on here for a few weeks and thought it was time I became official! Would just like to say this is such a great place to find out anything and everything (it seems) about frogs. I started doing some froggy research when my 8 yr old daughter asked for a frog for her birthday (in Dec). She's always loved frogs and has persisted in her wish for the last couple of months, so decided it was about time I did something concrete about it. So, I'm gradually getting the equipment we'll need and trying to arm myself with as much info as possible before we start. I'm hoping to get her some Green frog (Litoria raniformis) tadpoles (if I can work out how to distinguish them from the Whistling frog tadpoles! )

[DonLisk]

Welcome to the forum. Plenty of great info and people here to help and interact with so have fun.

[bshmerlie]

Welcome to the forum. There is a lot to read. Watching a tadpole change into a frog is a great learning experience for kids.

[GrifTheGreat]

Welcome to the forum!

[Heatheranne]

Welcome .

[Sublime]

Welcome Froggy! You'll definitely find all the information you need on here. Check out the Care Articles section for the care sheets, plenty of research done in those. Hope you find the tadpoles.

[michael novy]

Welcome to the forum. Ya this isn't a thunderdome. lol..

[Whistly]

Welcome to the forum.
If you go on trade me recently there have been frogs and tadpoles of all 3 species we can keep.

[FroggyMadCatherinesMum]

Thank for all the warm welcomes!
Luke, thanks, I've noticed them on there a few times so will keep this option open. Catherine is keen to try to find some eggs or taddies herself, so if I can get confident enough to tell the difference, we'll go that option. I know that we only get whistling tree frogs and green frogs on the West Coast, so that narrows it some!I'd prefer to get her something active during the day as she's only 8 (frog will be for her birthday in Dec) I'm thinking green frog at the moment, I like the look of the green and golden bell frogs though. Did you get yours sent to you? I could try looking in Christchurch pet shops next time we're there.

I'm starting to compile the list of questions I need to ask, but I'll do some more reading first. i think I've possibly bought the wrong type of filter, but the shop has said they'll change stuff. It seems the more I read, the more confused I get. Doesn't seem to be much info on the green frog (Litoria raniformis), which I guess is because not many people have them? Would the care sheets for the green and golden bell frog work for the green frog as well? Am I right in thinking they're pretty closely connected? If not them, which care sheets should I follow?

Sorry for the novel and the dumb questions - be assured there'll probably be more! LOL

[Whistly]

I have never kept them myself so don't know too much about them.
The name Green frog is wrong though they are Southern Bell frogs or Golden Bell frogs Green frog is another species so if you search Southern Bell frog or Golden Bell frog you will probably get more info on them.
As far as I know Litoria Raniformis are active during the day and night like Litoria Aurea.
I bought my frogs as tadpoles from the shop, but the further north you go the likelihood of finding the frogs in the wild increases.
If you got to a pet shop ask them if they know what the species of tadpole is as I was sold whistling tree frog tadpoles which turned out to be Green and Golden Bell frog tadpoles.

[FroggyMadCatherinesMum]

Hi Luke
thanks for the info. I was getting my information from a book called Keeping frogs in NZ and it called the raniformis the Green frog or Growling grass frog. The book does admit there is confusion around the name, but I've just looked on the NZ herpetological society website (where I actually got the book) and it confirms that Raniformis is the Southern Bell and aurea is the Golden Bell. Even more confusing, it doesn't mention Green and Golden Bell at all, whereas the book seems to think the Golden Bell and the Green and Golden Bell are different names for Aurea! Arrrrgh! aaaaaanyway, I'll do as you suggest and try searching for the other names. I had noticed that what others were calling Green frog didn't seem to match what I was looking for.
thanks again )

[Whistly]

I was going to buy the book but when I read through it and saw the names were wrong I thought no way for $25. There are Southern Bell frog tadpoles $1 each in Nelson on trade me now and they do postage, thought I'd let you know.

[FroggyMadCatherinesMum]

Hi Luke
they won't post. Thanks though. We're in chch in a couple of weeks so I'll have a look around the pet shops. Do you know if this sort of time of year is the only time taddies are available? Her birthday isn't till Dec and I don't have all the gear I need yet (but could get enough for the tadpoles locally), but don't know how short a time tadpoles are around. (See that's probably another dumb question I warned about LOL)!

[Whistly]

I'm not sure when they breed but I bought my tadpoles this time last year so there should be some in the pet shops, it is warming up so I think they would be getting the tadpoles in.They shouldn't put that they will post if they're not going to that's a bummer.

[KiwiSugar]

Hi everyone, I too live in nz, I too got my son some tadpoles, the frogs are 10 years old now, lol my daughter has frogs too, both of us have tanks 300L to 400L which is big, we have them on the porch/veranda. They have a clear fibreglass lid with a small wooden frame.
I wanted it as natural as possible, with the rain going in and they love the sun. I drilled a small hole in the side at 150mm so when rain fills it, it drains excess water out while filtering water too. I dont have to clean it at all except if plants go crazy, Temp constant and plants grow like mad. I made a tank (salvage glass real cheap from glass place, Say 2/3 tank size, 160mm. dirt plants driftwood, etc goes into tank, then fill around all water, in soil tank is 3 levels made by driftwood and potting mix. any house plants can then be used init. They are tree frogs so love to climb and jump. I also have a small punga log, hollowed out just at the top, and put in a boston fern, looks fantastic an grows real good, there are tadpoles on trademe at the moment, this week my daughters frogs laid eggs,

[Whistly]

Welcome to the forum Kiwisugar.
I was having a look at the pics of your tanks, they look amazing, I wish I had those creative skills.