Suction cup plants and other foolishness.

[BeckyM]

Well, you might think they're not but...

Best "decor" for a tree frog? I had a stick, like a legit stick from a tree( I'm forced to be a cheapskate right now.) in his tank and one of those wood log tunnel things. I also had some rocks from outside. Since he got sick, I chucked everything that could possibly have mold on it. He's left with a round rock, his water bowl and this goofy looking $3 plant I got at petco that sticks on the wall of his tank. With a suction cup! Can he actually CLIMB that? O.o

Also, best, and cheapest substrate for a frog? I've honestly had a frog for five years and tonight was the first time I even LOOKED at substrate. O.o Granted, he's a gray and they've got a high tolerance for dryness, like a toad. But I'm just looking at the glass floor of that tank going, "He's getting old, he deserves new squishy flooring!"

[Poly]

Well, you might think they're not but...

Best "decor" for a tree frog? I had a stick, like a legit stick from a tree( I'm forced to be a cheapskate right now.) in his tank and one of those wood log tunnel things. I also had some rocks from outside. Since he got sick, I chucked everything that could possibly have mold on it. He's left with a round rock, his water bowl and this goofy looking $3 plant I got at petco that sticks on the wall of his tank. With a suction cup! Can he actually CLIMB that? O.o

Did you treat the wood before adding it to his enclosure? The best "decor" for a tree frog would not just be sticks and fake plants, but live plants, bamboo, a fake background, etc.

You say your frog got sick, was it a bacterial or fungal infection? If the wood is treated correctly, and the vivarium is maintained, there should only be very limited amounts of mold that grow, and if the vivarium is properly seeded with springtails, they will eat the mold, they are a really helpful insect!

Also, best, and cheapest substrate for a frog? I've honestly had a frog for five years and tonight was the first time I even LOOKED at substrate. O.o Granted, he's a gray and they've got a high tolerance for dryness, like a toad. But I'm just looking at the glass floor of that tank going, "He's getting old, he deserves new squishy flooring!"

And, what kind of substrate are you keeping him on? In five years you have never maintained the substrate? This could be the cause of your frogs sickness. Do you remove it's feces if any gets on the substrate? All amphibians must be kept moist, they can only live with "dryness" for so long, do you mist it's enclosure?

[BeckyM]

I did not treat the wood because I didn't know to do so. I read books and websites and various articles and not a one told me to treat the wood before adding it to the tank. :| Yay, thanks articles and books. You failed me. >_>

I'm not sure about his sickness. It seems to be fading off with the use of an antibiotic...so...bacterial? I'm not sure.

He's got nothing on the floor of his tank, save for a water bowl and a rock. Based on your post, I'm assuming that's... bad. Though, I've been going this long without it and he hadn't had any issues before Christmas 2011. None. He quit chirping in 2008, but I figured it was because I'd moved to a cooler climate.

When I first got him and was looking up frog care, I assumed substrate was optional ( I recall nothing saying it was mandatory). I was also living in an apartment at the time and had no place to wash out substrate, but now I do! I clean out all poop when I see it, and I clean the tank thoroughly every two weeks.

I do keep him plenty moist by misting him and the tank itself.

[Pandora3d]

I have been reading (and using) eco earth is one of the better choices for substrate. the compact bricks are cheaper than the bags and are easily transformed from brickform to 'dirt' by adding water. ta-dah! you want to get it moist, but not soaked. i too have the plastic plants with suction cup you are talking about - i have one just on the floor, one of my toads likes to hide underneath it. i have another plant hung low on the sidewall, they like to sit under it, but i've never seen them climb it.

disclaimer of course, i am NOT a well experience toad care giver - so please take the advice of others into account.

[thadmy]

I use the bricks of dirt in my tree frog's tank and they don't seem to mind it. Granted they don't walk around on the ground much and if they did I have leaves over the dirt, but it helps to keep humidity in the tank.

I use sticks, rocks and leaves from outside and the easiest way is to bowl rocks and then bake the leaves and sticks in the oven at 350 for 15-20 minutes to kill any spiders or mold or other things that could harm the frog.

All my plants are live but I do have a leaf shaped bowl that suction cups to the glass that I use for a feeding dish for my geckos in my tank and they can climb on it and it is sturdy enough for them so I'd assume that a frog could climb on the fake plants without a problem, as long as the frog weighs less than a Day Gecko does.

[DonLisk]

There is nothing wrong with using a plain bottom but using white paper towel would be beneficial to help in removing waste and ease of cleaning. This is fine as long as there are enough accents in the tank to keep your frog off the bottom. Tree frogs don't spend time on the ground and having tall plants, branches, vines or such to perch on is a plus for the keeping of your tree frog.

Eco Earth and Plantation Soil are great choices for a substrate. If your planting live plants then your going to want a drainage layer with a screen between the soil and drainage layer. Window screen material is about 5 - 6 bucks a roll and works great.

If your just going to put in potted plants, which some choose to do, you would need to wash the plant completely including the roots of all fertilizer and fertilized soil. The replant into the Eco Earth or Plantation Soil.

Snake Plant and Bromeliads are very inexpensive, I think I paid 2.55 dollars a plant last week for snake plants.

As stated, boiling the stores and baking the branches and leaves will kill of the dormant bugs that are laying wait inside to mess up your tank day. Have fun making a cool tank, your frog will appreciate the end result.


I will note that my local pet store sells plantation soil at 9 bucks a brink where as Josh's Frogs - Largest online herps feeders and reptile supplies store sells it at like 3 a brink and only 5 bucks shipping. They also sell leave liter a very low prices.

[BeckyM]

Right before I made this thread, I saw "New Zealand Sphagnum Moss" on sale at petco, which is where I bought that ridiculous plant, and is the very reason I asked. Is sphagnum safe for my frog? It's got a picture of a fire-belly on the box and my frog is the EXACTLY same size as a fire belly, maybe a tad smaller.

I don't plan on adding any living plants to the tank. Once school gets underway, I'll have a hard enough time remembering to clean the tank as it is! lol. But, I'm game for greenery that won't die and get all disgusting. Paper towel huh? That's do-able. Do I need to wet it?

[DonLisk]

When you mist the tank it will get damp and if you find your frog is on it the I would just dampen it. Substrate would definitely be better and a layer of Sphagnum Moss under the substrate helps with keeping some moisture in the tank and the soil from drying out fast.

[BeckyM]

So...what's a good substrate? I'm really confused now. I thought the moss WAS a substrate. O.o

[DonLisk]

Sphagnum Moss can be used as a substrate but it is a swallowing hazard for frogs since once its in their mouth, its swallowed. Pulling a twisted knotted piece from the back end of a frog to save him is just no fun. It is great for putting below the Coco Fiber such as Eco Earth and Plantation soil since it retains moisture to help in humidity.

[BeckyM]

Ah, I see. So, I can return this stuff, use paper towels and have an extra seven bucks in my pocket. Yay!

[kueluck]

If you go with paper towel you need to use the unbleached kind correct? I think the standard white paper towels are bleached.