New to White's Tree Frog! Help Needed!

[deepheat01]

Hi all. I'm a new owner of a lovely White's named 'Snowy'.

I have bought a lot of equipment for him since I bought him and am wanting to ensure i have everything just right for him as a lot of web sites have conflicting information! If anyone could please help me out I'd be really grateful.

I have a red incandescent heat lamp paired with a Repti-Glo 2.0 for heat and lighting. This gets the temperature up to about 28ºc as long as i have the central heating on or a convector heater in the room. The opposite side of the tank sits at about 24-25ºc.

I have a Exo Terra medium rainforest heat mat and was wondering if this would help me get these temps without the assistance of the central heating? I don't know where to put it in my vivarium? Is it best underneath the tank or on the side against the glass? I had a smaller heat mat underneath for a while but this didn't seem to do much except dry out the substrate (which is eco-earth and coco shavings).

At night I seem to be able to get the temp to around 20ºc on the cooler side and about 23ºc under the lamp. I keep the same red lamp on at night but just turn of the Repti-Glo. Is it true that the frog can't tell this red lamp is on? It's a Zoo-Med Night Lamp.

Humidity seems to level out at about 60-65%. I've invested in a digital hydrometer/thermometer which is arriving soon so I get a more accurate read.

Thanks in advance for any help you guys may give me.


Here's a pic of Snowy for you

[tylototriton]

David, everything you've written seems pretty good. The temperature seems about right. It is true that the night lamp will have no negative affect on the frog (they're designed for nocturnal animals). With all those heating sources it is important to monitor the humidity but it seems to be ok right now. I would definitely check out the care sheet on the left side of the page. It details all the ranges for them as well as other basic care information.

[deepheat01]

Thank you. I think I've read pretty much every care sheet on the net!

I've fixed the Exo Terra Rainforest mat to the back wall on the glass. Will this heat enough through the styrofoam backdrop? Also, I've placed it near the top of the terrarium. Will this be too close to the heat lamp and cause overheating? I'm not sure if it can be removed or moved now as it's pretty stuck on.

I'm such a worrier about making sure everything is spot on!

David.

[deepheat01]

Hi all, sorry to be a pest but I'm very new and very keen to do this right.

Snowy seems to be doing well but he's not particularly active at night. He normally gets up to sit in his water for an hour or so and then retreats back to his favourite spot at the top of the tank (cool side). He's not interested in crickets either. Should I be worried?

As for light/heat combos I have a repti glo 2.0, a sun glow 25w, and a 40w Red night heat and a 8w Exo Eerra rainforest mat underneath. Is this overkill? Even with all these on during the day I'm only just managing to get the warm side of the tank up to 28 degrees celcius. At night I use the heat mat and night lamp and it drops to about 20 degrees but that's if I keep the heating on in the room a little. My house is very cold without any heating.

So confused! Should I try losing the sun-glo and upping the red light wattage?

[Wambli]

I use the plant grow lights that have the right amount for frogs... I also use the red lights at night. My whites seem to play most around 8 or 9 at night... I do find them in the water in the early morning... and stuck to the glass by the lights during the day... sometimes on the plants near the lights. Mine eat within minutes of crickets being put into the cage. I also spray them once a day with a mister... they seem to like that. My male will now sing for about 15 min each night... its cool. good luck

[Kurt]

Your frog should be eating the moment it spots its dinner. How long have you had it? Has it ever been checked out by a vet treated for GI parasites.

[deepheat01]

Good news! I've taken out Snowy's red night light and he's much more active now (must have bothered him a bit?). He's eating about 3-4 crickets at a time and as soon as I put them in his tank.

He's also started croaking for the first time!!! I am so happy. My little boy is growing up

[Mellyjoe04]

I am just curious because I am having a problem with my Whites what are you now using at night if you took the red light away? My Frog hasn't eaten since I bought him and it is definatly worrying me. I might try taking the red light away but don't know what else to use at night.

[deepheat01]

Hi MellyJoe. For warmth I have a small heat mat (8w) under the tank, with lots of ventilation. lighting wise he doesn't seem to mind a lamp on the other side of the room, as long as it's not too bright. He also doesn't mind the red light in short spells but I'd suggest leaving it off if you want him to get up at night.

Is he warm enough through the day? I believe if they are too cold they won't eat much. How long have you had your frog?

[hype28]

I do not use a light at night in the tank, and use the heated mat on the underside of the terrarium all of the time. I have not had any temperature or humidity problems. I do have a waterfall and live plants, which makes regulating humidity much easier!

I have two lights during the day - one is for heat and the other is for the plants. I'm not sure what the specs are on those.

My frog has been ill for a few weeks - and yes we are working with the vet to get her better. When she won't eat, I take her out of the terrarium and put her into a plastic carrier with a mealworm or equivalent - she usually eats it within 10-15 minutes.