HELP! Baby Red Eyed Tree frogs not eating

[Ferguscyc]

Hello everyone. I got two baby red eyed tree frogs (one normal, one lutino), just less than 1 inch, on saturday (Hong Kong time). It has been two days now, yet they have not eaten anything. On the first night, I put around 10 crickets into their enclosure and allowed them to go 'hunt' for them. Though I do not see any crickets the next morning, I assume they are just hidden or have escaped as the enclosure seems to be rather large for the two babies. The enclosure I am keeping them in is a 12" x 12" x 10" glass tank with a screen top. The tank is keep at a constant temperature of around 22-24 degrees Celsius (or 71.6-75.2 F) with a humidity of 70-90% (mist twice a day: dust and midnight). I keep a photoperiod of around 12 hours of light and dark (as the 3 planted plants need light to grow) as well as intervals of ventilation periods where I turn on exhaust fans placed above the tank. I have bedding of river stones, potting soil and sphagnum moss. There is also a small water bowl to maintain humidity. The background is homemade, sculpted from a mixture of kitty litter 100% natural clay and eco earth (with some sphagnum moss). Here is a picture of the enclosure (I added an exoterra fake vine on the right later on):



Is this a suitable enclosure for 2 baby red eyed tree frogs? Or should I put them in a smaller QC-tank with less setup?
Last night, i didn't want to just let the cricket roam around the enclosure, so I put them in a plastic container and wedged it into the vine so they can have an arboreal feeding place. But this morning when I counted, they still have not eaten anything.


I am very worried for them and I am not sure if I am keeping them correctly, as these are my first frogs I have done a lot of research into keeping them but I am really unsure if they will make it. I know this might be because of the stress of changing environments, but I am really worried as they have not eaten for 3 days now :S Please help me and give any suggestions on keeping BABY red eye tree frogs that you think will be helpful.

Here are a few pictures of the frogs:


Also they seem to always be in this position (cryptic water conservation posture, i think), is it because the enclosure is not humid enough and they are not getting any water? or are they just sleeping normally?


Please help me and give any suggestions on keeping BABY red eye tree frogs that you think will be helpful.

[DigitalPunk]

They sleep in that position

Most likely they are not eating due to stress right now. Reds can go for 2 weeks without eating and be fine. Best thing to do is let them do their thing at night and try to leave them be so they can get use to things at their own pace. Keep offering them crickets. 2 - 4 Small and I mean small (crickets should be no bigger than the space between their eyes) is plenty for them right now. Be sure to dust the crickets with Calcium with D3 3 nights a week and dust them with Vitamin supplement 1 night a week. This will help ensure your frogs stay healthy.

Try to find a smaller bowl to put the crickets in. Placing the bowl on the substrate is fine. When they are ready to eat they will go to the movement of the food. It may take them a bit to get use to eating from a bowl but it truly is the best way to feed them as you have already found out. You are able to count and see how many crickets are left each morning. In the morning return the crickets to the keeper you have the rest of the crickets in so they can drink and eat and be ready to be food the next night

Your temps and Humidity are right in line with what Reds like and the Photo period is spot on. It is just a waiting game at this point. Best thing possible right now is to limit interactions with them and let them get use to their new home .

[Ferguscyc]

Thank you so much i will try to adjust the enclosure as well as their feeding habit starting tonight i will keep you updated, thank you again

[Danish]

Im very new to frogs as well, having just received my babies but from what i've read you should only start worrying after a week of them not eating. Even eating after a week should be fine.

[Ferguscyc]

Thanks Put my mind to ease, i was afraid that they will get too hungry. Also, will they not find their food, because they seem to cluster around the same spot?

[flybyferns]

Hello,
Welcome to Frog Forum,

Sorry , I would recommend you 'back-up. It's really important !

ALL water for the frogs must de-chlorinated.

The spray water for the tank ( to maintain the humidity) can be distilled water.

These two babies need to be in a ( QT) quarantine tank.
Not necessarily, because we assume they could be ill but because they need a more simple enclosure ( use this QT tank for the next 2 months) This needs to be done for many very important reasons.

Instructions for the QT if you do not have 2 tanks:
-carefully remove the frogs one at a time ( with dampened wet hands) or wet gloved hands ( gloves should be latex /powder free) and put them in a secure container with a lid and air holes ( put VERY dampened paper towels in the bottom of this container - use dechlorinated water) This will help to rehydrate them. Hopefully you are able to find a container that is only
about 1-1/2--- 2" tall to keep the frogs on the wet paper towel.
-keep all paper towel FLAT and very, very damp- visibly wet ---but no so wet that a cricket would drown.
-if you don't have water de-chlorinator ---- you will need to get some asap- DO not use chlorinated water for this.
-All new frogs need to be re-hydrated this little container you prepare will help the while them while you are preparing the QT tank. Put enough de-chloriated water in so it is visibly wet---but NOT over their chins.
-remove everything from the tank
-rinse the tank / spray down the glass w/ distilled water.
- put this same paper towel in the bottom of the QT tank.
- they will find their food better as you can let a few crickets roam free and use the bowl so they learn the "bowl trick"
-you can include well rinsed plant ( rinse the roots and all ) but this is not necessary
-when in a QT you will get to know them
-you can count the crickets to be sure they are eating
-you can keep an eye on their poop to be sure in is normal and of course it is evidence that they are eating atto be sure they don't have diarrhea.
-clean this paper towel at least every three days - more if it's soiled. Clean thing during the DAY, never when they are awake.
-Keep a very shallow water dish in this QT tank ( for them to soak at night) in the tank- use de-chlorinated water only in their soaking dish- change water daily
-clean the cricket bowl and the water dish every day.
- cover at least 3/4 of the tank with glass/plexi-glass/ or plastic wrap to keep the humidity up.

QT tank:
http://www.frogforum.net/general-dis...uarantine.html

You need to remove ALL of the tan moss, anyway. If a cricket should escape from the bowl ( and one will ) and the frog grabs the cricket off the moss/eats/the moss accidently----it will cause a bowel impaction.

You need to remove ALL of the tan moss, anyway. If a cricket should escape from the bowl ( and one will ) and the frog grabs the cricket off the moss/eats/the moss accidently----it will cause a bowel impaction.

Cover thee sides of the tank with a towel/ keep COMPLETE darkness at night.

care sheet:
http://www.frogforum.net/tree-frogs/...caresheet.html

Cover thee sides of the tank with a towel/ keep COMPLETE darkness at night.

The cricket container ( if the container in the photo is a cricket container ?) is too tall. The will never climb in there.
It needs to be about 3" tall. I use clear bowls. ie like a glass food container. Feed them well. Feed them EVERY day. at least for the next 2 months. Put lots of crickets in the container (ie 12 - dusted- SMALL) - the movement will attract the frogs to the container. I feed my adults every day. A common mistake is using too large a feeder

feeder bowl thread:
http://www.frogforum.net/general-dis...eder-bowl.html

[Ferguscyc]

Hello Lynn,
I have made a new QT tank for my two baby red eyes, will this be suitable for them?

[Mentat]

I would cover all sides but front glass with any dark colored paper you like .

[Heatheranne]

Cover the back and two sides of the glass with a background paper or fabric with a nice green design or nature design. This will help them to feel more secure and lessens stress.

Keep the room they're in nice and calm, quiet. Remember, we are big scary predators to them until they realize we're the nice feeder people.

It can take awhile for them to adjust, but they will. Minimizing stress is key to their health.

Lynn has written a great post for you .

Humidity: 70-80%

Temps: perfect is 78'F daytime, night can drop to 75'F or so. I do 78'F day/76'F night. Getting that daytime temp up to 78'F will stimulate their metabolism and help to make them hungry .

Crickets should be no larger than the size of the distance between their eyes.

How big would you guess your frogs are from nose (snout) to anus (vent), length?

Congrats on your new frogs . They're adorable!

[Heatheranne]

Carlos was reading my mind .

[flybyferns]

There you go !
Carlos and Heath have taken VERY good care of you
It's great ...just cover up the three sides. As mentioned, it will make them feel more secure.

You can spy on them ( briefly ) at night ....with a little flashlight

Keep us posted
Lynn

[Ferguscyc]

I have covered the three sides already as suggested. Last night i put 12 crickets into their food bowl, when i went to check on them this morning only 7 crickets remained i think they will be ok. Thank you guys much appreciated. Will keep posted.


Also, i was wondering how long should i keep them in the QT tank for? 2 months?

[Mentat]

The bare minimum quarantine period is one month with two negative fecal analysis conducted two weeks apart. Lynn and many other keepers recommend 2 months. If the fecal analysis comes out positive for parasites you will need to treat and retest; which will bring the total quarantine to 2 months or maybe even more. Good luck !

[Ferguscyc]

What is a fecal analysis and how do you conduct it?

[Heatheranne]

A fecal analysis is when you send your frog's poop specimen to a lab or vet for testing. They check for bacteria, parasites, eggs.

[Heatheranne]

You take the specimen in a new baggie or clean container.

[Ferguscyc]

Thanks I will see if any vet clinics here is Hong Kong has this service.

[Ferguscyc]

Thank you guys again it has been a week now and they are doing very well. They are eating around 3 pin head crickets and pooping every night now. I can't wait till they are transfer to the real enclosure Here are some photos for an update:

[DigitalPunk]

Awesome! Love it when things come to a happy ending!