Light Cycle

[dsmalex97]

I've been having a hard time getting my pyxie to eat consistently and was wondering if it was due to a different light cycle then its used to? Today I put a compact fluorescent over the tank which is heating is at a nice even 83 degrees. I did this to try and make a more obvious light cycle for her. I also have been using the red heat lights, but don't seem to be helping. What do you guys suggest for a light cycle and do you see improvement with feeding when using one?

[Sublime]

Most people suggest just doing a 12 hour artificial day, with 12 hours at night on timers if you're not there all the time. I do like 10 hours a day and 14 hour night just because it's not summer anymore and we're coming into fall. Appropriate lighting will help stimulate feeding time if you weren't achieving this before? What were you doing before you put the cfl on the tank, did your room not have a lot of light? Could also be stress if she is having a hard time feeding. Are you handling her a lot or is there a lot of activity going on around her tank? Red incandescent lamps can be used at night and will not disrupt their night time cycle. Just don't use blue lights at night time "moon light", these have been known to cause issues when they're too bright. At night, light isn't necessary obviously if your room stays temperate... so it shouldn't be at night that would be disturbing her, unless you had bright lights on in your room.

[John]

For what it's worth, I don't think your light cycle is going to have much effect on the appetite of that kind of frog. Not in my experience of them any how.

[BG]

I second that. My pixies are kept in a covered bin with all the necessities. Coco fiber/soil.,big water bowl. No heater, or lights. I just opened to see them and feed them and change the water. I made meat balls with this recipe I'm trying out. The funnies thing happened. I tossed the balls in the bin and they attacked them and ate 4 bubble gum ball size balls.lol The pacman ate them with tongs. They love it. So thats to show you .I have no lights or heaters. Its warm and humid tonight. They were starving.

For what it's worth, I don't think your light cycle is going to have much effect on the appetite of that kind of frog. Not in my experience of them any how.

[dsmalex97]

Hmmm...I don't know then. I mean I feel like I've been keeping the temps/humidity pretty damn close to perfect. But whenever I go to feed, she just shuts her eye's and kind of shy's away from it. The first day I got her she ate 3 or 4 earthworms, and a few days after I got her to eat a horned worm. That's it though...My room gets light but the temps are what concern me, and I figured with a light on top she would be more of "aware" of the light cycle lol. I'm reaching here...lol. I'm wondering if I should wait a good week before I feed next just to stir up her hunger a little bit. I also kind of feel I'm stressing her out by offering every night. I'm hoping it's just stress from moving her into my house.

[BG]

Every night is to much. He's not hungry. Let him rest up. Some times they put there nose down when you put food in there face,and thwn they get this rush and jump at the food. They love moving food.

[Sublime]

Hmmm...I don't know then. I mean I feel like I've been keeping the temps/humidity pretty damn close to perfect. But whenever I go to feed, she just shuts her eye's and kind of shy's away from it. The first day I got her she ate 3 or 4 earthworms, and a few days after I got her to eat a horned worm. That's it though...My room gets light but the temps are what concern me, and I figured with a light on top she would be more of "aware" of the light cycle lol. I'm reaching here...lol. I'm wondering if I should wait a good week before I feed next just to stir up her hunger a little bit. I also kind of feel I'm stressing her out by offering every night. I'm hoping it's just stress from moving her into my house.

It's perfectly fine to get a light for her, it's not going to affect her. As we have already mentioned the lighting most likely did not play a part in her being un-interested in food. If you got the temp/humidity almost close to perfect then you're doing fine, only offer food to her every 2-3 days, unless it's a baby then ideally everyday (From what I recall yours isn't a baby though, correct?)... If she isn't interested then yeah, wait another day or two and she'll be hungry. If they are that hungry and provided that you have the temp/humidity correct, then she will eat. Where was she before you moved her into the house?

[Sublime]

I second that. My pixies are kept in a covered bin with all the necessities. Coco fiber/soil.,big water bowl. No heater, or lights. I just opened to see them and feed them and change the water. I made meat balls with this recipe I'm trying out. The funnies thing happened. I tossed the balls in the bin and they attacked them and ate 4 bubble gum ball size balls.lol The pacman ate them with tongs. They love it. So thats to show you .I have no lights or heaters. Its warm and humid tonight. They were starving.

There you go. Nice you got them to eat that convenient diet you made haha, pixies are content with anything that passes their eyes. Your fingers provoked a great feeding response out of one of yours, maybe you should let them gnaw on it a little more . When I went to feed mine last night his first night crawler he jumped at my hand instead of the forceps holding the night crawler... It scared the hell out of me because it was so quick, not expecting him to be that aggressive. He was definitely hungry and went nuts. Such cool frogs...