Cricket massacre...

[butcher]

Well after a couple of nights of wondering if my new RETFs were eating enough I'm not now. I put about 10-12 cickets of different sizes in their bowl last night, and when I checked on everything this mmorning what they hadn't eatten they tore to shreds. I wish I could of seen them feeding because I'm assuming it was fairly aggressive. Also my Pothos look like they were in a hurricane. They must have had quite the time last night from the looks of it all. Just guessing here but I think they are adjusting to their new home just fine.

[Heatheranne]

Awesome!

[flybyferns]

Well after a couple of nights of wondering if my new RETFs were eating enough I'm not now. I put about 10-12 cickets of different sizes in their bowl last night, and when I checked on everything this mmorning what they hadn't eatten they tore to shreds. I wish I could of seen them feeding because I'm assuming it was fairly aggressive. Also my Pothos look like they were in a hurricane. They must have had quite the time last night from the looks of it all. Just guessing here but I think they are adjusting to their new home just fine.

Hi Doug,
I think that the crickets that were 'torn to shreds' were to big, and/or they just smash them when they go to pounce on them.
Lynn

[butcher]

Lynn,
Yes it was 2 bigger crickets that were torn up. There are a few bigger crickets in the batch of small ones I bought. I'm going to make sure I feed them only smaller ones. Its 2 nights in a row they have eaten well and it has always been the larger size crickets left over. I'm glad to see they are feeding well since i swithed to a white bowl instead of a clear bowl. I think it makes the crickets more visable.

[flybyferns]

Lynn,
Yes it was 2 bigger crickets that were torn up. There are a few bigger crickets in the batch of small ones I bought. I'm going to make sure I feed them only smaller ones. Its 2 nights in a row they have eaten well and it has always been the larger size crickets left over. I'm glad to see they are feeding well since i swithed to a white bowl instead of a clear bowl. I think it makes the crickets more visable.

I have 6. Three are very proficient at grabbing a cricket. The other three are really, really clumsy.
Sometimes I wonder about our sweet red eyes- they are not the sharpest tools in the shed. lol

Can't have sharp things in the enclosure - they will just impale themselves on it !
Can't feed big crickets- they will choke - or you will will find a cricket leg sticking our of their throat the next morning !! yikes
AND - if their water is too deep - they will dive in and drown-- even when there is something to climb on.

But we love them !
Lynn

[Heatheranne]

Lol! Yes we do .

My big Stickers is pretty agile. Shes crazy though, I think. She'll leap across the whole tank from one branch to another. Bubbles does ok. He's still just a little tike. Twiggy is a bit clumsy yet, but improving as she gets stronger.

[butcher]

They are unique to say the least. the female "flower" seems to be the most agile but I haven't had had much opportunity to see the other 2 leaping.

[Heatheranne]

How big are your retf's?

[flybyferns]

Red Eye Tree Frogs hunting skills.
It's not so much the size of the Red Eye, but more --how they develop their hunting skills as they 'grow up'.
I have a small (sub-adult )Albino Red Eye tree frog that ( I'm sure) could tackle a really BIG cricket!
This little bugger is a monster and would probably gobble anything.
His spawn mate ( which is a ---her) would struggle to catch that same size cricket.
It's really important to SIT and WATCH your frogs. Get to know them. It's a great time to RELAX !
Lynn

[butcher]

2 of them are about 1 3/4" and the other 1 1/2. They don't move around too much unless its dark and the blue glo light only gives off enough light to see in certain parts of the viv. I would like to figure out a better way to watch them without disturbing them too much.

[flybyferns]

Hi Doug.
They are still small. I would feed small -to maybe- medium crickets.
Make catching dinner - easy !!!
Feed them well.

Brighter lights will disturb them.
Sometimes, I use a little (and I mean little) LED flashlight.
It's good for them to get on that, light-on,lights-off , schedule.
Lynn

[butcher]

I've been going with lights out in the room they are in at 10 til 6. they start roaming soon as the lights aree off and sleep all day.