New RETFs, New Viv, and New to the Forum!

[Frogfeet]

Hey everyone, this is my first post on the forum. I just finished building my 40 gallon vert vivarium. Which will be inhabited by a pair of Red Eyed Tree Frogs. I just ordered the frogs tonight and they should be here by Thursday or Friday. The viv is kept around 75 degrees F with a slight cool down at night. All plants are live and I mist once everyday which keeps the humidity around 85-90%. The only lighting is two 15 watt CFLs. I also have an airline that pumps into the tank at a very small amount. Is this necessary to have? I built the whole thing from just a bare 40 gallon, clean slate. So I wanted to show my tank and also ask some questions. Will be glad to here your input.
Here are some pics..

So some of my questions are when i get my frogs(I'll be getting them as c.b. babies) can they go directly into the viv or should i keep them in like a 5-10 gallon with moist paper towels before introducing them? They will be they only things in the tank so do they still need to be quarantined?
My second question is what type of vitamin power should I get. As in brand?
The only other supplies I need are a food dish, soaking pool, vitamin powder, and crickets. Is there anything else I should have on my list?

[michael novy]

Just a suggestion, keep the frogs in a smaller environment when they are froglets. This way they find the food faster. If they find the food faster, they will grow faster. Use long fibered moss (new zealand or chilian moss) to ensure high levels of humidity and less changing the substrate(paper towel) to avoid possibly stressing the frogs out. rapashy's calcium plus is a good dust or rep-cals herpavite mixed with rep-cal calcium(3 to 1 ). Other than that, the tank looks awesome and I think you'll be fine. Redeyes are a good starter treefrog.

[Frogfeet]

Today I went and got the vitamin powder and the food and soaking dishes. Also picked up a medium critter keeper for the froglets to hang out in before they go in the big tank. I'm going to get the crickets when the frogs arrive.

[steest]

Looks awesome!

[DonLisk]

Nice work on the viv and it should make a very happy home for them.

Just buy crickets that are no longer than the distance between the frogs eyes.

Use a glass bowl (like a cereal bowl) for feeding. The crickets will be unable (most of the time) from escaping and if the bowl is sunk into the substrate the loose cricket will fall back in eventually.

When you mentioned vitamins, did you pick up calcium? Calcium should be dusted on the crickets at least three times a week while they are growing. You may also want to get the humidity down to about 70 percent since 90 is pretty high.

[bshmerlie]

When you get your frogs let's see some pictures.

[flybyferns]

Frogfeet - Beautiful! You should be very proud of it. Looking forward frog to pics as well.
Keep them separate while they are little! Like our "forum expert" says.
Heed his suggestions as they come from a very, highly respected source.

Froglets- It's best to keep them in a simple set up for a while so that you can keep an I on what they are eating, otherwise the darn crickets just disappear into the moss. Get some weight on them. Feed them really well !

Have Fun !!!

[Frogfeet]

Thanks for all the compliments on the new viv. I got a glass bowl for the crickets yesterday after reading a thread about how a glass bowl keeps most of the crickets in the bowl and that they are loads cheaper than feeder bowls at pet stores that dont keep the crickets from escaping. When the frogs get here I will keep them in the small critter keeper that I have to make sure they are getting food and until they are big enough to go into the big viv. And will definitely post some pictures.

[Frogfeet]

So the red eyes got here well....sorta. The came by post office and it ends up they delivered to the wrong house no one was at this wrong address so they left a note and took the frogs back to the post office I got a call from reptile city that they were there and have to go in the morning to pick them up. Bad side they're at the post office and reptile city wont give me a refund if they end up being DOA because it would be the post office's fault. Hopefully they will be alright till I can get them in the morning as soon as the post office opens....

[bobrez]

Thats some bad luck with the po, i agree it sounds like the po's fault if they die. Maybe you can open them before accepting package

[flybyferns]

Shame on Reptile City! It's at the very least, not nice to hear that when you frogs are locked in the post office .
Let us know!!!! You would think if a "live" pkg was not deliverable they would have a procedure in place to correct the problem ASAP and not after the post office is closed?? Our postal person tends to be very lazy about packages that have to be signed for. ie They say they "rang the bell " but never do. My husband works at home and is 5 ft from the bell ; so they fib about it.

I know it will be scary, but take photos as you open your package. Hoping !!!!

[Frogfeet]

The frogs made it alive!!!
the first two are of the same frog right now it's the biggest at 3"

The next two are also of the same frog. It's not as big or active as the first.

They both seen very tired but are enjoying their enviroment.

[flybyferns]

Wow ! I'm soooooo happy to hear this !
Time for stress reduction!!!
Feed them well with appropriate size crickets ( even if you have to use small and medium) darken 3 sides of the enclosure.
Keep and eye on the temp and humidity. I'm sure everyone will chime in and will be very happy to see your post .

This made my day !
Lynn

[Frogfeet]

well sadly the smaller frog died the stress of being in a box for two days was just too much. I didn't think it looked good out of the box. Hopefully reptile city will be sending me a replacement. The other frog, the larger one, ate four crickets last night and ate the remaining fifth today. I think it's a female. I'm very glad she is healthy.

[rosaphile]

What a shame about your frog! Rotten luck. Your survivor looks gorgeous, and I'm so impressed by your setup. I hope all goes well from here on out!

[flybyferns]

So sorry. It's very difficult to help them after they were put through something like that.
Lynn

[bshmerlie]

If you get another one do yourself a favor and keep them in separate enclosures for 30 days. Looking at the skin of the second frog....something didn't look right. It looked blotchy.

[Frogfeet]

Yes. Exactly what will be happening. The other frog actually wasn't kept with the other one for more that about six hours before I moved it into the quarantine tank. And I did notice the skin it seemed very dehydrated. Thanks for the tip.

[Frogfeet]

Just an update, ReptileCity sent me a replacement red eye and just got it yesterday. It looks so much better than the other one that didnt make it. It will be quarantined for a month or more before being introduced into the viv with the other red eye. The first red eye that survived is doing great. He/she gets fed three crickets every other night that are dusted in Repti cal and Herpivite. He/she really loves the viv and climbs around all night long.

[Chaser]

I know this is an old post, but I like your viv, and I will be building one soon.