Temperature

[frogandtoad]

What does the temperature have to be for a frog or toad's habitat?

[Tom Highum]

Matters what kind.

[Wyomingite]

Well, frogandtoad's question was a little vague, so I'll expand on it a bit with a temperature question or two of my own.

Obviously, different species will have different temp requirements based on geographical region, altitude, habitat, etc. So, one thing I've noticed lurkin' around here is references to daily and annual temperature fluctuations. Are there long-term negative consequences if frogs don't experience these cyclic fluctuations? When a species recommendation says, for example, "mid to high 70's during the day, mid-60's at night", is the night temperature a minimum temperature allowed for the species in the absence of supplemental heating? Or is it actually recommended the temperature be allowed to drop that low during the night?

The reason I'm askin', my wife wants any critters she doesn't approve of in my aquarium room (translation: Anything without fur needs to be in the room. The Aussie dog, the Pomeranian, the cats, and the kids don't have to be confined there, everything else goes in and stays in. The verdict is still out on me...). The room temperature is set at 78°, and seems to have a plus or minus 1° swing during the day and a temperature drop of up to 3° at night during cold weather. During a power outage last spring, it only dropped from 78° to 72° in 14 hours without heat, and that is without the heat sink created by the water in aquariums. It has a dehumidifier, but I'm not concerned 'bout raising humidity if necessary for individual enclosures. The constant temp is perfect for fish, remember I'm a fish guy who's taken an interest in frogs. I was stayin' away from temperate frog species specifically due to this temperature issue, but will there be an issue with tropical species that I didn't foresee? Beyond the clown tree frogs I've previously mentioned, I'm also interested in darts and a Ceratophrys sp. possibly down the road. Insight? Thanks in advance.

WYite

[Kurt]

I think the stable tempertures for your tropical frogs will be fine.

[Wyomingite]

Thanks Kurt.

WYite

[Kurt]

You're welcome.