FB appetite, behavior, eco earth, health questions

[Hoppity100]

I'll try typing again: when do FB's hibernate, winter? Mine have not yet. I did hear mealworms were a problem, yet also heard they are ok. Is there a problem with eco earth? Our stores don't sell moss, we are limited, eco earth was the best substitute I could find. My wax worms did not live long, I did get earthworms and crickets. I would never let my frogs go a week without food, I don't see how they could survive well not eating more than once a week or longer? Do you own FB's?

[MantisMan]

i own and breed firebellies
the pet store doesnt supply hydratable bricks of substrate?
u can probably find it on amazon, i got 30 castor beans for a penny the other day!!
if u decrease daylight, fill them with waxworms, and put them in 55-58 degree cold, they can go up to 2 months without food

[Hoppity100]

I already have the bricks of eco earth that you add water to, I let it dry and its a tiny bit damp, mine seem to be okay with it. Where do people buy the moss for frogs? We have pet supplies plus, petsmart, and petco. The box stores don't sell it, so I used eco earth thinking it was the next best substrate. I had sand before but it really made cleaning the tank alot harder. I am looking for a flat tray to fit in my aquarium so I can make land bigger. I just hope my substrate is adequate since I can't find the moss.

[FriedrichsFrogs]

turning down food a day or two aftr feeding is odd behavior. Alex seems to have hit on the biggest issues already. Ill just add to stay clear of mealworms completely, their exoskeleton is problematic for fbts to digest and their size can also present problems as fbts only grow to be 1 or 2 inches. Small pebbles should be avoided to use in the tank because they could be swallowed. Continue to monitor your toads behavior

[MantisMan]

turning down food a day or two aftr feeding is odd behavior. Alex seems to have hit on the biggest issues already. Ill just add to stay clear of mealworms completely, their exoskeleton is problematic for fbts to digest and their size can also present problems as fbts only grow to be 1 or 2 inches. Small pebbles should be avoided to use in the tank because they could be swallowed. Continue to monitor your toads behavior

my biggest firebelly, moaper, is 2.5 inches
but anyways there r only a few reasons mine dont eat
1: hibernation
2: mid-late spawning season when they r actually spawning, females still eat a lot but dont be alarmed if males have a reduced appetite, eating isnt the first thing on their mind
3: they've just gorged themselves
4: they r sick or dead for some reason
5: 1-3 day old tadpoles, metamorphosizing toadlets, and baby toadlets often have reduced appetite for the first month because their tongues dont seem sticky enough to grip food

here r a few links u can look get substrate from:
Amazon.com: Zoo Med New Zealand Sphagnum Moss, .33 Pounds (150 grams): Pet Supplies
Amazon.com: Zoo Med Terrarium Moss 30 to 40 Gallons: Pet Supplies
if u use this stuff, make sure to remove the big wood chips from the surface layer so they cant injest or be stabbed by them:
Amazon.com: Hagen Exo Terra Coco Husk Terrarium Substrate, 7-Quart: Pet Supplies

more:
Amazon.com: Exo Terra Plantation Soil, 7.2-Quart: Pet Supplies
Amazon.com: Small Animal Supplies Green Terrarium Moss - Xl (30 To 40Gal): Pet Supplies

so these r just a few suggestions

[Hoppity100]

Oh, thanks for sending that, do you know if eco earth fiber substrate is safe if I can't get any moss for some reason? If its not safe, I just wondered why? Thanks I forgot to mention if eco earth is not safe, would this be from size and shape of substrate if frogs eat it by accident? That's all my store had, I'll have to use it till I get moss. I'd use sand but that makes tank really hard to clean and rinse.

[Hoppity100]

Have some questions: do eggs first appear as many small white dots that look like grains of sand? I looked at driftwood tonight and found all these white dots! The male calls the female every night. They get along real well. Yes, the male was not hungry recently, now I know why. LOL And isn't the husk substrate more risky than the fiber substrate?

[MantisMan]

sounds like shed skin
eggs are laid singly just under the water's surface
they r encased in a double membrane and are half black, half white spheres
trust me u will know when they spawn, mine do it all night and after each egg makes a stupid croaking sound