Waxy Monkey Tree Frog Behavior Question

[Helios]

I'm a fairly experience reptile keeper, but I just got a waxy yesterday. Did plenty of research as to the heat gradient, the structure of the terrarium, etc. I feel pretty comfortable with all of that. I have a question about his behavior thus far: When I brought him home it was during the day. He was active for a few minutes before settling into a spot on the lower level of the terrarium. My concern is that he has yet to be active at night. I stayed up for quite a while last night, and he didn't move from his spot, which he continued to sleep at all day today. As of tonight no change.
This morning I did observe him waxing for a little bit, and repeatedly opening and closing his mouth for a few.
For those of you who've kept waxies, does this sound like behavior typical for a frog acclimating to a new enclsorue due to stress?

Here's some technical info on the setup:
enclosure is 12" x 12" x 18" tall
The gradient of temperature during the day ranges from 95 at the basking spots near the top, created by a rock ledge, grape wood, and artificial vining plants. Midway down the enclosure I have manzanita and grapewood and the temperature is about 85 degrees. At the floor of the terrarium teh temperature was about 80 degrees. Humidity is very low, raninging from about 20% to 30%. The lighting is a 40 watt blue "day" bulb and then a red 60 watt night bulb.

The guys at the exotic reptile place in town (which is very reputable) said that it sounded like the most likely cause of his behavior was stress from being moved. Just wanted to see what others though since I know how delicate amphibians are. Thanks!

[KiwiSugar]

Hi, I think is stress/shock too, be patient, each personality is different, keep it quiet for around him, or maybe he used to noise from shop etcc

[Murray of the Deep]

I'm a fairly experience reptile keeper, but I just got a waxy yesterday. Did plenty of research as to the heat gradient, the structure of the terrarium, etc. I feel pretty comfortable with all of that. I have a question about his behavior thus far: When I brought him home it was during the day. He was active for a few minutes before settling into a spot on the lower level of the terrarium. My concern is that he has yet to be active at night. I stayed up for quite a while last night, and he didn't move from his spot, which he continued to sleep at all day today. As of tonight no change.
This morning I did observe him waxing for a little bit, and repeatedly opening and closing his mouth for a few.
For those of you who've kept waxies, does this sound like behavior typical for a frog acclimating to a new enclsorue due to stress?

Here's some technical info on the setup:
enclosure is 12" x 12" x 18" tall
The gradient of temperature during the day ranges from 95 at the basking spots near the top, created by a rock ledge, grape wood, and artificial vining plants. Midway down the enclosure I have manzanita and grapewood and the temperature is about 85 degrees. At the floor of the terrarium teh temperature was about 80 degrees. Humidity is very low, raninging from about 20% to 30%. The lighting is a 40 watt blue "day" bulb and then a red 60 watt night bulb.

The guys at the exotic reptile place in town (which is very reputable) said that it sounded like the most likely cause of his behavior was stress from being moved. Just wanted to see what others though since I know how delicate amphibians are. Thanks!

it's normal and trying to adapt to its terrarium my greenbacks also do the same thing opening its mouth from time to time and now it stopped it's ok it wont do that if it already adapted

[Helios]

Thanks! That's what I was wondering. It's reassuring to hear that's what others think as well!

[Lija]

I'm a fairly experience reptile keeper, but I just got a waxy yesterday. Did plenty of research as to the heat gradient, the structure of the terrarium, etc. I feel pretty comfortable with all of that. I have a question about his behavior thus far: When I brought him home it was during the day. He was active for a few minutes before settling into a spot on the lower level of the terrarium. My concern is that he has yet to be active at night. I stayed up for quite a while last night, and he didn't move from his spot, which he continued to sleep at all day today. As of tonight no change.
This morning I did observe him waxing for a little bit, and repeatedly opening and closing his mouth for a few.
For those of you who've kept waxies, does this sound like behavior typical for a frog acclimating to a new enclsorue due to stress?

yes it is normal, it is also normal for them to sleep all day/night and not leave the spot. or may I say sometimes they're aware for just a few hours at night and not leave their spot. main indicator here is the color of a frog - happy frog will be lime green or bright green and will be sitting on a branches. olive/dull color - not happy frog, but not necessary sick one.

Here's some technical info on the setup:
enclosure is 12" x 12" x 18" tall
The gradient of temperature during the day ranges from 95 at the basking spots near the top, created by a rock ledge, grape wood, and artificial vining plants. Midway down the enclosure I have manzanita and grapewood and the temperature is about 85 degrees. At the floor of the terrarium teh temperature was about 80 degrees. Humidity is very low, raninging from about 20% to 30%. The lighting is a 40 watt blue "day" bulb and then a red 60 watt night bulb.

your set up sounds great, and do you have UVB?

and also they're communal, your froggy would probably appreciate some company of same sex waxy

[Helios]

yes it is normal, it is also normal for them to sleep all day/night and not leave the spot. or may I say sometimes they're aware for just a few hours at night and not leave their spot. main indicator here is the color of a frog - happy frog will be lime green or bright green and will be sitting on a branches. olive/dull color - not happy frog, but not necessary sick one.



your set up sounds great, and do you have UVB?

and also they're communal, your froggy would probably appreciate some company of same sex waxy

Hi Lija! Thanks for you input! Do you know about how dark it has to get in the room they're in to stimulate their waking? He's in a spot right now that can pick up a little ambient light from other parts of the hosue. His color looks pretty good to me. I wouldn't say he's the rich lime green, but he's pretty bright, definitly not olive.


This is the best picture I have of him right now. He's kind of washed out due to the light and then the quality of my camera. He is on branches, but as you can see he's not very high up. Again I double checked the temperature gradient throughout the whole tank and it's in the proper range all thoughout. The store I got him from had him in a 10 gallon and he was definitly up near the top of that when I got him.

Thanks! It was fun getting the tank set up. I dont' have UVB, but he's in an area where he does get some natural sunlight during the day. I would love to get another! They're pretty hard to come by where I live.

[Lija]

actually yours he looks like she to me not 100% sure from the pic, but it looks like it. how big the frog is right now? is it adult?

anyway - light for night- don't worry, nothing special needed, she looks perfectly happy with very round belly I have night blue heating lamps for both tanks, but it is out of necessity to keep temps up, day - I would get direct uvb anyway for at least a few hours a day.
I'm not sure - what kind of substrate you're using? and you have a water bowl, right?

and to reply what do you need to stimulate their walking, don't expect them walk too much, they won't move from a spot unless they're hungry and only if food is far away, they're pretty lazy frogs, most would prefer for food to come to them instead of other way around :lol:

[Helios]

actually yours he looks like she to me not 100% sure from the pic, but it looks like it. how big the frog is right now? is it adult?

anyway - light for night- don't worry, nothing special needed, she looks perfectly happy with very round belly I have night blue heating lamps for both tanks, but it is out of necessity to keep temps up, day - I would get direct uvb anyway for at least a few hours a day.
I'm not sure - what kind of substrate you're using? and you have a water bowl, right?

and to reply what do you need to stimulate their walking, don't expect them walk too much, they won't move from a spot unless they're hungry and only if food is far away, they're pretty lazy frogs, most would prefer for food to come to them instead of other way around :lol:

Oh! Interesting, well that very well could be--they weren't sure at the store! I had guessed male because they did have a larger waxy that was a female. He/she haha is about 3 inches long and is the Chacoan species, so from everything I've read, and adult. The store I got her from had three since they were froglets. Glad to hear you think she looks good! I'll definitly see about the UVB. What % is best? Yep I do have a water bowl. I'm using coco plantation soil by exo terra for substrate. I've seen a few care sheets were that type of is listed as being decent. I'm considering covering it with moss or something of that order. We have two fire skinks and the potential to ingest substrate is somethign we have to watch with them.
I was wondering if night time temperatures also effects their activity and alertness--I could only come across a few sites that actually gave a range of 70-74 for temperatures at night.
I'm more confident now that stress and adaptation to the new habitat are really what's at play: She ignored us offering food last night, but this mornign I saw her alert for a a few minutes, looking around the cage some, before she settled back to sleep. I'll have to get some more pictures up!

[Helios]

I just noticed on another thread you mentioned coconut fiber being a risk for respiratory infection due to it being dry and powdery. The plantation soil is coconut fiber or husk, I'd have to check again, but it is fairly fine. It's not dusty, but is this still a substrate which could be problematic?
Also, in continuing to look into UVB: is the advantage of UVB that it stimulates the frog's appetite and normal activity as opposed to being a "health essential?" If that makes sense...

[Helios]

Lol sorry I keep adding addendums: if you look at the picture you can see what I mean about the substrate being fine but not powdery. It's one that was mentioned being ok for waxeys in another forum/caresheet if you want something natural. I use an under-tank heater to help with the ambient temp so that's why I opted for a substrate.

[Lija]

take the plantation soil out, it is good for high humidity terrariums, very bad for low humidity, it posses a high risk of serious respiratory blockage, actually one of my snakes died because of that. I prefer to use felt carpet for waxys, easy to clean, reusable and is green anything on a ground would be risk of something, either impaction or resp. problems those are very stupid frogs :lol: especially when they hunt. do you know how she used to eat? they not always eat from tongs or hand, I'm just throwing crickets in, and they're gone next morning and my frogs are sitting with round bellies. none of them figured out the glass bowl trick, what can i say they are not too smart for a frog :lol;

night temp - I won't go lower then 75, but won't be panicking if it drops to 70 once in while.
2% uvb is fine.

average boys are 2.5, girls 3', but both can be bigger then that, check for nuptial pads, if boy it may have them ( or not) depending on his mood, and if you can post pic of profile of the frog ( face sideways) boys have a bit different shape then girls.

[Helios]

I'm in a really arid climate so it actually balances the humdity out well, but yeah I don't want to risk an infection.
At the store they would just leave crickets overnight haha.
I've read about the nuptial pads, haven't been able to get a good look yet. I'll post a profile picture here soon! Thanks again for your help!

[Helios]

Here's a couple profile pictures! Again the lighting isn't the greatest so she/he looks a little washed out and duller than actuall is. Are those good enough for you to be able to tell?

[Lija]

Here's a couple profile pictures! Again the lighting isn't the greatest so she/he looks a little washed out and duller than actuall is. Are those good enough for you to be able to tell?

a girl!

[Helios]

Nice! Haha i'll have to come up with a new name for her! Just thought I'd report too she seems to be adapting well. Looking a lot more relaxed now when resting and hunted her first three crickets last night! It was fun to watch!

[Lija]

to illustrate what I was looking at see pic below

a girl



a boy



see the difference in profile shape? - that is the best way to differentiate when they're juvenile, for adults it is that, the size (females are much bigger) and nuptial pads for boys - black spot on inside of his thumb, very similar to those for pacmans, but those are visible only when they're in breeding mood. I had somewhere a pic, can't find it now.

[Lija]

I don't want to risk an infection.
At the store they would just leave crickets overnight haha.

my snake ( beautiful rainbow boa) that i mentioned died because of respiratory blockage, he inhaled substrate and it blocked his airway, we did autopsy, he was very healthy otherwise, it was really weird, one minute he is all happy and eating well, the next day he is dead.



hahaha - yeah watch them hunt is something.

[Lija]

nuptial pad

[Helios]

to illustrate what I was looking at see pic below

a girl



a boy



see the difference in profile shape? - that is the best way to differentiate when they're juvenile, for adults it is that, the size (females are much bigger) and nuptial pads for boys - black spot on inside of his thumb, very similar to those for pacmans, but those are visible only when they're in breeding mood. I had somewhere a pic, can't find it now.

Ah interesting, I see it now. Ah ok gotcha, I was wondering what the nuptial pad looked like.

[Helios]

my snake ( beautiful rainbow boa) that i mentioned died because of respiratory blockage, he inhaled substrate and it blocked his airway, we did autopsy, he was very healthy otherwise, it was really weird, one minute he is all happy and eating well, the next day he is dead.



hahaha - yeah watch them hunt is something.

Sorry to hear about your Boa! I found an alternative to the plantation soil I think will work well, it's called tree fern. Another high humidty, but again where I live it's pretty much a high alititude desert so I think it should do just fine. The substrate itself is also not small enough to end up ingested by the frog. The felt's a decent idea, haha but I'm a big fan of trying to keep a really natural look--plus it's helping me anchor some of the branches in place.

She was up again hutning a while tonight and ventured a littel farther into her enclosure, so I'm gald to see she's adapting well! Haha I'm trying to get a video of her hunting I can post..