Changing cornutas substrate

[Dan Bristow]

Hi everyone!
Ive recently acquired a green phase cornuta cb09. It actually used to be mine when it was a baby but I sold it on,regretted it and then got the chance to buy it back so I did!
i used to keep it on wet paper towels when it was a baby, and the guy who bought it off me has carried on doing so. My Q is, I'd like to move it on to coco fibre but do you think this may stress it due to always being on the towels? I know how sensitive these frogs can be!
many thanks for your time
Dan

[MatthewM1]

I don't think any one can answer this 100% guaranteed without knowing you frog. Some get stressed out more easily than others. There's is a chance that it could cause extreme stress, but if you were to change it and just give him time to adjust he should be fine. Just if he starts to freak out and starts flipping himself onto his back or other erratic behaviors you should probably put it back. He will probably love being able to dig burrows in the coco fiber after being used to sitting on the surface

[Burra]

If you are concerned, then don't change it all at once. Give him a small section of eco earth the first week and see how he does. Keep the rest paper towels. Slowly add more eco earth weekly or biweekly if he stresses easily and see how he reacts. If he won't go near it and stays on the dwindling section of paper towel, I'd stick with the paper towels.

[Dan Bristow]

Thankyou both for your replies. I think the half/ half option is a great idea so I will give it a go, cheers!
Dan

[Heatheranne]

Hi Dan. If your pac is eating well and pooping normally you can use the Eco earth. Odds are, he'll love it. They love to burrow. Half and half would be fine too. I betcha he'll make his way to the substrate .

Be sure to avoid coco 'husk', moss, or gravel. Coco fiber or plain plantation soil are safe.

Keep us posted .

[GrifTheGreat]

Heatheranne is right. I'll bet he will like the Eco Earth much more than the paper towels. He may stress a very small amount, but will adjust fine. Ultimately it is all up to you on how you want to house the frog.

[unkempt1]

Hi Dan. If your pac is eating well and pooping normally you can use the Eco earth. Odds are, he'll love it. They love to burrow. Half and half would be fine too. I betcha he'll make his way to the substrate .

Be sure to avoid coco 'husk', moss, or gravel. Coco fiber or plain plantation soil are safe.

Keep us posted .

Agreed. I feel pretty confident his natural instincts will take over and the towels will be all in the past. Half and half is the safest way to try it out and makes sense - even then he might flip out and not eat for a few days. My pacman freaks when I put any of his hides/plants even an inch off from where they were before. Then he won't eat well for a few days, so if your frogs personality is close to that you may see that too.

[Namio]

Hi Dan,

Funny that you asked this question because less than a week ago I switched from paper towel to EcoEarth for my two juvenile Cornuta. Like folks have said, either substrate works great for them. Paper towel is "cleaner" during feeding time, but requires almost daily changing and cleaning. EcoEarth is way less demanding but "dirtier" during feeding time. I prefer to start off using paper towel for baby frogs and as they grow bigger (2.5+ inches SVL) then I switch to EcoEarth.

[Dan Bristow]

Hi Dan,

Funny that you asked this question because less than a week ago I switched from paper towel to EcoEarth for my two juvenile Cornuta. Like folks have said, either substrate works great for them. Paper towel is "cleaner" during feeding time, but requires almost daily changing and cleaning. EcoEarth is way less demanding but "dirtier" during feeding time. I prefer to start off using paper towel for baby frogs and as they grow bigger (2.5+ inches SVL) then I switch to EcoEarth.

Thanks for the reply- when switching yours did it bother them?

Also, thanks to everyone else for their replies- a very helpful forum!

[Namio]

Thanks for the reply- when switching yours did it bother them?

Also, thanks to everyone else for their replies- a very helpful forum!

Not at all, they enjoy it. Cornuta loves to burrow like all other horned frogs. With regular spot cleaning and a waterbowl (aka bathroom), EcoEarth can last for several months.

Make sure you provide them with plenty of cover so they feel safe and secure. The tanks I used here are two 12x12x12 Zoomed terrariums, with fake plants, cork bark, and sphagnum moss. To incorporate sphagnum moss (or other mosses) inside enclosures, you want to either tong-feed your frogs or have a separate feeding tank for them to hunt, in order to minimize the risk of moss ingestion.

[GrifTheGreat]

Not at all, they enjoy it. Cornuta loves to burrow like all other horned frogs. With regular spot cleaning and a waterbowl (aka bathroom), EcoEarth can last for several months.

Make sure you provide them with plenty of cover so they feel safe and secure. The tanks I used here are two 12x12x12 Zoomed terrariums, with fake plants, cork bark, and sphagnum moss. To incorporate sphagnum moss (or other mosses) inside enclosures, you want to either tong-feed your frogs or have a separate feeding tank for them to hunt, in order to minimize the risk of moss ingestion.

Be careful using the substrate for over a month. The ammonia levels can become high very quickly. Do you toss the substrate weekly? If so then it will last a bit longer. Of course also adding a drainage layer beneath the coco fiber also prolongs the life of the substrate.

[Dan Bristow]

many thanks all. i will make the switch this weekend i think.

[perfectlypierced]

Namio, love the set ups you have...so natural looking!

[Lija]

Not at all, they enjoy it. Cornuta loves to burrow like all other horned frogs. With regular spot cleaning and a waterbowl (aka bathroom), EcoEarth can last for several months.

Make sure you provide them with plenty of cover so they feel safe and secure. The tanks I used here are two 12x12x12 Zoomed terrariums, with fake plants, cork bark, and sphagnum moss. To incorporate sphagnum moss (or other mosses) inside enclosures, you want to either tong-feed your frogs or have a separate feeding tank for them to hunt, in order to minimize the risk of moss ingestion.

LOVE your set up Namio

[Namio]

LOVE your set up Namio

Namio, love the set ups you have...so natural looking!

Thanks guys, for the love from Canada!

[Dan Bristow]

Well the switch has gone very well! Seems a lot more relaxed and eats with vigour! Got it eating pacman diet, lob worms and fuzzy mice. Thanks for all the advice- very much appreciated
Dan

[Lija]

so glad to hear! keep up good work

[Dan Bristow]

Quick photo . Not the best but the frog seems very happy now!