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Thread: New White's Tree Frog owner - QUESTIONS

  1. #1
    hazycolors
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    Default New White's Tree Frog owner - QUESTIONS

    Hi, I am a new White's Tree Frog owner. It is living in my classroom. I have a tank set up with a water dish, half log and a jungle mix for the ground. I am also using two types of lamps - a 50 watt bulb during the day and a 40 watt red bulb at night. The heat is turned on during the day, but I've been using the lamp anyways. At night, the heat is turned off, and I have been using the red bulb.

    My questions:

    1. Will my White's Tree Frog be okay over the weekend? I don't think the heat is on - so will the red light suffice? I've been misting a couple of times daily and I just bought a thermometer so I will monitor the temperature tomorrow at school.

    2. As for food, the pet store workers said to feed about 2 crickets a day, but I've read on different websites that 1 a day is enough for young tree frogs and 2-3x a week for the adults. I'm not sure of the age of mine - he/she might be 3 inches or so. How many crickets should I leave my frog over the weekend?

    3. Behavior - My tree frog hasn't been active at all. He climbed around for about 5 minutes yesterday (daytime) but quickly crawled under the half log and has been staying there all day long. I know he ate though - the cricket was gone by the time I got into school this morning. I just bought some jungle vine and a fake plant to place in the tank tomorrow. Is my tree frog stressed out or is this normal behavior? I've had him for two days so far.

    Any feedback would be appreciated! I want my White's Tree Frog to be a happy and healthy frog. Thank you!

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  3. #2
    Gentlemangorath
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    Default Re: New White's Tree Frog owner - QUESTIONS

    I don't know the specifics of White's Tree Frogs to answer all those questions, but the behavioral part sounds right for a nocturnal frog-not that active during the day, very active at night. You and your students probably won't see that much activity during the day, which is unfortunate, but what can you do. Most frogs probably get around 2-3 crickets every 2-3 days, but they can go decent periods of time without eating. If you leave crickets over the weekend, its probably best to just feed them on friday, and again on monday, with maybe 3 crickets per frog (although they'd probably do fine with 2). Some of this info is based off of caring for Gray Tree Frogs, but more seasoned frog keepers will likely confirm or correct the info given. I'll be looking forward to the response to the first question though, I'm aiming to be a biology teacher myself, and was thinking about keeping frogs in my prospective class room when that day comes.

    Edit: If you've have him for two days, it's perfectly normal for him to be skittish. From what I understand, most frogs are shy and take time to adjust to their environment. I've had my new Green Tree Frogs for just about nine days now, and they still spend the entire day inside a den within the central log in the tank. They'll adjust, or they will prefer to remain hidden, it'll just take time. One of my two Gray Tree Frogs used to hide out in the den my Greens are occupying for the first month and a half or so I had him, while my other Gray was always out and about, so the frog's sense of security will likely come in time as well.

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    Default Re: New White's Tree Frog owner - QUESTIONS

    What are you using to monitor/control humidity? You will probably need a setup like a hygrotherm humidity and temp controller and reptifogger humidifier. Or any other set up that would be automatic. Before I got my humidity under control I was misting their tank every couple of hours by hand. I couldn't imagine letting it go a whole weekend without checking.

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    100+ Post Member MatthewM1's Avatar
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    Default Re: New White's Tree Frog owner - QUESTIONS

    Yeah if it is going to be unattended over the weekends its day light should be on a timer and a fogger/Mister and a heat source attached to a hygrotherm

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    Default Re: New White's Tree Frog owner - QUESTIONS

    Read this for how to care for this frog. Frog Forum - White's Tree Frog Care - Litoria caerulea

    I will also suggest that you buy a climate control unit like the Zoo Med Hygrotherm. It is a life saver. These are nocturnal frogs and they need a 12 hour day night cycle. Place the lights on a timer.

    Buy a Hygrotherm from Amazon.com you can get them cheap from their. A Zoo Med Reptifogger will also help to maintain humidity levels within the tank.


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    100+ Post Member Sasha's Avatar
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    Default Re: New White's Tree Frog owner - QUESTIONS

    A hygrotherm and a reptifogger would be your best bet to leave him over the weekend and a timer for the daytime light.

    He's not going to be very active during the day and since you just got him and he is in a classroom, he is probably under some stress. Try covering 3 sides of the tank to minimize the stress and try not to handle him too much. Read the care sheet that Grif posted the link to.

    How big are the crickets you are feeding him? The crickets need to be no bigger than the space between his eyes. Some people feed 3 or 4 crickets every other night. I personally feed my frogs about 4 crickets a night...less or minus depending on how fat they look. Crickets should also be dusted with Calcium w/vitamin D3. The problem with leaving crickets in the tank overnight with the frog is that the crickets can bite your frog and cause infection.

    Also, what is in the "jungle mix" that you are using for substrate? You don't want anything in there that is going to cause impaction. Coco fiber is good because it's easy to digest if the frog eats it.

    How old are your students?
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    Default Re: New White's Tree Frog owner - QUESTIONS

    1. Will my White's Tree Frog be okay over the weekend? I don't think the heat is on - so will the red light suffice? I've been misting a couple of times daily and I just bought a thermometer so I will monitor the temperature tomorrow at school.

    The hygrotherm is the only way to insure that the frog will have the proper envirment temps and humidity. I agree with the above suggestions.


    2. As for food, the pet store workers said to feed about 2 crickets a day, but I've read on different websites that 1 a day is enough for young tree frogs and 2-3x a week for the adults. I'm not sure of the age of mine - he/she might be 3 inches or so. How many crickets should I leave my frog over the weekend?

    3 inches, I'm thinking this frog is not that young? A year old, and possibly an adult?
    Feed every other day- every other dusting with calcium with d3, and once per week a multi vitamin for phibs. Feed in a glass bowl to monitor food intake. Search the forum for 'glass bowl feeding.' Leave 3-5 crickets in the bowl over the weekend.

    3. Behavior - My tree frog hasn't been active at all. He climbed around for about 5 minutes yesterday (daytime) but quickly crawled under the half log and has been staying there all day long. I know he ate though - the cricket was gone by the time I got into school this morning. I just bought some jungle vine and a fake plant to place in the tank tomorrow. Is my tree frog stressed out or is this normal behavior? I've had him for two days so far.

    Feed only at night. The frog will sleep all day, and therefore, in my opinion *not* a great classroom pet. Him sleeping under the log may be because the humidity is too low at the top, you should try and check that. He is most definitely stressed out from moving around and now in a new environment, with new sounds. He needs time to acclimate and adapt to the new environment.
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  9. #8
    hazycolors
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    Default Re: New White's Tree Frog owner - QUESTIONS

    Hi all, thanks for your input. It is very helpful. I ordered the hygrotherm, a reptifogger, and an under tank heater today. It should arrive tomorrow. When I leave him over the weekend, do I still need to use the day bulb if there is natural sunlight? If so, do I still need the red night light if I use an undertank heater? I don't know if I can fit two lamps and a fogger on top of the tank.

    Also, how do I get small crickets? The pet store just gave me a bunch of large ones. When I got in this morning, the crickets were still there. I took wax worm from my colleague, who is doing an insect study and hand fed it to my White's Tree Frog. He ate it, and two minutes later, he gobbled up one of the crickets!!

    I am doing a Frog study with a wonderful class of first graders. We've talked about being gentle and quiet around our pet frog. I love that they can learn to care for another living thing. I want to model proper care and make sure we have a happy frog!

    Thanks

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    100+ Post Member Bolisnide's Avatar
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    Default Re: New White's Tree Frog owner - QUESTIONS

    Quote Originally Posted by hazycolors View Post
    Hi all, thanks for your input. It is very helpful. I ordered the hygrotherm, a reptifogger, and an under tank heater today. It should arrive tomorrow. When I leave him over the weekend, do I still need to use the day bulb if there is natural sunlight? If so, do I still need the red night light if I use an undertank heater? I don't know if I can fit two lamps and a fogger on top of the tank.

    Also, how do I get small crickets? The pet store just gave me a bunch of large ones. When I got in this morning, the crickets were still there. I took wax worm from my colleague, who is doing an insect study and hand fed it to my White's Tree Frog. He ate it, and two minutes later, he gobbled up one of the crickets!!

    I am doing a Frog study with a wonderful class of first graders. We've talked about being gentle and quiet around our pet frog. I love that they can learn to care for another living thing. I want to model proper care and make sure we have a happy frog!

    Thanks
    Over the weekend, if there is definitely natural sunlight, warmth, and the hygrotherm, then he should be fine without the day bulb. The hygrotherm and repti-fogger and heat combination is the best... I use this when I go out of town for a couple of days and my frogs are fine. More than 2 days (like over spring break?) you should check in on him and change the water bowl... just FYI. OR, have someone else do it.
    If he really is 3", then the medium crickets are fine. The really small ones are sometimes too small for my adult whites and he loses interest very quickly. Wax worms are great feeders also, but try and mix it up with both crickets and wax worms. I always believe that if the frog is eating, then he is fairly healthy, so that's a great sign!

    My son is in kindergarten, and loves our frogs. It is a wonderful learning experience. But white's are nocturnal, so the kids will not get to observe much of the behavior.
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