Ceratophrys Aurita on FedEx truck for delivery today!

[WatchTimes]

If you recieved this frog from Strickly Reptiles then it will eat for you from tongs. This is an easier way to keep track of what it eats.

I just put in the two crickets as she just got here yesterday and figured it could not hurt and I wanted to leave her alone as much as possible.
To be honest I was surprised when one was gone when I looked later on.

I tried feeding a cricket off the tongs with no luck this AM.
I got some night crawlers as Id rather have it's diet more worms
I am going to try tong feeding 1/2 of one in a bit (if not will they go for worms left in the tank or no point in leaving one in)

When I asked Jeanne how they were fed, tongs? She said no, they would just place a few crickets in the habitat.

I just can't help but feel it will be more comfortable when I get put it in its big home as there are very good spots for it
to hide and also feel protected from all sides (2/3 tree limb tunnel) a couple artificial plants and I also feel I will better be able to keep it warm. I just don't think this hermit crab uth (on the side) does a good enough of a job

[GrifTheGreat]

I just put in the two crickets as she just got here yesterday and figured it could not hurt and I wanted to leave her alone as much as possible.
To be honest I was surprised when one was gone when I looked later on.

I tried feeding a cricket off the tongs with no luck this AM.
I got some night crawlers as Id rather have it's diet more worms
I am going to try tong feeding 1/2 of one in a bit (if not will they go for worms left in the tank or no point in leaving one in)

When I asked Jeanne how they were fed, tongs? She said no, they would just place a few crickets in the habitat.

I just can't help but feel it will be more comfortable when I get put it in its big home as there are very good spots for it
to hide and also feel protected from all sides (2/3 tree limb tunnel) a couple artificial plants and I also feel I will better be able to keep it warm. I just don't think this hermit crab uth (on the side) does a good enough of a job

These came from The Frog Ranch. They are trained before shipped to the wholesaler. Only offer 1" pieces of worm until the frog is larger.

Trust me. You want to follow my housing advice. They prefer tight confined hiding places which the keeper provides. You do not want to stress this frog out by placing it into an overwhelmingly large tank. I do know what I'm talking about. If you feel the keeper does't have enough heat add a Fluker's 5.5" Clamp Lamp with dimmer switch with an infrared bulb of 50 watts or less. Incandescent heat bulb that is. The dimmer will allow you to accuratly dial in the amount of heat for the keeper.

Follow the advice I've given. It is spot on.

[WatchTimes]

Grif
What I am going to do is put the keeper in the big tank
next week. That way I can use my perm lighting etc but she is still in
her keeper. I will keep the keeper covered with saran wrap (holes poked in it)

I am going to run a mini double deep dome (one infrared for heat all the time and one plain for day light)
I will run this off of a HygroTherm with a Fogger.

I have debated running a small UTH on the back of the tank as well (I called Exo and the background is made from non toxic
material and will not release any fumes if it gets warm)

As for food...
I have tried feeding Crickets by tong both days with no avail.
Last night I tried to feed a 2 or 3 in piece of worm and again no interest.
I have been leaving a live cricket in there at night when I go to turn her light
off etc before I go to my room to go to bed and both nights she has eaten the cricket.
Any suggestions with food to change what I am doing?

[GrifTheGreat]

That will work.

About the feeding, just start about 3" away from the frog and only offer a 1" piece. Slowly move towards the frogs mouth and then touch it. The frog shoule react. You can mist lightly just before offering the worm piece.

[WatchTimes]

Thanks everyone!

Can the double mini deep dome light just sit on top of the ExoTerra screen on my 18X18?

What is the best to use for cleaning the inside of a tank, what cleaner should I get I imagine there
is something special from PetSmart or something


If I am going out of town two days should I leave two crickets in the tank or not feed for two days?
A last minute family emergency came up and I have no other option.

[WatchTimes]

Still ZERO interest when I try to feed her with tongs.

Just tried again a few minutes ago (tried this AM)

I start 3 in away, slowly bring towards her, touch her nose, taunt her etc but no luck!
All I notice is she starts to breathe a lot faster.

Shes only been here two day
Ate a cricket in her container loose her first night and
again last night so she isn't starving.

[GrifTheGreat]

Still ZERO interest when I try to feed her with tongs.

Just tried again a few minutes ago (tried this AM)

I start 3 in away, slowly bring towards her, touch her nose, taunt her etc but no luck!
All I notice is she starts to breathe a lot faster.

Shes only been here two day
Ate a cricket in her container loose her first night and
again last night so she isn't starving.

Ok then here is what I want you to do. Make sure there is a small flat depression in the coco fiber infront of the frog. Do not startle it. Take a 1" to 1.5" piece of night crawler that is not very thick and slowly place it 0.5" away from the frog infront of its face. Set the chunk down with the tongs so that the frog can see that the food came from the tongs. Close the container and quietly walk away. Come back 2 to 3 minutes later and look to see if the chunk is gone without disturbing the keeper. Everything I just told you to do should be as quietly done as possible.

Let me know.

[WatchTimes]

OK well came home to take out the cricket I had left in there
and try it with the worm like you described but she ate the cricket
that had been in there. So 3 days in a row shes eaten one cricket thats
just been loose in the tank.

I am going to try what you said with the worm now but I honestly don't have
a ton of faith she will eat it as she just ate a cricket in the past 2 hours.

[GrifTheGreat]

OK well came home to take out the cricket I had left in there
and try it with the worm like you described but she ate the cricket
that had been in there. So 3 days in a row shes eaten one cricket thats
just been loose in the tank.

I am going to try what you said with the worm now but I honestly don't have
a ton of faith she will eat it as she just ate a cricket in the past 2 hours.

You're being really negative and ask a lot of the same questions. I explained how to house the frog affectively for it's well being but you are not satisfied with the methods I offer. You ask me as if you want me to eventually agree with how you want to house the frog. Ultimately you do not have to accept any advice I give. I have 13 of Ceratophrys 4 of the 8 known species. I house 5 of them in these medium critter keepers. I tong feed each of my frogs which I myself have trained. I do not know for sure how you are going about offering food to your frog during feeding time.

1- If the keeper is kept in the large tank then I must assume that you take it out when feeding the frog. Moving the keeper around like this will stress a baby out and it will take longer for the frog to adjust.

2- Loud noise of any kind can easily startle a young frog and hence causeing it to not want to feed. You must be like a ninja when it comes to most new frogs that are adjusting. You need be as quiet as possible.

3- Patience!!! You must be patient. Do not give up just because it didn't take from tongs even if it fails to accept food from them 4 times. Keep trying.

4- Bright lights during feeding time. This will also include Infrared bulbs. These bulbs do not affect their day/night cycle, but they can see the light and if on to high it may disturb the frog since it is most likely not used to it. It needs to be dark because they are nocturnal or atleast dim enough to where you can see, but it still appears dark in the frog's enclosure.

Don't be so negative. I will also tell you that one cricket per night is nowhere near enough food for a young frog. They need as much nutrition as possible during this critical growth stage. How large are the crickets that you are offering?

Follow everything I have told you and everything should work out fine. Placing the eclosure's appearence above the frog's health is not the way to go. You can worry about how the frog's enclosure looks once you have it wrll established and in good health.

Don't take this the wrong way. I have offered my assitance and you don't want to follow it to the letter which in my opinion is contradictory when you ask for help.

Stay positive and keep me posted on its progress.

[WatchTimes]

Not negative at all, quite positive actually
Asking genuine questions only to try and make my frog as comfortable
as possible as I know being alone, flown across country and in a new home
has to be a little traumatic. Trying to figure out everything to get my frogs
permanent home set up right the first time and ready to go for when she is
ready for a new home.

Also I have followed your instructions to a tee
and the frog and keeper have not been moved into the big tank
yet as I know noise, sudden movements etc are not good.

Crickets are medium and as I said shes been eating them (I have been taking off back legs)

As for how I am offering the food.
I take the top off the keeper and then come back about 30 min later
I lightly mist the frog and let it sit a few more minutes.
(I know now to turn off the light I have on the keeper during this time)
I slowly bring the food a down a few inches in front of the frog, keeping the food
about 1/4 or 1/2 in off ground and slowly bring it towards the frog till it taps its nose
I will leave it there for about 30 seconds before going back about 3 in and starting the process again
I only do it for a couple minutes as I assumed Id be annoying/scaring it if I kept doing it?

I also know not to do any movement of the keeper till it starts eating well and is getting used
to being in our family.. If you look again all of my concerns have been in regard to having the
frog as comfortable as possible not me wanting it in a big tank because it looks cool as you imply.
I don't think the hermit crab heater (it states adds 5 deg) and the 50 w daylight basking spot keep
the frog warm enough seeing as my house is about 66 inside (if I had my way it would be 69-71
but the better half gets her way.)

So, while I have listened and do appreciate your help since you are so bothered by my posts I wont bother
all of you here again... Thanks to those who did help!

[GrifTheGreat]

Not negative at all, quite positive actually
Asking genuine questions only to try and make my frog as comfortable
as possible as I know being alone, flown across country and in a new home
has to be a little traumatic. Trying to figure out everything to get my frogs
permanent home set up right the first time and ready to go for when she is
ready for a new home.

Also I have followed your instructions to a tee
and the frog and keeper have not been moved into the big tank
yet as I know noise, sudden movements etc are not good.

Crickets are medium and as I said shes been eating them (I have been taking off back legs)

As for how I am offering the food.
I take the top off the keeper and then come back about 30 min later
I lightly mist the frog and let it sit a few more minutes.
(I know now to turn off the light I have on the keeper during this time)
I slowly bring the food a down a few inches in front of the frog, keeping the food
about 1/4 or 1/2 in off ground and slowly bring it towards the frog till it taps its nose
I will leave it there for about 30 seconds before going back about 3 in and starting the process again
I only do it for a couple minutes as I assumed Id be annoying/scaring it if I kept doing it?

I also know not to do any movement of the keeper till it starts eating well and is getting used
to being in our family.. If you look again all of my concerns have been in regard to having the
frog as comfortable as possible not me wanting it in a big tank because it looks cool as you imply.
I don't think the hermit crab heater (it states adds 5 deg) and the 50 w daylight basking spot keep
the frog warm enough seeing as my house is about 66 inside (if I had my way it would be 69-71
but the better half gets her way.)

So, while I have listened and do appreciate your help since you are so bothered by my posts I wont bother
all of you here again... Thanks to those who did help!

The only part that bothered me is that you asked here then went to Pacman USA on Facebook and asked the same questions again to me and my wife individually and then returned here with the same questions again. You have to understand that in you doing that back and forth makes me think you don't follow the instructions given. I am just trying to help you nothing more.

These frogs love confined hiding places and will seek them out. This is why they do well in small enclosures while they mature. If you take offense to my reply then you are over reacting. I understand that you want different opinions because there is a lot of misleading information out there.

Do you have the sides of the keeper covered with some sort of background so that the frog cannot see out?

Add a small fake plant for comfort anf hiding.

If you are following my advice to the letter then all you need to do is wait for the frog to adjust.

Keep up what you are doing and keep offering food from tongs. Even drop the crickets from tongs so the frog can see. Eventually they make the connection that tongs=food.