best lights for frogs and plants

[elery]

id really like my viv to thrive, and id like to get the lighting right the first time around, i want a compact top of some sort, maybe exo terra? but im really not 100% sure what i should be getting, and what bulbs, and if i need some type of heating, i have spotted marsh froglets, and i know u don't need heating for them but it does get very coldin winter so i would like something to warm the tank a bit around this time. ive heard water heater??? would help with this if this is true what type?? id like to keep this cheap as i can but id like to also do it right.

also i think i got the wrong tank... i got a urs medium one. it has slight plastic mesh at the top half of the sides, i thought it was right kind but now i see everyone's does not have this, is having the mesh a problem? i guess i could seal it up with some cling wrap or something as a temp seal, but i thought the air getting in would be nice for the frogs, than i thought gee it might wreck the humidity.
anyhow any advice would be great.

also does anyone know a good place to buy online in australia wood and such. I've found alot of pet shops have a few things but really not that much for frogs.

[Mentat]

Hello Elery and welcome to FF. You need to set your country (Australia right?) because that will help members tailor their answers to it. Although I do not agree with all info in this care sheet; it's pretty good overall: http://frogs.org.au/x/media/cs-limnodynastes.pdf. Please read it and also this one: Frog Forum - Leopard Frog Care - Rana pipiens (Schreber, 1782) and R. sphenocephala (1886). That should get you the basics to help care properly for the froglets.

Points I differ on first article is that you always use conditioner to remove stable chloramines and heavy metals; other than palm peat can use shredded coconut coir (ExoTerra's Plantation Soil); no gravel in tank or smaller stones the frog could swallow; and alternate use of CA and vitamin supplemental dustings (not on same day). Going to make breakfast now; will check here after eating for any specific questions not covered in linked articles. Good luck !

[elery]

Thankyou so much for your answer , i so far think i am doing pretty good and how id like to set up their tank is very much what it says to do. yay so i am on the right track,

do you know about the urs tanks. i have URS TERRARIUM 60X40X45CM - MEDIUM but its got the mesh stuff at the top of side, is this bad for frogs? i keep seeing only ones with all glass. now i'm sure i got wrong type, and i have no idea with urs ones if u can change the meshy stuff to glass, but from what i can see so far i cant see how its possible.

[deranged chipmunk]

you only need to cover the screen if your humidity is not where it should be. then you can have a piece of glass cut and place it over the screen. you don't necessarily need to replace the screen, just laying the glass (or plexiglass if you prefer) on top of the screen.

[elery]

thanks for the idea, i am thinking of making a wall of some sort for each side, so will close it up alot from doing this, im not really sure what heat or humidity etc should be. my frog i thought was a spotted marsh frog, but now its older it looks alot like a striped marsh frog, on the care sheets i have read they do not say a exact temp humidity it should be so just dont know, i just keep misting when i walk past here n their but atm have no idea what my hydrometer etc does and should be at..

[guilletto]

I think ReptiGlo 2.0 is a very good light. I would include a infrared heat bulb if you want to heat up the environment (I don't know about water heater)

[Mentat]

...but now its older it looks alot like a striped marsh frog, on the care sheets i have read they do not say a exact temp humidity it should be so just dont know, i just keep misting when i walk past here n their but atm have no idea what my hydrometer etc does and should be at..

Both spotted and stripped marsh frogs have similar requirements. Yes, humidity needs are not specified, so guess less important than water needs. Those frogs do require a large water area (not dish) around 1/2 the enclosure to swim. You can set this water area by making a low barrier using a piece of glass and aquarium silicone glue.

If you need help doing that, go to African Bullfrog section and look for threads that describe partial water enclosures and include pics. It's not too complicated and should work, as long as your enclosure is designed to hold water, at least a few inches of it.

Remember to change this dechlorinated water often, and even daily if you do not provide a filter. These frogs do not like currents so a strong filter should be avoided or outlet can be pointed away from swim area. A couple non-sharp rocks or turtle shelf can provide a resting place in the water and a ramp up to the land area of the tank. Good luck !