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Thread: Beginner needs some help!

  1. #1
    GardenLover34
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    Question Beginner needs some help!

    Hello all, I am new and so happy to be here. I was gifted three little dart frogs a few days ago -- I think they are all Auratus from the wandering I've done around the internets, and they're young - pretty small. About the size of nickels...one is a little bigger. Anyway, we set them all up and all seems good, but I am having a hard time figuring out the fruit flies.

    Three days ago, we went to the pet store and bought a fruit fly culture -- apparently a new one -- and dusted/fed most of the flies in there (probably 20 or so) to the frogs. They ate them all. There are still a couple of other flies in the culture, but I wasn't sure if there need to be flies in there for the culture to grow more.

    So, yesterday I woke up and misted the frogs and they all hopped out -- looking pretty expectant to be fed, it appears. Except -- no flies but for the two in the culture. So I went back to the pet store and asked about it. They assured me the culture would grow more, more than enough to feed the frogs, and that the eggs were already part of the media. I bought another new culture (and ordered some culturing stuff off the internet so I can figure out how to grow my own) and again, fed the frogs probably twelve flies after dusting them. Again, they eat them as soon as they spot them.

    They seem hungry. I asked the clerk at the store and he said they feed the frogs about four flies a day, each. Is this about the correct amount? Seems like they'd need more than that.

    So, now I have TWO new and prepared fruit fly cultures from the pet store, each with a few flies in there - and three frogs staring at me expectantly. How soon should the cultures begin producing more flies? The temperature is correct in the house, about 75, and the cultures look clean and not moldy. I don't know what to do about feeding the frogs today, though. I was thinking about going to Petco and seeing if they have the flies or pinhead crickets...

    So basically, I need some help with the cultures. Am I doing something wrong? The clerk at the store looked at me like I had two heads when I asked him, saying fruit flies have an incredibly fast life cycle...yes, I know, but there are not more flies appearing.

    How often and how much do these frogs need to eat? I've been reading and reading on the internet, and would love to hear some first hand advice. The frogs appear very healthy and active...they're hopping all around the aquarium.

    Any help would be much appreciated! Thanks in advance!

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  3. #2
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    Default Re: Beginner needs some help!

    Hello and welcome to FF! 4 fruit fly's a day for an adult Dart ? IMO they are given them just enough food to go by . Well, although I'm not done dealing with my vivarium for little frogs research; do have collected some good information. Take a look at this couple articles and see if they help: Frog Forum - Culturing Livefood for your Dartfrogs; Frog Forum - Fruit Fly Culture Lid Modification; and Frog Forum - Fruit Fly Culturing, Care and Feeding - Everything you need to know about Drosophila. Suggest do get them more food while cultures start producing. Do post pics of your little ones and good luck !
    Remember to take care of the enclosure and it will take care of your frog !​

  4. #3
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    Default Re: Beginner needs some help!

    Hi there garden lover,

    Welcome to frog forum. You're going to love your frogs. They are so comical and fun! Carlos gave you great reading material. I just wanted to add one thing. Don't forget to use a calcium and vitamin supplement. I personally use Repashy calcium and vitamin supplement. Just put a little pinch into a cup, add your flies and swirl like mad to coat. Then feed out like you normally do. Once you start feeling comfortable with culturing fruit flies, you can look into the other options ( e.g., springtails, Isopods).
    Best of luck to you. Nice to see a fellow gardener on the forum. Take care,

    Judy

  5. #4
    GardenLover34
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    Default Re: Beginner needs some help!

    Thanks so much for the advice! Frogs are still healthy and active...I think I'm starting to get the hang of the fruit flies. I started some cultures a week ago and now there are visible larvae(?) - looking like little grains of rice?

    I read through the links - they were really helpful, thank you. One other question -- how long do I need to keep adult flies in the cultures? Do I keep all the adults in there to keep reproducing, or do you usually feed out the adults once the larvae start appearing? Not sure if I need to leave them all in there to keep reproducing. I have four different cultures going, started a week apart.

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