Trying to make my terrarium as best as possible..help?

[Kurt]

I'm having problems keeping the humidity up so I'm thinking about getting an ultrasonic fogger or waterfall of some sort but I'm not sure. I read they need 90% humidity and I live in Kansas.. it's super dry here most of the time.

90% seems a little bit excessive to me. I have had my green treefrog for five years now and I never monitored the humidity in its critter keeper. My is picture in one of my albums and in Steve Grenard's book "Frog and Toads Your Happy, Healthy Pet" 2nd ed.

[xkatelynell]

Yeah I was assuming it was too high, I keep them at about 75% humidity does that sound about right to you? The moss I bought was what told me the humidity level, but I found out the hard way that I bought the very low grade moss so I wouldn't doubt it if it had the wrong information on it.

Kurt - Since you're the 'tree frog guru' I was wondering what bedding is best for them in your opinion? Right now I have them on repti bark because that's all I had in my house at the time of finding out the moss was molding.

All of your help is greatly appreciated. Thank you!

[Tropicok]

Hey there, Kansas girl, that's where I come from originally. Do you find it difficult to talk to other frog keepers where you live? Thanks heavens for forums like this.

[xkatelynell]

I haven't found a frog keeper here Not one. Besides the mega store petsmart, petco, petland type places I haven't found anyone that even carries frogs. I'm sooo happy I came across this forum. I joined pangea, the reptile forum like this, and realized that out there, there HAD to be a frog one.. and here I am! Haha.

[John]

If you live near Wichita, Sedgwick County Zoo is well worth a visit. The Curator of Amphibians, Reptiles and Fishes is a close friend of mine and he's an amphibian nut (as evidenced by the newts and salamanders he has at home).

[Kurt]

Mine is on coconut bedding. I am now in the process of applying leaf litter to as many enclosures as I can and eventually my green treefrog's substrate will get a layer of it. I am using "live" oak leaves available from Josh's Frogs. These leaves do not compost too quickly, as the oak leaves I find in my yard do. Neither leaf looks like the other.

I also use sphagnum in a lot of enclosures too. In some case in conjunction with coconut bedding. Both substrate types can be used to grow plants in. My dart frog enclosure is a good example of this. Both substrate types are used together over a false bottom with a layer of LECA for drainage. On top of the substrate is a layer of "live" oak leaves. There are two bromeliads, some oak leaf ficus, a few ferns, and anubias planted in this substrate. The humidity is kept at 80%, but for some reason last night it has dropped to 65%. Have to figure out why and fix it.

For your frog 75% humidity is fine.

[xkatelynell]

John - I live quite a way from Witchita but maybe if I feel like road tripping some day I'll do that. Sounds like a really good idea. So thanks for mentioning that

Kurt - You got me lost in all your frog talk o.o haha but I appreciate all that info I need to get dirt basically and my humidity is okay is what I got from all of that I need to go to the petstore sometime soon anyway so I'll pick up some coconut bedding and see if I can't order some of that leaf stuff from Josh's Frogs.

My frogs seem to be a lot happier now that that moss is out of there! They apparently weren't fans. They're being more social again and not hiding as much.

Thanks again everyone for all the help. Be prepared for 934798348734 more questions

[Kurt]

I guess I lost you with the false bottom. See the red-eyed care article to see how to build one. Link on the left.

[xkatelynell]

I know what false bottoms are I just am not 100% sure really how to make them.. no matter how many times I read them they just lose me

I'm just glad that the blocking of a little ventilation made my humidity more stable and what not.

Thanks