Noob In Need of a Frog!

[GrifTheGreat]

So I love Craigslist, lol. I picked up four tanks (3 ten gallons, 1 five gallon) with lids and in good shape for $25. Awesome. However, they look like they've probably been in the guy's garage or shed for about five years. I got all the dust and cobwebs and everything cleaned out using just plain water since everything says not to use cleaners on the tanks, but I didn't know if there was something I could use as a general disinfectant of some sort? They were previously used to house geckos and a tarantula. I'm aiming to pick up two frogs this Saturday at Repticon, so tips on that would be appreciated before then if possible. Thanks!

You can use a 10% bleach to water solution to disinfect them. Just be sure to rinse them really well and dry them. Make sure no bleach fumes remain. You can also buy a great product made by Zoo Med called Wipe Out 1. You can also use white vineger which also has to be rinsed well and no odor to remain.

[Edisons 10K]

Thank you, Grif. Always so quick with the advice. I love it. Can I ask a quick question on dechlorination? Is it better to get something from the store for that, or I've seen lots of sites that say to either just leave the water out in the sun for awhile or boil it?

[GrifTheGreat]

Thank you, Grif. Always so quick with the advice. I love it. Can I ask a quick question on dechlorination? Is it better to get something from the store for that, or I've seen lots of sites that say to either just leave the water out in the sun for awhile or boil it?

Letting it set for 48 hours will allow chlorine to evaporate, BUT chlorimines do not leave the water nor do heavy metals. It is best to buy a dechlorinating agent like ReptiSafe by Zoo Med or Prime by Seachem.

[Edisons 10K]

Hey gang!

Just wanted to post an update and ask another question.

Both frogs seem to be sticking to their original personality types. I moved Mason into a bigger tank (I only had one big tank and one small when I got them, so now he's happily been transferred to a 10 gallon). He's still a little powerhouse when he goes after food. He doesn't try to bite me anymore when I have to pick him up, but he still clearly isn't happy with the handling, so I try to leave him alone as much as possible. I don't see him as much during the day anymore because he's discovered his love of burrowing in the larger tank, but I know he's out and about at night because sometimes in the morning it'll look like a gopher's been all up in there, lol.

Georgia, true to how she's been from the start, is lazy as ever. She could care less if I pick her up (or at least that's how she acts). She's the one I have a question about. While she'll go after her food without an issue as long as it comes wandering in her direction, she doesn't ever seem to move out of her half-assed hole unless I nudge her out. Basically that means if the bugs don't happen to cross her path (and by that I mean they have to be literally right in front of her face for her to catch them. If they aren't close enough she'll sort of open her mouth as if she's making an attempt to go after them without having to actually move her body to reach them), or if I don't feed her with the tongs/herd the crickets in her direction, she won't eat. I was trying to see if she'd eventually go "hunting" on her own if I didn't help her out so she wouldn't be so dependent on me feeding her, but I fear she'll starve herself before she crawls out of that hole without some guidance. Now I don't mind it if I have to personally see to her meals every time, but I do worry that she isn't exercising her legs. Is there something I should be doing to encourage her to move around without stressing her out? I don't want her to be all underdeveloped just because she wants to sit around all day and night doing nothing and just hoping a cricket is dumb enough to walk across her nose.

[Bedore]

Hey gang!

Just wanted to post an update and ask another question.

Both frogs seem to be sticking to their original personality types. I moved Mason into a bigger tank (I only had one big tank and one small when I got them, so now he's happily been transferred to a 10 gallon). He's still a little powerhouse when he goes after food. He doesn't try to bite me anymore when I have to pick him up, but he still clearly isn't happy with the handling, so I try to leave him alone as much as possible. I don't see him as much during the day anymore because he's discovered his love of burrowing in the larger tank, but I know he's out and about at night because sometimes in the morning it'll look like a gopher's been all up in there, lol.

Georgia, true to how she's been from the start, is lazy as ever. She could care less if I pick her up (or at least that's how she acts). She's the one I have a question about. While she'll go after her food without an issue as long as it comes wandering in her direction, she doesn't ever seem to move out of her half-assed hole unless I nudge her out. Basically that means if the bugs don't happen to cross her path (and by that I mean they have to be literally right in front of her face for her to catch them. If they aren't close enough she'll sort of open her mouth as if she's making an attempt to go after them without having to actually move her body to reach them), or if I don't feed her with the tongs/herd the crickets in her direction, she won't eat. I was trying to see if she'd eventually go "hunting" on her own if I didn't help her out so she wouldn't be so dependent on me feeding her, but I fear she'll starve herself before she crawls out of that hole without some guidance. Now I don't mind it if I have to personally see to her meals every time, but I do worry that she isn't exercising her legs. Is there something I should be doing to encourage her to move around without stressing her out? I don't want her to be all underdeveloped just because she wants to sit around all day and night doing nothing and just hoping a cricket is dumb enough to walk across her nose.

Hey Alex. Meet JP. JP sits in that spot for weeks. The only time JP moves is when I remove him for bathing, cleaning, etc. He hardly ever sits in his water dish. Like your frog, JP is very lazy. If I nudge him out of his hole (to spot check for poop) he will be right back in his spot in no time at all. These frogs are extremely lazy like this. My frog used to jump all over the place for crickets when he was younger, but now he just sits and waits for me to feed him. I like to tong feed him because I can monitor his diet and make sure he is getting the right amount of vitamins, calcium, etc. No doubt my tong feeding him is why he doesn't move much for food but I prefer to tong feed him so he doesn't eat any substrate. His aim is terrible and he used to get mouthfuls of substrate when he was younger. Luckily there were no impaction issues but I wised up and began tong feeding him. I would say it's normal behavior and if they get hungry enough they will eventually move but they are sit and wait predators and in the wild they are opportunists and they wait for food to jump right by them and within striking range, so I doubt you will see too many actually pursue potential food. I could be wrong though, but this is based on my own observations.

On the other hand he really enjoys hornworms and will sometimes go out of his way to eat them. As for exercising their legs, they use them to dig holes and burrow into the substrate so I don't think you'll have any problems with her legs. And so long as you continue to provide the right amount of vitamins/calcium she will not be underdeveloped. In conclusion, these frogs are not very active (although each frog is different) so I suspect you won't have any issues with her staying in one spot all the time....it's what they like to do. I wouldn't bother moving her except when you absolutely have to. Mine hates to be handled. Perhaps some of the usual folks on here with more experience can chime in too...as reassurance is good and so is correcting bad information.

[Edisons 10K]

Good news! The red light lamp hooked to the thermostat works splendidly! We held around 81 degrees all night. It dries out the humidity a little faster, but that's not that big a deal. It just means I'll have to mist down the enclosures a little more. I also got the kids some little plant things that they're enjoying sitting under. Hoorah, happy frogs!

Two things I've also learned:

A) Georgie kind of sucks at catching her own food, lol. She's very lazy. She seems to think that if she sits there and opens her mouth in the direction of the cricket that it's just going to hop right on in there. She's much better with the tong feeding, and she still doesn't seem to mind if I need to handle her a little. Hoorah for mellow frog!

B) Mason is a little machine! He goes after crickets like it's nobodies business! On the flipside, he hates being handled. I needed to move him out of his water dish so I could clean it, and he did that thing like my lizards used to do when they were first getting used to being held: "I'm going to open my mouth in anticipation of one your digits accidentally slipping in there, after which I fully intend on biting you!" He also peed on me, lol. He's definitely going to be my "look, but don't touch unless absolutely necessary" frog.

[GrifTheGreat]

Good news! The red light lamp hooked to the thermostat works splendidly! We held around 81 degrees all night. It dries out the humidity a little faster, but that's not that big a deal. It just means I'll have to mist down the enclosures a little more. I also got the kids some little plant things that they're enjoying sitting under. Hoorah, happy frogs!

Two things I've also learned:

A) Georgie kind of sucks at catching her own food, lol. She's very lazy. She seems to think that if she sits there and opens her mouth in the direction of the cricket that it's just going to hop right on in there. She's much better with the tong feeding, and she still doesn't seem to mind if I need to handle her a little. Hoorah for mellow frog!

B) Mason is a little machine! He goes after crickets like it's nobodies business! On the flipside, he hates being handled. I needed to move him out of his water dish so I could clean it, and he did that thing like my lizards used to do when they were first getting used to being held: "I'm going to open my mouth in anticipation of one your digits accidentally slipping in there, after which I fully intend on biting you!" He also peed on me, lol. He's definitely going to be my "look, but don't touch unless absolutely necessary" frog.

Just wait until he no longer waits with his mouth open, but full on lunges for your hand Lol! Oh and there isn't much room for escape either because their tongue is very sticky and it will pull them onto your hand to be bitten. No escape Lol!!