Feeding in habitat vs feeding outside of habitat

[newrkv]

Question, since I'm new to the fun little world of WTF's

Is it better to feed in habitat and let them hunt their food, or is it better to hand feed them outside of their habitat?

The substrate is the loose coconut fiber substrate, adn I have read a few places, including here, that if they ingest any substrate, it is highly dangerous for their digestive system. I have been feeding them in tank, and noticed once already that they have gotten a mouth full of substrate. Thankfully, he seems smart enough that he was wiping most of it off his face and from around his mouth, realizing it wasn't a cricket.

Thank you all!

sidenote, it is quite funny watching them hunt at night in their habitat. They are sneaky little things! lol

[kueluck]

I tong eat freshly dusted bugs to make sure they all get "dosed" and I prefer to use the bowl method but on occasional I let some free runners go for the thrill of the hunt. Ingestion of a small amount of eco earth occasionally is fine. "They" claim it's safe for ingestion, but I'm real paranoid about consumption of anything that isn't food. On the bowl, if I place it in the viv empty they will sit in it or on it waiting for dinner to be served. They crack me up.

[GreenTree]

Im also paranoid about that stuff like gail is. I dont trust that claim its safe for ingestion either. Nothing wrong with sticking to a moist paper towel or moist cloth bottom anyway and change it out daily or every other day. Its also much easier to monitor fecal matter for proper digestion that way anway. I hand fed my whites. But the babies didnt do that so my cloth bottom worked perfectly and safely.

[newrkv]

I think I will feed them outside habitat. That does make me think though, I know it comes naturally to them to want to hunt down there food as soon as they see it. How will they get that natural drive fulfilled in their habitat if they are not being fed in there and going after their food themselves? I want to try and make it as natural for them as can be, even though they are indoors and living in a MUCH smaller version of their wild environment.

[kueluck]

This is one of the reason why I switched my WTF viv to core mat. I can do "free runners" without worry, but I still prefer the bowl method.


exo terra 36x18x36

[newrkv]

That looks nice gail. How easy is it to clean? I prefer the more natural look, but it seems like it is more dangerous for them. I have the coconut fiber and moss to have that natural look. Do people successfully maintain the natural look without having impacted frogs?

[kueluck]

VERY easy to keep clean. I have a few other tanks that are fully planted, this is my only "fake" one, but the real drift wood helps and I might add a few potted plants if I find the perfect pot. As for other keepers, all I can say is I do see alot of thread with impaction in it. If you want natural you'll need to bowl or tong feed.

[PEatMoSS101]

where bouts you get your core mat from ?

[kueluck]

Any hydroponic supply store will carry it.

where bouts you get your core mat from ?

[PEatMoSS101]

thanks ill look into it