given wrong advice

[daydreaming]

hi, i went to my local pet shop where i was given information that i realise is now so very wrong. short of it is i ended up buying a tank exo terra 45x45x60 with all the accessories included and after a week i went back with my daughter to pick up some tree frogs.

this is where it all goes wrong, i was told i could keep 4 frogs and we choose 4 but we picked up what turns out to be a Tanzanian tiger legged tree frog (was told it was something else)and also also 3 whites tree frogs (one of which is a light blue colour).

the whites have an amazing appetite which i try to control by feeding every 2-3 days which i was told to do.

the tank temp rancges from 70-75 day time and 65 at night.

for humidity i mist twice a day and i also have a fogger which i use in the evening when i am at home as i have sometimes found that the water can get very hot (i think i have now sorted this problem). i do try and keep the humidity up but sometimes its difficult. roughly ranges between 50-70

my problems are i dont have the money to buy a new tank to seperate the tiger legged tree frog and i have found i have to copy the red eye tree frogs for care etc.

i also have not witnessed the tiger legged tree frog eat, i do go to bed about 10pm and i feed them every night between 8.30 and 9pm. im just worried that i havent been able to see him eat.

what can i do to make him happy until i can sort out another tank.

i realise i should have read up before hand but the person giving me all the information at the pet shop just seemed to know everything (which i have complained to the shops managment and also the local animal centres).

[Kurt]

What you can do is buy a ten gallon aquarium and a screen top to go with it or a plastic critter keeper of the appropriate size. If there is a cheap way to do things, I usually find it. Most pet store people don't know ****.



I am not familiar with the name Tanzanian tiger-legged treefrog, so I Googled it and found the picture below. Is this your frog? If so, this is a Kassina maculata, and it is a member of the family Hyperoliidae, reed and African treefrogs. Unlike most of it's brethren, it is terrestrial rather than arboreal. It is also quite toxic, so it definetely should not be housed with other frogs other than its own kind.

[daydreaming]

thats my guy alright, just concerned he may be suffering and there is no way im taking him back but i will be taking your advice whats the care for him do i follow the red eye care info

and thank you so much

[Billy]

Yeah, most pet stores don't know jack. I hear most employees telling customers that pacmans NEED to eat rodents, even as froglets and that they do BEST on such a diet. A shop that I got my P. edulis from told me and another customer that it also needed to eat all rodents, and that the obeisity(sorry can't spell) is a sign of a healthy frog. The other customer was going to buy him, but I spoke up first so he could live atleast a few years longer on a proper diet. It's now eating mainly earthworms, and no rodents.
It's amazing how well you can do things when it's done the cheap way.
That's a very pretty frog.

[Kurt]

thats my guy alright, just concerned he may be suffering and there is no way im taking him back but i will be taking your advice whats the care for him do i follow the red eye care info and thank you so much

No, red-eyes are a different ball game all together. I have never kept this species before. After looking at that picture, I am surprised that I haven't kept any before.

I guess you could keep him like you would for a toad or other terrestrial frog. I keep my toads, tomato frogs, and rubber frogs on a bed of sphagnum moss. I provide a shallow water dish and a place to hide. All have screen tops or live in critter keepers, but I am not sure it makes that much of a difference. It does with arboreal types, as they need good ventilation.

[Billy]

By the way Kurt, how toxic are they? Are they up there with the Darts, or more along the lines of a larger Bufo?

[Kurt]

Not sure. I read some where that they were and should not be housed with other species.

[daydreaming]

i have just read that they are very shy and reserved but havent found the temp and humidity yet.
one site just said in there care sheet to put them on a bed of newspaper i think i may stay away from that site.

he is gorgous also goes by the name tiger legged tree frog. just heard a recording of their song (sounds like a high pitch tap dripping).

thank you so much guys you have been fantastic with all your help

[Kurt]

You're welcome.

[Billy]

Not sure. I read some where that they were and should not be housed with other species.

Hmmm... interesting. I love toxic animals, they kinda match my personallity. If you find out before me, let me know.

Kurt did more to help, but if I helped in any way, you're welcome

[daydreaming]

so far all i have found it that they are very shy creatures i havent found much out on the toxic levels or on the care of them but from other sites people have said they dont really tend to see their ones so im actually thinking maybe his not as bad as i thought and apparently they are quite hardy but i dont really want to test that theory.

funny thing is one of the whites tree frogs always sits on his head in the corner where they both perch or basically lays on top of him i get worried his being squished. now i know he can kill the others i dont feel as sorry for him any more

[pillipala]

how can they have mixed that frog up with a white's?
they don't look anything like that - well, i guess they can camoflage a bit but that frog's legs are seriously cool.

by the way, what is that frog at the top of the forum? The third one.

[daydreaming]

Kassina maculata

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Red-legged running frog
Conservation status

Least Concern (IUCN 3.1)

Scientific classificationKingdom:Animalia
Phylum:Chordata
Class:Amphibia
Order:Anura
Family:Hyperoliidae
Genus:Kassina
Species:K. maculata
Binomial nameKassina maculata
(Duméril, 1853)

The Red-legged running frog (Kassina maculata) is a frog species of the Hyperoliidae family. They are silvery grey with dark brown to black spots, and derive their name from bright red coloring on the ventral side of their hind legs. Adult body length is typically 6 to 7.5 centimeters. Other common names include brown-spotted tree frog, red-legged Kassina, red-legged pan frog, spotted running frog, tiger leg running frog, and Vlei frog.
Contents

[hide]

• <LI class=toclevel-1>1 Habitat <LI class=toclevel-1>2 Behavior <LI class=toclevel-1>3 As Pets
• 4 References

[edit] Habitat

K. maculata is endemic to the tropical and sub-tropical areas of Africa's east coast (Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, South Africa, Swaziland, Tanzania, and Zimbabwe). The frog thrives in varying terrain including shrubland, grassland, savannah, and forest as long as there exists a ready source of fresh water or high humidity.

[edit] Behavior

Red-legged running frogs are nocturnal, and therefore somewhat elusive to humans - preferring to burrow under loose soil or vegetation during the day. At night they take to climbing trees and tall shrubs to feed mainly on a diet of insects and insect larvae.

[edit] As Pets

Because they are nocturnal and do require a significantly moist environment (80% relative humidity is recommended), they are not as common a pet as other species of frog. However, being rather hardy and robust, they do survive well under appropriate basic conditions. A source of UV light is not required, and ambient temperature of 72 to 77 °F (22 to 25 °C) is sufficient. Both a thermometer and hygrometer should be present. Moss or coconut fiber should be used as substrate for burrowing, with both wet and dry ground areas within the enclosure. A basin or bowl of clean, fresh water is necessary. Misting of fresh water should occur twice a day at the wet end of the tank. Plants (real or artificial) should be present for climbing. A diet of live crickets, mealworms, or flies is appropriate, and size of food should be limited to the width of the space between the frog's eyes.

this is the only good information i can find. apparently they do best when just left alone i cant find toxic levels but its recommended to use gloves when handling

[tattooed81]

They recommend gloves for handling FBT`s also but I`m a mechanic I have had way worse things on my hands

[Kerry1968]

Hello Daydreaming,
I have 2 cousins of your frog, kassina senegalensis. Mine are quite shy too, I house them in a 2 and half foot tank which I divided into two halves with a piece of plastic siliconed into place. Half is dry compost, half is part boggy compost part water.
One thing I will say is that they like to hide, I have some PVC pipe buried in the substrate (with the ends open) and this is where they spend the majority of the time. I also made a little cave by digging a dip in the compost and placing a piece of slate on top, this is another favourite hiding spot.
Make sure any water area is easy to get out of, don't know if it's just my two, but they seem a little lacking in the brains department and will try for ages to climb out a slope that's too steep! I've solved this by making a gentle ramp from gravel so they find their way out, bless them! Obviously if it's a water bowl you have just make sure they can reach the lip of it easily. Would love to see photos of your frogs, I have some photos of my set-up on the forum here somewhere, I think in the introductions.