First time frog owner. Questions about care: temperature and lack of appetite

[ancestral0stars]

I got my baby pixie a few days ago. This is my first frog and therefore know only what information I could find online. I have read the care sheet as well as many posts going a long way back. At this point I am getting a little confused because I have read so many contradictory things. Hopefully this wonderful forum can help me out.

Enclosure:

1 baby pixie frog of unknown sex from underground reptiles.

20 gallon aquarium with one of those metal grate reptile cage tops and a led light strip that is actually able to be used entirely immersed. I figured that way it wouldnt be bothered by misting etc.

Eco earth, small water dish with spring water, a Big random rock, fake vine

Feeding:

Available locally I grabbed some crickets, meal worms and wax worms. I will be able to get a bigger variety in the future.

I fed him as much as he would eat in 15 min for the first two days which he hungrily took. But today he has had zero interest in food whatsoever.



Questions:

Ok so the temp thing confuses me. I understand that they want something in the 78 degree range but Ive read lots of places that no heat should be provided because they are amphibians and they are constantly struggling to not dry out. It is why they burrow to get cooler. The room is probably ambient 70 or so. Summers in the nw are mild. Is it possible he is too cold and that is why he doesnt want to eat? I wouldnt worry if it were bigger because they only eat every 2-3 days but he/she is just a baby.


I am allowing the wax worms and meal worms to transform because I imagine moths and beetles are healthier than the worms?

Do you think eco earth irritates them more than mud/dirt would? The little guy is always trying to clean himself off. Should I switch to soil?

Thank you=)

[Mentat]

Hello and welcome to FF! The enclosure is too cold and probably that is why frog's appetite is gone. The frog needs the proper temps to digest food and in the long term; lower temperatures will do permanent damage to frog. Myself keep ABFs in the low to mid 80'sF during day and no lower than 75F in Winter at nights. That temp should be read a couple in. above ground level where frog lives. An LED light provides little to no heat. A 60W ceramic heat emitter (CHE) in a dome fixture with dimmer from Flukers or similar works well to heat the enclosure. Another option is to use red incandescent light bulbs. You might need to cover most of the screen top with aluminum foil to retain heat and humidity if room is in low 70's.

Shredded coco should be mixed with dechlorinated tap until slightly damp (clumps in fist but does not drip water out). Dry substrate could affect the frog appetite too. The water dish should be cleaned & changed daily with dechlorinated tap even if it looks clean. Mist the enclosure 2X daily to keep substrate damp and humidity 70-80%.

You need to use supplements with food; more info on that in here: http://www.frogforum.net/food-feeder...schedules.html. Crickets should be smaller than distance between frog's eyes and gut loaded with carrots, lettuce, and cherios cereal 24-48 hours before feeding frog. Not dyed night crawlers from Walmart or local bait shop are the best food for your frog. You can cut them from pointy end mouth size for babies, frog's body length for 2-3 in. juvies, and whole for larger frogs. Mealworms and similar beetle larva worms should be used sparingly if at all. They are high in fat and their chitinous skin makes them very hard to digest and an impaction hazard. Feed frog daily until your it reaches around 3.5 in.; then when it shows decreased appetite feed every other day.

Hope this helps, recommend read the GABF care guide again, and good luck !

[ancestral0stars]

Wow thank you for the info. I will go to the store today and get him something to keep warm. I will also wet the substrate and get proper food etc. Poor frog must be so uncomfortable due to my newbie mistakes. Thanks for setting me right=)

[ancestral0stars]

Ok so I bought a 60 watt heating coil and a 100 watt dome with dimmer switch (The 60 watt dome didnt have a switch). I got a temp/humidity gauge. And a cricket keeper so that I can gut load them before feeding. Also got night crawlers. I hope this helps the little one. We have officially named him Ebil Frogbit the 3rd lol.