Food for Kassinas?

[Kerry1968]

Hello, I've read somewhere about giving frogs variety in their diet, but so far I've only fed mine crickets. I feed the crickets veg, fruit, leftover wheat based cereal and fish flakes, so the crickets have a variety! Would this be sufficient for the frogs? Also is there a problem in putting lots of small crickets in the tank with the frogs so they can eat at their leisure? I read somewhere that if there are lots of crickets they might bite the frogs, is this true?
I have earthworms in the tank with them, but they're mostly too big and the frogs have shown no interest when the worms are on the surface of the substrate anyway.
I've tried defrosted bloodworms by hand, but again, no interest. The frogs are still too shy to feed from my hand. Can I put the blood worms in a small dish? I know defrosted blood worms 'go off' quickly in the axies tank, I would worry about leaving them for any length of time in the warmer frog tank.
Should they be eating a more varied diet? What should I try? Would mealworms be a good choice? Would you put mealworms in a dish to stop them crawling round the tank? I know with axolotls mealworms need to have their head crushed before feeding to the axie, is it the same with frogs? I don't think my two will eat anything that's not moving, they seem to hunt by movement alone.
Also should the crickets be dusted with calcium? As I don't hand feed the frogs, I don't know how much calcium they would actually get as the crickets can live in the tank for a few days before getting eaten.

Sorry for so many questions, there's not much info out there with regard looking after Kassinas.

[Kurt]

I've tried defrosted bloodworms by hand, but again, no interest.

Most frogs will not eat any thing that is not moving. I watch my frogs all the time, I see them tracking prey all the time. If the prey stops moving, the frog will lose interest and move on. Its like the prey all of a sudden became invisible when it ceased to move.

Should they be eating a more varied diet? What should I try? Would mealworms be a good choice? Would you put mealworms in a dish to stop them crawling round the tank? I know with axolotls mealworms need to have their head crushed before feeding to the axie, is it the same with frogs? I don't think my two will eat anything that's not moving, they seem to hunt by movement alone.

Mealworms are high in calories, but sadly the are high in chitin as well. Too much chitin in a frogs diet can cause gastrointestinal impaction. Also you don't need to crush the mealworms when feeding them to a frog. So feed them sparingly.

Also should the crickets be dusted with calcium? As I don't hand feed the frogs, I don't know how much calcium they would actually get as the crickets can live in the tank for a few days before getting eaten.

Yes, dust the crickets with calcium, as well as vitamins A & D3. If you feed less crickets at a time, that will assure that the dustings are less likely to go to waste.

Sorry for so many questions, there's not much info out there with regard looking after Kassinas.

Its OK, thats what we are here for.

[Kerry1968]

Thanks Kurt, I guess I thought the varied diet the crickets have would be enough. I read somewhere that you can use ground down cuttlefish (like budgies use) to put calcium in or on your crickets. With the rest of the food the crickets get would this cover everything needed?
How long can you keep mealworms for, if I'm only to offer them occasionally? And how d'you store them?

[daydreaming]

i have tried mealworms as the shop i bought the frogs from were being fed them but since i have got them they point blank refuse to even look at them.

I feed them crickets and locust.


I feed up the crickets a gutloaded pro formula that i got off the internet and i have a calcium powder. with the calcium powder i use one of the smal plastic bags that you get from supermarkets to put veg or fruit in as they have no holes and i put in a couple of spoonfuls of the calcium powder, shake until they are all covered and then put them in the fridge for about 10 mins as this slows the crickets down and i feed them late at night about 9pm every 2-3 days and the frogs stalk them its great to watch. i have also found that if i spray their tank 20 mins before feeding the frogs seem to know whats coming and they all sit in their feeding spots.maybe this would help also get them into a routine and help to hand feed them in the future, esp if they are shy but routine is good with most animals.

if im not feeding them i tend to mist them earlier in the afternoon so they dont start giving me evil looks.

[Kerry1968]

Thanks for the tips on feeding, I'll try that, I think perhaps I'm feeding my two too many crickets too often. If I reduce it down to every couple of days and get them used to a certain time then perhaps all the crickets will get eaten (especially if they're slowed up with the refrigeration! Mwaaa haaaa haaa!)

[daydreaming]

I have found my white's are just pig's no matter how much you out in they just don't care.

Have you got any image's of your frog's.

oh I have bought stuff from 888reptile (they also sell kassina maculata) also another company called swell. I know 888reptile sell live food and they sell fruit flies which I haven't yet tried but I may see how they go down with them.

[Kurt]

Also would like to point out that Rep-Cal makes cricket shakers and of course supplements. They are much easier to use over a plastic bag. Make that your frog is getting vitamins D3 & A, as well as calcium.

Keeping and culturing mealworms is easy. Get yourself a plastic shoe box, lay in a substrate of bran (or oatmeal), a few slices of potato or carrot, and of course, mealworms. Let a few mature into beetles and they will make more mealworms.

You can also try other commercially available feeder insects such as waxworms and roaches. Beware though, roaches can scale glass and may escape.

[daydreaming]

i have never seen or heard of those. kind of makes sense that bits like this is out there on the market.