Letting your horned frog go dormant

[jasonm96]

Anyone let their horned frog aestivate for a a few months, how did it go? Was considering letting mine since it's a male, go dormant during the winter

[Drayvan]

My old male used to do it every winter no matter what I changed with his set up. He was usually under for 3-4 months, the rest of the year he ate like a pig and was fit and healthy. He lived for 5 years though, was a natural death, nothing wrong with him from what was found. Not sure if he would have lived longer had he not aestivated, but none of my current 3 do it or seem to be going to, so I guess this time in 3-4 years i'll be able to see if there's much difference in their average lifespan. From what i've read it seems to have it's risks so I wouldn't personally do it unless I couldn't persuade them otherwise or if I was going to breed them.

[jasonm96]

Thanks for your reply. That's weird so temps/humidity would be fine but it would still aestivate?

[Drayvan]

Yep, in fact one year I upped his temperature for a couple of weeks and gave him heavy sprays to simulate the season change to see if that changed anything and he still carried on regardless! He was having absolutely none of it until the end of February lol I assume he was going by day/night light cycles from outside and/or air pressure.

[jasonm96]

You're probably right, apparently they can sense those sort of things. I put some light above mine to keep the day and night cycle. I might just do it, most of the year they'd be dormant anyway. He doesn't seem to do much ATM, usually more active at summer

[monster]

My year old female didnt change slow down at all last year as a baby, she stayed up and ate like there was no tomorrow. But this year for the last month and half she really slowed down, she will go under for weeks without an appearance and nothing changed at all heat or humidity wise in the tank. I even tried upping temps and stuff like Drayvan said and nothing. I even did like you and put an extra light on top and still nothing. I got worried and brought her to the vet when she first started thinking something was wrong but she was just reacting to the changes in the air pressure and stuff. If she she goes into full estivation I will let you know in the new year how it went.

[jasonm96]

Cory watch with females! I've read they can die by being full of eggs! Since mine is a male it's okay but females hmm

[monster]

Ya I know that's one of the concerns im having and why I don't want her to go into full estivation. She hasn't made the hard shell yet so she is more just dormant at the time. I will dig down every couple days with just a finger to give her a touch and shes still always normal feeling and she will move for me. That's one of the reasons I said I will let you know if she goes into it totally in the new year because im really hopeing if she does I don't lose my frog. I have put a lot into this girl and I would be very upset if something happened to her.

[jasonm96]

For the most part I'd imagine nothing bad will happen but you could invest in a fogger or some sort as it may provide more fresh air compared to the dry air in winter. I hope all goes well!

[monster]

Thank you Jason you just gave me an idea, im going to hook my normal cool air humidifier up in the room and let it run for abit and see what happens with the tanks. This way since I have one room for all the frogs and may help them all abit. I have walked by this thing I dont know how many times lately and never once thought of putting in there so again thank you.

[jasonm96]

That's sounds like a good idea man. I read in AVS popular tree frogs that it's good to use a room humidifier to keep humidity levels up. I'd imagine it will provide more moist, fresh air so hopefully it will stop your frog from going into aestivation. As you said you provided light ontop of your set up continue doing that aswell with cycle of 12 hours light per day.

[monster]

I was already thinking of keeping the light on top, ever since they went into there own room her tank doesn't get the same amount of light from ceiling so I had no choice actually to get the light. Every frog I own now has some sort of light on top now. Its just a 7 watt LED, not to bright but just bright enough to light up the tank. And it doesn't add any heat either, it only makes my tank go up half a degree. And shes the albino so I didn't want to go to bright, seems to be doing the trick though.

[jasonm96]

led doesn't produce UVa and is more for your viewing pleasure aswell as certain grow led for plants. I would use a natural light compact daylight or 2% which produces uva and will help a day/night cycle but no UVB when above mesh as Uvb is halved through mesh and therefore a 2% would be useless. I've heard you can use UVB and bright lights with albinos aslong as you offer plenty of hiding spots and shade away from the light for the animal to regulate its exposure