Clearing a few things up about Tubbs. HELP!!

[Arkaida]

Hi everyone, I'm new to the forum and really hoping I can get some advice and help on my little green prince.
So I got a African Dwarf Pixie from a friend at work and I do love the little guy so; however, being a new froggie mommy I may be over babying him more then I need to I've had him around 4 months now. I cant seem to get a real answer from anywhere.

Hes only eating one Superworm a sitting (so maybe two times a week if he'll take it) on the rare occasion he has eaten between 5-10. I've gotten him Horned worms that he ate but wasn't totally impressed with either. I wont get him crickets, because I don't believe his pray drive is high enough for him to go after them (hes pretty lazy). I just bought him some Nightcrawlers today and tried to feed him but he wasn't having any of that either. He hasn't eaten since I'd say Friday last week. He's not skinny in any way, he looks nice, round and plump.
I am lead to believe that he is a year old. I took him to a reptile specialty store in my area that everyone talks very highly about and one of the girls there said that he may be a SHE and it may explain why its eating so little. However he has a yellow belly and throat, has croaked on several occasions and digs dens. The girl said that male's have a larger head and jaw and that Tubbs has a little head, and that the yellow belly and throat are myths. Also while at the reptile store I bought Horned Frog Diet (the guys said it'll help entice Tubbs' appetite, I wrapped the worm in some of it and as I said before he wasn't having it.)

I've gone back to the store several times to ask questions and everyone says I am doing everything correctly and the setup I have for him is fine. I am hoping you guys can help me out and put my nerves to rest.

[Lija]

Welcome to the forums, sorry nobody replied sooner.
pictures and more detailed description of the enclosure would help us answer to your questions. Not eating for week for adult frog is very common, especially at that time of the year. Mine is eating about once in 2-3 weeks, they slow down when they are adults, especially in winter. Don't stress out, is normal if husbandry is ok - would be good to clarify that, pet stores are not always reliable source of information unfortunately.

If you heard a call without a doubt it is a male and adult male at that.

[Arkaida]

I've tried to upload pictures but the site doesn't seem to like them lol.https://www.facebook.com/zyniah.kaid...4695731&type=3 hope this link works, its the link to the album of Tubbs' pictures on my Facebook. He is in a 20long, with either a halogen lamp(75watt) or a day lamp(50watt) and a 50watt night light. He also has a full spectrum light but I've been told he doesn't really need it, this true? Doesn't seem to matter what bulb I put on the tank tho it always seems to match the room temp which is usually 75 or warmer.

I believe he gets sprayed with water at least once a day the humidity is usually at 30 or 60, now and again we can get it to 80 but it won't stay there long. I use moss to help keep the humidity up (and he likes to bury himself in) should I submerge the moss in warm water every day to help with this? He's active enough so I don't think hes cold and I assume he wouldn't "call" either if he wasn't comfortable.
The guy that helped me at the reptile place told me the same that they slow down this time of the year, and I've read they don't eat with so much gusto when they are adults. However I didn't expect him to not eat weeks at a time hearing they will eat anything they can get their mouths around lol. As I said I'm prob just worrying so much him being my first Froggie. Being a "gift" I also feel a since of responsibility I guess to take extra good care of Tubbs. Single picture of his little face ==>https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?f...type=3&theater

[Lija]

Awe! So pretty! Yeah, humidity is no good. Cover partially the screen top with tin foil to keep humidity up. Temps are no good either, it's very possible though your thermometer is not that great. Try digital.

Yes, they don't need full spectrum light, if supplemented properly, but will benefit from it. And no, they are not eating monsters, it's stereotype, they eat huge amounts of food while growing, but no so much as adults.

[Arkaida]

We have the whole top covered with tinfoil except a portion cut out for the lamp. I had bought a two pack from work of our Temperature gauge and the Humidity gauge http://www.petco.com/shop/en/petcost...uge-combo-pack. Tossed the Temp gauge out and bought a digital one, also from work http://www.petsmart.com/reptile/humi...t=pfm%3Dsearch. I'm beginning to wonder if the humidity gauge is worthless too.

When I soak the moss in warm water both the humidity and the temp seem to go up but like I said its not very permanent, I've had issues keeping his tank warm from the beginning (I've gotten mix messages as to what the actual temperature is supposed to be. Read a book that the temp could be as low as 75 and a little lower at night and other sources saying as high as 85, and the humidity could be between 35%-60% or as high as 80%.)

I've gotten him Calcium supplement powder (which the guy at the shop said to dust his food ever time we feed him). I do have the lamp in the middle of the tank instead of just one said, also forgot to mention he also has a heating pad on one side of the tank. Last time I saw him he has made a little hiding hole for himself on that side of the tank (but not directly in front of the pad) and was squeaking. I'm not sure if moving the lamp to the heat pad side is going to make a difference. His watering/soaking bowl is on the opposite side of the tank.

[Lija]

Lol yes, your humidity gauge is worthless too, sorry. Analog ones are the worst.
Use infrared lamp or ceramic heater for temps, if you plug in into controller you won't worry about temps again. I prefer hydrotherm, that thing controls humidity and temps if you have lamp and the fogger plugged or you can use it for temps or humidity only.
temp -75 at night is cold, they will be ok for some time, but not long term. Aim for 84-82-80 during a day, 85 is fine too with a few degrees drop at night (76-78). They are from Africa, it's pretty toasty warm there
heating pads are usually worthless, they don't heat air very well.

you don't want humidity to be over 80, long term you will be risking respiratory problems. A bit lower then 70 humidity is ok too, but not for longer time. Dry and lower temps will may cause him to aestivate that you don't want either, it is dangerous even if done properly.

[Arkaida]

I do have a thermostat that we have the heat lamp attached too and it does turn the lamp off but the temp will still read room temp. Maybe I need to take a look at it and make sure its set to the right temp. For the 20g long he is in what watt should I be using if I did switch him over to the Inferred light(been thinking of doing this for a while so wouldn't have to worry about switching the bulbs out)? As I said before I've got a halogen lamp(75watt) or a day lamp(50watt) and a 50watt night light. As of right know I don't have the money to get a fogger, tho it be nice. I am now thinking that I would put the heat lamp and full spectrum on the side where the heat pad is, put tinfoil in the middle and put some saran wrap on the side where his water bowl is.

[Lija]

Look, don't overthink things. You need the following:
-ceramic heater or infrared - heat source- both ok to use at night too
- controller- of course on a proper settings to control the above mentioned heat source. Hydrotherm I mentioned earlier controls temp including night temp drop automatically.
- some sort of light for day/night cycle. Nothing special needed if frog is supplemented properly. You can get exoterra natural light - love that one or carry on with the one you have.
- spray bottle or fogger and whatever you put on top to maintain humidity is ok. A bit creativity usually needed and proper humidity/temp gauges.