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Thread: Leopard frog questions/help

  1. #1

    Default Leopard frog questions/help

    Forgive me if this is a bit long winded, I'll make this as short as I can while keeping it understandable. I'll give you a bit of background and then get to my questions

    I got a tadpole about 2 months ago from work (work at a petstore, we get things from our supplier in occasion that we can't sell like crayfish, tadpoles). We had no idea what species it was, though we assumed it was probably a species native to some part of the U.S.
    He has since changed into a frog, and he has been doing well. My best guess is he is a variety of leopard frog. I can try to get a picture of him when I am able.
    I know the tank he is in currently is not ideal, but I'm hoping to change that with a bit more know-how.
    He is currently in a 10 gallon aquarium with a gravel bottom and filled a bit over half full of water. There is filtration in the form of undergravel and a simple activated charcoal filter. Water gets patially changed every week. The only land it has currently is a turtle dock. There are some live water sprite plants and he gets a basking light. The lid is a glass aquarium lid that has been modified for increased air circuation. He's starting to get big enough to eat small crickets as well as his fruit flies.
    This was never intended to be long term; he started his final leg of his metamorphosis (where I needed to make sure he could get out of the water) right after I had surgery so I have been unable to afford a better set-up as well as physically assemble one.
    I suppose my big issue is that I'm finding a variety of information on their care. While it seems the more talked about set up has more land and a small area for water that is usually a container that you can take out to clean, other places just seem to say 'make sure they can get out of the water and bask'.

    So, for the part about questions and help: I am planning on upgrading him to a long 20 gallon aquaruim, and would like to keep (if at all possible) as much water in the tank as possible. The main reason is because in the winter the air in the house gets really, really dry and I feel that having an area that acts like the aquarium he is in now will help keep that a bit more stable
    Would this be a good idea or not?

    - Is a metal screen lid better than a glass lid? I remember as a kid someone trying to keep a wild Leopard frog and it's nose got all scuffed and bloody from hitting the mesh screen.

    -Does he -need- UVA/UVB? I seem to come across anything from a 'a little is fine but not needed' to 'it's bad for them and stuff'. Just wanted some clarification. I know he's probably getting little to no UVB now because I read glass filters it out.

    I think those are my main questions now. Any help at all is greatly appreciated!

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  3. #2
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    Default Re: Leopard frog questions/help

    The book popular amphibians by Philippe de Vosjoli is a good read on these guys

    You don't want to use a glass lid, no ventilation and doesn't let the UVB pass. The 'nose rub' you've seen was probably from the frog being kept in tank that was too small. Ranid frogs love to jump, so go big as possible. I personally would go larger than a 20 gallon. In regards to lighting, they're diurnal heliotherms, so I would give them some UVB to be safe because they'd be exposed to it in the wild. Aleast 5% when placed over a mesh top, remember it filters out up to half of the UV.

  4. #3

    Default Re: Leopard frog questions/help

    Quote Originally Posted by jasonm96 View Post
    The book popular amphibians by Philippe de Vosjoli is a good read on these guys

    You don't want to use a glass lid, no ventilation and doesn't let the UVB pass. The 'nose rub' you've seen was probably from the frog being kept in tank that was too small. Ranid frogs love to jump, so go big as possible. I personally would go larger than a 20 gallon. In regards to lighting, they're diurnal heliotherms, so I would give them some UVB to be safe because they'd be exposed to it in the wild. Aleast 5% when placed over a mesh top, remember it filters out up to half of the UV.
    Thank you for the reccomendation, I'll see if I can get a hold of the book.

    Unfortunately the biggest I can afford at the moment (and the biggest I am able to keep currently without causing problems with the family/'landlords' ) would be the long style 20 gallon. I will definitely keep my eyes peeled and ears open for anything bigger, but it may be a hard sell to the landlords [emoji14]


    I've read some people using smaller slats of glass under the mesh tops to help keep in humidity but to still allow ventilation and use of the UVB lighting, would this be something I could look into to help with keeping humidity in the tank when it gets dryer in the house?

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    Default Re: Leopard frog questions/help

    No worries, at least it's the minimum size and a decent amount of space. I heard in America you get some sort of gallon sale, so that's something to look out for or second hand tanks. I really wouldn't put any glass on top, or if you do only cover a small bit. When you do this, you trap heat and so your basking spot might overheat the entire tank and you don't want that. If you can get the basking area and still have a cooler area with the glass then there wouldn't be a problem. If you do a sloped pebble substrate for land (use cork bark to hold in place) and topped with sphagnum moss then humidity is usually not a problem since theres water throughout the tank and the sphagnum holds a tun of moisture, but don't get the cheap green moss, it's dangerous. This is what I have for my yellow-bellies and I rarely ever mist.

  6. #5

    Default Re: Leopard frog questions/help

    Quote Originally Posted by jasonm96 View Post
    No worries, at least it's the minimum size and a decent amount of space, I'd imagine some would keep them in 10-gallons long term! I heard in America you get some sort of gallon sale, so that's something to look out for or second hand tanks. I really wouldn't put any glass on top, or if you do only cover a small bit. When you do this, you trap heat and so your basking spot might overheat the entire tank and you don't want that. If you can get the basking area and still have a cooler area with the glass then there wouldn't be a problem. If you do a sloped pebble substrate for land (use cork bark to hold in place) and topped with sphagnum moss then humidity is usually not a problem since theres water throughout the tank and the sphagnum holds a tun of moisture, but don't get the cheap green moss, it's dangerous. This is what I have for my yellow-bellies and I rarely ever mist.
    I was more thinking if I did, it would be a small area over where my water filter (pretty simple one that is more for mechanical filtration) would be to keep any small drops of water from splashing up onto the heat lamps so at most 1/3-1/4 of the aquatic side would be covered. I would probably put a basking area in the other end.
    The aquarium price itself is not the issue, as the sale at work going on now is a dollar a gallon for basic aquariums. Its more getting materials, lid, lighting, and a stand for a larger aquarium where the cost would come in. I have odds and ends from other aquariums as well as any thing I bought for the frog is rated for up to a max of 20 gallons; I had intended that to be the size he would end up in after I got done recovering from surgery/be most feasible for space I have available, ect.

    Using the gravel in the way you described, would that cause any problems with unwanted or harmful bacteria/mold/algae?
    I can always look at set ups when I get home from a cricket run

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    Default Re: Leopard frog questions/help

    Just try and see how it goes, take temps from both end of the tank.

    I've not had algae problems as of yet and the bacteria that builds up is beneficial like gravel in fish tanks. Pothos or Chinese evergreen grows well in it as well. If you keep the moss too moist then there might be problems, so the water line should be kept below it.

  8. #7

    Default Re: Leopard frog questions/help

    Quote Originally Posted by jasonm96 View Post
    Just try and see how it goes, take temps from both end of the tank.

    I've not had algae problems as of yet and the bacteria that builds up is beneficial like gravel in fish tanks. Pothos or Chinese evergreen grows well in it as well. If you keep the moss too moist then there might be problems, so the water line should be kept below it.
    Awesome, you've been a lot of help.

    I keep forgetting that I don't have movement restrictions any more so if I have to muck around with tank set up I can actually do it and not have to rely on anyone helping me. I had to basically back seat build the tank when I had to move the frog to the ten gallon once he started to morph.

    I got a copy of the book you recommended so I'll be reading through that and planning out my set up.
    Quick question: the size of gravel matter? I'm assuming the larger and rougher the rocks the better they will be at piling, would that be correct?

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    Default Re: Leopard frog questions/help

    Haha, I'm happy to help

    I prefer pea gravel to pebbles or that sandy sort of gravel. It's easier to slope and hold in place. You can also use hydro balls for the land part, cork bark in the middle and then gravel on the water, this weighs a lot less.

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