Gray Tree Frog Advice needed

[Kate11]

Hello,

I have 3 tiny gray tree frogs. They are all less than an inch in length and officially became frogs about 2-3 weeks ago (I raised them from tadpoles). Two of them are eating halved, thawed bloodworms from hand now, the third is refusing and will only eat wingless flies that it hunts. My problem is that despite multiple fly cultures, they're not producing enough to keep up with her appetite and she is really thin compared to the other two.

Any suggestions?

Thank you!

[Amber]

Hi! Seems we're in almost identical boats - I also have 3 baby grays (although I'm not totally convinced they're not bird-voiced tree frogs...) who are 3 weeks and 2 days post tail resorption that I also raised from tadpoles. My two "boys" are tong fed, but the biggest of the 3, Luna, just isn't interested, and is definitely not as plump as my other two because she prefers to catch food herself.

I think most people here will probably advise you to try springtails and pinhead crickets. I have a culture of "turkish gliders" (drosophila melanogaster) that I got off eBay which are said to produce more, and quicker. If you're truly in a pinch - (I've seen people advise against ants in older threads), you could set a cracker out on a front step or back porch (if your yard is pesticide free) and in an hour or so it's likely to be covered in small ants. Of course, ants do bite. But as long as you don't feed them to your frogs right after disturbing them (or tong feed) it's perfectly fine. They DO eat ants in the wild so I'm not sure why people are so against them. There's also the option of doing a "grass sweep" with an aquarium net in a yard you know is pesticide free, you'll catch aphids and other bugs. This same method will work with flying bugs and a porch light on after dusk.

If you're not up for wild-caught bugs, I suggest getting more fruit fly cultures. It's not surprising that she prefers live bugs! And be sure you're dusting whatever you're feeding them with a calcium/vitamin supplement every 2 feedings. At this stage, there really isn't any possibility of overfeeding.

[Kate11]

Thank you for your reply and great ideas! I think tomorrow I’ll be putting a banana outside to get a fast culture going for her. I started sprinkling the calcium supplement a few feedings ago. One of my boys (honestly I’m hoping they’re 2 boys and girl because of their names) Phil, is the only one who has actually turned gray, the other two, Gil and Jill (you’re too young to remember the Muppets but that’s where their names came from) are still bright green. They’re all so small even pin crickets are too big for them. I’ve been concerned about over feeding the boys, their little bellies get so big and I don’t want them to keep eating just because I keep placing food in front of them, I’d hate to see one or both of them have a digestive problem or worse. At the same time, I want to make sure they’re eating enough and will grow. It seems like they’ve been around the same size since they absorbed their tails. I’ve never raised frogs before, so this is all new to me - I don’t know if that’s normal growth or if they’re slow.

I would like to introduce some new some new food to them, I just need to make sure it will fit in their mouths and they’ll eat it. This is a picture of Gil I took tonight while I was feeding him.

Are yours this small too?

thanks again!!

[Amber]

Our experiences have been so coincidentally similar it's funny! I saw in your other thread you had an escapee get covered in cat hair - that happened with Luna while still a froglet, found her underneath my bed! Magnus is usually more of a mottled gray-brown but he changes, while Luna and Sweet Pea have remained green. I've dabbled in catch, raise, and release of toads from my local pond while growing up but this is my first time raising tree frogs from tadpoles (or keeping them as pets). I did do months and months of research, but the in-between stage from froglet/juvenile to adult frog isn't documented much. They take around 2 years to reach maturity though, so I guess that explains the slow-growing.


My guys are about the same size, here's some photos:

Magnus wanted to be dark green that day

Sweet Pea

Luna

Magnus in the middle with his usual coloring

[Kate11]

OMG - they are adorable! We do have oddly similar baby gray frog tales, that is too funny! I bought banana's this morning and Jill looked a bit plumper today after an evening of gorging on walks (wingless flies) (we try to have a good sense of humor in our home). We also just brought home a betta - my first. Wow are they needy fish. I think he's pretty set-up though. We call him Pat Morita, aka, Mr. Miyagi

[elly]

What tinies! I don't have anything useful to add but they are cute.

[Kate11]

Hi Elly!

That’s okay, they really are ridiculously cute! ❤️��

[Amber]

I tried to reply earlier but it said my post needed to be approved by a moderator - trying again and hoping this doesn't end up as a double post.

Congrats on your new fish! I had a betta named Simba, he passed in 2015, but he had a good 4 years of swimming! Hope you don't mind some unsolicited advice: NO plastic plants. Even commercial fake plants sold at chain stores labeled as "silk" plants tend to be too rough and rip up their pretty fins. Your best bet is either real plants or splurging on really soft faux plants from an exotic fish store. I had a goldfish most of my childhood (Dorothy, thanks Elmo) that I won at a carnival, she lived for 7 years. The same carnival is about to come up in August and I'm fighting the urge to gamble $15 (entry fee and to play the game) on a $.15 feeder fish, but the nostalgia is tugging at me


Really happy to hear about Jill!

And Elly, I always find pet-praise a very useful contribution

[bhill368]

I'm in a similar boat with my tiny little grey here too. I'd say a name, but it is too small for me to tell the sex, lol. They are so cute aren't they? Ive been feeding mine fruitflies and keeping them to a dusting schedule I saw somewhere on this site. I can't recall the location. Hope you're figuring things out!