I have a couple of questions after doing extensive research and seeing conflicting information! My frog is still fairly young and I’ve only had him for a couple days, so I want to make sure I’m getting the right supplies.
a.) Should I partition my 10gal tank? He’s used the full space but tends to stick to the one corner with the heat pad. I don’t want a huge space to stress him out.
b.) Is ambient window light bad? There’s no direct sunlight coming into the room, and I figured it would be more reliable than manual lighting. I’m planning to add backdrops to two or three sides, so that’ll probably dim the light somewhat. He’s not albinistic, so if I need to add a lamp I can.
c.) If my tank is staying at the right temperature, is a UTH okay? I’ve heard mixed reviews about them.
d.) I laid a towel over the mesh to keep in moisture and heat. Is this okay, or do I need more heating and misting and open mesh for ventilation? Would it be fine to just pull the towel back to halfway-covering the top?
d.) I’m starting with crickets because I can breed them myself. I got a gel (Fluker’s Cricket Feeder, Calcium Fortified) and want to know if that will appropriately gut-load the crickets. What other foods are good? I’m thinking about worms, but don’t want anything too big since he’s still little.
(Any advice on keeping and breeding crickets would be very much appreciated!!)
Thanks so much in advance, and here’s the form for any more information y’all might need-
1. Size of enclosure- 10 Gal
2. # of inhabitants - 1 pacman frog
3. Humidity- between 60-80%
4. Temperature- around 80° F
5. Water - spring water for soaking and misting
6. Materials used for substrate - coconut fiber substrate
7. Enclosure set up i.e. plants (live or artificial), wood, bark and other materials. - wood hide, soaking dish, fake plant, and mesh top w/ towel to keep in moisture.
8. Main food source - crickets
9. Vitamins and calcium? (how often) - none yet, but I’m planning on getting calcium powder
10. Lighting- ambient light from the window
11. What is being used to maintain the temperature of the enclosure- UTH pad on the side of the tank
12. When is the last time he/she ate- hasn’t eaten yet
13. Have you found poop lately- no
14. A pic would be helpful including frog and enclosure (any including cell phone pic is fine)
15. Describe frog's symptoms and/or recent physical changes; to include it's ventral/belly area. - no major changes
16. How old is the frog- a few months? he’s still quarter-sized
17. How long have you owned him/her- three days
18. Is the frog wild caught or captive bred- captive
19. Frog food- how often and if it is diverse, what other feeders are used as treats- I’ve tried feeding daily so far but he seems stressed and hasn’t eaten. he did lunge at a live cricket though so hopefully he’s settling in.
20. How often the frog is handled- only for monthly tank cleanings
21. Is the enclosure kept in a high or low traffic area- low traffic
22. Describe enclosure maintenance (water changes, cleaning, etc)- changing water once every few days, planning to change substrate once a month
Here he is! I’m still debating on a name for him.
Welcome to the forum. Here is some insight.
1. For starters your substrate looks way too dry. Damp substrate with a shallow dish is pretty much a necessity for this species.
2. I don’t like UTHs but If you are going to use one position it on the side of the tank and not underneath. ( this will lessen the risk of a thermal burn if it digs down to the bottom( it’s also advisable to use a quality thermostat. Most UTHs will go upwards of 130 degrees without one). Otherwise an ambient temperature near 78 to 80 is fine.
3. Using a partition is probably wise. A ten gallon is a bit big for a froglet the size of a quarter. It may offer a bit more security and facilitate easier feeding. For a frog this size I would use a 2 gallon.
4. Ambient light is fine. Some people use UV for this species but I don’t.
5. As far as humidity goes you can use the towel but it’s going to get smelly. You are better off using a piece of plexi glass and covering 2/3 of the top. You can buy this at Home Depot and they can custom cut it for you.
6. As far as diet goes, breeding crickets is not worth the effort. Just buy them fresh and gutload them for a few days prior to feeding. For gutloading I use carrots, dandelion greens, apples and collard greens. Flukers products are expensive and not necessary.
7. Supplements are wise when used correctly. Repashy supercal is what I use. Assuming you gutload your feeders well,your frog should be getting a reasonably balanced diet. However crickets are relatively low in calcium. You can add in a vitamin supplement every so often.
Ultimately the best advice is to read through the forums and talk to people who are successful keepers.
Again, good luck and welcome.
Many people suggest buying coconut fiber substrate. I do not. As you can see from your picture there are many strands of 'fiber' in the dirt. When your frog decides to eat and misses the target, all of those strands have a chance of becoming impacted in his stomach or wrapping around other stomach contents making it harder to pass. I highly suggest peat moss instead. Retains moisture and has anti-bacterial properties. Lastly, I can't tell from the picture but substrate should be about 4 inches deep.
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