Vitamin Question for GTF

[charlamanda]

I still haven't got my froglets their vitamins, I completely forgot...sorry froglets. I was at my local pet store to p/u litter and hay for the bunnies and was rummaging through their discounted section when I came across a giant can of powder vitamins for cricket dustings, but it was for reptiles, Is this safe for frogs? I just read the care sheet for the milk frog and that's when it dawned on me I forgot about the vita's and needed to post this Question. In the care sheet it specifically says to use Vitamins for REPTILES, so can I use this for my froglets?
1more?.....Every few feedings I've been offering them waxworms, along with the crickets, but they don't seem interested in the waxworms. I'm back to 9, (it got cold and the 1 I put outside,as well as all the others out there, just sit there in the same spot for days so I brought him back in), they each eat at least 1 medium cricket and as many as 3, but ignore the waxworms. I left the worms out to "defrost" and they don't move much which is why I think they are going unnoticed. Any thoughts? I'd like to vary their diets, but they really, really seem to be only interested in those crickets.

[bshmerlie]

I think you're fine using the vitamins for reptiles. Some manufactures have some just for frogs and some have them with a picture of reptiles and frogs together on the label. I think you're safe either way. Also frogs base their feeding on movement and to them nothing moves better than crickets walking around. Sometimes if you use a cricket bowl they will get use to that and will also start taking other food items that are put in the bowl, simply because they are creatures of habit. Mine will sit at the bottom of the dish waiting for me to rain down crickets upon him.

[charlamanda]

Thanks Cheri, I am going to go and get them then, since it's discounted I am going to buy the last 3 containers, they are big about 12" tall and 3" diameter and only 2 bucks. Should last me a while. What's a cricket bowl? I take my guys out and put them in a container. What's better? It's very difficult to gather up 9 forglets every other day for dinner and since the last disaster, (1 jumped out on the cat, who ran for his life and was horrified by me chasing after him, but frog had jumped off almost immediately onto a ladder 3 ft away, I didn't know that and spent several hrs searching for the little guy in the basement) not having to take them out would be safer and easier.
BTW Cheri, how often do you suggest I feed these guys? They are around 1"(+ or -) body size and eat about 1-3 crickets every other day, the way I've been feeding them for the past several weeks. I read you should feed them as much and as often as they'll eat, but with every day they weren't as interested or not at all every day. What's your thoughts?

[Julia]

Is it calcium supplement or vitamin supplement? And I am guessing they are expired if they are so cheap. Maybe an expert could chime in and let us all know if expired supplements are still beneficial?

[charlamanda]

Hi Julia, you know I didn't even think of that, glad you mentioned it. It's a vitamin supplement. I have a very good rapport with the owner and staff, they will actually stay open if I am running late and order anything I need, great place, I get a lot of bunny stuff and lots and lots of deer food there. It may just be that it wasn't selling, I've gotten things there before that were discounted or they just gave me that either wasn't selling and they needed the room(it's in the 2 car garage of a building) or the product was being repackaged or no longer being order or discontinued. I will call them to ask. Thanks again, It didn't even cross my mind, scary!

[Julia]

I only bring it up because on a different forum (for Chameleons) there was a huge outrage about pet stores selling expired vitamins. I think the verdict was that expired calcium is OK but mulit vitamins is not. I do not know how accurate the responses were, thats why I hoped one of the experts on this forum could chime in... Chameleons are super fragile creatures so it may effect them more then frogs. Sorry I can not give you a definite answer...I don't want to tell you something that I am not 100% sure about myself.

[bshmerlie]

I would personally leave them in their regular enclosure and use 2-3 cricket bowls with that many frogs. My latest two tree frogs were about an inch and I fed them everyday until they fattened up. You'll be amazed at how quick they grow. A cricket bowl is a small smooth class dish that is often used for dipping sauce and is about 3 inches round and an inch and half to two inches deep. Its smooth so the crickets can't cliimb out and tall enough where (believe it or not) they don't jump out. I would only isolate an individual in a smaller container to feed if I felt there was one that wasn't eating or getting his fair share. I've fed a skinny frog in a small cricket keeper to make sure he was eating and how much but it is not something you have to do unless you are concerned about a particular frog.

[charlamanda]

I would personally leave them in their regular enclosure and use 2-3 cricket bowls with that many frogs. My latest two tree frogs were about an inch and I fed them everyday until they fattened up. You'll be amazed at how quick they grow. A cricket bowl is a small smooth class dish that is often used for dipping sauce and is about 3 inches round and an inch and half to two inches deep. Its smooth so the crickets can't cliimb out and tall enough where (believe it or not) they don't jump out. I would only isolate an individual in a smaller container to feed if I felt there was one that wasn't eating or getting his fair share. I've fed a skinny frog in a small cricket keeper to make sure he was eating and how much but it is not something you have to do unless you are concerned about a particular frog.

Thanks, I've been trying to figure out another way to feed these guys. Where can I buy this bowl and do I leave them in the tanks or take them in and out for feedings only? I'd be worried that the crickets would jump out..seems a bit shallow, but I trust your info and will get them. Thanks again.

[charlamanda]

Update..I went to the pet store and got the vita stuff, but it was something else entirely. It's called Hi-cal Cricket Monster diet and you feed it to the crickets to gutload. It says it contains the necessary vitamins and minerals such as Vit D3 with the proper Calcium and Phosphorus ratio and is specifically for cricket/insect eating reptiles. Now that I am feeding this to my crickets do I still need to dust the crickets with more Vitamin and Calcium supplements?

[SethD]

Update..I went to the pet store and got the vita stuff, but it was something else entirely. It's called Hi-cal Cricket Monster diet and you feed it to the crickets to gutload. It says it contains the necessary vitamins and minerals such as Vit D3 with the proper Calcium and Phosphorus ratio and is specifically for cricket/insect eating reptiles. Now that I am feeding this to my crickets do I still need to dust the crickets with more Vitamin and Calcium supplements?

Yes, I would. Gut loading is not usually sufficient. If possible I would recommend getting repashy ICB(can be ordered online) to dust with since all supplements marketed for reptiles and amphibians are not even close to being equal. Some are inadequate and some actually seem to be harmful.

[bshmerlie]

Thanks, I've been trying to figure out another way to feed these guys. Where can I buy this bowl and do I leave them in the tanks or take them in and out for feedings only? I'd be worried that the crickets would jump out..seems a bit shallow, but I trust your info and will get them. Thanks again.

Justgo to walmart or target to the houseware section and the bowls are clear glass used for dipping. I only put the bowl in during feeding and take it out and clean it in the morning. The frogs will eventually be trained to go to the bowls for food. Mine will wait around that same spot until I come with food.

[charlamanda]

Yes, I would. Gut loading is not usually sufficient. If possible I would recommend getting repashy ICB(can be ordered online) to dust with since all supplements marketed for reptiles and amphibians are not even close to being equal. Some are inadequate and some actually seem to be harmful.

I saw a combo special at Josh's frogs it's a tub of vitamins and a tub calcium for frogs only $18(US), Would you recommend this or is the repashy ICB a better product? When I do the search for repashy ICB where should I go or is it a well know enough brand that it will come up with just the product search? Thanks for the info.

[charlamanda]

Justgo to walmart or target to the houseware section and the bowls are clear glass used for dipping. I only put the bowl in during feeding and take it out and clean it in the morning. The frogs will eventually be trained to go to the bowls for food. Mine will wait around that same spot until I come with food.

Awesome! I am sold. I will pick these up asap. Thanks.

[charlamanda]

I think you're fine using the vitamins for reptiles. Some manufactures have some just for frogs and some have them with a picture of reptiles and frogs together on the label. I think you're safe either way. Also frogs base their feeding on movement and to them nothing moves better than crickets walking around. Sometimes if you use a cricket bowl they will get use to that and will also start taking other food items that are put in the bowl, simply because they are creatures of habit. Mine will sit at the bottom of the dish waiting for me to rain down crickets upon him.

Once you have your bowels in place how do you get the crickets in there? My guys will eat as much as 3 crickets each (depending on size,etc.) and usually in total have around 16 (between 9) that's a lot of crickets to drop into a 3" target from the top of a 25-26" tank. It's been difficult enough to get the crickets into a 8"w x 18"L x 20"H container from the cricket tub. I would love to hear and use your technique because mine skills are primative at best and crickets running around in my house wouldn't last long enough to recatch, the cats(5) gather around just waiting for an escapee for the games to begin.

[charlamanda]

Julia, your avatar pic, I assume is your frog? It's body is so chubby it looks like it's wearing a fat suit, the way the skin folds...I just love it and just want to pinch it,lovingly of course. I can't wait until my tiny babies are big and chubby, it's the way I love em!!!!! If it was my frog I'd be sqwishing it all the time, I wouldn't be able to control myself .