WTF Lighting Cycle

[switchpath]

I'm curious to know if any of you guys (and gals) run any type of lighting schedule for your Whites. I've had my little guy for around 9 months now, since he was the size of my thumb nail, and up until the last few months he's been doing great, eat growing and loving life in general! I've maintained the heat at a constant 82 degrees closest to the heat source and around 70 at the other end of the tank. Humidity has always run from 40-50% using a fogger on a timer and twice daily mistings. I'm in Wisconsin so I have had to adjust the fogger output to keep up the the dry winter air. I'm very fastidious with all manner of husbandry and vitamin supplements and haven't missed a beat. I'm concerned though because recently he hasn't been eating well and has lost some weight. He's not bloated or lethargic and I use Eco-Earth so I don't feel he has an impaction of some sort. No red leg (I've witnessed the tragic results of this) or any other obvious maladies are present.
The one environment aspect I hadn't thought of until recently is the use of some sort of full spectrum lighting to maintain a consistent night/day cycle. With as much research as I have done I never ran across any literature that mentioned the need for a lighting regiment. It was only until it dawned on me that, because of the dramatically reduced day length here during the Wisconsin winter, lighting may be causing him some stress. I'd love to hear your thoughts and suggestions regarding this topic.

[DonLisk]

Your Whites could be just slowing down for the winter which is common. I would just keep an eye on the weight and as long as he/she is eating routinely then he/she should be fine.

As for the lighting, the Whites don't need special lighting, so long as there is some scheduled day and night routine occurring.
I run my daylight for 7am to 7pm every day and mine are still pretty active since there is four of them and competition for food.
Hope this helps and just keep an eye on the little one ;-)

[switchpath]

Thanks for the info.. I'm bummin' now cause I haven't been quite sure he's been eating at all since he doesn't go straight after the crickets when I throw 'em in his enclosure like he used to. So, after he came down from his sleeping corner and was resting on his water dish I put him in a separate container with two smaller than usual crickets. He was in there for over and hour and didn't touch a one! This is not like him at all. I'm also very concerned now because I've noticed one of his eye's lids (or the two opaque ones) arn't fully opening. Any ideas?

[DonLisk]

I'm not up on the medical issues so I would consult the Frog First Aid section located here.... http://www.frogforum.net/care-articl...first-aid.html or a good herp vet.

Good luck and hopefully someone will trow some knowledge this way for you on the eyes.

[Leefrogs]

nice to see O P from Wisconsin!! Great to have you. I would check the vet thing for sure. But I'm the mean time try offering him some wax worms on thongs. This will fatten him up, if u can get him to eat them. They swing arround alot when u have them in thongs. It really gets their attention. Whites are quite intelegent and get board. Waxies from bait shop are fine. It's basicly crack for frogs, so u don't want to start and addiction, but use as treats once a week when u get him going. Best of luck.

[Leefrogs]

also I noticed that u didn't mention any artificial lighting. If u don't have them on a 12 hour cycle, you're stressing him, like they do with a breeding season. I hear there's a 10% mortality rate with breeding, because of the stress through cycling them. It's done by reducing lighting and stop feeding. Then they go in a rain chamber. They don't do this till frogs are 3.

Moral if the story, not lighting them 12 hours causes stress. Get some waxies, and a light. See if that turns him around! Sorry I miss stated before. But without light cycle being regular it does stress them.

[switchpath]

Yea I don't have any artificial lighting. So in theory the natural lighting cycle here in WI could stress him enough to compromise his immune system enough to let a slight bacterial infection take hold? I'm guessing stress alone will cause him to stop eating? Damn I lost two frogs last year about this time and am about to do a homer "douh". I wonder if it was the lighting situation with them as well. Their symptoms are similiar, they just plain stop eating and acting like themselves. I'll hook up a light and slap up some full color wax worm posters in his cage pronto!

[Leefrogs]

u can go Walmart get a clamp lamp for 8 bucks and a 30 watt grow light for 4 instead of paying over 20 for light at pet shop. What size is your tank? 30 watt is fir maybe a 15 gal, your Temps seem like they're warm enough but WTF like a spot bout 90. Get strip therm and stick it by basking spot. That way u get it just right.

[switchpath]

I have a few extra clamp lamps sitting around. From what I've read they don't "need" full spectrum lighting but I'm sure it can't hurt.

Hmm what's strip therm? I have him housed in a 12x12x12 Zoo-Med terrarium. I know I have to upgrade soon but he's only just over an inch long. I have a Repti-temp 500R controlling a 150 watt ceramic heating element. The probe running off the thermostat has a digital thermometer probe taped right next to it and it hold the temp very consistently. I've cross check the accuracy of the digital thermometer with 4 others including a mercury one so I'm sure its accurate. I did turn the heat up on him for about a week a few weeks back and he started "perching" during the day in the corner furthest from the heat source. I assumed it was a little too toasty in there for him so I backed off on the heat a bit. I also have never seen him sit anywhere near the hot spot. I'm wondering if upgrading the tank size might be the way to go. Seeing as the smaller the environment the more sensitive it is to any number of detrimental variables. The larger the tank the more "buffer" it has against potential swings in his environment right? Or am I just over thinking this whole thing?

[Leefrogs]

sorry, strip thermometer, I have one by my basking area to make sure I don't burn their little toes. Cuz a warm day will make my normal spot placement too hot, so I hve to move light often to compensate fir winter temp fluctuations. I also keep one loose so I can move it where I need it.

[Leefrogs]

has he perked up yet?

[switchpath]

Ah yes I see! Imagine that trying to keep quasi-tropical animals happy half way to the north pole is a pain sometimes eh? He's in the middle of his daytime siesta so I'm not sure how to judge his attitude. I wasn't able to pick up wax worms today as I had to work but I will be tomorrow. You might try one of the ceramic heat elements along with the repti-therm 500R. Its quite the slick set up! They also conserve electricity a bit by turning off when it gets too warm and the ceramic is very efficient. I use them for my hedgehogs as well and have had zero issues.

[Leefrogs]

ah ya, I got a heating pad by sleeping area, and a one uth below water small soak dish. Where up north are u? I'm in Indian head blue hills area, ice age museum close. Only the fishing hall of fame in hayward, that's north of me, like nowhere, AL Capone hid round here

How big is he? 12x12x12=1728:231 is 7.4 gal, heat light might cook on Lil space, maybe a 25 watt. Watch that close

[switchpath]

Well you're more northerly than I, I'm about 40 north if Milwaukee near West Bend. I have less of a yooper than you I spose!

He's just over an inch long. I added a 40 watt light about 2 feet above his enclosure so there's not concern if it overheating the tank. Unfortunately he's showing new symptoms. He now has these little mint green spots all over his head and torso. They look exactly like the spots shown in a few pics in this forum: http://www.frogforum.net/tree-frogs/...een-spots.html I'm not really concerned and have whipped up a batch of a lamasil solution recommend by Kurt who frequently posts in the forums. He also hung out on the lip of his water dish all morning, which is unusual. He usually climbs up to his corner once the lights are flipped on.

[Leefrogs]

a, sorry to hear that. But he did just go through a major change, I hope it's just an effect of that? I posted on other green spot thread, I hope it's nothing and he'll shed it off.

[Leefrogs]

just bumping this up hoping u have news on your frog.