New and need advice

[Kisa]

Nice set up, though I do recommend maybe moving it away from any open doors or windows. Long term exposure to direct sunlight isn't best for frogs, and the constant temperature changes when the door is open or shut is uncomfortable for them too. I also recommend keeping him in a more quiet room in the house, as noise during the day time can upset the frog's sleeping patterns. You don't have to tiptoe around him or anything, but a room that experiences lots of foot traffic, loud tv or video games is not ideal. I'm not presuming you keep in a loud place, just making sure to give you as much information as I can. XD I would also recommend putting a little more decor in the tank, some fake plants to fill in the empty space or a rock for him to sit on would be nice if you can provide that. Also yeah, you're water bowl is quite small I would suggest and upgrade. My White's like to sit chin deep in the water, I have an adult that falls asleep almost fully submerged sometimes. XD Just make sure the water isn't deep enough to go over his nose in case he DOES fall asleep in there or falls in or something, White's aren't good swimmers, but they do enjoy their baths.

Another quick note, that tank looks like an Exo Terra 12"x12"x18", am I correct? If so I would definitely recommend upgrading if you can to at least a 20 gallon tall tank, White's Tree Frogs can get quite large and they will appreciate the extra space. I have my adult in an Exo Terra 18"x18"x24" tank, which is 33 gallons and he seems to appreciate it. ^ ^ Now, I know these tanks can be quite expensive and I'm not saying you have to go all out, but the minimum requirement for a full grown White's is 20 gallons, to keep them happy and healthy through adulthood. If you find a deal on an old fish tank or something that you can renovate or fix up that's fine, just be aware of the height and see if you can get one that is at least 15" tall, if not higher. Maybe if you find a bigger tank for your White's, you can move the leopard frog into the Exo Terra? Just a thought.

If you'd like to take a look at my set up you can go right ahead, I have a bunch of pictures of my frogs and some of their tanks on my profile.

Do you know how big exactly your frog is? If you can, measure in inches from the top of his snout to the end of his butt (we call that SVL or Snout to Vent Length), that could determine how old he is if you wanted to know.

I do recommend grabbing some humidity and temperature gauges so you can make sure he's at the right degree and percentage to keep him happy. The liquid crystal strip thermometers are best, and any brand of hygrometer that runs on a dial is pretty good as well, though they aren't always accurate or work right when you buy them...just a suggestion.

And like I said, no problem, I'm happy to help newcomers with their frogs. I LOVE White's, and want to make sure I answer any questions you have to the best of my ability. ^ ^

[mommyof4froglovers]

I believe you are right on the exo terra's size so I guess we need to find a bigger one. Though for now he doesnt move around much. The terranium came with a humity and temp gauge each. Right now because it is hot in the house it says it is 80 degrees and 65 humidity. I am pretty sure that is the wrong amounts for him because he seems dry but they are with in the limits for what the instructions on the terranium said. I will find him a better dish.

[mommyof4froglovers]

He is about an inch and a half. I dont want to touch him because he is so dry and I dont have a ruler but he is about the size of my ring finger in length and that is about how long it is. He isnt played with and I would love to put him in my daughters room but she wouldnt take care of him and would probably let him out. We have a cat so there is more danger of him being eaten than anything else, but even without Callie (the calico cat) he would die before we found him or get smooshed. So for now our school area is the only real place for him. Though we spend most of our time outside or the playroom my house no matter what stays pretty loud. We have had to but stuff on top of his cage from the cat trying to scratch through the top after we first got him to. I am sure that didnt help. He sings to us most nights though. The first time I couldnt figure out where the sound is coming from. 3 or 4 small crickets every other day is a good diet for him right or should he get more or less? I have read so many different care sites in the past month and a half I am getting a bit confused. I am very glad I happened to stumble on to this website today.

[Kisa]

Oh wow he looks much bigger in the picture. If he is only an inch long I would say he is still a baby, and more feeding is better for the young ones as they grow fast and can use the extra vitamins. I feed my babies ten small crickets every night, and one of mine (who's a juvenile now) shot up in growth a whole inch in two weeks! I think that one's a girl though...XD; Really with babies you should feed them as much as they'll eat, which is a lot more than ten crickets, but I would be completely broke now if I gave them THAT many, so ten a night is good.

You can heighten humidity a little bit if you think he is too dry, one of my frogs is having a problem shedding so I have their humidity up to nearly 80% to help her peel the skin easier. They can tolerate that level for a little while, but then I would drop to about 70%, when the frog seems happy enough.

The croaking is a good sign! Frogs that croak are usually happy, that lets you know you're doing a good job! Also remember it's mating season for Tree Frogs and they'll sing more in the spring than any other time. Increasing humidity during this period will also lead to more singing and activity I promise you. Right after a good spray my adult will get up and roam all over the tank, and usually he's pretty lazy. XD;

80 for a day time temp is good, they can drop down into the low 70s at night, but beyond that it starts to get dangerous.

As long as you think he's happy, you seem to be doing alright. If he starts to rub his nose on the glass or try to escape though that means it's definitely time for a bigger cage. I have my juvenile in a 10 gallon tank, s/he's about 2 1/4" right now, and living quarters is getting a little snug, but soon they'll all be moved into a bigger tank.

[mommyof4froglovers]

The size was a guess, but I will try measuring him when I am sure he seems wet enough. He just sits most days but he does croak so he seems ok. I havent had him climb to much at least not when I am awake. Thanks for all the advice. I may be back later with more questions.

[Kisa]

If you want to pick him up you can also wet your hands before touching him, this will lubricate the space between your skin and his and make it less irritating to him. If he seems dry though I do recommend spraying him directly with the spray bottle until his skin glistens. Frogs do not like to be dry, it can be incredibly irritating to them and give them problems shedding, among another things. Just a thought.

White's can be lazy, in fact all frogs I've noticed will tend to just sit there for hours on end doing nothing. My adult White's will climb around a bit right after I turn the lights out, then he'll fall into a sitting position on his stone bridge and fall asleep. If you notice he's inactive though don't worry, he could just be waiting until the house is quiet and everyone's asleep before he gets up and goes for a climb.

I do recommend maybe getting some moss for your tank to cover the dirt you have him on (which I hope is coco fiber XD), they can get irritated by the dirt sticking to their skin as well, especially if they're sleeping on the ground. Just another tip.

Everyone's always happy to help, don't be afraid to give us a shout if you've got troubles.

[mommyof4froglovers]

The dirt came with the terrarium. What kind of moss would you say is best? We have fake plants and I asked on another post but how often should I put a new brick in?