Opinions Sought - I'm a Complete Beginner!

[MrsH]

Hello Everyone!

I want to convert a Grandfather clock and put a tank of some sort in it. Someone suggested I try frogs as they would like the height (providing I stayed away from aquatic frogs), and not be too worried about lack of width / depth.

Measurements of tank will be: One meter tall x 8 inches deep x 12 inches wide - weight is not a problem as internal support will be provided.

I'd love anyone and everyone's opinion on this! Is this a realistic idea? Will frogs be happy to live in this space etc.

Finally, if people are not outraged at my stupidity for suggesting such a thing - does anyone have any ideas of frogs for beginners that I could try? I'd like bright and colourful. How much maintenance is required realistically?

Ideally what material would the tank be made of? Does it need to be heated? (I'm guessing this depends on the type of frog mind.

Thanks for reading!

Mrs H

[clownonfire]

Welcome to Frog Forum, Mrs. H. This sounds like an interesting challenge. But it would hold a few challenges.

Right off the bat, I am thinking tree frogs: Red-Eyed tree frog, American Green tree frog, Big Eyed tree frog... If you go with one, stay with one species... It's better for the frog. Tree frogs need vertical tanks, the higher, the better, they like to climb high.

Now one of my concerns would be humidity... Some tree frogs need higher humidity. This could warp the wood. Nor do I think the wood would keep the humidity in. It would also need to be completely secured, as these little buggers are escape artists.

These would be my biggest concerns... But it's possible. How much work are you willing to put into it... ? In order to work, it needs to be ideal for the frogs. After all, we want the wellbeing our the animals, right?

Eric

[MrsH]

Hi Eric

Thank you for your reply

I'm planning on putting a glass / acrylic tank inside the wood cabinet - not attached to it, but on a stand within it (from the outside it will look like the clock tower is what is holding the frogs in). Hopefully this will allow me to create the right humidity levels - and stop them from escaping!

From the research I have done, I was thinking the red-eyed tree frog too. But I quite like the idea of creating the eco-system for the DART frogs - although this hardly seems a project for a beginner. But, I have lots of time, and am more than happy to run the tank for several weeks before getting any frogs just to get it right!

Mrs H.

[clownonfire]

Hi Eric

Thank you for your reply

I'm planning on putting a glass / acrylic tank inside the wood cabinet - not attached to it, but on a stand within it (from the outside it will look like the clock tower is what is holding the frogs in). Hopefully this will allow me to create the right humidity levels - and stop them from escaping!

From the research I have done, I was thinking the red-eyed tree frog too. But I quite like the idea of creating the eco-system for the DART frogs - although this hardly seems a project for a beginner. But, I have lots of time, and am more than happy to run the tank for several weeks before getting any frogs just to get it right!

Mrs H.

Dart frogs... Now you are speaking my language. It is completely in the realm of possibilities if you are putting a tank inside... The requirements are more thorough, and this is why it is often not suggested to start with these. But if you do it right, it won't be harder than a red-eyed tree frog. In a vertical tank, I would definitely see a thumbnail frog, and a good beginner one is a Ranitomeya ventrimaculatus (ok, I'm biased... I have a pair of these beautiful). But these dart frogs are arboreal, and would thrive in a vertical tank.

The requirements as I have mentioned are the following: very high humidty. 80+. They need room temperature.

But here's where some hesitate... Dart frogs, and no matter what species you will get (almost) will feed on fruit flies and micro fauna, such as springtails. Now fruit flies need to be cultured. And some are just turned off by that idea, when in fact it's an easy process. And it saves so much money when it comes to feeders.

If you want to go forward, or know more, please, ask!!

Eric

[DonLisk]

Great idea, sounds fun.
One thing you will have to incorperate is some ventalation since tree frogs need air. A computer fan to bring air in and then a vent to allow for air going out would work.

Also keep in mind that most of the tree frogs for this will be sleeping all day and not come out until its dark in the tank.

[Ebony]

Hi there Mrs H, Sounds like a wonderful idea .
Many things to consider as Don and Eric have said but nothing that cant be overcome. I would love to see the progress of this project..

[KassyMiller]

whites tree frogs! i have owned them for years now, they are super easy to maintain, and you can hold them! they turn colors depending on mood and lighting. they can be bright green, dark brown, some even blue or peachy! and they are super cute!
BTW i think it is awesome that you are converting a grandfather clock it would look amazing! and im sure your frogs will love it! just remember crickets can be sneaky...

[MrsH]

Thank you all for being so friendly and supportive!

Thanks for the computer fan idea - I was really wandering about that one!

What kind of numbers do you think I would be able to keep in that space (1 metre tall, by 8inches deep, by 12inches wide)??

I'm guessing the answer is dependent on size.

But for example the dart frogs Eric mentioned are thumb size - so how many of those? If its only two - I can't imagine ever being able to spot them!

Also I've seen a red-eyed green tree frog, I think they grow to about 2-3 inches... so much more likely to spot them, but I'm guessing you can't get as many in.

I want them to be happy - so don't worry, I'm not going to cram them in for aesthetic reasons!

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Question number two:

I would like to light up the tank - is this going to stress them out? Or would it be okay if I turned it off at night? I was thinking of getting a red infrared light to heat up the tank, but then if I used that and then turned it off the temperature would drop at night.

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Question number three:

How do I go about ventilating the tank - yet keeping it secure to ensure the frogs / fruit flies / crickets don't escape?

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Thank you all so much, I'm getting quite excited about this and I will definitely post pictures if I go ahead!

Mrs H x

[clownonfire]

If your viv is 39 inches (about a meter) high, 12 inches wide and 8 inches deep, you have about a 60 gallon tank (Quick Calculator for Aquariums).

Some will say you can put 1 frog per 5 gallons. I myself prefer putting 1 frog per 10 gallons. The more space we can give them, the better I feel about their life in captivity. Thumbs are very small, but some are bold (Imitators & Vanzolini for example). If you have lots of plants and leafage, they will feel secure, and you will see them quite often. I only have two R. ventrimaculata in a 29 gallons and I see them each day on the bromeliad. And with their amazing colors, they are hard to miss.



Eric