Saying hello

[anderson405]

Hey my names josh i am here on a new adventure. my step daughter is looking at getting some new pets and she is in love with the red eyed tree frogs. so the good step dad i am i trying to learn as much as i can so i can get her them. she is 11 so i think it is time she has something to do on her own. i am very excited but very confused on how to go about this... i have a 30g tank for them but the issue im having is that its a long tank not a tall tank so im debating on how to go about this project. would it be crazy to go and build a tank from glass to meet my standards or just go with the one i have and make it work. i am actually looking to have live plants in there and would love some suggestions on witch plants would work. and how many i would need for a few tree frogs. would it be ok to have a pond with a water fall or stream going into it. i am interested in any advice yall have for me and would not turn any suggestions down. nother thing is what kind of lights do i need.. i read never use heat rocks.. use the heat mats for under the tank. i want to put a few diff types of tree frogs more like 1 other breed witch is the white lipped tree frog not sure if they will go good together i know i have to get them the same size so they dont eat each other. and the last but not least is the lighting i need what lighting for them thats my most unknown thing about this project do i need lights for night to see them or what please fill me in as much as you can thanks later

[LilyPad]

I would definitely check out the threads in the vivarium portion of this forum. I got A LOT of ideas about building mine there.

Also, do NOT mix species. Even if they're the same size, they both emit their own kinds of toxins which, over time, will kill each other. If you want red eyed tree frogs, stick with them alone. I know that you can read some care sheets that say they get along well with other tree frogs, but the fact is that they get easily stressed and the toxins can and will hurt each other.

I would also suggest doing a vertical conversion to give them more height, there are places that sell kits. AAA Frogs is one of them. And you are right, do not use heat rocks, that can burn them. Placing a heat pad under the tank will help keep the tank warm and the humidity up.

Plants... I would suggest doing a google of tropical terrarium plants, that's how I got most of my ideas. Also, looking through the vivarium build threads will help. Make sure you use a layer of hydro balls (can be found at most pet stores or online) as that will help with drainage to make sure the plants stay healthy.

For lighting, I have a 50 watt blue daylight bulb on each of my tanks. I have gray tree frogs though, I'm not sure if a RETF would need something different.

Welcome to the forum and good luck!! You will find a lot of great advice here

[LilyPad]

Also, just so she understands, red eyed tree frogs are very shy, they do not like to be handled at all, and they love to hide. So when you build the vivarium, make sure you include a lot of hiding places. I know that isn't "fun" but that is what will make the frogs healthy and happy. They are also nocturnal. This is a pet that could get very boring for an 11 year old, but if she's dedicated to their proper care without handling them, and understands that they like to hide and sleep during the day, then she will do a good job.