I just purchased some Green Tree Frogs, and placed them in my old vivarium I had my Gray Tree Frogs in, cleaned it out before hand with dechlorified hot water, but didn't replace the log, background, plastic plant, nor the basking pool. I thought washing them would be good enough, but I don't know now. The new frogs have been hiding, with both of them now hiding in a hole within the log. They didn't want to eat (hand fed with tweezers), and they haven't used the basking pool. I don't know if there are any specific problems, but I'm worried about my new little guys. I'm gonna try putting the crickets in the tank tonight, but can anyone recommend whether I should replace everything inside? I'd rather not if I don't have to (for sentimental and financial reasons), but I want my frogs to be happy and comfy .
I would have washed everything personally. Even when I do a tank clean for my Whites and they are the ones going back in I clean everything with hot water. When I clean the wood and background I clean it with hot water and a toothbrush. Then the wood I bake for 1 hour at 250 degrees. This way it will kill any parasites that might be hiding in the wood.
If you just got them it might take some time for them to adapt to the new environment. When I got my first RETF he went 2 weeks without eating or moving, then out of no where on the 9th day he ate every single cricket and was cruising the tank. I am not sure on the mannerisms of Green Tree Frogs to know if this may be the case.
Make sure that the humidity and temp in the enclosure is appropriate for your Green Tree Frog. Also keep 3 sides of the tank covered, this will help the frogs feel more secure.
Just a few thoughts and opinions of mine.
Thanks for the input, I cleaned off everything with hot water and and dechlorinated the water as mentioned, I'm just hoping it's ok for the new frogs. My old Gray Tree Frogs passed of kidney failure I think, so I don't think there is a direct risk of the log or plastic plants to them, but I'm just paranoid about everything at the moment. The not eating thing I guess should have been expected, I'll toss some crickets in tonight and see if they're gone in the morning, but we'll see.
When you say Green Tree Frog what is the species exactly? There are a couple different types of frogs I have heard reffered to as Green Tree Frogs.
The other thing to keep in mind with frogs and one of the big reasons for not mixing different types is frogs secrete stuff from their skin. The stuff they secrete can be poisonous to other species of frogs. This is why I would recommend cleaning EVERYTHING if there has been any other frogs in there.
I really think that they are just skittish being in a new home. I think the best thing to do is cover 3 sides and try not to bug them too much till they get comfortable. It is very easy to stress them out right now.
I really do not think the reason they are hiding is cause of the way the old stuff was cleaned. I just want you to be warned as to why a full clean can be very important.
I'm actually gonna go grab a third fake plant just in case they want that third side covered, but they're the standard (if there is such a thing?) American Green Tree Frogs. Since it's about to be their active time though, I should probably wait till tomorrow morning to put that new plant in the tank, when they should be less active. I just hope they come out of their little den when they're good and comfortable.
Actually all I do with a enclosure when I get a new frog is cover 3 sides with Black construction paper, That way it makes it to where they can only see movement out of 1 side and it makes them feel much more secure.
Hmm well I don't have black construction paper, but I'll think about what I have that I could use to cover the most open side (if not two sides since it has a background) in the tank. Now that I think about that as well, I feel like I need a flat piece of transparent glass on top to keep humidity in, instead of just anything I can use to keep that humidity. Right now it's a looseleaf notebook >_>.
1.0.0 Oophaga Pumilio 'Black Jeans'
0.0.10 Phyllobates Vittatus
0.0.3 Phyllobates Terribilis 'Mint'
0.0.3 Dendrobates Tinctorius 'Patricia'
0.0.5 Dendrobates Leucomelas
0.0.2 Dendrobates Tinctorius 'Powder Blue'
0.0.2 Ranitomeya Variabilis 'southern'
0.0.3 Epipedobates Anthonyi 'zarayunga'
1.2.0 Phyllobates bicolor
0.0.3 Dendrobates tinctorius 'azureus'
0.0.1 Avicularia Avicularia
0.0.1 Gramastola porteri
0.2.0 Canines
1.0.0 Tabby/Maine Coon Mix
2.1.0 Genetics Experiments
0.1.0 Bed Bully
Well I don't have black paper or anything, but I put black t-shirts on each side (held down on top by the lamp). Will this be ok, or am I damaging the frogs with my awful excuse for blinders?
nope, that will be fine. they won't be "damaged", unless of course, those shirts aren't clean, well then, maybe.....LOL
1.0.0 Oophaga Pumilio 'Black Jeans'
0.0.10 Phyllobates Vittatus
0.0.3 Phyllobates Terribilis 'Mint'
0.0.3 Dendrobates Tinctorius 'Patricia'
0.0.5 Dendrobates Leucomelas
0.0.2 Dendrobates Tinctorius 'Powder Blue'
0.0.2 Ranitomeya Variabilis 'southern'
0.0.3 Epipedobates Anthonyi 'zarayunga'
1.2.0 Phyllobates bicolor
0.0.3 Dendrobates tinctorius 'azureus'
0.0.1 Avicularia Avicularia
0.0.1 Gramastola porteri
0.2.0 Canines
1.0.0 Tabby/Maine Coon Mix
2.1.0 Genetics Experiments
0.1.0 Bed Bully
LOL i'm sure they will be fine.
1.0.0 Oophaga Pumilio 'Black Jeans'
0.0.10 Phyllobates Vittatus
0.0.3 Phyllobates Terribilis 'Mint'
0.0.3 Dendrobates Tinctorius 'Patricia'
0.0.5 Dendrobates Leucomelas
0.0.2 Dendrobates Tinctorius 'Powder Blue'
0.0.2 Ranitomeya Variabilis 'southern'
0.0.3 Epipedobates Anthonyi 'zarayunga'
1.2.0 Phyllobates bicolor
0.0.3 Dendrobates tinctorius 'azureus'
0.0.1 Avicularia Avicularia
0.0.1 Gramastola porteri
0.2.0 Canines
1.0.0 Tabby/Maine Coon Mix
2.1.0 Genetics Experiments
0.1.0 Bed Bully
Well I tossed some crickets in last night, and I don't see them in there this morning, so I'm hoping they ate. Only problem is that there were only two crickets in the tube and they're both hiding in the same small hole within the log, so I don't know if they both got to eat . This is why I prefer to hand feed sometimes, but these guys don't seem to want to eat off tweezers just yet.
Hi Gentlemangorath,
To monitor food intake, poop and overall health and well being of any newly acquired frog(s); they should be in a 'quarantine' environment for at least 30 days. Example of a quarantine set-up can be found here. This is important to head-off any problems you might find ie an ill frog, such as one that might have runny poop etc.
http://www.frogforum.net/tree-frogs/...-supplies.html
As well, you will find instructions to 'sterilize' tank, and tank things. Wooded or porous objects can be baked or boiled. Everything else can be give - a VERY - diluted bleach dip, including plants. After a bleach dip, everything needs to be well rinsed, rinsed, rinsed in water w/ de-chlorinator to remove remnants of the bleach.
Lynn
Current Collection
Dendrobates leucomelas - standard morph
Dendrobates auratus “Costa Rican Green Black"
Dendrobates auratus "Pena Blanca"
Dendrobates tinctorius “New River”
Dendrobates tinctorius "Green Sipaliwini"
Dendrobates tinctorius “Powder Blue"
Dendrobates tinctorius "French Guiana Dwarf Cobalt"
Phyllobates terribilis “Mint”
Phyllobates terribilis "Orange"
Phyllobates bicolor "Uraba"
Oophaga pumilio "Black Jeans"
Oophaga pumilio "Isla Popa"
Oophaga pumilio "Bastimentos"
Oophaga pumilio “Mimbitimbi”
Oophaga pumilio "Rio Colubre"
Oophaga pumilio "Red Frog Beach”
Oophaga pumilio "Rio Branco"
Oophaga pumilio “Valle del Rey”
Oophaga pumilio "BriBri"
Oophaga pumilio "El Dorado"
Oophaga pumilio "Cristobal"
Oophaga pumilio "Rambala"
Oophaga “Vicentei” (blue)
Oophaga sylvatica "Paru"
Oophaga sylvatica "Pata Blanca"
Oophaga histrionica “Redhead”
Oophaga histrionica "Blue"
Oophaga lehmanni "Red"
Oophaga histrionica "Tado"
Ranitomeya variabilis "Southern"
Ranitomeya imitator "Varadero"
Ranitomeya sirensis "Lower Ucayali"
Ranitomeya vanzolinii
http://www.fernsfrogs.com
https://www.facebook.com/ferns.frogs
I had already cleaned everything before putting my new little guys (Verde and Boom) into the tank, but unfortunately do not have a second quarentine tank. I know about watching for poop, but they're both currently hiding in a den-like hole near the bottom of the log. I don't know if they left the log to eat, or if the crickets wandered into dangerous territory, but i also don't want to check for poo and disturb them.
I only have one Hyla cinerea, but I can tell you it has a few behavioral differences compared to my Hyla versicolors. Even after over 2 years, the American Green is more skittish then random wild Grays. It seems much happier to tuck itself in a corner and hide, compared to Grays that will sit out proudly in the open. Wild Grays will often take food right from my fingertips, my American Green took several months to get comfortable with this. So time and patience will be a big factor here.
You can try putting the crickets in the freezer for a minute or so- long enough for them to stop moving but not long enough to kill them. Drop some in front of each frog. As the crickets warm up and stop moving, they are easy pickings and you may be able to see both frogs eat this way. Not much help if they're sitting side by side so if you're still worried about them both eating, be sure to provide an abundance of food.
Also, in the two years I think I've seen my American Green sitting in it's water pool a grand total of one time, and on the ground maybe only a couple dozen times and even then only briefly. My Grays will soak themselves frequently, and although they prefer to be up on perches after eating something on the ground they tend to sit on the bottom of the tank for a few hours contemplating life.
That's a bit disappointing to hear. I loved my old Gray Tree Frogs that just passed, they were beyond amazing. So active and adorable with each other, moving around and basking in their pool. I guess I may consider getting a second tank and some more Gray Tree Frogs from my backyard over the summer. Back home, they lay eggs in the family pool, and we transfer the majority of the tadpoles into a smaller kiddy pool in order to develop (hoping that's ok for them). After seeing how many congregated around the pool my girlfriend and I decided to take two males for some adorable pets. Thank you for the tip about the quick freezing the crickets too, I'll give that a shot sometime, but I think the next time I'll simply toss 4 crickets in instead of 2 and hope it works out.
It may just be my American Green is more of a chicken than usual- I only have experience with the one and they aren't native here like the Grays. I don't think any frog is as charming as a Gray, but she's still pretty awesome. I didn't realize that American Greens had such a range of colour changing ability (mine flops from bright green to brown) and she's slimmer and more elegant than a blocky looking Gray. She's also relatively more voracious, gobbling food in a flash as opposed to a Gray that takes time to swallow and savour, and I think she's faster when she hops around (I named her 'Bamf!', as in a teleporting sound). Different, but still a very enjoyable frog to keep.
Getting another tank for a couple Grays again wouldn't be wrong though
That's probably much better than getting sucked into a pool filter or living in chlorine.
Definetly better. Quick side question, I've always had a little trouble with maintaining humidity in the tank, and have since realized it's because of the screen top on my tank. I want to cover this, but I don't want to block the frogs' vertical view. Could seran wrap work to cover the top and keep the humidity in, or would the plastic degrade over time or something? I would have to change it every so often regardless, but if this is flat out bad for them, I'll find an alternative. A flat, see through piece of glass/plastic or something.
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