come on frog fans, give me some clues please.

[fenwoman]

I have posted a couple of times and been reading other threads but am still not really any wiser.
I have decided that a whites is the frog for me. My large exo terra (60cm X 45 X 60) has been emptied of the chameleon, stripped, washed and rinsed. So, what do I need to buy to creat a suitable natural habitat for my froggy? What substrate? I have read that I need to find some live sphagnum moss. Could I use a ceramic dull emitter and attach it to the thermostat which the basking light used to be attached to for the chameleon or do I need to fork out for a whole new thermostat to attach to a heat mat? Where will the heat mat be positioned? It can't go under the viv as the viv sits on top of the antique TV cabinet. Do I need a night time bulb? If they are nocturnal, I take it I don't need UVB lighting?
So come on froggers, spill yer guts and give me the lowdown or else I'll send 'Big Ursa' round to fart through yer letterbox!

[_jake_]

Depends on how much your going to pay tbh. You can go plastic plants or live. Which if they are live can cost a bit to set-up.
Substrate: Soil
Well can you just plug the heat-mat into the thermostat that the ceramic thingy was used on?
The heat mat can be positioned underneath, upside down, on the side basically anywhere, aslong as you create a basking spot, hot and a cool side.
I used to use a low watt bulb for my agtf. They have similar care needs as whites, for your size viv i'd recommend a 10-15watt bulb which is clear just for the day time, you may or might not need a thermo for the light. If you leave it on (without the wtf in the tank) for say 5 hours and see how hot the basking spot (under the bulb) will get, if its to hot then i'd say a thermo if it stays perfect you could not have one attached but thats your decision to take the risk, and no they dont need UV

[spend_day]

ive heard ceramics arent good for tree frogs as they dry them out too much. substrate moss has impaction issues go with eco earth (aka coco humus aka coco coir). temps 80-86 F (27-30 C) during the day, with a drop to 72-78 F (22-25 C) at nigh humidity 50-60%and a large shallow dish of water (they cant swim so very shallow)

vines branches fake or live plants etc for climbing

[fenwoman]

thanks herpmad. The problem was that I have been reading on different forums and caresheets and of course, some say never use a bulb, some say heat mat only. I'm not sure I can use the thermostat for a heatmat or if I need a special heatmat thermostat. So, can I just dig soil out of the garden to put in or does it need to be special frog soil?
I am able to get a good selection of real plants very cheaply nearby which is why my cottage looks like the amazonian rainforest inside.So I will be using real plants. I'll go and get some branches from my goatyard. They are as thick as my arm willow which have been bark stripped by the goats. I was going to use them for the rayburn when I get one but I will use some for the WTF. Could I only fit one in the exo or could I fit 2? Can 2 be kept together and if so does it matter which sex?
So many questions and Ursa has wind and his bum is letterbox height so..............................................:d evil:

[fenwoman]

Originally Posted by spend_day

ive heard ceramics arent good for tree frogs as they dry them out too much. substrate moss has impaction issues go with eco earth (aka coco humus aka coco coir). temps 80-86 F (27-30 C) during the day, with a drop to 72-78 F (22-25 C) at nigh humidity 50-60%and a large shallow dish of water (they cant swim so very shallow)

vines branches fake or live plants etc for climbing

Aha!! you are near me. If you aren't in a desperate hurry for the viv, I will be selling Moriarty's 3 foot viv once I have finished making his bigger one. Within a couple of weeks it should be empty.
Where do I buy this coco stuff?
See what I mean about forums and care sheets, most say to buy live moss.
So lamps are a nono, can I put the mat on the side and if so, inside or out and will I be able to use the thermostat I used for the lamp ?

[_jake_]

Originally Posted by fenwoman

thanks herpmad. The problem was that I have been reading on different forums and caresheets and of course, some say never use a bulb, some say heat mat only. I'm not sure I can use the thermostat for a heatmat or if I need a special heatmat thermostat. So, can I just dig soil out of the garden to put in or does it need to be special frog soil?
I am able to get a good selection of real plants very cheaply nearby which is why my cottage looks like the amazonian rainforest inside.So I will be using real plants. I'll go and get some branches from my goatyard. They are as thick as my arm willow which have been bark stripped by the goats. I was going to use them for the rayburn when I get one but I will use some for the WTF. Could I only fit one in the exo or could I fit 2? Can 2 be kept together and if so does it matter which sex?
So many questions and Ursa has wind and his bum is letterbox height so..............................................:d evil:

You can use any type of thermostat for heat-mats unless it states only to be used with bulbs. Nah, the soil is quite easy to find, but i wouldn't use the soil from the garden, go to your local garden center or B & Q and look for pestisite free soil. Use live moss that you plant and thrives, as Spaghnum is usaully dead moss and is edible to frogs causing impaction. Yeah you could fit two in that size viv. I know you can keep two, but im not 100% if males can be kept together, sorry.

[spend_day]

Ok to answer the soil question. i wouldnt use stuff straight out of your garden but some people use organic (no fertilizer/pesticides) potting soil. i like coco coir because its easy to store. it comes in dried blocks that look like house bricks stick it in some water u get 7-9 litres of substrate (i buy mine in bulk from here Canna Compressed Coco Coir BLOCK 250 grms - £1.19 : Norfolk Lights Hydroponics Center, UK Shop ). what type of thermostat do u have?? i think most can be used with mats. heat bulbs and frogs are a bit of a hot topic some say they like it some say they dont its a personal choice thing.

they can be house together (even males) you could get maybe 3-4 in an exo terra that size.



as for the viv i may have already found one ill know in a few days ill pm u if it doesnt work out

[Art_Gecko101]

Mine are set up the exact same way as the crested viv on my 'advanced gravel bottom' construction diary, so you can see how i keep mine on here, www.Treasurecrest.co.uk go to the viv design bit.

As for mat placement, i place mine on side of my viv, at the bottom blue tacked to the glass of the frog viv. That way it gives a little heat to my cresteds in the viv next door, and has never cracked the glass. Not sure about the thermostating options as ive only ever used a matstat, and always on the outside of the viv.

Thing with Whites is, they are greedy lumps. NEVER use loose substrate like gravel or bark chippings (when i was researching for mine 3 yrs ago it was recommended v. frequently!) i dont even like using ecoearth. I had them in an ecoearh setup for a few weeks once, compacted down the ecoearth really hard so it wasnt too loose, and still it'd end up all over them and in their mouths. Icky.
My FAVOURITE substrate option, that ive decided upon from lots of trial and error is BIG smooth rocks! Go to the closest beach and get lots of large smooth pebbles (bigger than 4" diameter really) then the local fish shop and get some big bits of fish rock to create some nice levels and landscaping in the viv. Boil all the stones in an old saucepan for ten mins, leave to cool then put into the bottom of the viv. The rocks go up to about 6" from the bottom in my vivs (the exoterras are perfect for it!) use the bigest rocks to make it landscaped nicely, and fill in the gaps with the smaller ones. I nestle a filter pump into the rocks in my vivs, fill the base with water up to just below the level of the rocks, and the pump circulates clean water around the rocks keeping everything nice and clean. All i do is spotclean weekly, or as needed, change the filter once a month, and then maybe 3 times yearly clean the whole thing and have a good excuse to redesign it!

As for bulbs, i would steer clear of any kind of heat bulb, I use the arcadia compact D3 bulb for a bit of UV (mainly for the plants, and never too high % with frogs) but it doesnt give out heat. Heat lamps dry out treefrogs too quickly.

Basic rules for whites is, 1) theyre greedy so no loose substrate, 2) theyre fat so thick, well placed branches are a must 3) theyre bad swimmers so the water needs to be big enough to soak but not too deep

[fenwoman]

thanks art, you have given me much to think about. I shall definately be getting a whites but want to get the habitat up and running and ensure all the stats are correct. Much mooch through my aquarium bits to see if I have a small filter pump I can use too.

[Art_Gecko101]

I've got the Fluval 1 in mine i think, works like a treat. One of my other vivs has a little one from Ebay in and has never had a problem either