New RETF's and introducing them into their new home

[dombhoy]

Hi, picked up my red eye tree frog's today and the owner was keeping them at room temperature with a single heatmat on the side with and no viv light. He's had them over a year and they seem healthy and happy enough.

So.... Should i change their conditions? Ive put them in their new viv which has a substrate heat mat and a heat mat on the side but no added light yet incase i cause them any stress due sudden change.

Feeling the stress just want the lil fellas to be ok. Just heard a rather large call (could that be a mating call?)

Dom

[ipreferaflan]

Whoahhh!
Frogs need UV!
Can cause a lot of health problems if they don't!

[ipreferaflan]

How many have you got? What size viv? Pictures would help lots.

[dombhoy]

both 1 year old male and a female came from a small 28hx40lengthx20depth and transferred them into a 45x45x60 exo terra. I can post pics tomorrow. Will it be to late if i have to wait till monday for my canopy light? Otherwise il have to grab whatever i can get from a local pet shop. Ive read sources saying its not compulsory but beneficial to their health. In that case another few days wont make a great deal of difference would it?

[ipreferaflan]

I think as long as you get it on monday they should be okay.
A lot of sources say that, I used to think the same. It's crucial for their bone development and calcium intake. What heat you keeping them at, and what humidity?
I'm getting red eyes soon, but they're apparently extremely delicate.
Good terrarium btw!

[Weenoff]

I don't know why you say frogs NEED U.V lighting? It is simply not true and there are no health issues relating to lack of U.V light.

I have kept frogs (including RETF) with and without U.V and the only difference with havin U.V is you can grow live plants, and the frogs colours seem brighter.

There's a HUGE debate about U.V lighting I suggest you read and make up your own minds, if you can afford it, I would reccomend it as it enhances the frogs colours and such a gorgeous frog deserves the best but it certainly has no connections to poor unhealthy frogs.

Make sure you use calcium dust, a lack of this is often FATAL, U.V is optional

[knighty]

I could list you a number of reasons why the statement "UV is optional" is a very vague and out of date piece of literature.

UVB penetrates the forest allot further than people first thought. All frogs and plants receive a dosage of UV and it is important to provide the option when setting up a vivarium. It not only benefits them in aiding the production of D3 it also reduces the risk of prolapses and provides a more natural night day cycle.
I would advice you get a source of UV asap and then provide a choice of how much and were it is available, then the frogs can make there own minds up.
I use a 2% and a 5% exo terra compact bulb so the dosage can be high or low. I also provide lots of shaded areas so they can completely avoid it if they wish.

[Weenoff]

However millions have been kept successfully without U.V with no problems. The calcium dust builds D3 and 1 of my frogs prolapsed under a U.V light so I wouldn't class it as an essential.

I do use U.V myself, I have reccomended it but if the poor lad is scared his new pets wont last til monday without one, I felt he should know that the are optional and that Ipreferaflan shouldn't be worrying him like that over something that is STILL NOT proven as essential.

[ipreferaflan]

Some people think it's essential, others don't. Nobody says you SHOULDN'T have it. In my opinion, you should have it because it's better safe than sorry. A creature's life is not something people should be irresponsible with.
I've never kept red eyes, so I'm not going to pretend I'm an expert in their care. Yet, when I do get them, there's not a shadow of a doubt that I'll use UV.

[Weenoff]

Which is a much better way of putting accross the point you were trying to make instead of hurry up or seriously bad things will happen to your frogs.

I'm not trying to get on anyone's nerves but if someone said that to me about my first, brand new retf pets I'd of crapped my pants with worry,as they're a worrying species to start with!

I simply wanted to reassure him his frogs would be absolutely fine til monday, and not everyone percieves UV as a must at all