CAN ANYONE HELP w/ RED EYED TREE FROGS

[wellington]

I just got them a couple days ago, 1 male and 1 female. They are in an exo terra terrarium. Water and land. They don't wake up to eat until sometime past midnight. How often should I feed them? Is there a way to keep the crickets in one place so they don't hide in all the decor. The first day I fed 12 large crickets. I had 8 left and they didn't eat them the next day. I dumped them and I purchased 12 small today. I now can't see any of them. How will I know if they ate these ones? I tried putting them in a bowl like I read on a frog forum and they just ran off(I thought they would). I am afraid they are not eating. They are about approx. 1 1/2 years old. Anyone have or had these? Any suggestions greatly appreciate.:shy:

 

[CourtneyAndCarl]

I was going to get a couple of these guys because they looked so cool, but then I found out that they are pretty hard to keep alive and only live to 4-5 years at most anyways. I decided to get two White's Tree Frogs instead Either way, red eyes are pretty awesome to look at if you are dedicated to their care despite the fact that you shouldn't ever touch them. I'll admit, I'm more of a touchy feely kind of person myself.

Anyway, if you get a ceramic dish that has about two inch sides, the crickets shouldn't even try to escape. If you are worried about whether or not they are eating, get meal worms as well and it will be a lot easier to tell if they are eating or not since the mealworms can't really escape. The crickets are probably hiding but will come out at night and your frogs will go to town. My frogs also don't like to eat in front of me for whatever reason, so I will put the crickets in their dish, walk away for thirty seconds, come back and both frogs are in the dish and all the crickets are gone.

Healthy frogs can live weeks without food so don't be too worried about it, but if I were you I'd just go for mealworms as well as crickets.

My frogs eat every other day, three crickets each (although I'm pretty sure that the bigger one eats four or five of them )

 

[wellington]

They are really cool. I have wanted some for a long time. There is a lot of conflicting info, same as torts. I have also read they live upto 10 years. I have not read that you can't touch them, but that you need to wash hands first and basically let them climb on you instead of actually picking them up? But again, conflicting stuff. I did read that they like faster moving food and most recommended crickets. However, I will try the meal worms to see if they will eat them too.I will have to look for a deeper dish also. It was a joke when I dumbed them into the dish, they ran like it wasn't even there LOL .
Thanks

 

[CourtneyAndCarl]

I know that most amphibians have very sensitive skin and the oils on our hands hurt them. I've heard that it's okay if you touch them after washing your hands, but you also have to make sure your hands are wet. That being said, I like the whites because they have a protective coat on their skin that makes it okay to touch them safely AND they become very friendly once they get to know you.

I've also heard the ten years but was so confused by the differing info and a lot of places said they live that long in the wild but rarely in captivity. I think there is just not enough proven information out there on them yet, frogs are one of those "new things".

What really put me off for the red eyes was the fact that their humidity needs to be kept so high, and that they are very fragile to it... I have trouble keeping Carl's enclosure at 60-75, I can't imagine trying to keep a tank at 90 with very little swaying. And they are so shy, most of the time, too. If I'm going to put my heart and soul into caring for something, by gosh it is going to like me! But gosh, are they pretty... talking about it makes me second guess my decision, haha

At any rate, at least with the white's, I've found that in the morning I can tell who got a big meal because their stomach's do get a little pudgey after a full meal the night before.

 

[EricIvins]

Red Eyes can live for 10-20 years if given the proper husbandry to do so. However, being Amphibians, you will more than likely kill them off by doing something stupid before the end of their life span. They are not going to eat Mealworms, and if they do, they may run into issues processing to much Chitin. Feed them untill the food is gone, then feed again. Never handle them - You will kill them by doing so.......

 

[wellington]

Red Eyes can live for 10-20 years if given the proper husbandry to do so. However, being Amphibians, you will more than likely kill them off by doing something stupid before the end of their life span. They are not going to eat Mealworms, and if they do, they may run into issues processing to much Chitin. Feed them untill the food is gone, then feed again. Never handle them - You will kill them by doing so.......

That's the problem. They don't seem to be eating as much as I thought they would. Crickets don't stay gut loaded or calciumed up long enough for them to be any good the next time they should be eating them and then they didn't eat. Is there anything else I can feed them if not meal worms?
As for handling them, I don't really plan on it. However, I will have to eventually when I need to do a complete cage cleaning. If I let them climb onto me isn't that okay? Otherwise, how do you take them out?

 

[CourtneyAndCarl]

Red Eyes can live for 10-20 years if given the proper husbandry to do so. However, being Amphibians, you will more than likely kill them off by doing something stupid before the end of their life span. They are not going to eat Mealworms, and if they do, they may run into issues processing to much Chitin. Feed them untill the food is gone, then feed again. Never handle them - You will kill them by doing so.......

The mealworm thing is yet another thing I've heard so many mixed reviews on.

As for handling them, I assume he means don't handle them more than absolutely necessary to clean the cage up. But, at petco (obviously not the epitome of animal husbandry, but whatever ), to clean the amphibian cages out, we get a stick and use it to kind of usher the toads/frogs/whatever into a critter container, or use latex gloves.

 

[TortoiseBoy1999]

I just got them a couple days ago, 1 male and 1 female. They are in an exo terra terrarium. Water and land. They don't wake up to eat until sometime past midnight. How often should I feed them? Is there a way to keep the crickets in one place so they don't hide in all the decor. The first day I fed 12 large crickets. I had 8 left and they didn't eat them the next day. I dumped them and I purchased 12 small today. I now can't see any of them. How will I know if they ate these ones? I tried putting them in a bowl like I read on a frog forum and they just ran off(I thought they would). I am afraid they are not eating. They are about approx. 1 1/2 years old. Anyone have or had these? Any suggestions greatly appreciate.:shy:

You just have to let them catch there food. :/ (I know because my friend has frogs [red eyed tree frogs])

 

[tyguy35]

I have owned many different frogs and currently own Darts. Red eyes like much other tree frogs eat every few days. Some people will say its starving them but like you already found out they wont eat anyways.
they are easy to care for in not needing uvb light although I had one anyways. Any questions I can help.
Touching them is bad because of the oils on our skin destroys the special oil on theres. They both mate and drink though skin contact. Im sure you could be fine taking them out to clean up it should not harm. Wash your hands well before. Or just poke there puts to jump into a small container.

 

[wellington]

Thanks. They seem to be doing oaky. Although I have not been able to catch the male awake at all. I have seen the female awake. The male has been sleeping in the same spot for about 3 days. Not sure if he is waking and eating then going back to the same spot or if he hasn't woken up at all to eat. He doesn't look skinny though. Is there anything else safe to feed them other then just crickets? Seems so boring/unhealthy to eat the same thing every day.

 

[tyguy35]

I only fed mine crickets I could not find anything in stores. You could research silk worms they are soft. Try spraying him try need high humidity which im sure you have done. Sometimes they do sleep a while could I see your set up maybe there is something in it that is not to his liking?

 

[wellington]

I only fed mine crickets I could not find anything in stores. You could research silk worms they are soft. Try spraying him try need high humidity which im sure you have done. Sometimes they do sleep a while could I see your set up maybe there is something in it that is not to his liking?

I will get a pic up tomorrow. I am having a hard time keeping humidity up. I thought putting water in the bottom part would help, but it really isn't. I am thinking about taking the aquarium part out and replacing with coir and moss. Any ideas of how to keep humidity up with leaving the aquarium part in?

 

[wellington]

Sorry, I forgot the pic. But he, the male was finally up last night. Don't know if he ate or not. I changed their enclosure today. Humidity is staying up a lot better. Hopefully he will be happier now

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Almost forgot, thanks everyone for the help and suggestions, greatly appreciated.

 

[tyguy35]

That should have been the issue he should be good now. Although they sleep little more often humid will wake them get them active

 

[wellington]

The humidity is at 70 now. During the day which was harder to keep high then at night. Should I get it even higher or is 70 good? That is also with the reading being on one of those cheap round meters. Will be getting a digital soon. It is probably higher as there is a small 1 gallon? Betta tank in the enclosure with a filter running on it. I will get a pic up tomorrow. I will try not to forget this time

 

[tyguy35]

Haha no worries take your time. 70 is little low for me but if your animals are moving and ok then you should be ok. I had mine at almost 90. I used the repti fogger that is now my buddy tanks hahah. It's cheap and works makes everything look nice. Orrr use the ultra sonic underwater fogger even cheaper. Orrr lol just keep er at 70 because like you said it's probably higher

 

[wellington]

Thanks, I will get a better gauge. Then if it's still at 70, I will get one of the options you mentioned. I want it of course the best for them. I would love to try and have at least one breeding if I can. I think it would be so cool watching them grow up.

 

[N2TORTS]

Ribbet Ribbet v^v^.....try using wingless fruitflies. Very small but SOOO Tempting....and much more natural prey~

 

[wellington]

Ribbet Ribbet v^v^.....try using wingless fruitflies. Very small but SOOO Tempting....and much more natural prey~

Great Thanks. I do want to give some variety. I am sure they don't eat the same thing in the wild. BTW, if I catch so e flies, would they be safe to feed?

 

[tyguy35]

I though lt about fruitflies because I feed my darts them. Thing is my darts are quarter sized and they eat 300 flies a meal. Your guys would need thousands. Plus they get everywhere you could try they are easy to breed the flies. You you want breeding up the humidity big time. I'll get back to you on the breeding my buddy breeds my old ones.

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So I called my buddy. He says what I said up the humidity big time way way up. Also have a plant onside that will have a broad leaf they lay on the leaves. Do you have any live plants. I use the umbrella plant in my set up for my darts looks natural and nice.

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Sorry missed the catching them part. I had a biddy feed outdoor crickets to a chameleon and it gave it some sort of infection killed the lizard. But I'm sure fruit flies are ok but you never know with wild bugs. Also humans have basically been hand feeding these guys so a flying bug may be hard to catch but could be a great exPeriment. They are really neat animals big eyes. Ou gotta get picks haha.