# Frogs & Toads > Other Frogs & Toads >  Reed Frog Care Help

## j0onahra3

Hello, everyone!

As mentioned in my other post about getting 3 lime jello reed frogs in the introduction section, it was an impulse-buy and I do need some help on their care.
I have 1 really tiny one, 1 medium sized one, and 1 large one.
The size difference really makes it hard to choose what size crickets I need to buy.
So I got several pinheads, and several medium sized crickets.
I've been feeding them everyday about 5 medium sized crickets, and about 10 pinheads.
I dust them every time with multivitamin and calcium+D3 from exo terra.

I'm a bit concerned with how they're eating their crickets.
The first day when I put them in their tank, I didn't have any supplements, so I fed them un-dusted crickets.
In the morning, they were all gone so I assumed they ate them.
Now that I'm dusting my crickets, the medium sized one spits them out after hunting them and chewing on them for a bit.
Are they not liking the supplements? :/
Will they learn to like them?
I heard supplements are vital for frogs, so I do want them to eat the crickets. But they don't seem to like it.

I also got a fruit fly culture (hydei) because the dart frog forum said fruit fly culturing is a must.
I didn't feed them fruit flies because the screen at the top of my exo terra has holes that are too large, and I'm worried they will all crawl out.
I'm also thinking of getting a springtail culture going, but I'm worried they might all crawl out... is there any way to get around this?
I heard springtails are a must if I want my vivarium to be clean and free of frog poo... and mold.. and fungus.

Also, I've seen my large reed frog and medium reed frog wake up at midnight, crawl around, and hunt for crickets.
But I haven't seen the small one crawl about or soak..
I'm getting a bit worried because he's very tiny... I wonder if there's any special care for him because he's so young compared to everyone else?
He's about the size of my pinky fingernail.

Humidity in my tank is about 70 constantly. 
Sometimes it drops to 65 during the day, so I turn on the fogger for a few minutes in the morning.

Today, I'm seeing the medium sized frog crawl about, but the large one and small one don't even seem like they want to wake up.
Should I be worried?

Sorry for so many questions.
If I need to clarify some things, please let me know.
If anybody else is keeping reed frogs (hyperolius sp), please let me know.
I'd like to know your set up, and what you do to keep them happy.  :Smile: 
Basically, I want to know their general care.

And also, please be patient with me when I don't understand things.
This is my very first frog, and I probably have much to learn. 
Thank you!!  :Smile:

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## James

Hi,

I answered your other post on Dendroboard so check there for some info I've already given.

But , I would also say that Frog Forum is more geared to other types of frogs than DB which is more dart frog focused.

You mentioned here that one is only the size of your pinky fingernail....I would be worried that perhaps  even the hydei will be too large for it and that you may need D. melanogaster as well.


The rule of thumb is that the prey should be smaller than the width of the head for reed frogs.
If you buy medium crickets from Petco, etc...many of them may be too large and you need to select out the ones of appropriate size....pinheads are OK or for the larger frog perhaps 1/4" crickets.


With the mixture of sizes of the frogs you have then I would go smaller rather than larger.....so try the fruit flies for now rather than crickets (unless pinheads are also given).
The larger frogs will eat the fruit flies as well and you will have all the sizes of frogs covered.


Springtails will not climb out of your viv....so no worries.
But getting the setup and feeding in place is more important as you can add springtails after you get going.

Hydei for the most part will not get through the screens in the Exo-Terra's, but they can get out any gaps other places in the vivarium which should be covered over with duct tape or painter's tape until you can fruitfly proof (or as a remedy/quick fix).

Google or search the forums on how to fruit fly proof an Exo-Terra.


Unfortunately, fruit fly escapes are definitely part of keeping frogs no matter how well you fruit fly proof.......set up a trap of a jar or cup of orange juice, or cider vineagar (or both) with some bakers yest sprinkled in.   The trap will get most of them that escape.



If you search here you can find some info I posted on Heterixalus alboguttatus (starry night reed frogs) which will have similar care, etc....etc. some of your reed frogs are as small as juvies so will most likely need the fruit flies.

On the DB forum I posted some links to care sheets.


As I mentioned on DB,   a quarantine set up would have been ideal to start out....and testing/treatment .
I would contact LLL as well since that's where you purchased them and you can find out how they were caring for them, etc.

Hopefully most of this info covered on DB and here will cover many of your questions, but feel free to ask additional questions that come up.

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## j0onahra3

Thank you!
You definitely helped me get a lot of my questions answered!
I will try contacting LLLreptile and see how they were taking care of them.
I'll also ask and see if they were wild caught or captive bred.

I'm seeing a majority of the larger crickets drowning in the water when I wake up in the morning.
It looks like the frogs are climbing around the tank fine because I see loose leaves being moved around when I wake up.
I don't see any pinheads in the morning, but then again, maybe I just can't see them because they're so small.
I know for sure they go for the medium sized crickets, but I do think they spit them back out, so I'm going to try and supplement them less and see if they eat them.
The larger sized medium crickets are left uneaten, so I'm just not going to feed them medium sized crickets.
I'll feed them the pinheads only for now.

I usually feed my frogs late at night when they're most active because I want to make sure the supplement doesn't wear off by the time they try to eat them.

I don't have a quarantine tank because I didn't even know I needed one until you mentioned it.
I didn't have them tested.
Could you tell me if there are any typical symptoms that I should watch out for in case they have parasites?
How do I get them tested?

My vivarium has a sloped gravel bottom where there's water on the shallow gravel area, and land on the thicker gravel area.
It's thicker towards the back, so there's water towards the front of the tank.
I have a grapewood piece in the middle of the tank.
Whenever I feed them, I place the crickets on the grape wood.
There's a few large leaves the frogs came with, and I just put that in the vivarium temporarily.
I planted some U. graminifolia near the shoreline.
More plants are coming in this wednesday, so it'll be more full and vibrant once I receive my plants.
I know, I should've bought the tank first, organized it, and then buy the frogs after I felt it was ready.

Humidity is kept around 65 to 70.
It gets around 65 in the morning, so I turn on my fogger then to bring it back up to 70.

Lighting is the 6500K CFL bulb that I got from LLLreptile.

I don't have any other frogs, and these are my first frogs.

What would be an ideal quarantine tank?
What should be in this tank, and how do I treat any new frogs that might carry parasites?

Oh, and I almost forgot, I change the water everyday with fresh RO/DI water so that the water doesn't get stale.
No motors in this tank.

If I forgot to mention anything else, do let me know.

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## j0onahra3

Forgot the mention that I dust them with multivitamin and calcium+D3 from exo terra.

And I just read one of your articles on how to set up a quarantine tank.

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## j0onahra3

Oops... and I forgot to mention I had these guys for 2 days? It's the 3rd day today.

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## James

I would suggest switching your dusting products (have some time to do this, but should do it eventually for the best supplementation of the frogs).

Many of the supplements for reptiles do not have preformed Vitamin A and many, if not all, adult frogs (unlike reptiles) cannot convert carotenoids into Vitamin A. 
Instead use Repashy Calcium Plus for regular dusting and switch out with Repashy Vitamin A Plus for dusting once every 2 weeks. Alternatively, Dendrocare can be use for regular dusting. The Repashy or Dendrocare products have formulated levels of Vitamin A for frogs needs and are what I and many others use. Some people have dusting schedules incorporating all three.


To be on the safe side, replace Repashy products approx. every 3 months after opening, and Dendrocare every approx. 6 months after opening so that the vitamins are fresh/not degraded. (store products in a cool / dry place).
The expiration date listed on the bottle is only if it isn't opened.




Parasites would cause runny or strange poo and weight loss/lethargy.  A fresh fecal sample can be tested by a vet.....a quarantine setup makes the collection easier.

For chytrid and rana testing, this is done by a PCR test. Josh Frogs and a few other retailers sell a kit that you use and mail to a testing lab.

Some people just test a couple of frogs from the group as likely they would all have the same thing.

I would wait until you hear back from LLL Reptile to see if they tested / treated  and also if they are CB or WC.

You will find varying opinions as some frog keepers always test and others only test if WC or if animals appear sick.



Looks like you are on the right path, and good that you are switching to the pinheads...I would also add the hydei when you can.


With the frogs being so new, they will not be settled down yet and will eventually get used to their new home.


Have to run for now.

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## j0onahra3

Thank you!! You really know how to explain everything.  :Smile:  I was a bit iffy with the vitamins and calcium supplements seeing that they had reptiles on the bottle lol. The reptile store employee said they should be fine, but he did seem a bit hesitant himself. 

I'll change to dendrocare seeing that they have everything in it already. And replacing them after a longer period sounds more ideal. We'll see if they like the taste of those bett er than the exo terra stuff.

I hope LLLreptile gets back to me soon. If I don't hear from them after a couple days, I'll give them a call. 

The thought that they would need some time to adjust flew right over my head. Can't believe I didn't know lol! Of course they would need to adjust. The medium sized guy seemed really active last night. He kept watching my mac desktop screen because I was moving my mouse, and he must've thought it was a fly lol. 

The larger one seemed to stay asleep and the same for the small one. But then again, they must've climbed around because leaves were shifted around, and some crickets were missing. 

I'll keep my eye out on all 3 and let you know how they do after adding plants, switching the supplement products, and adding fruit flies to their diet.  :Smile: 

Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk

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## j0onahra3

LLLreptile said they were captive bred.  :Smile: 

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## James

That's good.

If they are captive bred they should be more able to tell you the species (eg. Argus or not).

Would be interesting to see why the size differences if captive bred, as usually CB are offered at same ages from one clutch.

I would ask them both questions as well to complete your info.

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j0onahra3

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