# Frogs & Toads > Tomato Frogs, Painted Frogs & Microhylids >  Tomato Frog - Trouble in the Enclosure

## Ryan

1. tank size - 10 gallon

2. inhabitants - one male tomato frog

3. water source - small water bowl, zilla water conditioner

4. water temp, - not sure

5. chemistry - not sure

6. filter - false bottom one inch of gravel

7. substrate - eco earth

8. terrarium plants/decor - cork hide on one side with pothos and palm fern plants & umbrella plant

9. staple food - crickets (med- large)

10. Calcium - Gutloaded calcium

11. lighting, -  exo terra 50 watt bulb (10 hrs a day)

12. eaten -  10/6/13 (Last time i SAW him eat)

13. Poop? - in the hide in substrate

14. Pics - will get some very soon

15. age - approximatley one year old

16. ownership - over 4 months

17. WC or CB - captive bred, saw him first when he was the size of a dime

18. treatment of water - zilla water conditioner (half tablespoon for every gallon)

19. salt? - no salt in water

20. high or low traffic? - low

21. tank matinence - misting dily, changing water dish every second day

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## Heather

Bob, I moved your post here to the Tomato frog section for you for a quicker response. 

I have never had a Tomato frog. I know their care is similar to a pacman frog, though I would wait for someone knowledgeable in Tomato frogs to answer for you. I'll read through and see if I can help with the basics.

Skimming through quickly, I believe your concern is that you are not sure he is eating? Is that correct?

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## Heather

Can you tell us what the temp in his tank is? And the humidity? This will be helpful.

Do you toss his crickets in the tank? Are there any left in the morning?

Do you supplement the crickets by dusting them with calcium with vitamin D3? And multivitamin? And if yes, what is the dusting schedule?

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## Ryan

whenever feeding him i toss the crickets in front of him and he tends to eat them later 
but ive noticed that the crickets are still there now, ive already taken them out. I dont 
dust my crickets when feeding him, his temp in the tank is 75 at the lowest and 85 at 
the hottest, humidity is 90 - 100% here's his set up below.

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## Heather

Hi Bob, I've sent messages to my fellow members to see if anyone might know more about Tomato frogs. I did a bit of online research, but the care sheets vary. 


10. I would definitely still recommend using a calcium with vitamin D3 supplement every other feeding and a multivitamin supplement one day a week, but not on the same day as the calcium/D3. The gut load cricket feed is nice but it does not provide enough calcium or D3. 

11. You haven't seen him eat since October? That's a long time. I hope he's eaten something. Do you count your crickets when you put them in and the ones you remove? Perhaps that could help. Have you tried tong feeding? 


Humidity - 90-100% seems high, though I am no expert with this species. We should wait and see what others say to this one. I saw a few care sheets with 70-80%. Does he ever soak in his water dish? How often do you drain your false bottom? 

Temp - waiting to hear from others, though from the care sheets I compared  mostly had ranges of mid 70's for cool end to 82'F at high end. Perhaps let the hotter end cool down a bit? Do you have a dimmer on your lamp?

How big is your frog STV?

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## Carlos

Hello Ryan!  OK, other than the information you posted stating frog has not eaten since June 10; any other symptoms or indications frog is sick?  Is frog an ugly brown color?  Has frog behavior changed (borrowing, soaking, etc.)?  Do note you took the questions developed for a full aquatic set-up, so have to ask here a few more.  

Temp of 85F is too high for them, recommend lower to at least 80F.  What kind of bulb are you using in enclosure?  If incandescent and producing heat need to turn off.  These frogs are nocturnal but there are reports that their color appears to benefit from a small dose of UV light, so could try one of it's bulbs be a fluorescent (low heat) type UVB changed every 6 months.  If turning heat lamp off is not enough, try moving enclosure to cooler room.  Humidity is a bit high too, try to keep around 75-80%.  How wet is your shredded coco? If damp to point it starts clumping in your closed fist it's OK, but if wet and water drips out, it has too much water on it.

Have you tried feeding night crawlers?  Either feed off tweezers (plastic or coated tips) or drop right in front of mouth.  Any bait shop should sell them; just make sure are not dyed or have chemicals on them. In US we get them at Walmart.  Also, do get CA and vitamin supplements (Repashy or RepCal are good) and start using them now.  If it still refuses to eat in couple days, try giving it an unflavored Pedialyte bath (10% Pedialyte and 90% 80F dechlorinated water) for 15 minutes and see if that will perk frog up.   

What is your cleaning method and schedule for coco substrate?  Do you remove poop from hide as it happens?  Do you have a recent poop sample to take to veterinary for fecal analysis?  Start changing water daily even if it looks like frog did not use.

Please answer the added questions and hope your frog eats and gets better soon  :Smile:  .

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Heatheranne

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## Lynn

> Hello Ryan!  OK, other than the information you posted stating frog has not eaten since June 10; any other symptoms or indications frog is sick?  Is frog an ugly brown color?  Has frog behavior changed (borrowing, soaking, etc.)?  Do note you took the questions developed for a full aquatic set-up, so have to ask here a few more.  
> 
> Temp of 85F is too high for them, recommend lower to at least 80F.  What kind of bulb are you using in enclosure?  If incandescent and producing heat need to turn off.  These frogs are nocturnal but there are reports that their color appears to benefit from a small dose of UV light, so could try one of it's bulbs be a fluorescent (low heat) type UVB changed every 6 months.  If turning heat lamp off is not enough, try moving enclosure to cooler room.  Humidity is a bit high too, try to keep around 75-80%.  How wet is your shredded coco? If damp to point it starts clumping in your closed fist it's OK, but if wet and water drips out, it has too much water on it.
> 
> Have you tried feeding night crawlers?  Either feed off tweezers (plastic or coated tips) or drop right in front of mouth.  Any bait shop should sell them; just make sure are not dyed or have chemicals on them. In US we get them at Walmart.  Also, do get CA and vitamin supplements (Repashy or RepCal are good) and start using them now.  If it still refuses to eat in couple days, try giving it an unflavored Pedialyte bath (10% Pedialyte and 90% 80F dechlorinated water) for 15 minutes and see if that will perk frog up.   
> 
> What is your cleaning method and schedule for coco substrate?  Do you remove poop from hide as it happens?  Do you have a recent poop sample to take to veterinary for fecal analysis?  Start changing water daily even if it looks like frog did not use.
> 
> Please answer the added questions and hope your frog eats and gets better soon  .


Hi Ryan,

Sorry you little guy is under the weather.   :Frown: 
As mentioned - the temp needs to come down. I think this could be the culprit. I have never kept them , though. They are suppose to be comfortable at ,even ,room temp. When your home is chilly, only then, consider a small heat light for extra warmth. The humidity , on the on the other hand should be high.  So, as mentioned I believe 85 is way too high. As far as I know the temp should NOT be over 75-78. Slowly pull the temp down and see it you don't notice him act more normal. Since the weather is warmer, perhaps his tank ,simply, got too warm ? As the ambient temp climbed- change in his behavior may have been insidious at first? 

I know people who have them say that they will burrow and eat an insect that "passes by"  vs chasing the food like a tree frog. So you will want to keep this in mind when feeding. I do not think this species should be fed w/ bowl feeding method. I'm sure you know they are mostly nocturnal resulting in not seeing them much during the daylight hours. Keep a day/night light cycle and he will know when it's feeding time. 

Photos would be great. 
Is he inflated ? 
When a male is happy will be bright orange a female a very bright red.

I hope we have been of some help?
Perhaps call a breeder; of whom can be a valuable resource for you. 

Keep us posted, please !
Lynn

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Heatheranne

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## Colleen/Jerrod

Carlos and Lynn have you covered. They are both right. Humidity needs to be lower and the temps should never exceed 80° at the hottest. Tomato frogs like mid to high 70°s. Also your light may be too bright. These are nocturnal frogs and rarely diurnal.

I believe that you are in good hands now.

Good luck Bob  :Smile:

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Heatheranne

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## Ryan

HEllo again, im a little overwelmed with all the comments because i
 havent been on for a day :0 so far he looks healthy, i think he may have
 been shedding, his temps i realize are way too high. *(I meant 6/10/13 
Sry about that heather!)* ive only had him for 5 months and he ate last
 night. im going to save for a heat mat and a dimmer light. he's bright red
 and is plump like a tomato.

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## Heather

> HEllo again, im a little overwelmed with all the comments because i
>  havent been on for a day :0 so far he looks healthy, i think he may have
>  been shedding, his temps i realize are way too high. *(I meant 6/10/13 
> Sry about that heather!)* ive only had him for 5 months and he ate last
>  night. im going to save for a heat mat and a dimmer light. he's bright red
>  and is plump like a tomato.


It's okay. How is he doing? Have you made the house adjustments?

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## Ryan

he's doing very good! he's hopping around a lot at night and returns to the exact same spot he was before, i have a mini heat mat that is 5 watts and gets around 80 at the very hottest. he eats well now so im feeding him every three days with *Dusted exo terra multivitamins.* he appears much happier although he dosent smile  :Smile:

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