# Frogs & Toads > Budgett's Frogs >  So i just got a budgets frog ! estivation?

## Hoppy2Bhere

I just got my frog a week or two ago, lately its been molting like crazy. It seems late to estivate him or her...should I try it? I have eco earth made, im guessing damp eco earth would work? and do i just fill the trough with it and just plop him in? he hasnt eaten almost anything this week.

He is in a ten gallon tank at 78 - 81 degrees and he has a fogger ( he cant jump into it) 





A simple step by step for estivation would be helpful, i did read the caresheet, but there are too many blanks for me on it. is the soil moist? is it see through? he digs..but do i cover him? should i check on him? will he dry out?

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## Hoppy2Bhere

the non reply is not helpful

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## Herpguy

If you are asking help from people you need to be willing to wait more than 7 hours.  If I was a grumpier person I would not respond, but I will for the well being of the frog.

It all depends on the frog's size, you should wait until they are adult.  All you do is basically put it in a compound bucket filled with coco-fiber, and let the fiber dry slowly.  Keep a small piece of pipe the goes to the bottom so you can add small amounts of water so it does not dry out completely.  Make sure you check up on the frog and make sure it's cocoon has not cracked.  After a few months slowly add warm water to the bucket until the substrate is rather damp.  Within a few days your Budgett's will be sitting in the substrate like a pacman frog, with it's head sticking out.  When this happens you can move him back to his aquatic setup.

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## Hoppy2Bhere

Yes, I forgot about the 7 hour thing, ( though I did see people look but not reply) ...I do realize that people work and live in other parts of the world where they may be asleep when I am not or am : so yes and thank you for your reply I got antsy because he was shedding so much, and I was going to start estivation process  today. I am relatively sure that this frog is not full grown, so I could wait a year...

Thanks for not being grumpy,

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## Colleen/Jerrod

> If you are asking help from people you need to be willing to wait more than 7 hours.  If I was a grumpier person I would not respond, but I will for the well being of the frog.
> 
> It all depends on the frog's size, you should wait until they are adult.  All you do is basically put it in a compound bucket filled with coco-fiber, and let the fiber dry slowly.  Keep a small piece of pipe the goes to the bottom so you can add small amounts of water so it does not dry out completely.  Make sure you check up on the frog and make sure it's cocoon has not cracked.  After a few months slowly add warm water to the bucket until the substrate is rather damp.  Within a few days your Budgett's will be sitting in the substrate like a pacman frog, with it's head sticking out.  When this happens you can move him back to his aquatic setup.


Just to add to this well stated info.

You keep a shallow water dish large enough for the frog's entire body to fit in. If your Budgetts wants to aestivate then it will dig down and begin to aestivate if the Budgetts is not ready and does not want to aestivate it will stay in the water dish.

Philippe De Vosjoli has a good book on both Horned Frogs and Budgetts and it explains the aestivation process.

Even if the frog decides to dig down there should still always be a shallow water dish filled with fresh water placed on top of the substrate during the entire time that the frog slumbers.

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## Bruce

If you don't mind my asking, since I am not experienced with this species, however always have been interested... What is the purpose of having a fogger since this is mostly an aquatic species?

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## Colleen/Jerrod

> If you don't mind my asking, since I am not experienced with this species, however always have been interested... What is the purpose of having a fogger since this is mostly an aquatic species?


It is actually unnecessary. I have not kept Budgetts myself. A fogger would only be necessary for a setup with a large land area which is not the case here.

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## Bruce

I figured so.. It'll be awhile before I get a budgets anyway, darts are next on my list  :Wink:

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## Herpguy

Budgett's are amazing frogs.  Mine would never stop lunging at the side of his tank trying to get to me whenever I walked into the room.

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## Colleen/Jerrod

> Budgett's are amazing frogs.  Mine would never stop lunging at the side of his tank trying to get to me whenever I walked into the room.


I've been eyeballing one at a pet store near my wife's work. Looks to be in good health and is already about 3.5" so I'm assuming its a young male, but still could be a young female as well since they usually hit 4" to 4.5" on average.

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## Herpguy

If you get one you won't be disappointed.  If that's an adult then it's a male, they don't get bigger than that.  Females can get huge.  After you feed one for the first time you will never look at your cranwelli's the same.

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## Colleen/Jerrod

> If you get one you won't be disappointed.  If that's an adult then it's a male, they don't get bigger than that.  Females can get huge.  After you feed one for the first time you will never look at your cranwelli's the same.


Lol! You are under the impression that I only have cranwelli or that they're my favorite? I have 4 of the 8 Horned Frog species  :Smile: . I have been looking at getting a Budgetts for a while, but not as long as a Ceratophrys aurita. I've read about the Budgetts ferocious feeding response and always wanting to be fed. I have read that females can reach upwards of 6" SVL, but I assume smaller in captivity like many other species.

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## Herpguy

Oh I know how much you have, I'm just saying that your cranwelli will seem like spring peepers when compared to the feeding response of a Budgett's!

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## Colleen/Jerrod

> Oh I know how much you have, I'm just saying that your cranwelli will seem like spring peepers when compared to the feeding response of a Budgett's!


Lmao!! Gotcha! Sadly I may have to wait until we have a larger place before getting a Budgetts. I saw a juvinile at an expo last year that caught my eye and I laughed when I picked up the container because it was so chubby that it's belly jiggled. It was about the size of a silver dollar. They are a very interesting species. Even stalk their prey like aligators do.

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## Hoppy2Bhere

i just like my fogger..and it keeps the water warm, but its caged in so the frog cant get to it. the fog is just for fun. since the humidity is pretty much the water  :Smile:  He does have large non movable rocks to get out on so he chooses where he goes.

Thanks!

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## Colleen/Jerrod

> i just like my fogger..and it keeps the water warm, but its caged in so the frog cant get to it. the fog is just for fun. since the humidity is pretty much the water  He does have large non movable rocks to get out on so he chooses where he goes.
> 
> Thanks!


Watch out running it constantly. When the frog comes to the surface for a breath and only gets heavily saturated air it may develope pnemonia. Running it occationally wouldn't be so bad but all the time could be harmful even to an aquatic species.

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## Hoppy2Bhere

oooo I didnt know/ think of that! pnemonia, I'll turn it on and off.

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## DeeDub

Mike! Dude, you need to get these.  I want one!

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Thanks
DW

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