Tomato Frog Suggestions?

C

cherylgilman

Member
One of my projects is to get an exhibit together for a tomato frog. I've got a nice looking exhibit together, but while researching I've noticed a lot of different suggestions on substrates. I'm concerned about the frog possibly eating the substrate, then getting compacted and dying. But I also want a natural looking exhibit with a substate that the frog can burrow into. Do any fellow zoo chatters have tomato frogs on exhibit, and if you do how do you have it set up? Where do you keep your humidity range?

Thanks,
Cheryl
 
i have kept various frog and newt species over the years but as far as substrates are concerned i have never ventured into the territory of anything too exciting. i do however remember inquiring with a melbourne zoo frog keeper (the zoo has an extensive collection of frogs) on what sort of soil substrate they used in their naturalistic exhibits and was told that potting mix is fine, so long as its free from any chemical fertilisers, which isn't necessarily easy to find.

good luck.
 
I have a June 2008 REPTILES magazine which has an article on tomato frogs.

For substrate, it mentioned using several inches of either coconut husk fiber mixed with a little play sand and milled sphagnum moss or long-fiber sphagnum moss with or without dirt as excellent choices. Though they need to retain moisture, never allow the substrate to become waterlogged. Also avoid using gravel and fir bark as these can be easily ingested by the frogs.

For temperature, it should be between 75 and 82 degrees and the tank should not be exposed to drafts or subject to sudden temperature fluctuations.

If the substrate is kept moist, the tank will remain humid without frequent misting. Misiting can be done several times a week or once a day if the frogs are kept in a dry room with limited ventilation. After misting the humidity can reach nearly 100 percent but can fall between 40 and 70 percent and still be perfect for the frogs.

The guy wrote the article, Devin Edmonds also has a website, www. amphibiancare.com which might also be helpful to you as well.

Hope this is what your looking for.
 
Thanks for the responses, I have coconut bark and soil in there now along with a pond, waterfall and a couple of live plants. But I'm lucky to reach 35% humidity. I'm looking for something to partially cover the top of the exhibit and hopefully raise the humidity, plus I was thinking about a fogger also.

Cheryl
 
cherylgilman said:
Thanks for the responses, I have coconut bark and soil in there now along with a pond, waterfall and a couple of live plants. But I'm lucky to reach 35% humidity. I'm looking for something to partially cover the top of the exhibit and hopefully raise the humidity, plus I was thinking about a fogger also.

Cheryl
Click to expand...

This website might give you an idea of what your looking for:

Reptile Terrariums & Cage Supplies from Drs. Foster & Smith
 
a glass lid is great for keeping in the humidity, but does not allow for the UV light necessary for healthy amphibian growth to penetrate through it.

thus i always have used standard aquariums with flyscreen lid and i place the light at the rear of the tank and use a strip of glass over front where there is exposed mesh. whilst i have never had any implements to determine the precise humidity levels - its always seemed to keep the humidity very high whilst also offering some ventilation.
 
You'll need to plan a comparatively small enclosure, they don't make great display animals!!!
EcoEarth/NeoPeat is ideal for them :)
 
JerseyLotte said:
You'll need to plan a comparatively small enclosure, they don't make great display animals!!!
EcoEarth/NeoPeat is ideal for them :)
Click to expand...

Why don't they make great display animals? If they don't then maybe we should consider another species to represent Madagascar. We already have started a mantella exhibit, but we would like to support the amphibian population and help with the conservation efforts.
 
cherylgilman said:
Why don't they make great display animals? If they don't then maybe we should consider another species to represent Madagascar. We already have started a mantella exhibit, but we would like to support the amphibian population and help with the conservation efforts.
Click to expand...

I know what our Lotte means here.

But I agree that it is important to have a representative portion of threatened Madagascan wildlife on show (even if they do not make the best in activity budgets vis a vis a general public). So, please continue.

I assume you are part of the Amphibian Crisis coalition and your facility has selected several threatened species for display and conservation breeding purposes.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top