# White's Tree Frog - which sex to keep and a couple of other questions...



## epicusdoomicus (Feb 22, 2010)

Hi all

First post, seems like a good helpful community here!

I'm planning on getting a pair of White's Tree Frogs in the coming months to be kept in an exo terra 45x45x60 vivarium (from reading a few posts on this forum it seems this should be big enough for a pair - if not please tell me!). I've been reading around but there are a few issues that I haven't seen covered anywhere yet, so I have a few questions. I'm a total novice by the way!

Here goes! - 

1) I'm used to keeping tropical fish where compatability within and between species is vital, so one question that I've not seen answered yet is whether it matters whether the pair are both male, both female, or mixed? I'm assuming that it doesn't matter as I've not seen it mentioned anywhere yet - am I correct?!

2) I'm planning on getting a heat mat to heat the vivarium with. I've read that the frogs like a drop of 3 or 4 degrees at night, but how do you go about achieving this? Is there a nob on the heat mat that you have to remember to turn up and down every morning and evening? Or will the drop in temperature in the house be enough? I live in Bristol, UK by the way.

3) Last question! - I've read that UV may be best for the frogs, so I'm going to get a lighting set-up. How many hours a day is generally regarded as the best for keeping the UV lights on? 5, 10, 15 hours?

Any help would be greatly appreciated.


----------



## andaroo (Nov 14, 2008)

Hey there:welcome:

I've had my pair of white's since march last year when they were tiny babies. They are amazing I love them so much :flrt:

I have mine in a 45x45x60 and it's big enough for them, they are very active when young but slow down a bit as they get bigger but not when it's feeding time!:lol2:
The sexes don't matter they get along fine, mine are always sat next to each other and get along great.

Heatmats are good for keeping the tank warm, but you will need a thermostat to make sure it doesn't get hot enough to burn the frogs as they will most likely sleep on the glass where the heat mat is, they get upto 41 degrees C and they shouldnt really go over 30. 

Don't get exo terra heat mats, i have them on mine and regret it, they have a sticky back and you have to stick them to the glass which is really annoying but they are low wattage so they don't go over 30 degrees, but i have read horror stories were they overheat and catch fire. I had one of the desert types that burnt out and melted a hole in itself but no harm was done. The tank lights also contribute to the daytime temperatures so when these go off at night the temperature will drop.

White's are very hardy and can withstand a wide range of temperatures as long as they are kept between 20-30 degrees they will be fine. You can also use a 50w heat bulb if the temps are too low but position it away from where they sleep so it doesnt dry them out. I find that my 2 always sleep in the same spot for the whole day.

I use the compact top for my exo terra and i use a 26 W 10% UV bulb and a 20W compact bulb i got from ikea that was £2.99, dont bother wasting £15+ on a daylight 2% bulb the UV it produces is worthless! As long as you have 1 UV bulb it will be fine and don't be put off with the high percentage bulb marketed for reptiles because the frogs will benefit from it. 

I keep my lights on for 10 hours in the winter, 12 hours in spring/autumn and 14 in the summer but thats just me, 12 hours on is fine.

Also white's don't need high humidity alot of caresheets are wrong, normal room humidity is fine, you won't need to mist them I never do mine 40% is fine, as long as they have fresh clean water every night to soak in they can get their moisture from that instead of the air and their thick waxy skin can hold alot of it.

Any other questions just ask! I have alot of experience : victory:


----------



## jennlovesfrogs (Jan 22, 2009)

Ditto Andaroo xxx I do pretty much the same 

Hello and welcome to the world of froggies by the way, once you've got 1, you'll be hooked and want more! trust me lol.


----------



## epicusdoomicus (Feb 22, 2010)

Thank you both for the info and the warm welcome. Are heatmats the best way to heat the tank or is there a better (and safer!) way to do it? I'm wary of the heat bulbs because I've read that they can burn themselves on them.

Thanks again


----------



## jennlovesfrogs (Jan 22, 2009)

heat mats on a thermostat is the best and safest way yes xx


----------



## andaroo (Nov 14, 2008)

Yeah they are but if they are sleeping they don't move so like i said you could put the heat bulb on the other side of the tank but as we are coming to spring now you probably won't need it and in the summer last year i actually had to turn all the heat mats off and put the tank in a cooler room because it was going over 30 degrees!
You could always buy a small room heater to bring the temps up, i actually have a 3 halogen spotlight light on my ceiling in my room which i turn and point them towards the tanks so i leave my bedroom lights on during the day, each bulb gives off 200 degrees of heat so it keeps the room fairly warm!


----------



## epicusdoomicus (Feb 22, 2010)

Thanks again guys. I went out and bought the exo terra 45x45x60 earlier today.

I've searched the archives here to see what size heat mat to get but I'm getting a bit confused as to what type and the size to go for. Please could someone tell me what size to go for? Also, this may be a really silly question, but where does the heat mat go? Under the vivarium, or in the vivarium but under the substrate?

Thanks loads!


----------



## Morgan Freeman (Jan 14, 2009)

One the back or sides works best.

I *think* people use 11x11....Don't quote me on that.


----------



## andaroo (Nov 14, 2008)

I have 2 heat mats, 1 exo rainforest large and 1 medium, large on the side and medium underneath. You attatch them to the outside of the glass and if you then put some polystyrene on top of the mat it directs the heat lost back into the tank. You will need a size that doesnt cover all the glass something that leaves a 2-3 inch border of glass around the mat.

What where you thinking of using as substrate?


----------



## andaroo (Nov 14, 2008)

Morgan Freeman said:


> One the back or sides works best.
> 
> I *think* people use 11x11....Don't quote me on that.


get out morg :whip: u dont even own any white's pfff i keep telling u to get some but nooo its all about the tigercocks with you :bash:


----------



## jennlovesfrogs (Jan 22, 2009)

I use a large habistat one 23x11inch, on the side or back will work great


----------



## Bearnandos (Nov 24, 2009)

Ahhh a fishkeeper like myself..woot!!
My larger vivs are heated using a 100W aquarium heater - set at 26oc works really well as when the lights are switched on the bulbs to kick up my viv temps to around 28-30oc 
I box my heater and my water pump (for waterfall and water circulation) using egg create - then place the substrate around the egg create box.....
Does this sound like a method you would be interested in ??


----------



## epicusdoomicus (Feb 22, 2010)

Thanks for all the quick replies once again everybody.

I'm only having a dish of water for my White's so no water pump or fountain for me. Sounds like a fun way to do it though!

I'm not decided on the substrate yet to be honest. I want something that the frogs will like but that is also hygienic. I was thinking of the coconut fiber type stuff.

So in my size set-up (45x45x60), should I go for two heat mats (1 on the back and 1 underneath), or just 1. If just one, should it go on the back or underneath?!

And I thought aquarium cycling was complicated haha!

Thanks again!


----------

