Frequently Asked Questions...
There are alot of great "general"questions asked about
White's tree frogs that hopefully I can answer...
Q: "How much does a White's cost, and where would I find one?"
A: The pricing of a White's will vary. In general, the price ranges from $10 to $40 (US). It will depend on the store (breeder) in which the White's is adopted from, the age of the frog (generally, the younger White's will cost more), the strain (a purebred Australian Blue Phase will cost much more than a "mut" Indoneasian.... What I mean by "mut", is that the breader showed no discrepency on choosing the parents), and unfortunatly health.
I have not yet found a reliable sourse or breeder of White's (either by Internet, books, magazines, pet stores, or emails).
Q: "When I am ready to adopt a White's, how will I know he (she)is healthy?"
A: One thing to look for... well... is... "does the frog LOOK healthy?" Most references will say that a White's should be "plump" and round. Actually, this is not always true, but is good to look for. From what I have read, in the wild, White's rarely reach the plumpness as shown in most books and magazines. This plumpness is just a side affect of haveing a constant supply of food (which is rare in the wild).
Always look for any signs of infections, cuts, lumps, etc... Most people will say to ask to hold the frog before adopting. While with most frogs this may be a good idea; the logic being that a healthy frog will try to get away; I do not agree with it for a White's (or any frog). Stress is a leading cause (besides cleanliness) for frog disease and disorders. Handling a frog will tend to stress them. Even though White's seem to be accustom to humans, I strongly discourage people from holding them until the have them home, and have given them a chance to adapt to their new environment.
Even if your new frog looks and behaves healthy, it is always best to qurentine them for a month before placing them in a tank with other froggy friends. During this period, monitor the health and behavior of the frog (and try to make it as stress free as possible for the frog).
Q: "I want to add live plants to my White's tank, what type should I add?"
A: Remember, White's can become pretty big, so any foliage must be able to support their weight. Plants such as Monstera, Philodendrom, Ficus, and Sansevieria seem to be recommended in most books. One caution should be pointed out: do not add fertilizer or "plant food" to the tank. If the plants need such things, remove them from the tank to fertilize them. Many "plant foods" and fertilizers can be deadly to a White's.
Q: "How do I determine the sex of my White's (future White's)?"
A: The sexing of a White's may be very difficult. As far as I know
(please, if anyone has any other information, let me know).,there is only
one sure way to tell ...but, you frog must be of "breeding" age to tell (approximately 1 year old)
If you White's "sings" (croaks), he is male
Other ways to tell (but more unreliable) are by:
1) The males develope nuptual pads on their "thumbs"
during the "breading" season. But, the way I see it, if your frog
has already developed nuptual pads, you would have heard him "sing."
2)Females tend to be larger, but size is realitive to the specific strain
of White's you have; so this is not a good source for sexing.
3)Another unreliable way of sexing is to view the vocal sack (throat) of the frog. The male will tend to have a darker and "looser" throat.
4)...and yet, another unreliable method (as stated by Philippe de Vosjoli): "With males that are mature, slightly pressing with the thumb against the chest area will sometimes elicit a call or partial call (remember, I said slightly pressing, this means gental pressure)."
Q: "How often do I feed my White's, and what do I feed them?"
A: This is only a recommendation, but seems to be a general consensus
amoung most White's literature.
For Juveniles (1/2 to 1 1/2 inch):
Offer the little froglets 2-3 week old crickets daily (crickets
should be no longer than the width of the froglet's head). A coating of
calcium/vitamin supplement is strongly recommended. Young White's
need these addatives to grow up healthy. Most White's available in my
area (Fairport, New York), are beyond the "juvenile" age; so this feeding tactic
may not apply to most "new" White's owners.
For Young Adults to Adults (1 1/2 to 3 inch):
Offer 3-4 week old crickets about evry two or three days (coating less frequently-
maybe once or twice a week). You can try offering them 1 to 2 day old "pinky" mice
once a week (if your frogs will take them).
Adults:
Feed large crickets two to three times weekly. You should reduce calcium/vitamin intake
to once a week. An excess of calcium and vitamins may cause a non-reversable kidney
disease in White's. You can also try "pinky" mice or early stage "fuzzy" mice, if your
White's will take them.
In General:
Excessive feeding is not healthy for a White's. An over feed White's may
develope exceesive supratympanic ridges (the fatty folds over the eye), that may
render them blind, and also make them more prone to disease.
Other types of food can be tried (ex. mealworms, waxworms, grasshoppers,etc.).
But crickets seem to be the "food of choice."
Q: "My White's color changes, should I be worried? Is my Frog Sick?"
A: Actually, White's do tend to change color. I have rarely read or seen
much on this topic, but some say that a White's "mood" is a key factor.
But I believe that it is more associated with temperature and humidity.
With my frogs, it seems to be the higher the humidity, and lesser the
temperature, the darker and browner their colors. Where as if the temperater
is higher, with less humidity, they tend to be brighter (Kermit is
more blue, and Peabody is more green).
Although a drastic color change may be the sign of a disease, color changes in
White's seems to be a normal occurance.
Also, light integrity seems to be a factor. This is one subject that seems to be split on effects. I would tend to believe the effect that I will state here, but others have stated just the opposite:
If you use a full spectrum lighting (I use a Vitalite vitamin emmitting full spectrum bulb-they are costly), your White's will appear more dull and less "colorful". If you use a plain generic bulb, or subject your frog to no light, the colors will be more viberant, but it is (or may be....conflict in froggyland) unhealthy for your White's.
Q: "My White's seems to hide on the side of the tank, and be very
unactive. Is he sick?"
A: Some things to remember about White's are:
1) The White's are nocternal. So basically they are most active
at night. (Except when there is food in the tank, then they seem
to ALWAYS be active).
2) The White's like to sleep vertically. So, if your White's seems
to like "hiding" in the upper corner of the tank, he probably sees
this as a safe place to rest.
Q: "Is it okay to handle a White's tree frog?"
A: White's are a GREAT frog around people!! They generally show
very little fear of humans, and don't seem to mind being handled.
There are a few pointers though. Before handling a White's, it is
always best to wash hands with water (without using detergents or soaps).
Salts emmitted from human sweat glands could be harmful if a White's is exposed
for any length of time. Just keep in mind that White's absorb through
their skin, so any chemicals (ex.: hand lotion, soaps, etc.) could be
absorbed into your White's. After handling a White's, be sure to wash
hands with soap and water (to prevent the possible transmition of
harmful bacteria).
More to come....
E-Mail:
Kermit and Peabody
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