What Substrate To Use For GTF's Setup ?

[xjiahua]

Would like inquire what kind of substrates are you guys using for green tree frogs ?

One of my concern is the discharge from the frog as i am considering putting the setup in my room. Any recommendation of substrates that has no smell and is effective in absorbing and breaking down the frogs discharge ?

any reviews on Exo Terra Tree Fern and Coco Husk ?

Much appreciated!

[eddy planer]

Hi xjiahua,

I would recommend you using artificial grass as I'm using it now for my horde of white tree frogs. The poos of the frogs is literally almost the smell like soil. However, Please do not be so worried about the poos just add misting system to clear the poos and also refreshes your white tree frogs, too.

Let me know how are you going to set up your paludarium? I may be able to help you with your newly set up.

[xjiahua]

Hey eddy, thanks for your advice and offer.

I'm actually planning to setup a vivarium with a 2 x 1 x 1.5ft grow up tank for the frogs while saving up for a exo terra tank in the future. i did however consider the possibility of a paludarium but there is space constraints given my tank specification. Hence, i will possibly just add in a water dish for easy maintenance.

My reason for considering substrate is because i would like to add some flora in it while serving to assist in breaking down the poo. In fact, i'm still contemplating if i should go for artificial setup as well i also did consider using exo terra moss mat. Pardon me but i dont get how the misting help to clear the poo ?

[David Moses Heng]

A good choice of substrate would be organic soil available from most nursery for roughly $2-3 for 2.5 kilos. I have been using a particular german brand for all my palu and I got it from woon leng nursery for $3 per packet. For my last project, i gotten one pallet of them. On how misting would break down the poos, I believe that the mist would break down and disintegrate the poos. I am not too sure about that though.

Infact, I was also reading up on GTFs and realise that most keepers do not include a water body for them. Most GTFs set up consist of only a small water dish for them and I also notice that the dish must not be too deep. Regular misting is however needed.

[eddy planer]

Hi xjiahua,
If you are keeping white tree frogs, I believe. Hence you still have to go for artificial setup like i do. Believe me, I used to set up great natural flora like bird nest ferns, common ferns, and even mosses and all of them has been ripped off really badly by the White Tree Frogs in matter of days. The reason why, white tree frogs are heavy, strong climbers and good jumpers, which will literally tear all flora apart just like that. I spend closely SGD250 on flora for my 4ft high palu for nearly five months ... and every flora went down to drain

Misting.. is to help to breakdown the poos very effectively and I set timer to activate misting system the whole palu twice a day for 1 min and the same time during misting my whole palu create an orchestra ! I love the way they calling! cool isn't it.

[xjiahua]

Infact, I was also reading up on GTFs and realise that most keepers do not include a water body for them. Most GTFs set up consist of only a small water dish for them and I also notice that the dish must not be too deep. Regular misting is however needed.

thanks for the recommendation will go check it out. If i could i would definitely make it a paludarium, getting the best of both worlds. Most articles i read just suggested that water level to be just below their mouth area.

Hi xjiahua,
If you are keeping white tree frogs, I believe. Hence you still have to go for artificial setup like i do. Believe me, I used to set up great natural flora like bird nest ferns, common ferns, and even mosses and all of them has been ripped off really badly by the White Tree Frogs in matter of days. The reason why, white tree frogs are heavy, strong climbers and good jumpers, which will literally tear all flora apart just like that. I spend closely SGD250 on flora for my 4ft high palu for nearly five months ... and every flora went down to drain

Misting.. is to help to breakdown the poos very effectively and I set timer to activate misting system the whole palu twice a day for 1 min and the same time during misting my whole palu create an orchestra ! I love the way they calling! cool isn't it.

oh yes thanks for reminding me on that. because one managed to break out from my heavily covered enclosure. frankly speaking i'm still pretty unsure about the species whether if its green or white. i just got it from the current batch of frogs. do you get your artticial plants from nursery too ?

[eddy planer]

Hi xjiahua

All batches of those frogs in Singapore are White Tree Frog. It may look like Green Tree frog. The Green Tree Frog (2.5 inches long) is much smaller than White Tree Frog( 4inches long) and found in found in the central and southeastern United States whereas the White Tree Frog known as Dumpy Tree Frog or Australian Green Tree Frog, native to Australia and New Guinea.

Hence Singapore only allows import Australian Green Tree Frog or Dumpy Tree Frog that you are having now. This White Tree Frog will change colour to dark brown or shade umber when it keeping in dark or shade.

You may find the artificial plants from nurseries. I got mine from Vietnam/ Indonesia, which is so much cheaper than here.

Tell me how are you going built paludarium set up?

[xjiahua]

Hi xjiahua

All batches of those frogs in Singapore are White Tree Frog. It may look like Green Tree frog. The Green Tree Frog (2.5 inches long) is much smaller than White Tree Frog( 4inches long) and found in found in the central and southeastern United States whereas the White Tree Frog known as Dumpy Tree Frog or Australian Green Tree Frog, native to Australia and New Guinea.

Hence Singapore only allows import Australian Green Tree Frog or Dumpy Tree Frog that you are having now. This White Tree Frog will change colour to dark brown or shade umber when it keeping in dark or shade.

You may find the artificial plants from nurseries. I got mine from Vietnam/ Indonesia, which is so much cheaper than here.

Tell me how are you going built paludarium set up?

Thanks for the clarification. Was actually thinking to partition the 2ft tank but it will somehow cut down the movement space for the frogs. And there is limited space for filtration to be done

[eddy planer]

Hi xjiahua,

2ft tank is unsuitable for your WTFs is far too small. Try to obtain a bigger 3ft long x 2ft high tank or terro tank with two doors. WTFs are required a lot of space so if you keep 2 or 3 WTFs for 2ft tank, then you need to upgrade to 3ftx 2ft tank or terrarium 3ft x 1.5ft to keep your WTFs very happy. At the same time, you will be able to install misting system.

[delhezi]

All that has been said above is pretty much correct. Increase your tank size, white's will be needing it. Typically, >20 gallons for one white's, and +10 gallons for the consecutive ones.

The misting system may not be necessary if you are willing to do it manually. Singapore's humidity is obviously high enough, and thus moisture is not as much of a concern. If you do the misting system, I recommend a false bottom. Google it.

Faeces are less of a concern if you add microfauna. These are not like plecos that only seem to consume faeces in the aquarium. Springtails and woodlice will actually eat the faeces, fungi and bacteria associated with them. Very useful.

Speaking of which, one of my two new whites I bought a day ago is down with parasites. It is important to educate yourself on various frog diseases here, and go through the QUARANTINE process. If you don't, have fun stripping down the entire tank for disinfection should your new frogs turn out to be ill after all.

Lastly, there is a fungus killing every nice frog out there. Do not consider release and observe for symptoms of this hard hitting and fatal fungus. There is a fairly available cure for captive amphibians, but I cannot assure you that it will work 100%.

[xjiahua]

Hi xjiahua,

2ft tank is unsuitable for your WTFs is far too small. Try to obtain a bigger 3ft long x 2ft high tank or terro tank with two doors. WTFs are required a lot of space so if you keep 2 or 3 WTFs for 2ft tank, then you need to upgrade to 3ftx 2ft tank or terrarium 3ft x 1.5ft to keep your WTFs very happy. At the same time, you will be able to install misting system.

Yupp definitely. The current proposed tank is a temporary grow up tanks for them as they are still relatively small. Want to try my hands on the habitat design prior to moving to a planned exo terra tank.

All that has been said above is pretty much correct. Increase your tank size, white's will be needing it. Typically, >20 gallons for one white's, and +10 gallons for the consecutive ones.

The misting system may not be necessary if you are willing to do it manually. Singapore's humidity is obviously high enough, and thus moisture is not as much of a concern. If you do the misting system, I recommend a false bottom. Google it.

Faeces are less of a concern if you add microfauna. These are not like plecos that only seem to consume faeces in the aquarium. Springtails and woodlice will actually eat the faeces, fungi and bacteria associated with them. Very useful.

Speaking of which, one of my two new whites I bought a day ago is down with parasites. It is important to educate yourself on various frog diseases here, and go through the QUARANTINE process. If you don't, have fun stripping down the entire tank for disinfection should your new frogs turn out to be ill after all.

Lastly, there is a fungus killing every nice frog out there. Do not consider release and observe for symptoms of this hard hitting and fatal fungus. There is a fairly available cure for captive amphibians, but I cannot assure you that it will work 100%.

Thanks for the informative write up! Will do more read up in the meanwhile. The mirco faunas that you mentioned is present within those substrate isnt it after time ? i mean i do not need to purposely cultivate or buy it right ?

[eddy planer]

The mirco faunas that you mentioned is present within those substrate isnt it after time ? i mean i do not need to purposely cultivate or buy it right ?

Hi xjiahua,

I must say there is no need to purchase this micro fauna as this isn't in Singapore's market, just let your habitat grow with real flora and woods for a couple of months with constantly mist manually 2 x a day to create this micro fauna. Actually, my two years plus experience of close encounter with my 15 White Tree Frogs and other 10 White Lipped Tree Frogs .. my precious only had a nasty encounter with tapwater with overdosing Chlorine that cost me four dead White Tree Frogs. . That's why I installed R/O filter to eliminate chlorine...until now, now I got very happy Whites!

Hope this will helps you.

[delhezi]

Yes... I'm trying to find microfauna myself. They are not compulsory, but certainly a good addition. Go stick a bunch of wet leaves somewhere or pop by a semi-forested area. You can easily pick up some woodlice etc etc.

[eddy planer]

Yes... I'm trying to find microfauna myself. They are not compulsory, but certainly a good addition. Go stick a bunch of wet leaves somewhere or pop by a semi-forested area. You can easily pick up some woodlice etc etc.

Go to semi-forested area, to pick any wood or wet leaves that will bring in the invasion of termites!!! This how my 6ft tank literally kana invasion of termites which carefully hidden deep inside the wood shafts( boiled for 5 mins before but won't stop them) I bought from nursery.Still wanna to get anything from semi-forested area..?

I would rather culture them with the all the flora like birdnest ferns or whatever ferns and diftwood or bogwood inside the tank.

After all, I'll still share what I had gone through even if you maybe literally dont agree with me.. however, we are all here in this forum to learn every mistakes, nasty incidents, and successfully Whites keeping to ensure the Joy of keeping White successfully.

[FuEl]

Best substrate for White's is good old kitchen paper towel. White's simply poop too much and over time paper towels will be the best for them. What we perceive as a natural setup may not necessarily be best for the animal when kept in captivity.

[David Moses Heng]

Best substrate for White's is good old kitchen paper towel. White's simply poop too much and over time paper towels will be the best for them. What we perceive as a natural setup may not necessarily be best for the animal when kept in captivity.

Agreed!