# Supplementing Thumbnails



## craigrbns (Feb 1, 2016)

Hey guys - I have a question for more experienced members of the forum. I found some info while searching the forum, but not enough to fully ease my concerns.

I have 4 Baja froglets in a relatively large vivarium. I have been adding dusted flies every two days and keeping the tank well stocked for the new frogs. However, they have been in the tank for about a month and have never come down to eat the freshly dusted flies. I am misting twice a day, morning and evening, and feel like most of the flies are being rinsed off before they manage to climb up to be eaten by the frogs. 

I am adding flies immediately after misting now to give them as long as possible to climb and be eaten before the next misting.

Anyway, I feel like the frogs may not be getting enough vitamin supplements. Should I be concerned, or no? Should I add less flies, but offer them daily? I have some new luecs in a separate tank as well, but they typically come out to gorge on freshly added flies, so no worries with them. 

Thanks! - Craig


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## 55105 (Jan 27, 2015)

I'm in a similar situation - just got my first thumbs.

The male will come down to the floor once he sees flies but the female is a bit shy. I know she gets flies when they make their way up the glass.

Going from larger species (tincs, luecs and auratus) that *love* to eat I think have to adjust my expectations.

These frogs are so tiny that only a few FFs is a pretty good meal for them and also (I'm guessing here) they probably don't need as much supplements as my other frogs.


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## Broseph (Dec 5, 2011)

I'm not exactly a pro staff member, but I've dealt with this issue before. I had half a dozen thumbnails in a 36x36x24" viv with clay substrate and lots of leaf litter (tons of microfauna). I had the same concern as you, and I eventually saw what I assumed was nutritional deficiency- seizure activity on more than 1 occasion from the same frog, and multiple clutches of bad eggs.

I moved the seizing individual to a small quarantine set up to treat with Calcium gluconate and to control the food items (dusted flies). He recovered wonderfully and was returned to the group.

To bring the rest of the group up to par, I kept the tank drier to reduce breeding and microfauna production. I fed much smaller quantities of flies at a time. I also set up a bait station to keep a closer eye on leftover flies, ensuring there weren't an abundance of undusted flies wandering the tank. No more seizure activity, and eventually successful breeding.

Hope this helps.


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## craigrbns (Feb 1, 2016)

Thanks for the replies. I know I have been keeping a surplus of flies in the tank for them. I will try to cut back a bit to force them to eat the freshly dusted flies as I put them in. I have only had the frogs for a month and initially just wanted to make sure they found food in their relatively large tank. Now that they are fat and use to the tank, I don't mind making them work a little harder for their meals! Im also going to try to add smaller quantities of flies daily (as opposed to more every other day), right after misting, to keep the flies from being rinsed off too quickly.


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## oldlady25715 (Nov 17, 2007)

Mist first then put flies in. After you put the flies in, turn off the light and leave the room so the shy frogs will hopefully feel secure enough to come out an feed. It think misting before feeding helps trigger a feeding response if done consistently. Turn the light back on after an hour or so?


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## craigrbns (Feb 1, 2016)

The bajas in the tank are not shy at all. However, they just don't come down out of the broms or background to feed on freshly dusted flies. There are a lot of gnats in the tank that they catch high up. Hopefully they will control them soon. The tank is 100 gallons and there are only 4 bajas in it so far. Flies make it up to them as well but I'm worried most of there dusting is gone by the time the frogs get them.


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## Ces0809 (Jan 14, 2015)

One thing we have to remember as well that most all thumbs are arboreal so they spend all their time hunting in the safety of the trees it might be a good idea to sprinkle some freshly dusted flies near there resting sites so they can get a chance to eat some vitamins before the flies clean them selfs off climbing to the top. 


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## Judy S (Aug 29, 2010)

this may sound like a dumb idea..but would chilling the dusted flies for a short bit in a refrigerator and them dumping them near the bait station--like a small hunk of banana...help delay the ffs from losing the vitamin dust?


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## craigrbns (Feb 1, 2016)

Ces0809 said:


> One thing we have to remember as well that most all thumbs are arboreal so they spend all their time hunting in the safety of the trees it might be a good idea to sprinkle some freshly dusted flies near there resting sites so they can get a chance to eat some vitamins before the flies clean them selfs off climbing to the top.
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


This is exactly what I finally did a few days ago. Worked like a charm. I thought I may spook the frogs by getting so close to them while dropping flies, but they could have cared less!


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## 55105 (Jan 27, 2015)

I've noticed that melanogaster seem to climb more than other flies. I'm going to try feeding them some today and hopefully the female might eat more.

Also, think I might design and print some type of lid for my feeding cup that has a long tapered spout to get flies as close as possible.


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## Frogsarefun (Nov 25, 2015)

Ces0809 said:


> One thing we have to remember as well that most all thumbs are arboreal so they spend all their time hunting in the safety of the trees it might be a good idea to sprinkle some freshly dusted flies near there resting sites so they can get a chance to eat some vitamins before the flies clean them selfs off climbing to the top.
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


I have noticed my thumbs only eat ff at mid level or higher, I do however see them go to the floor when I add springtails.


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## oneshot (Mar 5, 2010)

you could try a feeding station. Just put a little piece of an orange in there and the ff's should stay near.


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## Ces0809 (Jan 14, 2015)

Frogsarefun said:


> I have noticed my thumbs only eat ff at mid level or higher, I do however see them go to the floor when I add springtails.




Yea my thumbs do the same I usually add springtails ones a weeks so I see them regularly foraging in the leaf litter the more leaf litter the more comfortable the feel going down to the bottom of the inclosure 


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