# Behavioral and environmental enrichment



## zooherper (Jul 28, 2013)

Hey all, I was wondering what you guys may do for enrichment for your frogs. I'm attempting to compile a list of possible ideas, as I feel enrichment is an often overlooked aspect of good welfare, and as such, I think it would be nice to have a resource for froggers to have as reference for enrichment ideas. I have a few ideas already, but I figured I'd pick your collective brains as well


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## srrrio (May 12, 2007)

Curious to hear what your ideas are?. Mine are food related like different feeders from time to time or scattering/ blowing fruit flies all over the viv as opposed to dumping them in one place.


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## PainterK586 (Nov 11, 2016)

Sometimes I play vittatus calls off my phone by my group's viv. Hoping that it might encourage them to start calling sooner. I have no idea if it's helping, but hey why not? ¯\_(ツ)_/¯


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## The Drunken Gnome (Dec 10, 2016)

they love music!
https://www.amazon.com/Sounds-Tropi...coding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=Q08XEXYRVRE7RXVKY9G5

https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/61WFH2KCWJL.jpg


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## Ed (Sep 19, 2004)

Positives 

misting cycle variations 
providing seasonal approximations
broadcast feeding
adding leaf litter
humidity variations approximation daily changes in situ 
thermal variations approximating daily changes in situ 
microfauna establishment
variations in cage setup as many taxa are more common in disturbed habitats 
separating sexes for a period of time and then reintroducing a female or females to a male(s). 
variations in time and quantity of food supplied (fat frogs are less likely to be active or behave normally) 
avoiding incorrect plants as they take up excessive space (example bromeliads with Dendrobates tinctorius ...) 

some comments 

Ed


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## zooherper (Jul 28, 2013)

srrrio said:


> Curious to hear what your ideas are?. Mine are food related like different feeders from time to time or scattering/ blowing fruit flies all over the viv as opposed to dumping them in one place.



Many of mine are food-related as well! Varying the time fed, introducing short fasts, differing prey species, food placement variation, utilizing "puzzle feeders" of various types (such as a short capped PVC tubes with tiny holes drilled in it for flies/crickets to crawl out of). 

Non-food includes moving vivarium furniture, changing timing/duration of misting cycles, raising/dropping water levels in water features, adding/subtracting plants (I count pruning plants as well), photoperiod variation, covering parts of the lights to simulate cloud cover, small mirrors, auditory stimulation (mostly frog calls, but I am keen to try music!), and social group changes (swapping the males/females from one tank to another, usually for mating purposes obviously).

I'm also toying with the idea of scale training, which I know can be done, but I haven't settled on whether I have the time to do so. I also question the value of keeping close tabs on weight, as I feel body condition scoring is a better method to evaluate welfare for amphibians. Although training a stationing behavior like you would in scale training could be useful for less stressful vivarium transfers when the rare occasion should arise that they are necessary.


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## DVent (Oct 15, 2009)

Good post. Always a great idea to consider ways to keep the frogs happy and see what other people do to improve their lives.


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## Ravage (Feb 5, 2016)

For my treefrogs, I use bird perches in each viv. On those occasions when I check on them at night, I have seen them perching, if not swinging, on them. I don't know if there are any "Dart Toys"? But I would say, that in nature, pretty much everything living "plays" to one extent or another. Just don't ask me what Daphnia does for kicks.


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## Sparky1888 (Feb 19, 2017)

When you talk about how a 'short fast' may be beneficial, what length of time do you mean? 

I take it this wouldn't be safe to do with juvenile terribs?


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