# Auto FF feeder



## --Mark-- (Nov 25, 2014)

So I have been considering auto ff feeders for when I go away for a few days and was thinking about piercing a hole in the culture lid, pushing a piece of airline tubing in and then put the other end into the tank. The fruit flies may take a while to find the way out so there'd be a low trickle of food into the tank? Has anyone tried this and does it work if you have tried it?


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## --Mark-- (Nov 25, 2014)

To get around dusting I could use a fish tank auto feeder with powder in each compartment. I would then set it to dump some of the powder on the mesh of the FF tub. The powder would then sprinkle through, powdering the flies (hopefully)?


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## Dendro Dave (Aug 2, 2005)

running a line from the culture into the tank will work. Might thread a string through the line just to give them something to hop on and climb up easier, and make sure the entry point is sealed to prevent frog escapes near it.

I wouldn't worry about supplements if you are only going to be gone for a few days, or even up to a month, (but that long and you should have a frog sitter, who should be competent enough to dust flies). Unless the frogs are already deficient they should weather your absence fine without supps. Just do it before you leave, and as soon as you get back.


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## --Mark-- (Nov 25, 2014)

Hadn't thought of the string! That's a great idea! I have an exo terra so I thought I could just put it in through the cable holes. I didn't realise it was as long as that that they could go without dusting! I'll give it a trial run over the next few days


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## Enlightened Rogue (Mar 21, 2006)

If you`re only going to be gone a few days I wouldn`t even be concerned.
Dump a good amount of flies in and you`re off.
I`ve left my for frogs for 10 days several times with no proplems


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## dendrorani (Jan 30, 2009)

Healthy frogs would have no problem for one week, no misting and no feeding...
But it would be a very good idea to have a tube line for slow feed. It does work well.

Sometimes when I leave for a week, I just put a culture in each tank and leave it open. Usually when I come back My frogs are even fatter 

Some thoughts,

Rani


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## Kas (Oct 6, 2013)

I just open up a culture and set it on its side in the tank. I've left them home alone for up to 10 days. I do have an auto mister though.


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## hypostatic (Apr 25, 2011)

THIS is what you're looking for:

http://www.dendroboard.com/forum/food-feeding/38080-feeding-ff-larvae-worked-pretty-good.html


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## Wusserton (Feb 21, 2014)

What I do is go to a local convienience store, they will usually give you a styro soup cup or 2 for free, drill a hole big enough for the flies to escape in the lid, but in a place they really have to work at to get out like 1/4 inch from the side of the cup, place an apple slice in there, I tried bananas once and after a week it was mush ...it worked but mush lol anyway dump a bunch of fruits in, its good for a solid week anyway! when I get back first thing I do is check my frogs, usually a few fruits still in the container and sometimes grubs too! With my lizards I just put a good weeks work of crickets in right off the bat, they eat their fill and the straglers can eat my moss or other plants until needed by the lizards, as long as your tank is secure theres no escapees


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## Wusserton (Feb 21, 2014)

Dendro Dave said:


> running a line from the culture into the tank will work. Might thread a string through the line just to give them something to hop on and climb up easier, and make sure the entry point is sealed to prevent frog escapes near it.
> 
> I wouldn't worry about supplements if you are only going to be gone for a few days, or even up to a month, (but that long and you should have a frog sitter, who should be competent enough to dust flies). Unless the frogs are already deficient they should weather your absence fine without supps. Just do it before you leave, and as soon as you get back.


And make sure you have timers set and water resevoirs are full the morning of your departure, everyone should be using timers anyway but its nice to brush on the subject for new people


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## Dendro Dave (Aug 2, 2005)

dendrorani said:


> Healthy frogs would have no problem for one week, no misting and no feeding...
> But it would be a very good idea to have a tube line for slow feed. It does work well.
> 
> Sometimes when I leave for a week, I just put a culture in each tank and leave it open. Usually when I come back My frogs are even fatter
> ...


I do that too, but I years ago I had a froglet die that seemed to have gotten trapped in the media.

Then awhile back I did that in a temporary viv that had some ventilation, but not nearly as good as most of my tanks, and when I came back the frogs appeared to have been gassed by emissions from the culture, or perhaps the culture had a bacterial bloom under those conditions. I think that keeping the lights off while I was gone might have contributed to the issue whatever it was. 

So now, I'm much more careful to make sure the tank is well ventilated, and the frogs can't get in the actual culture.

This was originally a slug trap, but can also double as a relatively frog safe FF culture...


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## dendrorani (Jan 30, 2009)

Dendro Dave said:


> I do that too, but I years ago I had a froglet die that seemed to have gotten trapped in the media.
> 
> Then awhile back I did that in a temporary viv that had some ventilation, but not nearly as good as most of my tanks, and when I came back the frogs appeared to have been gassed by emissions from the culture, or perhaps the culture had a bacterial bloom under those conditions. I think that keeping the lights off while I was gone might have contributed to the issue whatever it was.
> 
> ...


Oh that's so sad for the little froglet. Although I have never had this issue, I could see the potential for a newly OOTW froglet to get drowned in this mushy soup of larvae taking care of the media. And for sure, lack of air circulation will definitely cause some serious issues for the frogs and could lead to death. I have had a situation where one of my froglet rearing tank didn't have enough holes. I came one day and all my baby froglets were "drunk" or goofy and could not walk/hop normally. I immediately fixed the issue and they were back to normal the next day... I guess the lack of oxygen can get them to sleep pretty fast...

I love your trap, because i use the same one 
Ughh those slugs....

Rani


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