# i will have to leave my frogs alone for 20 days, help.



## carlosodze (May 7, 2013)

hello, my name is Carlos and i am from Perú, i am new in the dart frog world though I have some experience in reptiles, two weeks ago i purchase 5 beautiful dart frogs (ranitomeya ventramiculata.) they have been in a small pail but today i finally put them in their terrarium.
The terrarium is heated by a heat mat that i placed on a side (from outside of course), decoration (only two small real plants, i will plant it the next month) an auntomatic rain system (with an aquarium power head and some tubes).
I will make a a threat about it next week ( right now i dont have my camera).
Well the problem is this, on july 17 i have to travel for 20 days, and nobady can take care of my frogs, but i will do this:
1. Feed them really well before leaving.
2. I will put two fruit fly cultures on the inside with small holes on the top so the flys can go in and out and the frogs can feed on them.
3. I will put a small plastic container with earth and cricket eggs on it, so in 8 days after i leave small crickets will beggin to emerge. 
4. I will put some springtails on the grava.
5. for keeping it moist i will set the timmer conected to the rain system so it rains 20 secs each two days (the rain is preety strong, and the humidity on my city is already high (65-75) and i dont have a drain system so i dont want to make it an aquarium. 
6. for light i will let one of my curtains open (we are in winter so sun is not a problem) i only have 1 timmer.

I am really worried about this and i hate leaving them alone but i dont have a choice.
So tell me what do you think, give me advices, tell me what could go wrong.

Thanks a lot for reading and for your help.

Sincerily

Carlos

PD: Excuse me for my bad grammar, i really need to practice my writing skills.


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## run91 (May 28, 2013)

Hello and welcome!

Since no one is able to take care of your frogs, I think having all the cultures set up will be helpful. You might want to put in one culture that will start to producing about a week into your trip, that way you ensure there will be food towards the end of the 20 days.
As long as your temperature stays normal without any big jumps or dips that should be fine too. 
I think you found the best solution to the problem, just make sure your temperatures are stable. 

Best of luck!


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## carlosodze (May 7, 2013)

Great, thanks, 
I have another question, the temperature on the coldest side is like 68-70 and like 75-77 on the hotest side(near the heat mat), but the glass itself is warm (the side were i put the heat mat), i know a snake or a lizard would love this, but i read that dart frogs are very vulnerable to high temp, ¿is this a problem(i mean if they walk on that side? or i am a little paranoic? 

thanks again.


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## oldlady25715 (Nov 17, 2007)

Leave a slice of Banana in the tank for the flies to feed and reproduce. 

You'll also need to order a FF culture to arrive by the time your return home so there is no culture-less window between the time you return and the time required for a new culture to begin producing. 

As long as there a plenty of springs you should be fine.


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## frogface (Feb 20, 2010)

Be cautious about the heat, since you won't be there to monitor it. If the house temps are not going below 60 F, maybe consider turning off the heat mat while you are gone.


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## easternversant (Sep 4, 2012)

Hi Carlos,

What part of Peru are you from? The heater may be unnecessary and maybe even better turned off. 

Some mashed up banana in the tank is a good idea (someone already said so) as it will provide a place for the flies to reproduce.

Saludos,
Adam


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## carlosodze (May 7, 2013)

easternversant said:


> Hi Carlos,
> 
> What part of Peru are you from? The heater may be unnecessary and maybe even better turned off.
> 
> ...


Hi, i am living in Lima right now, and we are in the middle of the winter, temps can gow down to 60 outside and 63-64 inside, but the problem is that the max temperature in the day is 68 aprox, isn't that too cold for dart frogs?

so ¿can dart frogs walk on the side of the glass heated by the mat? i mean it's not hot but it's preety warm, i guess that if the glass(the part were i put the mat) is too hot for them the will just go to any other part of the terrarium. 

on monday i will get my camera so mabe on tuesday or wednesday i will upload some photos so you guys can tell me if i need to change anything.

Thanks for the replys


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## frogface (Feb 20, 2010)

I think 60-68 would be fine. Better than getting too hot.


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## jacobi (Dec 15, 2010)

Use a CFL (or more than what you already have) on top if you want more heat, instead of the heat pad. Also, if you have no drainage, I'd be concerned about the vivarium flooding...


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## frogface (Feb 20, 2010)

I agree about the flooding. Maybe reduce the mist time to 10 seconds every 2-3 days? Your natural humidity is high and, if they also have access to water in the tank, they won't need lots of sprayed water.


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## easternversant (Sep 4, 2012)

carlosodze said:


> Hi, i am living in Lima right now, and we are in the middle of the winter, temps can gow down to 60 outside and 63-64 inside, but the problem is that the max temperature in the day is 68 aprox, isn't that too cold for dart frogs?
> 
> so ¿can dart frogs walk on the side of the glass heated by the mat? i mean it's not hot but it's preety warm, i guess that if the glass(the part were i put the mat) is too hot for them the will just go to any other part of the terrarium.
> 
> ...


I hate Lima's winter weather. It is maybe a tad on the cold side, but not too bad. In winter here I keep my room at 65 F tops because I'm cheap. I imagine they will be ok. 

Is there some sort of background on the tank or are all the sides just exposed glass? If you have cork board or something then put the mat behind that and the frogs won't come in to contact with it.


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## carlosodze (May 7, 2013)

easternversant said:


> I hate Lima's winter weather. It is maybe a tad on the cold side, but not too bad. In winter here I keep my room at 65 F tops because I'm cheap. I imagine they will be ok.
> 
> Is there some sort of background on the tank or are all the sides just exposed glass? If you have cork board or something then put the mat behind that and the frogs won't come in to contact with it.


there is a background and that's a great idea, i will do it right now.

Thanks!


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## carlosodze (May 7, 2013)

easternversant said:


> I hate Lima's winter weather. It is maybe a tad on the cold side, but not too bad. In winter here I keep my room at 65 F tops because I'm cheap. I imagine they will be ok.
> 
> Is there some sort of background on the tank or are all the sides just exposed glass? If you have cork board or something then put the mat behind that and the frogs won't come in to contact with it.


done, there's still a small part were they could walk becouse not all the back wall have a background, but nothing like before.

that brings me a question, ¿dart frogs follow (or look for) heat? (like reptiles do)


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## Buddysfrogs (Mar 29, 2012)

No not that I've noticed. Looks like you'll be all good for your trip. I wish my winter temps dropped to just 60 as I'm in northern United States and it can hit less than 0c or around 8 f .
Buddy


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## rivered (Jun 13, 2013)

Same here for me (25 days). Except for the fact I haven't bought my dart frogs jet. The last 4 months, I've been busy, getting everything together to be able to do this. I have a 20 liter reservoir (for rain and misting), attached to 2 timeclocks (each accurate to a minute), which able me to rain for 5 seconds 4 times a day. And a thermoregulator and electric cooler elements are ordered from ebay, which will regulate the temperature exactly, since I don't have control over my room temperature in the time I am away. 

It might be helpfull for you to: 
 automatic digital temperature controlled thermostat 

TEC1 12706 Heatsink Thermoelectric Cooler 
(ordered them last week so still waiting for them to arrive)

Then the only thing left for you is indeed the food. Still I recommend you find someone to look after your frogs at ~10 days, since I've read that overfeeding can lead to all kinds of things you dont want to happen..

Good luck.


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