Some questions on Fire-belly toads

[SteveC79]

Howdy all,
Just some questions that I havent really found any answers to yet, I tried using the search option to no avail. so I'll try posting about it. I wanted to try to find the answers before I got them for my 20gal. long to make sure I had everything right in there future enviroment. Ok, here it goes:

1. Maintaining a proper humidity, I was trying to shoot for a full glass top(looks arcrylic to me) to achieve this but I read that arcrylic or glass can stop uvb rays which can be benefical to them(i.e. Basking spot). And on top of all that I have to think ventilation. Some thoughts on this please, thanks

2. Proper Lighting, I was thinking of using the fixture out of the hood I have for my 20gal long(17 Watt t-8 8000k bulb)to light the tank. Now for a basking spot Im not even sure what I should be looking at getting, cause I dont want it getting to hot for them. :help:

I believe thats about it, thanks for listening

Steve C.

 

[DAVIDFBT]

1. To maintain humidity in your 20 gallon, you should do what I did with my 20L, buy a screen top, and about 3 feet of sheet vynil that is 1 foot wide. Now tape the vynil to the top of the cover but leave about 6 inches untaped on each end of the cover. This way, you could control if you want it extremely humid or just a little humid.

2. To my knowledge, FBTs don't need a basking spot or all those fancy lights you got. A simple flourescent light strip with a 60 watt lightbulb over the whole thing should be enough. (That's what I have.)

 

[Notophthalmus]

Do not use a UVB light with amphibians. It will harm, not help, them. Only reptiles need UVB. Otherwise, you only need fancy lighting if you are growing plants; if the frogs can see well enough to find their food they'll be happy. Your fixture should be fine.

If you're handy it's not too hard to build a lid that is mostly glass or acrylic, but has a screen section as well. This should allow for high humidity as well as some ventilation. If you like, you can set up a small fan (such as a PC fan) to blow across the screen section, increasing air flow.

 

[SteveC79]

re:

thanks for the replys,
I like the idea with the pc fan I might have to incorpate it into my future tank, I have been looking into getting FBT's for awhile now. Now I am debating whether or not I should go with a turtle dock for a land area, or just sloping some gravel for the land....hmmm

Laters,
Steve C.

 

[Firebelly__girl]

Howdy all,
Just some questions that I havent really found any answers to yet, I tried using the search option to no avail. so I'll try posting about it. I wanted to try to find the answers before I got them for my 20gal. long to make sure I had everything right in there future enviroment. Ok, here it goes:

1. Maintaining a proper humidity, I was trying to shoot for a full glass top(looks arcrylic to me) to achieve this but I read that arcrylic or glass can stop uvb rays which can be benefical to them(i.e. Basking spot). And on top of all that I have to think ventilation. Some thoughts on this please, thanks

2. Proper Lighting, I was thinking of using the fixture out of the hood I have for my 20gal long(17 Watt t-8 8000k bulb)to light the tank. Now for a basking spot Im not even sure what I should be looking at getting, cause I dont want it getting to hot for them. :help:

I believe thats about it, thanks for listening

Steve C.

Ive never worried about the humidity to much...if you have a water set up, and you have a regular light on it, or even at room temp your tank should maintain humidity, mine does anyways.
You dont need a basking spot for them at all, just have a regular hood on it like a fish tank, regular or fluorescent it doesnt matter, and thats just for you to be able to see them at night.

What kind of set up are you doing? I would suggest a water type setup, NOT a tree frog type set up with a water bowl.
heres my old 20 gallon - i have them in a 10 gallon now but this tank was perfect for them, and i only had 3 at the time, i would have bumped the # up to 5 easily with this much filtered water.