Whites Tree Frog Information Please!!?

Question

Ok...This is how it all started. I first began my herp hobby when I was around 16 years old. I owned a Pac-Man frog which I had fun with, but unfortunately I overfed him. At the time I was an impatient kid, and just liked watching him eat, and was really aware of the overeating problem these frogs possess. Anyway I'm 21 now, and decided to get a new friend, but this time not a Pac-Man. Now I had a 5 1/2 gallon tank laying around so I bought some tree frog type decor from petco and set it up, and let him loose. He seemed alright, but after a few hours he turned a dull brown color (when I brought him home he was bright green). So the next day I purchased a 20 gallon tank (not a skinny short one or skinny tall one, just looks like a bigger 10 gallon), 20 gallon under-tank heating pad, some green leave decor, humidity gauge, temp gauge, some more wood, and also another whites tree frog to accompany my new friend (was also bright green). Also I am using eco-earth, it comes in that brick and like triples in size, also I bought the moss like that as well and it mixed some in with the dirt. Now i set the tank up very arboreal like, lots of stuff for them to climb etc, but for some reason they are hiding on the bottom of the tank and not moving much. Now i know this is normal behavior for frogs like pacmans, pixies, and other fat sit-and-wait predators, but whites to my knowledge and ARE tree frogs so why would they be hanging out on the bottom? So yesterday afternoon I went to Petco again bought a dozen crickets, a blue 60 watt "blue" bulb w/fixture. Went home set it up and fed them. They ate fine, and ate almost all of them, just a few survivors, but once the were done returned to there little "hide out." Now when I got home with all the stuff and had it all set up it was probably like 7:30 so I only got to keep the light on for a couple of hours cuz then its lights out in my room after like 10 I'm assuming it didn't make much heat. So this morning is going to be the first day with a full 12 hour photo-period. Another thing is the temperature has never been more then 80 degrees with the heating pad, so I'm hoping that the light will fix the problem. My main questions I want answered are the following:

A.) Why are they burrowing down and hiding rather then climbing?

B.) What kind of bulb SHOULD I be using if this isn't the right one? Also I hear I need a UVB bulb, accompanied with a heat bulb? Which ones? Wattage?

C.) Also is the tank I am using big enough for two

What I would like to purchase for them when they get older and bigger is the exo terra terrarium, but in my opinion this seems fine for now. Anyone with these frogs and has healthy ones, please shed some light on this I would REALLY REALLY appreciate it. If someone could just tell me in detail, down to what kind of equipment, how much food (how many crickets), everything. I want to know everything about these guys so any help is welcome. THANKS!!!!!!!!!

Answer 1

Whites will be almost completely motionless during the day, they don't really come out until its dark. and when they do come out they just sit around. These guys don't need UVB, just a low heat light at night, if your place gets below 75 or so. it is possible that they are too cold and thats why they are not going up into their branches, but how late do you stay up to watch them? because they could be active while you are asleep. My guy sits around all day and only moves around to sit in his water and eat. The whites don't really move around to much. They should only be eating about 3 or 4 crickets every other day because they have a tendency to become obese make sure you don't overfeed them. Personally i think a 20 g is fine but it is ideal to have a high tank like the exo terrarium. Also do you have a big water dish for them? instead of drinking water like most they absorb it through their skin so they need plenty of fresh water to hang out in.

Answer 2

Are you misting the tank?  Is it humid enough for them to move around in the branches/foliage?  If the floor space of that tank is about the size of a 10 gal. then it's most likely too small for two.

If they are staying burrowed on the bottom, even at night, I would suggest that the environment is too cold up in the branches, and they are staying near the UTH pad.

Peel and stick meters and strip thermometers can be inaccurate up to 20 degrees.  You'll need to invest in a good digital probe thermometer or an Infrared temperature gun to actually measure the temperatures in the areas where the animals will dwell.  A good hygrometer will be needed to gage moisture.

Their inactivity might be due to the fact that they are nocturnal.  They don't require UVB, but they do require a normal day cycle.  You can provide an Infrared reptile bulb in the evening, to observe them after dark.

Housing, care, and feeding suggestions can be found in the below links.  

http://userpages.bright.net/~a1rep/a1whi...

http://www.wnyherp.org/care-sheets/amphi...

Good luck with your new pets, and I hope this has been helpful.