[Guest]

I know I have at least two males, out of 4 frogs, just due to hearing three distinct chirsps from diferent three frogs. Another reason is I've seen two singles at either end of the tank and two that hang together under a coconut shell. Even at the slight chance I can get them to mate what should I look for, because one of the two in the Coconut shell rarely ever leaves the shell and its the larger of the two. I would love to look under the shell and see whats in there, but its now ened up becoming part of the landscape. Any suggestions on how to get them to do something, or on how to tell if they are already mateing. :? .

 

[Devin Edmonds]

I had success last year getting eggs from my female by putting my group of frogs through seasonal cycles. Unfortunately, neither of the two clutches she produced were fertalized by my males. Just this week I started increasing the moisture and temperature in their terrarium again after three months of cool and dry conditions, hopefully she will start to lay again.

You can tell when female frogs lay eggs by the change in body size. A gravid female will look abnormally large, almost bloated, a day or two before she lays eggs. If you notice that your female looks thin compared to the way she looked earlier in the week start hunting around the terrarium for eggs. Unlike dart frogs, mantellas don't usually lay their eggs on a smooth surface in a secluded place (petri dish under coconut hut). Instead, they lay in dark little holes or crevices. Both of my madagascariensis clutches that I recieved last year were laid under a pile of moist sphagnum moss that was beneath a piece of cork bark next to a small pond in the cage. This seems to be pretty typical for mantellas, most of the crocea and aurantiaca eggs I've recieved have also been under moist piles of moss, although there were exceptions. Hopefully others can chime in and share their experiences as well. Good luck,

 

[Rain_Frog]

Oh no!!!

Devin, like I said in a PM once, I noticed one day Penny didn't look gravid anymore. I noticed she began eating a ton more.

I never heard any calling, so I assume she just expelled the eggs.

 

[Guest]

I guess I should pull up that coconut shell....

Its very damp and very dark under that shell, if there are eggs what is my next move if they look fertilized? Should I take them out, put them onto some wet moss in my Orchid growroom, it stays at around 70-90% Rel. humidity and about 20-22 C (65-72F). I know they hatch out of water but I have never bread Mantellas, and there is not enough of a water feature to have them transported to in Vivarium.

 

[Guest]

Mantellas don't really transport their tadpoles like some of the dart frogs do, you have to move them yourself.

 

[Devin Edmonds]

When I find eggs, I pull them out with a plastic spoon and set them in a plastic shoebox-sized storage bin with a thin layer of water. I don't set the eggs on anything. I used to set them on top of java moss but I don't bother anymore. I'm sure setting them on moss in a humid orchid room would work well, just make sure that the tadpoles have some water to wriggle into below the moss. Good luck with the madagascariensis,